A Closer Walk With Jesus: Recent Episodes
Dr. Bruce L. Hartman
Listen to short podcasts that are designed to inform and inspire faith development. Stories of Great Christians and common sense explanations about the Bible.
Dream Big and Believe
"Dream more, learn more, care more, and be more....."
Dolly Parton
It's always fascinating to discover quotes from successful people with humble beginnings. So what was it that caused Dolly to be a superstar and elevated her to where she is today?
As we were sitting around the table after a mission trip to Atlantic City for our evening devotional yesterday, Pastor Bobbie said something that resonated with me. He questioned whether or not he was dreaming big enough for his church in Alma, Georgia.
How often do we limit ourselves from joys and successes because we dream too small? Jesus can handle anything we dream up if we're willing to educate ourselves and care about the people in our paths. Of course, it won't always be rapid success, but every experience will make us better and bring us closer to our goals. And if we have faith in Jesus and ourselves, we will be even more than we could imagine!
One of my favorite verses about dreaming and believing comes from Mark 9:23, where Jesus says, "If you can believe? All things are possible for one who believes."
So today, believe your dreams will happen and make sure your eyes are wide open!
Praying for the people we serve...
Pastor Lou Strugala
A Final Message About “Fully” Accepting Jesus
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Matthew 16:21Pope Francis has a three step process to fully accepting Jesus, the first two are easy. First, we must find about Jesus. Doing things like reading the Bible, going to church or attending a Bible study. In this step we are both compelled and desirous of finding Jesus. The second step is our outward proclamation; which includes, wearing crosses, leaving Bibles on our desk, singing in church or speak openly about Jesus. In this step we are not embarrassed or afraid to say what we know about Jesus.
The third in final step is where the word, fully comes into play. Pope Francis says we must fully believe in the resurrection of Jesus, to fully accept Jesus. While the first two steps are easy to absorb, this third step is the biggest hurdle in our journey to fully knowing Jesus. It involves believing Jesus’ sacrificial act on the cross gives all humankind redemption. We must both understand the importance of the cross and the sacredness of the gift Jesus has given us. When we do, it moves us from seeing our lives as permanently residing in this world to seeing our lives as an eternal pursuit of the divine. In this moment of belief, we no longer intellectualize the cross, but fully have faith in Jesus’ act on the cross. With this faith we become both freed and redeemed. The movements of this world take on far less meaning and our worries subside. Both our inner and outer expressions transform to loving God and our neighbor.
Becoming Bold with Our Faith
And this is the boldness we have in him,
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:14
We should not be hesitant in our prayers; we should be bold. When we ask according to God’s will and with a faithful hope, God will hear and respond. In our very asking, we are recognizing the sovereign nature of God. We have decided in our souls that God is the provider of all that is good and needed. In turn, when our prayers are formulated with thanksgiving and praise, our petitions will be heard. As God responds, we in turn will observe the response in the same faithful manner in which we prayed. We will be sure the response is from God and according to God’s desire. The response will be recognizable, and it will be breathtakingly clear that God is with us.
Points of Reflection
· What specific events can you recall that you knew were a direct response from God?
· What do you silently ask from God, and how do you ask?
· What is the boldest request in prayer you have made?
A Woman Alone On A Bench
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16
This is a familiar story about how crisis puts us at a cross road in life. A place where we can choose which path to take. We can choose the path of why me or the path of hope. This crisis for a search for meaning and a sense of being loved is common. Most of us will or have experienced the same thoughts as Karina. If not, we are either very lucky and well-adjusted or overdue.
We can pour through the thousands of self-help books that show up on Amazon or in book stores. While helpful, not always on the mark. For Karina, it was her entry into the New Testament that lifted her out of her dungeon of despair. For others, it is the resistance of the pursuit of Jesus. An intellectual exercise in trying to rationalize if Jesus is real. C.S. Lewis rationalized for many years, before finally relenting in a dark corner of a library, describing himself as; the most reluctant and desperate of all converts. Each encounter of faith is very similar, a change is needed. While the individual’s journey to the crossroad of crisis, is always unique.
An Illiterate Southern Baptist Preacher; To Whom Jesus Was Everything.
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12
Last week we began our four part series called Jesus Is Our Everything. Today we continue this series with a story about an illiterate preacher. An everyday person, who followed Jesus to the pulpit, to run a successful racially mixed small church in the deep south.
One of my favorite preachers I use to give me inspiration is Clarence Jordan. Clarence was the inspirational founder of Habit for Humanity. He was the father of Hamilton Jordan, who was Jimmy Carter’s chief of staff. Clarence was a pioneer in social justice in the mid-20th century, at a time when our country was deeply divided racially. His main message was to bring Jesus’s words to life with action and not rhetoric. A peace seeking man, who in every way lived this life. One of his formative learning moments occurred when he visited and preached at a Southern Baptist church in the deep south.
Jesus Is Our Everything
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” -John 14:6There is a need to move Jesus to the kitchen table. I see this within many of the people I talk with and listen to, as they give their thoughts. For them Jesus isn’t an academic exercise. Nor is it an exercise in judging, which I see far too often. For most people, knowing Jesus more intimately is an individual exercise in strengthening their faith in the Risen Lord.
One of the things I have also noticed is each of our relationships with Jesus is very personal and developed differently. Sometimes we find Jesus through crisis and other times through slow steady steps. Regardless, each of us arrive at knowing and finding Jesus- individually. Our relationship with Jesus is always unique, intimate and extraordinarily personal.
Helping Those in Need
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak
and not to please ourselves.
Romans 15:1 (NIV)
Comfort springs from the words of Jesus; they are the surest and sweetest words of life and the greatest path to hope. Likewise, we are to live and show these words through all of our actions. In our humble obedience to these words, we become beacons of help to others. When these words are the direction of our heart, we move from a life of self-centeredness to a life of helping others. We become inspired to defend the downtrodden. We bring our words of encouragement to those who need comfort. Through our presence as children of God, we lift up those who struggle. It is not through our judgement that others receive help, but through our Christian attitude of service for humankind. With this attitude we imitate the very being of Christ our Lord.
Points of Reflection
· What acts of kindness have you shown this week and why?
· When you see the weak, is it easier to judge or easier to help?
· What motivates you to help others, and what is the source?
Acquiring a Life of Heavenly Direction
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
With Christ as the way, our prayers go to God, and his blessings come to us; this is the way that leads to our life’s purpose. Our eternal benefit comes through Christ’s presence in our lives and will be the primary source of our direction. Christ’s words and lessons guide us as we stay at our temporary, earthly place. We have an intercessor, prayer partner, and model in Christ. As we turn our eyes and hearts to him, we become humbled and strengthened. We move from being alone in our quest for purpose to being combined with eternal forces. Through him we speak to and see God. We are no longer adrift but firm in our course.
Points of Reflection
· Why is Jesus the way and the truth in your life?
· How often do you pray, and what do you pray for?
· What is the biggest gap in your life’s direction?
Jesus is Permanent and Life is Temporary
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
Philippians 3:20One of my favorite quotes from Billy Graham is; My home is in heaven; I am just passing through this world.When I first heard this quote, I pondered it for days. Thinking through every aspect of why Graham said this now famous quote. Concluding Graham’s perspective was so very true. We are on a journey back to our permanent home and life can be very temporary. Our life here is unknown and temporary, which in itself creates a sense of urgency to our connecting with Jesus. For none of us do not know the day when life will change.
An urgency to never let our guard down. Each moment is precious as we are passing through to heaven. An urgency to intimately connect with our Lord and savior. An urgency to correct our failures and fix our wrongs. An urgency to be a beacon of love and hope for others. For we all exist for each other, when we accept Jesus.
A Hopeful Faith Heals
Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:19
When we first go to Christ with our illnesses, both physical and spiritual, we are expressing a hopeful faith. Perhaps we have been left with no place to turn, or perhaps this is a repeating occurrence. Regardless, it remains a hopeful faith. It is this combining of our faith, led by a desire to be healed, that we form a partnership with our Lord. This partnership creates a path of healing. We do not know where it leads, but it ends with an intimate communion with Christ. Though we may not know how in advance, our hopeful faith will bear fruit. We are assured we will find an answer. It will be revealed to us in a magical way that is so very personal, only we will recognize it as meant for us. Through this answer, we will be freed and able to go on our way.
Points of Reflection
· Why is it important that you have a hopeful faith when you pray?
· How does your own faith connect with Jesus when you pray?
· How do you rely on Jesus during difficult times, and why do you?
God is With Us!
I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
God is sufficient to meet all of our needs. When we wrestle with the concepts of whether God is enough or with us, we simultaneously both erode and block our faith. This doubt in our faith causes us to compromise our faith-lives. We end up with our feet in two different worlds. By being strong and courageous with our faith, we have railings on the bridge of life that we all must walk over. When we walk dismayed or frightened, ironically the railings disappear. When we walk with faith, it is a path of certainty and assuredness of God’s presence in our lives. We draw upon the promise that God is with us. Only upon the path of faith do God’s railings appear to guide us along the long span of our lives.
Points of Reflection
· How strong is your faith, and what factors cause you to doubt?
· How do you address your doubts?
· What stops you from being strong and courageous with your faith during difficult periods?
The Lord is My Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Psalms 23:1-3
Our life with Jesus leads us down the right paths. We are both strengthened and protected through our faithful belief. Jesus guides us through the difficult and turbulent times of our lives. When we invite Jesus to take over our hearts, we emerge with a new direction. A direction of calm and grandeur. No longer troubled, but content, we lead lives with purpose and joy. We will become rested and resolved. We become caring and hopeful. Like any good shepherd, Jesus leads us protectively towards our life’s purpose.
Points of Reflection
· Do you fully trust that walking with Jesus protects you?
· What does being a “good shepherd” mean to you?
· What is your life’s purpose, and how does Jesus help you obtain it?
Even Jesus’s Brothers and Sisters Lacked Faith
Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.
It seems that familiarity is a big impediment in accepting Jesus as Lord and savior. But Jesus gives us a clue as to how to tap into the power he holds. Simple, just have faith. Notice Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith. And faith is the most critical part of recognizing Jesus and who he is. Seven times, Jesus said, your faith has made you well. In fact, faith is mentioned 262 times in the New Testament. Faith is the critical ingredient in recognizing Jesus.
While it sounds easy that faith is all it takes, it really isn’t. That is the point of the story. Many things erode our faith; worry, temptation, ego and even our own human senses. For the townspeople and his relatives, their faith was diminished by their inability to separate what they had seen of Jesus as a child with his deity.
The Apostle Paul has a great description of faith, when he writes in 2nd Corinthians; So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2ndCorinthians 4:18) We can’t use our senses or human knowledge to have faith. History won’t work as well. To fully experience the power of Jesus, we have to put away everything we know and simply trust. No magic formula, just believe.
Faith comes from being compelled to know Jesus and then giving up our human senses and experiences during this encounter. Taking this step is difficult for many, but when we do, we become fully engaged with Jesus. Many times it occurs when we have no where else to turn.
Angels the Messengers of God: Are They Real?
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:14
We have all heard about angels. Probably the most famous angel we know of is Clarence, the bumbling angel in the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. In the movie, Clarence is portrayed as a junior angel trying to obtain his wings by helping George Bailey through some tough times. In the movie, we are also told that every time we hear a bell ring, a junior angel has gotten their wings. Well, this makes for a good sub plot in a movie, but it isn’t quite accurate from a Biblical standpoint. Clarence’s is portrayal as an angel is close, but not completely accurate.
To know about and determine what are angels, we should turn to the Bible. And when we use the Bible as the authentic source of information, we need to believe that the Bible is the word of God without error. Using this perspective we get three clues about angels. The first is the word angel itself, in ancient Hebrew, it means messenger. In the entire Bible, the word angel appears three hundred times. Many times as a messenger, perhaps the most famous time was when an angel visited Mary to let her know she would bear a son named Jesus.
In today’s verse from Hebrew’s we get a second clue about another role of angels, that as ministers or helpers. An example of this is found in Matthew 4:11, where it says; Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. This verse is right after Jesus has spent forty grueling days in the desert and had been tempted three times by the devil. After His ordeal, angels came and ministered or attended to Jesus.
In the book of Psalms, we find a third clue, angels as protectors. In Psalm 91:11-12 it says; For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. In this case we find God uses angels to guard and protect us.
We now have three ways that angels help us. They are messengers with instructions or advice. They help heal and minister. Finally, they are guardians or protectors.
Unlimited Possibilities
Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God;
for God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:27
Through our faith we gain an unlimited set of possibilities. All that is required is faithful prayer and an acceptance of Jesus in our hearts. Humankind will wrestle with plans and dreams; have desires for a good life and sense of purpose. Sometimes we will succeed, and sometimes we will stumble. When we fail, we can search for answers on our own, or we can turn to God for help. Jesus tells us that we are not alone; we are with God whose ways are true and miraculous. Through prayer and the faithful recognition of God, we move from limited possibilities to unlimited possibilities. All that is required is a desire for God in our lives and a faithful patience while watching and waiting for God’s majestic plan for us to unfurl.
Points of Reflection
· What are your plans, and how does God fit into them?
· Do you look to God when you make plans for the day?
· What things are not working out in your life, and how can God help?
The Promise of Jesus
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
Famed 17th-century theologian, Matthew Henry, said, “The design of Christ is giving himself for us.” Christ is present in all that we do, think, and feel. A constant companion in times of bounty and scarcity. He never leaves our side or is absent. His presence is a personal gift that exceeds all that exists in the world. It is far greater than the riches which can be earned or the fame we acquire. Christ is there to follow and provide comfort. In the moments of our darkest hour, a simple gazing towards his presence calms our being. He is the Alpha and Omega of our lives, constantly in pursuit of helping us. We only have to turn our hearts to Jesus.
Points of Reflection
· How do you feel Jesus during our day?
· What gifts have you received from Jesus?
· Why does following Jesus provide you comfort?
What are Miracles and Are They Real?
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Matthew 9:22
One of the things I wonder and get questions about is; what are miracles and are they real? I have thought long and hard about this question many times. And sure I have seen my share, but always something so deeply personal, I am not sure my experiences are easily explained in words. Which is in effect part of my answer to those who ask. Miracles are deeply intimate and emotional experiences, something which can’t be explained fully in human terms.
Underlying each miracle is a private conversation with God through Jesus. Maybe by many people who pray together or perhaps just the individual. Each miracle is unique, easily recognizable by the person or persons affected and always hard to explain to someone else.
1st Timothy: An Inside Look at The Development of the First Christian Churches
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer
1st Timothy 1:3
1st Timothy is one of the three Pastoral Epistles in the New Testament, attributed to the Apostle Paul. The letter was written to Paul’s protégé, Timothy. Tradition states that this letter was written in the mid first century. Most scholars doubt that this is the case and assign it’s writing to the mid second century. As such, most scholars don’t believe Paul wrote this letter. I take a different view; I believe both tradition and the scholars are correct. My view is that it is likely that Paul originally wrote this letter, and that it was later heavily edited up until the mid-second century. My research and reasoning for this position explains the value of the letter. In other words, both points of view are right, and this combining of ideas that spans almost one hundred years, make this letter an extraordinary addition to our Bible.
1st Timothy is about the standards of conduct for the early church. For both those who have oversight and for the attenders. The early church in Ephesus, which Timothy was placed in charge; is used as the example by Paul. Paul originally wrote this letter to his protégé, Timothy, to help him keep the church in Ephesus on track. There are three important themes arise out of the letter; to avoid false doctrine, the qualities needed for those who run the church and godliness for all.
The value for us in the 21st century, is that in this letter we get a first-hand look into the growing pains of the early church and the issues that these pioneers had to deal with in creating the church we know today.
Milking Cows is a Good Way to Learn Kindness
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22
I usually speak to my mom once a day, by phone. We discuss many things; life, how she is doing, and the Boston Red Sox. Sometimes we ramble about little things, other times we venture into the profound. On a recent call, my Mom unknowingly gave me the clue to the roots of her kind and generous heart. Not in a bravado way, but through her eyes as a young teenager. She said; If you want to be a kind person, learn to milk cows!
To Kneel Or Not to Kneel: A Very Personal Decision
He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
Luke 22:41I will always stand. The flag represents the opportunities that I inherited by being American. But I also know, others haven’t had the same access to a life of unlimited opportunities. When those who are limited kneel, it makes me want to work harder to fight for their equality of opportunity.
Jesus kneeled in the garden, out of respect for God and showed his submission. He spoke his famous words in this position; not my will but yours be done. Kneeling is a sacred act when done with an honest and pure heart. And over these many centuries, many have assumed this position to seek the truth and express their desires. And many more will in the future. In each individual case kneeling is a very personal individual decision.
Like many issues, kneeling isn’t an issue with which to take sides. Rather it is one with which praying will help us understand, perhaps kneeling while we do.
Whom Do We Serve?
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth.
Matthew 6:24
In each moment of our lives we are confronted with, “Whom do we serve?” A constant decision of either trying to please the world and its ways or to live the life Jesus desires for us. These two opposing forces are present in every action and thought we have. When we chose the ways of the world, we are serving ourselves and are resigned to fleeting, temporary successes. When we chose the path of Jesus, our roads straighten, and our gains become sustainable. Choosing the path of Jesus requires the recognition of the sovereign and loving nature of God and the importance of loving our neighbor. Our hearts desire Jesus, but we are always tempted by fame, money, and worldly acceptance. In Jesus we receive no temptations but a life that absorbs the inevitable storms that will occur. Turning to Jesus leads us down a path our heart desires. A path that leads to a purposeful life and avoids a conflicted one.
Points of Reflection
· Whom do you serve and why?
· What are the things of life that tempt you and draw you away from Jesus?
· What do you want your life to look like?
The New Heaven and the New Earth
And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelations 21:5
When Jesus descended to earth to carry out his mission, he changed all for us. Jesus changed heaven and earth and made things new. Through our belief in Jesus, we acquire this newness. We acquire a life of second chances through our continuous repentance. We acquire a life eternal. We acquire a mediator and intercessor. As importantly, we acquire a life that is led by a heart that yearns to be close to God. Through Jesus, humankind was forever changed and given a new trustworthy path. Through Jesus, our sins were forgiven both today and tomorrow. All that is required of us is to follow a heart that desires Jesus and his trustworthy new ways.
Points of Reflection
· What would you like to make new in your life?
· How has Jesus helped you make things new?
· How many second chances have you experienced and what was the most significant?
Winston Churchill; A Flawed Man Who Saved a Nation
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1st Timothy 1:15Each of us has had regrettable moments, some of us more than others. However, If we turn to evaluating people exclusively by their weaknesses, the world will not be a better place. For all would be banished. Churchill wouldn’t have saved Europe, nor Paul emerge as one of the great leaders of Christianity.
Humankind is very complicated and judgement that comes to easy will eventually sink us. Jesus died on a cross for a reason. To end judgement of our sin and we became redeemed. Perhaps forgiveness can be a new fashionable way of life. I certainly know that this is what Jesus would want.
There will always be a clucking Nay-Sayers, who seek to destroy. Forgetting where the world be without Churchill and Paul. And Jesus wants us to be forgivers and not judges. Jesus knows our frailties, but also knows our capacity to do far more good.
I pray for the day, when we look for the good in people and not just at the bad..
Episode is Not Live
Publish: Jul. 29, 2020 @10AM Edit
Publish
Add a Transcript
Get episode better indexed by search engines.
Add Chapter Markers
Listeners can tap through & see what’s coming up.
Promote this Episode
Create a Video Soundbite
Share on Facebook
“I Can’t Speak, But I can Listen”
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.
Luke 10:27
Meet Luke MaCallister, a modern day Good Samaritan. A remarkably generous young man with Autism that has taught an entire community, what it means to love your neighbor.
We must lift up the many great people from all walks of life that have lifted up our country. Instead of cancelling and living darkly, we need to become followers of the light. Looking for those who do good. We should honor our heroes more widely, those who make us great. We need to gather up the great doers of good and let them lead. Not this angry mob that trolls the internet to seek people to cancel.
We won’t agree with our neighbor on every point of view. Jesus asks us however, to love all our neighbors.
Jesus wants us to walk in light and not the darkness of judging others. Jesus wants us to listen to learn and not prepare our next attack.
Jesus wants us to love and forgive. As Jesus did when he went to the Cross.
Jesus Strengthens Us
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
When we fully turn our hearts to Jesus, we become strengthened. In this instant, we leave the ways of the world behind and accept the ways of Jesus. No longer does acquiring material things matter. Our focus becomes one of being a disciple and helping others. With this change in focus we become joyful. The ways of the world, which bring only temporary happiness, are replaced with a life of a hopeful faith. The fear of scarcity is gone, and the desire to possess ebbs. In turn, the joy of contentment and the desire to help emerge. We no longer are bound by the chains of material possessions but take on the lighter yoke of Christ. Through this transformation we are strengthened and find a different purpose to our lives.
Points of Reflection
· What are your possessions, and why did you acquire them?
· If you had to get rid of certain possessions what would they be?
· Why is Jesus’s yoke lighter, and how does it strengthen you?
Handling Times of Stress
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Psalms 46:1
Where do we turn when we are alone in the wilderness of life? We can panic, which is only a short-term salve. We can be fearful and doubtful, both of which are deceptive emotions. Or in this wilderness, we can find refuge in God. A place that requires patience and hopefulness. Through our faithful and patient prayers, we will see God’s response in an extraordinarily personal way. A way that is both providential and intimate to us. When we faithfully sit and wait in the refuge of God, our thoughts are calm and our being is resolute. The dark skies of life will begin to lighten and become brighter. At the pace of our understanding, God will reveal our path out of life’s wilderness. God will be very present in this journey of recovery. Our trust in a loving God begins the solution.
Points of Reflection
· What are your troubles today, and how are they affecting you?
· Have you gone to God in faithful prayer to seek a path of resolution?
· Describe an event in the past when God helped. What was unique about this experience?
In this age of cancelling people are we doing more good or bad? Perhaps if we knew the real story behind, Nancy Green, the woman who is portrayed on the Aunt Jemima products, we will change our point of view.
Discover the real story of a great Christian who lived her life to help others.
Jesus’s Promise
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
John 15:9
Jesus promises to us the same love God has shown him. This promise is of eternal love, not one that is momentary or fleeting. It is certain and true and never ending, even in the darkest moments of our lives. As we embrace and accept this love, we will know of no other place to turn. In return for this eternal gift God asks of us one request–a simple statement to trust and to abide in this love. Not to turn away from God when life gets hard but to have hope, which builds faith that in turn builds trust. For this magnificent gift of God’s love, we only have to turn our hopes, faith, and trust towards Jesus. It is a wonderful gift of freedom for the small price of abiding.
Points of Reflection
· What has been hardest about accepting the love of God through Jesus?
· What does abiding in Jesus’s love mean?
· Why is God’s love so important, and how is it different from the love we receive from others?
Is humankind totally depraved? I don't think so, based on my life's experiences and especially my mom. Learn Biblically why this is true and why the Doctrine of Sin agrees.
Jesus’s Promise
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
John 15:9
Jesus promises to us the same love God has shown him. This promise is of eternal love, not one that is momentary or fleeting. It is certain and true and never ending, even in the darkest moments of our lives. As we embrace and accept this love, we will know of no other place to turn. In return for this eternal gift God asks of us one request–a simple statement to trust and to abide in this love. Not to turn away from God when life gets hard but to have hope, which builds faith that in turn builds trust. For this magnificent gift of God’s love, we only have to turn our hopes, faith, and trust towards Jesus. It is a wonderful gift of freedom for the small price of abiding.
Points of Reflection
· What has been hardest about accepting the love of God through Jesus?
· What does abiding in Jesus’s love mean?
· Why is God’s love so important, and how is it different from the love we receive from others?
Triumphant Song of Confidence
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 27:1
To whom and where else should we turn in times of stress? Surely our friends can help, especially those who are faithful followers. Surely there are well meaning associates who can provide well-intentioned advice. Surely we are blessed to have these people in our lives. The words of God and the ways of God are always more certain and truer. They are not meant solely to please the world. They are from our heavenly source and, like well-crafted arrows, true in their flight. By turning our hopes, dreams, and desires over to God, we build a life that becomes a stronghold. A life resistant to the turmoil that can arise like a pounding storm. In this triumphant stronghold, we can have confidence and assurance that God is with us.
Points of Reflection
· To whom and where do you turn in times of stress?
· How often do you read the Bible to receive the words of God?
· Who is your greatest confidant in life and why?
Jesus is True Reality
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"
John 14:6
If we want to fix what is wrong and help those underserved, it is our uplifting actions that will provide a lasting solution, not toppling statues because of our view of history. By staying riveted to the lessons of Jesus we can make real change.
Through following Jesus, we can be certain of our path and what is a true reality. In the Gospel of John, we get a quote from Jesus that gives us this direction, where it says; Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” A clear and simple message of what should occupy our minds. Not that of pursing frail and fragile human truth, rather a life that focuses on a sacred truth by following Jesus.
This path is very hard to follow. And on many days we will fall short of truly living this way. We will all become desirous of giving our opinions or become overly bothered by the headlines of the day. Jesus asks us to follow him and through this activity, we become much more productive in helping out in an unequal world. Over time we will discover a more soothing path. A path that removes us from what falsely seems permanent to a sacred purpose.
The world is filled with glimmering nuggets that attract us, only to be disappointed when we grab a hold of them. History is filled with them, never satisfying, and always attracting our thoughts. Following Jesus is quite different, all that He said is true and beneficial.
Today, spend time with Jesus and ask for His insight, what seems illusive will become real.
Taking the Time to Thank God
O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Psalms 136:26
Have we stopped recently to thank God for the blessings in our life? Do we only pray when we need something? A healthy, mutual relationship is one of thanking and giving, as well as asking and receiving. Our personal relationship with God is the same. When we only ask, we silently ignore the importance of the source of our bounty. When we only ask, we diminish God to a genie-like being in our lives. Certainly, God is sovereign and will reign without our thanks, but when we thank God, internally, we lift up God’s status in our minds.
Points of Reflection
· How often do you thank God for life’s blessings?
· Do you treat God the same way you would want to be treated?
· What is your personal definition of a “mutual relationship?”
A God of Promises
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
When we fully accept this famous verse, we both at once and for the future, change our view of God. God undeniably becomes a God of love and promise; no longer a condemning God. This simple assertion states that when we live by God’s will, we are given a future with hope. Surely evil will still exist, but it will only gain momentary victories. Our hope and faith in God ensure a victory that will provide us with a life of hopefulness. No longer will we be troubled in times of stress, but we will instead know calm as we watch the storms of life ebb. With faithful patience, we capture this life of hope.
Points of Reflection
· What plans does God have for us individually and as a community?
· What events in life have given you hope in God?
· How do we approach life when the storms of life rise up?
Jesus commands us to love one another in John 13:34. He doesn't request us to love. Jesus commands us to love. And when we do, we are serving the Lord.
Discover why the Apostle John was called the Son of Thunder and how Jesus turned him into the Apostle of Love. Which Jesus can do for us as well.
What is the difference between secular truth and Biblical truth? What is it that Jesus asks of us in telling the truth?
The truth of Jesus will set us free!
A Different Way of Thinking About Jesus
Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.
Revelations 3:20
Today’s verse is one of my personal favorites and reveals how I feel Jesus approaches us. In this verse we see two things, first is the active action by Jesus of trying to connect with us, by knocking on our door. The second is a very clear statement about Jesus’s desire to form a mutual relationship with us, by wanting to dine with us. While they are insistent, neither of these statements are aggressive or demanding statements, but a compelling request by Jesus for us to get to know Him more closely.
Revelations has long been considered a dark and scary book. But actually when read with the knowledge of why it was written; it becomes an engrossing story of the cosmic battle of good versus evil. A battle in which Jesus wins!
Today, we hear on the news that we are living in a "New Normal." Nothing could be further from the truth. God doesn't want us to be isolated and didn't make us that way. Today is really a "New Reality." And how do we live with this "New Reality."
Jesus gifts are available to all. How has Jesus helped you in your life? Jesus ascended to heaven and left a legacy that is still with us today.
In each of our lives there will be seasons of joy and mourning. These seasons all have a purpose under the heavens. The wonderful poem in Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 is a God breathed verse to guide us through these seasons.
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.
John 8:12
How to use this verse in problem solving.
We Are Who We Are Because of The Grace of God
But by the grace of God I am what I am.
1st Corinthians 15:10
I am sure you have heard the phrases, By the grace of God or I am saved by the grace of God. So what is God’s grace? The simplest answer is; grace is God’s love towards us, which has not been earned by us, but given freely by God. The multiple branches off this statement in explanation are long and if all are followed, provide more insight if carefully worked by the mind.
The amount of theological doctrine relating to grace is immense and it seems that not all can quite agree. Some parts are agreed to by some and others have other dimensions of grace to explain.
And that is part of the point about grace, each person receives and feels God’s grace differently. But its effect on the individual is universal. So universal that God’s grace is perhaps the most important aspect of the Bible. In our relationship with God, it starts with God’s desire to be in relationship with us. A compelling desire by God that is not diminished by our rejection of God.
Jesus is the prime example of grace. The cross, His life and resurrection were all done as a result of God’s grace. The forgiveness of our sins was unearned. Simply, an innocent entity stood in for us on the cross. The lessons of Jesus become guideposts for our lives, yet they have been given freely. The resurrection of Jesus, was to defeat death for us. Again, an extraordinarily powerful act, that was not deserved, but given.
The Holy Spirit descended on the fiftieth day after the resurrection for all humankind. A gift from Jesus that helps us each day in our lives.
The fifth Sunday of Pentecost and the value of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, which dwells in each of us and speaks to us through our hearts.
Jesus said; "For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them." How does it apply to the current lockdown of churches caused by the Corona Virus?
According to Proverbs 8:17; finding God requires two things; to love God and to be diligent in searching for God. And this is so very true. Today's message explores how to find God.
Learn the story about Joshua and crossing the River Jordan to the promised land. It applies to us today, many centuries later. Teaching us how to use faith to leave our personal wilderness and move to God's promised land for our lives.
Paul and Pleasing God; the Message of 1St Thessalonians
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
1st Thessalonians 2:4
Paul sits in Corinth having been joined by his student, Timothy, and writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica. The date is sometime between 50AD and 52AD. Paul is currently in the middle of his second missionary journey. The letter Paul writes is likely the first of all his great letters.
Since Paul’s conversion experience on the road to Damascus, he has spent three years in the wilderness; met with Peter and the early church in Jerusalem; waited in Taurus for a way to help spread the good news about Jesus; finally called to work with Barnabas in Antioch; and complete his first missionary journey. And now is in the second of his three missionary journeys to spread the Good News of Jesus. A time frame that has spanned around fifteen years.
Paul has endured a lot and his trials along the way have become legendary. Now, he sits peacefully in Corinth. Timothy has returned from Thessalonica with good news about the church they helped create. Paul is overjoyed and relieved; his work is bearing fruit. Through his many struggles and travels he has worked very hard to spread the message about Christ throughout the Gentile world, now it seems it has been worth the effort.
Now begins the time Paul uses his extraordinary literary skills and writes the Letter to the Thessalonians. The first of many that would not only encourage and help those he visited, but resonate throughout the ages for many others. These letters would become his other mission. Letters so skillfully written that their messages are still relevant for Christians centuries later.
Being a Realistic Optimist and Using Faith to Survive Tough Times
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34
During the Vietnam War, Jim Stockdale was flying his navy jet over North Vietnam. Below him he saw a missile rising up on course to hit his jet. Despite his efforts, the missile violently hit his plane. He now could no longer steer the damaged jet and his only option was to bail out. When he hit the ground in a small village, he was quickly surrounded and severely beaten. Later to be taken to Hanoi and imprisoned in in the Hoa Lo prison, which was also known as the Hanoi Hilton.
Upon arriving at the prison, he discovered he was the highest ranking officer. As such, he was in charge of protecting and guiding the other prisoners. This also meant he would be a target for his jailkeepers, who subjected him to extraordinarily difficult beatings.
He remained in the prison for eight and a half years, from 1965 to 1973. During this time his legs were broken twice, he was constantly under nourished and suffered sleep deprivation. Some of his time was spent in isolation. None of his days were easy.
Meanwhile, back home, his wife, Sybil, organized a group of other wives to form The League of American families of POW’s and MIA’s. She spent her time fighting for knowledge of their status; speaking to congress and even spoke at the Paris Peace conference. For eight and a half years she never gave up.
On February 12th 1973, Rear Admiral James Stockdale was released as part of Operation Freedom, along with 591 other prisoners. When he arrived on the tarmac, he could barely walk and his eyes were sunken into his head. But at least he was home. He later received the Medal of Honor.
He retired from the Navy in 1979. In his post retirement life, he was Ross Perot’s selection to be vice president during his unsuccessful presidential run in 1992. He was also an author and president of the Citadel.
After he returned, a questioned he answered a number of times; was how did he manage to survive?He answer was always; I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.
Another question he had to answer frequently was; whom didn’t survive. His answer; Oh, that's easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.
For Stockdale this was an important point; which he explained as follows; You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.
Two People Finding God in a Remote Wilderness
Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
Luke 9:48
Ann, a twelve-year girl, built a castle on a white sand beach. On top of the castle, she placed a cross. For the balance of her day, she knelt and prayed. Praying and thanking God for saving her family. In itself, this is an unusual act, but the events of the previous day were far more extraordinary.
A mother, Constance, and her two children, Ann and her sister Jean who was 14 had been on a two summer journey in a canoe. For two summers they would go north in a 20-foot freight canoe from Alberta Canada to the shores of the Arctic ocean, over 2,500 hundred miles.
Constance, who at this time was 47, had spent her early adulthood living in Alaska off the land. She hiked, canoed, and hunted in the most remote parts of the Alaskan wilderness. After the birth of her two children, she decided they should be raised in civilization and moved to Tucson. Her husband did not want to leave Alaska, so they divorced. Leaving Constance to raise these two young girls.
After a few years, Constance missed the wilderness and wanted to share the experience with the girls. They planned for a year and decided to spend two summers in a freight canoe with a nine horse-powered motor exploring the wilderness.
Forgiveness Can Be Hard: The Story of Philemon
Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
Philemon 1:11
The book of Philemon in the New Testament is one of the shortest books, at only 355 words. It contains only one chapter and its verses are seldom quoted or are its verses included in weekly church services. Yet its singular message is one of the most important messages in Christian life, that of forgiveness.
The book is a letter that Paul wrote to a person named Philemon. Philemon was a leader of the church in Colossae and the church actually met in his house. Philemon was a wealthy person who had many slaves. Paul wrote this letter in prison and intended for it to be delivered along with his large letter to the Colossians.
One of Philemon’s slaves, Onesimus, had run away and perhaps stole money. Somehow he found Paul. Now the details of how Onesimus became associated with Paul are not really known. But what is known is that Paul inspired Onesimus to deepen his Christian faith. Through this connection, Paul and Onesimus became good friends.
Paul encouraged him to return to Colossae, his home. Naturally, Onesimus was nervous as he was a runaway slave and was fearful of the retribution. So, Paul wrote this letter to encourage Philemon to see Onesimus in a different light and to remember his Christian values. Which includes an attitude of forgiveness. Paul even offered to repay Philemon any amount that was a loss from Onesimus.
What is important in this letter, is that Paul could have commanded Philemon to forgive Onesimus, but instead asked him to consider in his own heart why he should forgive Onesimus. Essentially allowing Philemon to meditate and consider what Christian forgiveness means. Simply commanding or demanding forgiveness on Paul’s part, would have made Philemon’s actual forgiveness superficial. Paul knew that having Philemon consider and working through his own anger would strengthen Philemon’s Christian character.
Recognizing the Risen Jesus
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him;
and he vanished from their sight.
Luke 24:31
After the resurrection, Jesus walked to Emmaus with two disciples. Along the way, neither recognized Jesus, but they listened to his story. When they arrived in Emmaus, they sat down for a meal, and the risen Jesus prayed. Upon hearing the prayer, the two immediately recognized that Jesus had been with them. Jesus vanishes from their sight, but they are left as believers in the power of Jesus and the Resurrection. Our lives are the same. As we journey on our way to our life’s Emmaus, we will also be visited by Jesus, who will tell us his story. Upon our recognition, he will vanish from our earthly senses and reside in our hearts. No longer will we rely upon believing in what we see; we will believe in the power of the unseen.
Points of Reflection
· Why is it hard for us to recognize Jesus?
· What does “Faith in the unseen” mean to you?
· Name instances in your life where Jesus was with you but you recognized his presence only after the fact.
Wisdom Gained Through Prayer
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2
A friend of mine, whom we will call Tom, called this week looking for financial advice. He is a unfortunately generally unaware of the workings of investing. He was very unhappy with his financial advisor and due to the Corona virus had seen his saving shrink considerably. Far more than the rest of the stock market.
His mistake was he went with a financial advisor who invested in some highly speculative places. Naturally, in a steep downturn, like we are having, these investments will perform poorly. And these investments also contain very high fees, further eroding his nest egg.
Instead of answering his question, I asked him two questions. The first is what were his goals? In other words, what was he saving for; retirement, a nest egg to cushion difficult times or college.
The second question was had he prayed before he made his decision? And had to gone to God with to seek advice?
In both cases he had done neither, leaving him exposed to luck and the wiles of a person he had only met with for an hour or so.
Ironically, the same day, another person, whom we will call Sally, called seeking the same advice. In this difficult time, she had a different plan. She was looking to save money wherever she could and was cutting household expenses quickly. To her cash was king. She wasn’t looking to score a big return, instead she was looking to protect her family.
She knew that the Corona virus not only affected her family’s health, but also her ability to provide for her family. She knew jobs would be at a premium and this wasn’t the time to get risky.
Why I Love Being an American Citizen
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
1st Corinthians 12:7
In our community, like many others, we can only go out to shop for food, exercise outdoors or seek medical help. In Asheville we are locked down. On a recent trip to the grocery store, I noticed people avoiding me and subtly I was avoiding them. Now it would be easy to take this personally, but social distancing has become the norm.
And at first, I was a little put off, but through a good and healthy self-scolding, I realized it wasn’t something to take personally. It was my neighbors complying with the new way of life. Politeness and respect has emerged in most people I see. People waiting for others to go by, to keep the six foot barrier. Conversations in parks held at a distance.
And it is working, all of the models which predicted a higher infection rate are being proven overly conservative. The modelers have explained, that the models didn’t project that social distancing would work. They were afraid Americans wouldn’t comply. They don’t know the America I know.
As I have thought about it, what else would I have expected. Most people are following the rules. Trying in their own way to eliminate the impact of the Corona virus. A banding together by Americans to do whatever they can to help fight this deadly disease. This is what I have seen in America for many decades. In tough times, Americans help out.
Colossians: Working For God While In Prison
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1
If you visit Ephesus, in all likelihood you will see a small tower in town that the locals will tell you it is the prison Paul was in when he wrote Colossians. Now, nowhere in the Bible does it mention Paul was in prison in Ephesus, leading some scholars to think this is a traditional aspiration on the part of the citizens of Ephesus. Maybe it is or isn’t, but it certainly makes for an interesting discussion.
But what we are sure of is that Paul did write some of his letters while sitting in prison, three in fact. They are Philippians, Philemon and Colossians. They are called the Prison Epistles. Whether or not they were written in a Roman prison, Ephesus or somewhere else is interesting, but not the real story. It’s more about Paul’s commitment to Christ, despite his circumstances.
So it is easy to miss Paul’s commitment to his work, as we read his letters. But let us put ourselves in Paul’s shoes. His trials and dangers during his three missionary trips are legendary. And that is what is important. His rock steady commitment to spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire is not just a fictional story, it was real life. Filled with danger, resistance, physical harm and prison stays.
Imagine ourselves, sitting in prison, all because we preached the gospel. Would we have stopped to pursue a less turbulent life? Could we have focused on the mission, while surrounded by jail bars? Well Paul did, and not only that, some of his best writing came while sitting in a dank and dark prison. Now to me that shows exactly how much Paul trusted God.
Saved Through Faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God
Ephesians 2:8
Through God’s great mercy, Jesus was given to us. A gift that, through faith, we believe. God’s great gift of grace comes first and not that which we control. We need only to believe to receive this gift. No extraordinary effort of intellect or physical labor will create this gift. No prolonged period of mediation will create this gift. It has already been given. Our only task is to turn our hearts to Jesus, and we shall we have freedom, no longer bound by the worries and troubles of this world.
Points of Reflection
· How have you experienced grace in your life?
· Why does grace come first and not under our efforts?
· List three ways God has brought grace into your life.
Love: Our Greatest Gift
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end;
as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end
1 Corinthians 13:8
The very essence of all that lies in the Gospel and Jesus’s mission on earth was to love. It is the one trait and gift from God to which we all can excel. Love is a message that Jesus not only preached but walked. He cured the sick, uplifted the poor in spirit, and gave us a new life. Simply stated, all Jesus asks of us is to “Love our God, Love our neighbor.” We may be gifted orators, have great knowledge, and able to see worldly things, but all of this is momentary and, eventually, all that will be left is our capacity to love. Money, power, and fame are fleeting, but love is everlasting. During our barest moments, it is love that reconciles our existence.
Points of Reflection
· During this week, how did you show love to your neighbor?
· Why is love the most important attribute of our Christian faith?
· List three ways you showed love to God and your neighbor this week?
Hebrews: Jesus Our Mediator with God
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
Around 65-70AD, Christians in the Roman Empire suffered severe persecution at the hands of Emperor Nero. Prompting some, notably Jewish Christians to want to return to Judaism to avoid persecution. Forgetting the purpose of Jesus.
Their lives had become very uprooted and desperate. Their livelihoods and social status were threatened. Their only way out was to either follow the Roman Gods or return to Judaism.
In response a very skilled author wrote the book of Hebrews to this group to exhort them to maintain their faith in Jesus. To not forget that Jesus had come to earth in human form to die for their sins and become their intercessor with God.
Traditionally, this letter was assigned to Paul, but likely not. The language of the letter, while very complex, like Paul’s writing, has far less personal comments and doesn’t follow Paul’s normal style of bold assertions. Instead, it is written almost as a very logical legal defense. Many people have been assigned the authorship; from the author of Luke, to Clement of Rome, one of Paul students or even Apollos.
Origen, the great early Christian historian, says it best regarding the authorship, who wrote the epistle is known to God alone. I agree with Origen and find trying to figure out who wrote this masterpiece is a distraction to the wonderful message of the good news of Jesus, which is contained in Hebrews.
But this is a very hard book to read and understand without knowing in advance what and where the author is saying and going. So let me try to help with some background information.
Clarence Jordan And Bringing Jesus Alive
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
In 1942 Clarence Jordan and his wife, Florence, moved to a four hundred acre farm in Americus Georgia. Clarence had just received his PH.D from Southern Baptist Theological seminary and finished four years as a missionary. They called their farm Koinonia. The Greek word meaning fellowship. A name they used to identify their purpose and strongly connected to the first Christians portrayed in the Books of Acts. A Christian commune, committed to sharing their resources and money.
To sustain their farm and community, they began raising peanuts. Clarence also had a degree in agriculture, which proved to be also valuable in creating an economically sustainable community. But Clarence did something very different than prevailing societal norms. He hired and recruited black and white to help maintain and live on the farm. Taking vastly underpaid sharecroppers and giving them a chance to earn a living wage for their efforts. Long troubled by the racial and economic injustice of his region, he insisted in treating all people equally.
Well, this led to a substantial amount of backlash and Koinonia became viewed as a threat. There were bombings, boycotts and Clarence himself was dismissed as a Southern Baptist minister.
The FBI investigated the farm as a communist stronghold. For a few years life was tough for those living on the farm. Cleverly, to work around the boycott, the farm shipped their peanuts to other parts of the country. And used the slogan, Help us ship the nuts out of Georgia. And it worked, the farm stayed self-sufficient.
What Is the Value of a Homemade Cross?
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
As I was putting on a sweater to go out recently, I accidently broke the string to my cross and it fell off. Naturally driven to overthink, I wondered what it meant? Was it a message or something else? I never take off my cross and keep it on regardless of what I do. The string has broken before, I repaired it a few times. But this time there would be no repairing, the string had been repaired to many times.
The origin of my cross is that it was homemade and created for me by a good friend, Key, who lives in North Carolina. Connie and I had helped her with a few things. So she made the cross out of bronze and green wire. And then used string in place of a chain.
I was delighted when she gave it to me and promptly put around my neck. Putting my old cross of the corner of my desk. Key is a sweet woman, with a rough exterior at times. What she has in life, she has fought hard to achieve. Not always understood by her neighbors, but once you get to know her and she trusts you, she becomes very open and kind.
She knew the cross would be very important to me, and with her limited resources this was what she could do for me in repayment.
So there I was, frustrated that this treasured item, that was symbolic of my faith and a dear friendship, was beyond repair. Connie, my wife, as always knew what to do. Go to Hobby Lobby and find a similar piece of string, but perhaps a little sturdier.
Fishing Boats and Trusting God
Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
A few years back, I had just gotten a new boat in which to fish. And I really didn’t know much about boats or fishing from a boat. I mean virtually nothing. So a friend of mine invited me to go out fishing with his friend, Art. I accepted the invite, knowing this would be a great opportunity to learn about boating and fishing.
The appointed time to meet was 5:30AM. When I arrived at the dock to meet Art and Mike, the wind was blowing pretty hard. The lake we were going out on was big and wide, which meant the waves would be high.
Art was a fisherman and guide by trade, so the wind didn’t bother him. But it sure bothered me. In the boat we went and as soon as got in, I put on my life jacket! Once we got out of the harbor, the waves really picked up. The boat would rise up and then crash down, splashing all of us in the boat.
I noticed Art was unconcerned, but kept making small adjustments to the steering wheel. I went up front to ask him how things were going. His answer, as typical of a native Mainer, was fine.
After a few minutes I asked him if the lake was rough. Again he answered with one word, yes.
So I finally asked the question I silently had been wondering; are we okay out here?
This time I got more than a one word answer; Yes, I am steering into each wave, I have slowed the boat and put the prop way down.
Jorrel “Joey” Diaz, A Different Way to Serve America
Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28
Jorrel or known as Joey, had skipped school and was with his foster brother. He was a freshman in high school and considering dropping out of high school. As they were roaming the streets of the South Bronx a nearby gun fight broke out. Unfortunately, his foster brother was accidently hit and killed. For a person so young, he witnessed the death of his only real friend and family member. But it was also a moment that Joey chose to change the direction of his life.
Joey was born into an unstable household and was sent to live with his grandparents. At the age of eight, both his grandparents died, and Joey was placed in foster care, joining a house of eight children. School was hard and life was tough, leading up to the day of fatal shooting of his foster brother. Prior to this he had stopped going to school and was ready to drop out and pursue a life on the streets.
The death caused him to rethink his life’s journey and he rededicated his efforts in school. Becoming a model student, he was able to enter a very prestigious college; Trinity in Hartford Connecticut. In 2013 he earned his degree, with a major in Education and Urban Studies.
After school he entered AmeriCorps and was assigned to the East Harlem school district. His job was to help students stay in school and stay on track. After his first year he agreed to stay on and became a Senior Member and today still serves in the same school district.
Jesus and the Cross
Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30
For Christians, the most important historical event is the death of Jesus. So, we may ask the question, Did it really happen? Well, the answer is a very strong yes! Of all the events that are portrayed in the four Gospels; Jesus’s baptism and crucifixion, according to historians are the two most certain events that occurred.
There has been extensive research done by both Biblical and non-Biblical scholars around Jesus and His death. All have come to the conclusion that it happened. Famed Biblical scholar and historian John Dominic Crossan, states; The crucifixion of Jesus is as certain as any historical fact can be.
But is this the right way to approach this central event of Jesus’s life. It is a nice to know. And we certainly can start our own process of discovery of the Risen Christ knowing this is certain. But Jesus and his death is far more than a checking of the facts. Jesus’s death isn’t just a one dimensional historical exercise. For me, it’s more about knowing the purpose of the crucifixion and how it relates to the 21st century believer.
Likewise, we can turn to the meta-physical aspect of His death as something we may also try to understand. He did die to save us from sin. In this death, Jesus erased of all aspects of our failings. Jesus also created Himself as our mediator with God. Because Jesus died to absorb our sins, we are freed. Released to be able to speak to and receive the grace of God through Jesus.
And how exactly does this work? God is pure and untarnished and while most of our acts as humans are to do good. Not all are. Which means that if we go directly to God, meta-physically we tarnish God. Hence, the need for Jesus as our go between, and the value of the cross. This is why when we pray, we say, In Jesus’s name.
The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans 3:24, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Now that’s the meta-physical argument and explanation of the value of the crucifixion. But even knowing this doesn’t fully explain how we experience and know the value of the crucifixion.
Both knowing history and the meta-physical justification won’t get us there. If we stay just with this knowledge, we become passive Christians.
Now earlier I mentioned that most acts of humanity are good. There are very many who would and always do disagree with me. Some say, that humanity is totally depraved. Some will say, I have a very rose colored lens about the state of the human condition. But total depravity is not what I have seen or experienced. I have seen far more good than bad. I believe there is good in all people. But even the resolution of this argument is a dead ended path to the purpose of the cross. For even if there is one act of evil in a lifetime, it still requires the cross.
Which means that now philosophy can’t assure us of purpose of Jesus and the cross.
Knowing the history, meta-physics nor philosophy will fully get us to have faith in Jesus and the cross. It might get us close, but not over the line.
A New Covenant for Humankind
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying,
“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Luke 22:20
Easter is the remembrance of Jesus’s great sacrifice for humankind. Through the risen Christ, believers have the forgiveness of sin and a new life. A second chance, that through our repentance, leads to eternal life. A life with a new covenant from God. The risen Christ sanctifies us and redeems us. On the cross, Jesus bore all of our sins and absorbed our pain. The cross granted us a new life and created the great gift for humanity called Easter. Through the trials of his final week, called the Passion week, Jesus modeled the life of the perfect disciple, one who walks without fear and serves humankind and not the self. Our destinies with God may at times require a similar and difficult walk, but fear not, God is with us. Through Jesus, God walked the path of life before us.
Points of Reflection
· What does Easter mean to you?
· What sacrifices has Jesus made for humankind?
· List three times Jesus changed or improved your life.
2nd Corinthians: A Look at The Human Side of Paul
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2nd Corinthians 5:18
Before we get too far in, I should explain that there were at least three letters written by Paul, with some help from Timothy, to the Corinthians. Perhaps even four. You could point out that there are only two in the New Testament, and that is correct. But it appears that the missing two are in both 1st Corinthians and 2ndCorinthians. So while this might seem a bit odd, it happened in other books of the New Testament as well, notably Philippians.
While many will speculate why did this happen, I think that is the wrong way to look at these books, especially 2nd Corinthians. What the combining of these letters did was to create for us a very human Paul, who appears both saddened and joyful, in 2nd Corinthians. To me, this is the bigger story of 2nd Corinthians.
But for those who are curious, here are the four letters in order of authorship.
· Warning Letter; written to the Corinthians to caution them about sexual Immorality; referenced in chapter 5:9 of 1st Corinthians.
· Actual 1st Corinthians
· Letter of Tears; written pre 2nd Corinthians, but referenced in Chapters 2:3-4 and it appears to be included in Chapters 10-13 of 2nd Corinthians.
· 2nd Corinthians
The reason this is important, is we get the full range of Paul’s emotions. After the writing of 1stCorinthians, which was intended to get the church back on track, more drama arose. Paul visited the church in Corinth, prior to the writing of 2nd Corinthians, to resolve these new issues. In this book, he referred to this as his painful visit. Spurred on by outsiders, his Apostleship and teachings were challenged, leaving him hurt and dismayed. Prompting him to write the letter of tears; which in part is included in chapters 10-13 of 2ndCorinthians.
Faith and Reducing Coronavirus induced Panic
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
This Saturday, while having lunch at a local restaurant, the general manger came to our table to ask us how my wife and I were doing. We replied, very well; How are you? Our reply set off a lengthy explanation of his panic. He was afraid he might have to close the restaurant with his business off seventy five percent. In his eyes, I could see real fear. The kind of fear that unsettles our stomach, weakens our knees and causes us to labor on the easiest of tasks.
With our friends and family, we also have heard and seen fear. Supermarket shelves are being emptied. Hand sanitizer is being sold on the street for fifty dollars a bottle. True panic seems to abound.
A disquieting sense of being seems to be present in all that we see and hear. Panic caused by a lack of control of people’s lives and events.
Each announcement of school and store closings seems to raise the fear level higher. Watching television, you hear even more information that stiffens your body. The stock market is violently swinging in turmoil, causing people to wonder; how much will their savings go down? All around us fear seems to be growing faster than the Coronavirus itself, which is at the root of people’s fear.
But our fear, is just that, fear. People are forgetting that fear breeds fear. Fear is not tangible or something you can touch. But a vicious psychological marauder that seeks harm. Not physical harm, but emotional.
Panic causes bad decisions, when more than ever good ones are required. Panic causes unsteady steps, when the steps of life need to be sure.
A Bumblebee of Faith
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Mark 5:36
When I was in Theological school, I would turn to my professors and fellow students for answers regarding theological questions. All wonderful resources to ask and gain insight.
These were people who studied faith, in prayer a lot and knew a lot. We were all being taught; what to say and how to say our opinions. We were being trained to be teachers of faith.
For many their future roles were to become ministers and priests. Sent off to lead congregations throughout our world. A mission to help guide small and large pockets of Christians.
For a smaller group, like myself, we left the world of theological resources to help carry on ministry in non-traditional ways. Some went to help the addicted. Others to work in non-profits to make a better world. For me, it was off to the internet to spread the word of God.
The internet is a different world. No longer was a title or your education an automatic acceptance of what you have to say. A pure place, where ideas reign and not credentials. Folks on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram are tough judges. Each idea you float is either rejected or accepted. Millions of messages are spread every day. The ones that resonant get shared and liked.
Christians, Get Along with Each Other!
Epistle to the Ephesians
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2
If I had to sum up the message of Ephesians, I would say that it is for Christians to get along with each other. Not just socially, but also in the church and with family. The starting point for why this letter was written is once again for the newly converted gentile Christians and Jewish Christians to get along. While this theme keeps getting repeated in Paul’s letters, it provides a great example that is more universal than just the dispute between these two groups. In a way these disputes acts as an example of how we should all get along. In other words, we shouldn’t just look at the dispute between the gentile Christians and Jewish Christians as isolated and act amused at their inability to get along. Rather, we should look at our lives and see where we have created barriers with others, just because they are different.
3 Ways Being Like Jesus Will Help Your Career
The son can do nothing on his own accord, but only what he sees the father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.
Luke 5:19
This year when I was doing my speeches on college campus’s I wanted to try some different. Instead of preparing an intricately weaved message, I would focus on only three points and keep repeating them using different examples each time. My message this year was how to find a job and become a great employee. Simply, there are three ways, be positive, be trustworthy and pursue excellence. That’s it, no sophisticated weaving to make the point at the end, just keep repeating the same message.
Well, it worked! When I got the feedback and reviews back from my college visit at Theil College in Western Pennsylvania, the students overwhelmingly repeated the message in their reviews and used the explanations to support their reviews.
The message is simple, you only need to be three things to be a great employee. Yes, only three; being positive, trustworthy and committed to excellence. When I explained this to a friend, he said, But my employee appraisal given by my employer had forty three different measurements! I told him this wasn’t that unusual; many companies make the mistake of over-complicating evaluating employees.
So, I asked him to give me his appraisal form. He did and we placed all forty three review items into one of three categories; Being Positive, Being trustworthy and Committed to excellence. And yes, everyone could fit into one of the three categories!
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:13
Near the end of Paul’s three journeys throughout the Mediterranean world, he wrote The Epistle to the Romans, or more commonly known as the Book of Romans. While this is the first of Paul’s letters in the New Testament, it is actually the last one he personally wrote, sometime in 57AD. This letter is considered to contain the most complete theology of all the letters in the New Testament.
In fact, its message is so rich in thought, that I recently had someone tell me they are part of a Bible study group that would review the Book of Romans for a full year. Yes, every week for a full year!
Every sentence in Romans is so deep in explaining our Christian faith, I can easily see how this would be possible. Even a year might not even be enough!
What’s more remarkable, is that while the letter is addressed to the Christians who lived in Rome, Paul had not been to Rome at the time of this writing. So you might ask, why did Paul write this letter? Well the answer is a little complicated.
Galatians: We Are All Equal In Christ!
There is neither Greek or Jew, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
A friend of mine came to me overwhelmed by the complexity of the Book of Romans. I suggested she should read Galatians first. Here was my reasoning, it was written before Romans and is considered a primer to Romans. Certainly less burdensome in its length and the deeply elegantly prose written by Paul in Romans is replaced with a simpler to the point prose of Paul. So while Galatians isn’t as theologically rich, it is far more accessible. By comparison, Romans has sixteen chapters and Galatians has six. But both contain many of the same thoughts.
The letter was written to a church in Galatia, a region of present day Turkey. The date of the letter is late 40’s AD, maybe 50 AD. This one of Paul’s first letters. What I personally love about this letter is a verse in chapter 3-verse 28, where is says; There is neither Greek or Jew, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Jesus.
I would call this a foundational statement by Paul. A statement that we can use to measure other writings or verses written by Paul. Here it is a well-crafted sentence written for the Galatians that tells all about how Paul thinks. He believes that All people, and I cannot stress ALL enough! His message is that ALL are equal and worthy to Jesus. It doesn’t matter where you come from, your gender, what you believed before you were born again, we are ALL equal. And we ALL start as Christians first and everything else second.
A Closer Walk With God
“Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7
One day last week, three very good friends asked me to explain my ministry or what are you trying to achieve. Now when I get the same feeling or question three or more times in a day, I know God is up to something. So I thought about this question harder.
This has been a persistent question to me for the better part of ten years. A good question, that at first I couldn’t answer. Always goal driven, I tried to search for my answer in numbers and results. I even have tried various ministry assignments to help with this discovery. Never fully getting the answer to this question.
During my seven or so years in Theological school, I was always the outlier who couldn’t fully explain what I felt I was called to do for Jesus. Every attempt I tried never seemed right. I have given sermons, counseled the poor in spirit and fed the poor. All noble and worthy ministries. But I never felt this was what God called me to do.
But at least I knew better than to just blurt something out to satisfy others. But this day I was able to clearly tell these three friends what my ministry was.
As an outgrowth from my doctoral thesis, I set up a digital media company to test delivering messages to the world at large. Certainly not a local or tangible ministry. But a ministry in the ether of the internet.
I never really intended this to be my life’s ministry nor did I know this is where I would find my place with God.
Do Everything Through God; The Simple Message of Philippians
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
The Apostle Paul sits in a Roman prison, after completing his three missionary journeys. During this imprisonment he wrote three letters to the Philippians. Now you might ask, I thought there was only one letter written to the church in Philippi. Well, there were actually three and the book of Philippians we read in the Bible is a combination of all three. While all three letters were written by Paul, skillful editing by an unknown scribe many centuries ago created this great letter out of three. A wonderfully positive and uplifting book in the Bible that I highly recommend for all.
And what makes this letter most remarkable, are the optimistic and encouraging sentiments, written while Paul was sitting in Jail!. A letter of thanksgiving written to the Philippians for their financial support and their positive growth as new Christians.
Imagine ourselves, sitting in a jail in the first century, uncertain of our future and then crafting the letters that make up one of the most uplifting books in the New testament. And that is the point of Philippians, no matter how dire our circumstances, we can be optimistic because of our faith in God. Or as Paul says, I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Picking Our Life Treasures
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21
As a final reflection during the period of Lent, let us consider our hearts desire. What do we desire in and of life? Do we desire a heart filled with compassion and empathy? Do we desire a gentle and generous spirit that reflects a sincere kindness towards our neighbor? Do we desire a connectedness with heavenly things that bring peace and certainty? A heart pointed towards these things will instantly reject that which is material, self-interested, and seeking personal gain. In rejecting that which will tempt us away from our life’s purpose, we put away those things of the world that inevitably lead to discontent.
Choosing Our Path in Life
Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”
Matthew 4:10
After Jesus’s third and final test in the desert, he sends the evil one away, declaring with a faithful certainty that he is choosing the path of life that walks with God. He unequivocally renounces a life dependent on materialism, want, and self-interest. His only desire is to serve humankind and live in the ways of God. It is a rejection of a way of life that would only serve the world and leave Jesus constantly wanting more. A rejection of the kind of life that is never quenched and filled with goals that can never be achieved. In Jesus’s final day in the wilderness, he declares these words as a repudiation of temptation for us to model.
Avoiding a Life of Uncertainty
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
Jesus came to provide an alternative life. One free of uncertainty and scarcity. A way of life with straight roads and peace. All that is required is a heart open to be filled by the message of Jesus. When we fully live this life, we will never be wrong in our choices. We can always be certain we are traveling the right road. Along the way, voices will come to distract us from our appointed way. Voices that will dispute God’s existence. Voices that will tell us to want more. Voices that will try to give us a reason to desire unquenchable ways. Our straight and forward movements combined with our faith through daily prayers will protect us from the noisy voices we will hear. Through Jesus we will have an abundant life.
The Elevator of Faith is Boring
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Part of my day is reading and more reading. Mostly to find how other people think about faith; and to find interesting and helpful historical Christian facts. All to pass on to other people to help them have a closer walk with God. While doing this recently, I came across an article named, My Boring Christian testimony. As I read the article I was anything but bored. Essentially, the testimony was written by a woman named Megan Hill, a married mom and writer. The point of the article was that she didn’t feel her faith was real, because she didn’t have a dramatic conversion process or incredible faith stories.
As I read the article, I discovered a very normal life. As a young person, her parents took her to church. She asked to join the church when she was twelve. As she entered college, when most young people drift away from the church, she stayed. After marriage and having children, she started the same cycle with her children, by taking them to church. Seems pretty normal, certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
But through the years she doubted if her faith was real. She saw other people have dramatic moments of faith. She heard wonderful testimonies of people curing their addictions through faith. Others who had led an immoral, struck by God. On and on this drumbeat went, leaving her feel if she had done something wrong.
“Don’t Let The Old Man In!”
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
Psalm 92:12-14
A good friend of mine was discussing his weekly workout routine and why he works outs even though he has no upcoming athletic event. He told me; I don’t want to let the old man in. It wasn’t that he was angry at some old person, but more that he didn’t want to give in to old age. He didn’t want anyone telling him he was old, even though he is getting older. He felt that if he gave in to being old it would be giving in to not living a productive life.
My friend knows he will age and knows there are somethings he cannot do athletically anymore. He will never swim an under 1 minute 100 meter butterfly again. But he can still swim a mile every day. This is what my friend was getting at. Sure those of us who are aging know our chances of competing in the Olympics are gone, but it doesn’t mean we should give up and let the old man in.
As I have gotten older, I see the slow creeping of aging. The unrelenting enemy of all is lurking to slow us down farther than we want. I myself know that my ability to retain information and then retrieve it isn’t as good as my younger self. But I have learned how to compensate, by writing more down and by using word association to retrieve important information. Each day, something new is lost, but each day a new way is found.
That is what my friend was saying when he says don’t let the old man in. Not a voice against the aged, but a personal life plan to stay as vital as he can be.
Do to others as you would have them do to you
Luke 6:31
When I had just released my first book; Jesus & Co, I received some interesting criticism. At one church I visited, the senior minister stated what I had done was wrong. He explained that mixing business and Jesus was sinful. Never one short for words, I tried to explain to him that the book was about the Golden Rule and that businesses that follow the Golden Rule are the best places to work. He politely said I see and quickly sent me on my way.
Well, now I have proof. There is a new category to measure a business’s commitment to environmental, social and governance. In other words how to measure how well a company treats other and the environment. It is called the ESG measure. In fact, the very best companies receive an award called The Seal Awards.
In God We Trust
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Matthew 4:7
After Jesus’s second test in the wilderness, He declared to the evil one: “I will trust only God and not be unsure in my faith.” Likewise, for us, we are tempted repeatedly to question the presence of God in our lives. Is God real and is God with us? These questions are not the result of God’s absence in our lives, but of the temptation to question God’s presence. When our faith wanes, we search and question if God exists. By questioning if God will help and if God cares, we become tempted to test God. Instead, Jesus wants us to be fully aware that God is a loving and caring God whom we have no need to doubt or test. Having this faith strengthens us to meet those tests that show up in our lives, including our Lenten goals.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:18
In 591AD Pope Gregory 1, declared in a sermon, that Mary Magdalene was a sinful woman. Setting off a centuries long belief that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. While this was dismissed by Pope Paul IV in 1969, it is still part of the myth that surrounds Mary Magdalene. A simple misguided and poorly researched statement by Gregory has clouded for modern Christians the real Mary Magdalene.
Discovering the real truth about Mary Magdalene is hard, because there are few writings about her or from her. Much of what has been written is opinion and speculation. Sometimes wildly dramatic images, like the one from Gregory. Others have even speculated that perhaps she was Jesus’s wife! Well none of these hold up when we carefully review the only document that contains references about her; the Holy Bible.
Perhaps the best description we get of her is in Luke 8:1-3, where is says; The Twelve were with him,2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
A new phrase in modern times is called binge watching. A new television series comes out and we watch all the episodes from beginning to end, sometimes in one sitting or perhaps two or three. It makes me think of how worthy some of the books of the Bible would be to binge watch. Certainly, Genesis with its great stories like Noah’s ark, Joseph in the well or the intrigue between Jacob and Esau. A book filled with subplots, hero’s and villains. Certainly, The book of Acts is the same.
In Acts, we have jail cells collapsing. A missionary braving dangers, and wanders for close to twenty years to spread the good news about Christ. We have the Holy Spirit teaching people to talk in tongues. And a story of the first Christian Martyr. Hollywood could easily make this book into a series. I know I would binge watch it in one sitting.
Some have asked me why does Acts exist or what is its purpose. Simply, it is the bridge between the Gospels and the great Christian Epistles in the New Testament. It is also the history of the early church and its development from 33AD to 60AD. A support system to moving from the Gospels to the letters written by Paul and other great early Christian writers. Without it we would have to rely on circumstantial evidence to get the whole story.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1st Corinthians 13:4
In 1st Corinthians 13:4 it says, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, written by the Apostle Paul. This is a familiar verse used in many marriage ceremonies. We have all heard it and perhaps used at our weddings. But there is a deeper story and purpose behind this phrase and 1stCorinthians, not written for just weddings, but a statement of our Christian attitude to each other.
Paul wrote this letter to the church that he helped found in Corinth. The letter is dated around 55AD, a few years after the church had started. Like many new things that arise, they got a little off track and Paul specifically wrote this letter to help them get back on course.
Some things got a little confused. We find this in one of Paul’s early statements, where he writes; Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. The reason Paul wrote this is that he had heard that some people were following a fellow named Apollo, others followed Paul or even Peter. A few did get it right that and said they followed Christ. This was causing quarreling in the church. Threatening the unity of the church in Corinth. Paul as usual wanted to nip things in the bud. He makes it clear that they follow only Christ, by saying; Is Christ divided?
Words of Life
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
These words of advice were spoken by Jesus after his first test by the evil one, while in the wilderness for forty days. Our Lenten period is symbolic of this test faced by Jesus. Jesus tells us and the dark forces of the world to not rely on those things of the world, but on God. When we are famished and thirsty, God will provide. When we are spiritually drained, God will again provide. When we are tempted, our eyes and hearts should be pointed to the ways of God to receive all that we need. Jesus wants us to live simply, listen constantly, and know the words of God. It is a simple message that is tempted daily, if not hourly, but, as they did for Jesus, the words of God will sustain us.
Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
Luke 13:16In this amazing statement by Jesus, it wasn’t just that He fought back about healing on the Sabbath, but that he blamed her illness on Satan, the dark force of evil. Evil that had caught this woman eighteen years earlier, and despite all efforts, it took the hand of Jesus to heal her.
Evil comes in many forms, in this case crippling a woman. But like all of the stories in the Gospel, this story is remarkably transportable to the 21st century. We certainly have evil in this world. In comes in the form of addictions, bad life habits, depression and bad decisions.
As I was reading this verse, I instantly thought about addiction, to alcohol and drugs. I am not sure why, but this is what stood out for me in this story. I am sure others would focus on the grumbling about a healing on the Sabbath, and they would be right. It is one of the messages of this story. But addiction stood out for me and particularly, the onslaught of new and more dangerous drugs that have emerged. Evil that catches it victims and relentlessly keeps them trapped.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
Romans 5:12
Augustine, the great doctor of the early Christian church, famously said, Give me chastity, but not yet. An amazing statement when you consider his elevated status as a great ancient leader of the church. Augustine had a significant influence on many church doctrine, especially the Doctrine of Original Sin. Yet as a wild youth he stole fruit, because he was told he shouldn’t! As a young adult he enjoyed the illicit pleasures of life. This statement and his actions as a youth makes us wonder; How did this man become the great leader of the early church?. The answer is complicated, but when we know the back story of his life, we will know why.
Jesus arrived in the form of a human, as the true servant of both God and humankind. Bringing the greatest gift ever given–eternal life. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was completed in the presence of reliable witnesses to show the reality of the power of God and the glory of Christ Jesus. Connected with this visible change in Jesus was prayer. An intense prayer to prepare Jesus for his way forward and which would lead to the redemption of humankind through the crucifixion. Similarly, when we accept our new life in Jesus, we are changed, and we are clothed in dazzling white.
"Do you want to get well?"
John 5:6
In the Gospel of John, Jesus performs seven miracles. In one case he changes water into wine. With another person, Lazarus, he raises him up from the dead. But not all these healings or miracles required the supernatural power of Jesus. For instance, in John 5:6, Jesus ask a man lying on the ground; Do you want to get well?
We normally see Jesus in the Gospels, as a white knight who heals with miracles. But in this case Jesus hesitates and sternly asks the question, Do you want to get well? . The answer to why Jesus asks this question is found in the preceding verses. The man, posing as an invalid, had been going to a pool called Bethesda for thirty-eight years. The pool was a place to go and be healed. Many went; the lame, the blind and the paralyzed. Legend has it that the pool would be stirred up by a spirit and if you entered the pool during this time you would be healed.
But for thirty-eight years the man never entered the pool. Knowing this Jesus, asks the question, Do you want to get well? To which the man meekly complains that there is never anyone around to help put him in the water. Jesus knew this was a weak excuse. Certainly in thirty-eight years someone would have been able to help.
So we can also ask the question, Why after thirty-eight years did the man keep going back? Many that I tell this story have the same question.
Flavius Valerius Constantinus was born in Serbia in 280AD. While not a native Roman, he would rise to become the Roman Emperor in 324AD. Later in life he shortened his name to Constantine. His rise to becoming the Roman Emperor changed the course of Christianity. Christianity would move from being a persecuted underground religion, to becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Learn about the travels of Paul and the early church led by Peter.
Find about the lives of early Christians and who were Jewish Christians.
The Acts of the Apostles covers 30 years of history from the Post Resurrection Jesus to Paul's imprisonment in Rome.
Finding Jesus in A Tree
Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.
Luke 19:5
Jesus enters the town of Jericho and is met by a throng of people. As he walks into the town, he passes under a sycamore tree. He looks up and sees a man in the tree. To the man he says; Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. To which Zacchaeus agrees and has Jesus stay at his house. After the visit, Zacchaeus a very rich tax collector, states he will give half his wealth to the poor and any that he has defrauded, he will pay back four times.
On the surface, this seems like a simple conversion and change of heart created by Jesus. An interesting story that we pass through when reading the Gospel of Luke. But it isn’t so simple, especially when we consider the historical and deeper theological implications.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Matthew 18:20
Recently we moved to a new part of Asheville. In doing so we had to find a new church to attend. Over a number of Sundays, we attended a few. One church was too stuffy. While in another we felt like a number to be counted. And even in another, the pastor was too political. We finally found one that seemed right. Not because it had a great building and environment. It did, but we have been to those before. Not because the music was great, because it wasn’t. It had a spirit that we didn’t see in the others.
The people were friendly and inviting. During the Passing of the Peace, everyone left their pews and went to see friends. They mingled with new-comers like ourselves. The greetings took way longer than the normal time. There was an air of true Christian companionship.
The pastor delivered a sermon with a distinctly unique southern drawl, but her words were laced with inviting phrases. Not that she didn’t challenge the group, but did it a way that made you think harder. She was as inviting as the congregation.
It reminded me of a time went to a church in Canada, that rented space in a school building. The service had three hundred or so people who knew each other and open their arms to those that were new. Likewise, the message of the sermon wasn’t an easy message, but both challenging and inviting. It wasn’t the building that made our time there special, it was the people.
So these experiences made me think, What is the church? Once again, as I am prone to do, I asked this question on my twitter feed. Sure enough, the replies came roaring in. The overwhelming majority described it as the people. Some more specific in stating; where two or three are gathered. Right from today’s verse. Some said, the body of Christ. Others said the bride of Christ. Some were very theological and others very direct. But no one mentioned a building.
Sometime near the end of the first century, a write skilled in Greek language and philosophy wrote the last Gospel, called the Gospel According to John. In some quarters the authorship is assigned to the Apostle John, while others declare it was another person, perhaps another person named John. While the authorship is a hotly debated item, what is not debated is this Gospel is very different than the first three.
This Gospel is far more philosophical; and contains longer and deeper theological expressions by Jesus. In the Synoptic Gospels; Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus speaks in quick bursts and uses parables for many of his teachings. Here we have philosophical explanations by Jesus; about the Kingdom of heaven and who he is.
Welcome to our podcast series, "Spend A Year With Jesus."
Each Sunday we will broadcast a short message to help you with your relationship with Jesus.
We suggest you create a journal and write down your thoughts about Jesus and how Jesus influences your life.
Each week, we will read a verse, a short reflection and ask you three questions.
After listening to the broadcast, we invite you to spend the following week studying your thoughts and how it affected you.
Journaling is important, as it will help you see how Jesus is affecting you.
After one year, in fact, every week, we pray that you grow closer to Jesus!
Jesus said the Peter the Apostle; And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. True enough, it was Peter that built the church after Christ rose into heaven. Simple enough on Jesus’s part to say this and for it to happen. But there is more to Peter, than just being The Rock.
In this episode, discover that the Gospel According to Luke is actually written by the same author as Acts. In fact, It is called Luke/Acts. Separated by the early church fathers.
Was the Author, the Beloved Physician, that Paul mentions in his letters?
Learn about the great Christmas story in Luke, the largest of all four Gospels.
Find the answer to why Jesus dined and socialized with the despicable tax collectors.
Learn why this in this Gospel, that the good news about Jesus is for all the people.
Welcome to our podcast series, "Spend A Year With Jesus."
Each Sunday we will broadcast a short message to help you with your relationship with Jesus.
We suggest you create a journal and write down your thoughts about Jesus and how Jesus influences your life.
Each week, we will read a verse, a short reflection and ask you three questions.
After listening to the broadcast, we invite you to spend the following week studying your thoughts and how it affected you.
Journaling is important, as it will help you see how Jesus is affecting you.
After one year, in fact, every week, we pray that you grow closer to Jesus!
Learn about how an illiterate man, sent the message of God throughout Sydney Australia for over thirty-five years.
He became known as "Mr. Eternity" and one of Sydney's beloved citizens.
From very meager beginnings he rose up to become a hallmark evangelist in his hometown.
Billy Graham called himself the lobbyist for God. In his lifetime, he held over 400 Bible Crusades and was the pastor to American presidents.
Hear about his life story and those he influenced.
As he said, "Heaven is my home, I am just traveling through this world."
Discover the first person to spread the Good News about Jesus throughout the Roman empire.
A zealous person who walked 10,000 miles to spread the message of the Gospel, enduring hardships, jail and even times of great danger to his life.
He was the author of many books in the New testament, whose writing style engaged and inspired many in the first century. Yet, even today, his words resonate in the 21st century.
Find out the person who identified the 27 books of the New Testament and was instrumental in creating the Nicean Creed.
A man from the fourth century who rose to become the "Pillar of the Church" and became a role model for all future church leaders.
Discover his valiant life efforts to defend the Trinity and wrote many landmark books defining Christian Theology.
Learn about a man of great virtue who endured five exiles during his 48 years of being one of the first Christian Bishops.
Welcome to our podcast series, "Spend A Year With Jesus."
Each Sunday we will broadcast a short message to help you with your relationship with Jesus.
We suggest you create a journal and write down your thoughts about Jesus and how Jesus influences your life.
Each week, we will read a verse, a short reflection and ask you three questions.
After listening to the broadcast, we invite you to spend the following week studying your thoughts and how it affected you.
Journaling is important, as it will help you see how Jesus is affecting you.
After one year, in fact every week, we pray that you grow closer to Jesus!
Learn about the importance of the Pharisees. Discover the hidden use of numerology and how it helped the 1st century Christian retain the story of Jesus. Find out why Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Hear the story behind Jesus's life and resurrection, and how it is relevant to us today in the 21st century.
Find out why scholars believe this was the first Gospel written and its impact on Matthew and Luke.
Was the author John Mark? And if so, is this an eyewitness to the Life and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Learn about the Scribes of the first century and their importance a foil for Jesus's teachings.
Discover how Jesus proved his divinity and why he called himself the Son of Man.