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Parable of the Narrow Door

02 Nov

22 Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, 24 “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25 When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

28 “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. 29 And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. 30 And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

31 At that time some Pharisees said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!”

32 Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. 33 Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!

34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 35 And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Dear God, as I read this passage today, I just got the feeling that Jesus was feeling the full height, breadth, and depth of his deity. Well, the first thing I actually noticed was that some Pharisees seemed to care about Jesus’s safety. They were probably in the know among the other Pharisees and their plans for killing Jesus. Nicodemus might very well have been in this group. Anyway, it is nice to see some compassion and concern among some of the Pharisees.

But back to Jesus really feeling it. He was on a roll here. Again, if I were to find one theme among all of these parables as they describe you and your kingdom–your autobiography, if you will–it would be that there truly is a narrow road. I’m still not totally certain what defines the narrow road, but I know that it’s a matter of heart and purpose as we strive to love and know you.

It seems lately there are a lot of politicians who building their brand on describing themselves as knowing you, but their fruits simply are not there. They worship you with their lips, but their hearts are far from you (Matthew 15:8). And the weird thing is how many people are following them. I suppose because they are playing on the people’s fears and then giving them what they want to hear. They are sowing doubt and then giving the people themselves to worship.

But as for me, Father, I need to follow you. I need to pray for those who are my “enemies.” And I do. I have a few people right now who consider me their enemy. I pray for absolutely each and every one of them. I pray for their peace and healing. I pray for their joy. I pray that they would know you. I pray that they would experience you in the people around them. I pray that you would use people in their sphere to influence them with your voice. Your peace. Truly be their God. Help them to turn loose of all of their idols.

And now, lest I be seen as somehow seeing myself as better than any of them, I ask the same things for myself…for us all. I pray for my peace and healing. I pray for my joy. I pray that I would know you. I pray that I would experience you in the people around me. I pray that you would use people in my sphere to influence me with your voice. Your peace. Truly be my God. Help me to turn loose of all of my idols. Reveal to me what those idols are. What my sin is.

I pray all of this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Luke, Parables of the Bible

 

“The Father’s House” by Cory Asbury

29 Oct

“The Father’s House” by Cory Asbury

Sometimes on this journey, I get lost in my mistakes
What looks to me like weakness is a canvas for Your strength
And my story isn’t over, my story’s just begun
And failure won’t define me ’cause that’s what my Father does
Yeah, failure won’t define me ’cause that’s what my Father does

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door (ooh)
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore (ooh)
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

Arrival’s not the end game, the journey’s where You are
You never wanted perfect, You just wanted my heart
And the story isn’t over, if the story isn’t good
A failure’s never final when the Father is in the room
And failure’s never final when the Father is in the room

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door (ooh)
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore (ooh)
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house, yeah

Prodigals come home
The helpless find hope
Love is on the move
When the Father’s in the room
Prison doors fling wide
The dead come to life
Love is on the move
When the Father’s in the room

Miracles take place
The cynical find faith
And love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room
The Jericho walls are quakin’

Strongholds now are shakin’
Love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room
I said love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room

Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Check your shame at the door
‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house
Yeah, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father’s house
Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Cory Asbury / Ethan Hulse / Benjamin Hastings

Dear God, I want to get into the lyrics of this song in a second, but my overall thought this morning with this song is, what would it be like if the church represented this to people? If they didn’t see our politics or our policing of sin? If they saw a place for the wounded to come and be loved? To be supported, nurtured and healed? If they saw us living your fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, and self control?

I’ve mentioned the Apple TV+ show, Ted Lasso. I think what makes it so appealing to the world is that Ted is completely worldly, as is everyone else in the show, but he exhibits nearly all of the fruits of the Spirit (besides peace). While the writers can create an extraordinary character who exhibits the other fruits, peace is one even they cannot write about apart from you (in my opinion). But thinking of the locker room on Ted Lasso as the English Premier League football team’s version of a church, the environment Ted created is the kind of thing Cory Asbury is singing about here. He created a type, albeit incomplete, of your House. At one point at the end of the series, Ted looks at the guys on the team as they all have their hands in the middle and says, “I know folks like to say, ‘There’s no place like home.’ And that’s true. But, man, there ain’t a whole lot of places like AFC Richmond either.” Here is a link to the scene from Ted Lasso with the warning to anyone reading this that it contains a huge spoiler at the end of the series should you want to watch it.

With that said, let’s look at some of these lyrics:

Sometimes on this journey, I get lost in my mistakes
What looks to me like weakness is a canvas for Your strength

I’ve heard this song several times, but I’ve never spent time with the lyrics. Some of them caught my ear this week and I knew I wanted to sit down with it like this this morning. So what if we allowed ourselves to live into this verse? What if I allowed myself to live into this verse? I get lost in my mistakes. [My] weakness is a canvas for Your strength. What if we lived into that and then offered that to the world?

Arrival’s not the end game, the journey’s where You are
You never wanted perfect, You just wanted my heart
And the story isn’t over, if the story isn’t good

I LOVE this first line. I’m not here this morning so you’ll let me into your eternal life. I’m here this morning because I need you. I need to spend some time focused on your Holy Spirit ministering to me, speaking to me, teaching me, and comforting me. The arrival is not what my life is about. If you had created me for just the afterlife then you would have just created me as an angel. No, you wanted me for this journey. You are here in the present moment, not the future. I cannot find you there this side of death. No, you are only in this present moment.

The other parts of this verse are also good. First, I think you do want perfect, but you just know it isn’t going to happen. But if you have my heart then the rest will follow. Because where my heart is, there will my treasure be also (See Luke 12:34 – Parable of the Rich Fool). And just because my story doesn’t look good doesn’t mean it’s over–even if it doesn’t look good at the time of my death. I don’t have to see what you are doing long-term to have faith in you now. Thinking of Job 38, who am I to question you?

Oh, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, you know what’s happening for me right now. You know where my concerns are. You know I have people I love who think of me as their enemy. You know there are strangers who think of me as their enemy as well. Well, I surrender any rights I might feel in this moment to deserve their love or respect. It’s no mine to give or to demand. But I do pray for each of them. I pray for the soil of their heart. Some of them have hearts akin to the path. Some of them have rocky soil. Some with thorns. And some have great and rich soil. Whatever the case, and whomever they are, I pray that all of them will have deep, rich, dark soil that will give your Holy Spirit to move in them. I pray the same thing for myself. Help me to weed the soil of my heart. Help me to get rid of the thorns that represent the cares of this world and the pursuit of wealth. Help me to get rid of the cares of advancing myself over my neighbor. Help me to get over the cares of my rights not being respected. And I pray this for all of those on my heart as well. Heal them. Help them to find you. Help them to find peace. Help them to truly channel you into this world. Help us all, Jesus. Help us all, Holy Spirit. Help us all Father.

I pray this in the name of the Triune God,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 29, 2023 in Hymns and Songs, Job, Luke

 

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Luke 12:35-13:9

27 Oct

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45 But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

47 “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

53 ‘Father will be divided against son
    and son against father;
mother against daughter
    and daughter against mother;
and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law
    and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’”

54 Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? 58 When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 59 And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.”

13 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

Dear God, according to Luke, this entire rant by Jesus was spurred by a man calling from a crowd in Luke 12:13, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” There was really something about this petty, short-sighted greed that really set Jesus off. In the written word, we lose tone of voice, but there is anger in this passage:

49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. (Luke 12:49-52)

5 “No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” (Luke 13:5)

7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ (Luke 13:7)

Jesus loves me, but there can be little doubt that, whatever the criteria you finally use for us, you will not be mocked. You will not be abused and made a fool. We cannot game you and get into your everlasting new earth through a loophole. No, you have some definite expectations with us, and it starts with simply loving you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and then loving our neighbor as ourselves. Did we do those things, or was our only motivation to preserve ourself at the expense of others.

I heard a tragic story about a Christian university that is likely to be fined hundreds of millions of dollars by the government for failure to report crimes, sexual assaults, etc. I would have thought that after what happened to Baylor eight years ago with their sexual assault/Title IX scandal, every university in the country would have downloaded the recommendations Baylor’s law firm generated and adopted the recommendations for themselves. But this one didn’t. Why? I guess because they thought they were protecting themselves, and but they justified it by saying they were protecting your name since they claim to represent you. Oh, it makes my heart hurt.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I do not want to game you. I know you are not to be mocked. So here I am to love you with all I have (or at least to do my best and a little better each day) and then love my neighbors as myself (at least to do my best and a little better each day). This is my life. I give it to you. And I want to close with an old song I hadn’t heard in a while, but it came to me this morning while I was praying with a friend: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There’s just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus. Like a fragrance after the rain. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim! Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there’s something about that name.

I pray all of this to you in that precious name, Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2023 in Luke

 

Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-34)

25 Oct

13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Luke 12:13-34

Dear God, I had a meeting today that included a remarkable woman. She and her husband have experienced a great crop in their lives. However, there was also a time of personal tragedy 30-ish years ago when they were struggling to the point that she said their church had to make their house payment for them for six months because of a severe medical emergency their child experienced. But now she has expertise, resources, and an incredibly giving heart. She has not just added more money to her bank account from the great “crops” that have come in for them over the last 30 years. She gives and gives and gives. And not just of her money. She gives her time. Our nonprofit is about to embark on a big project. She heard about it, and asked to meet with me and some board members so she could share her expertise with us. And she did, and it was invaluable.

The thing about her that I think Jesus is emphasizing here is that it’s obvious she has a relationship with you. Not because of what she says, but because of who she is. I just see the fruits of the Spirit in her.

I had a weird dream last night. I found myself in what was basically Nazi Germany and I was one of the vulnerable who was being hunted and trying to escape. I was able to make sure the people I was with got away, but I was left behind. After being temporarily caught and even shot (but I was okay because I had a bulletproof vest for some reason), I managed to escape and mysteriously found myself in a safe place. I say all of this here because, while I was scared, I was not terrified. When they were shooting me, I was disappointed, but not defeated. And the whole experience left me feeling sympathy for people in both Israel and Gaza right now. Also in Ukraine. When I woke up, I just laid their in silence and processed the deep emotions I was feeling.

I don’t know, maybe that has nothing to do with any of this. I guess the other thing I was thinking about today is some of the Christian media I consume and the danger of doing too much of it. One Christian podcast I listen to came out today and the main topic was discussion of an article about 7 (or was it 9?) things Christians disagree on that just don’t matter. So the hosts talked about the article item by item. It was interesting and thought-provoking, but not really soul-nurturing. Then I listened to another podcast that talked about current divisions in the Christian church in the U.S. and Europe over political lines. Again, interesting, but not soul-nurturing. I had to get up early for a board meeting this morning, so I didn’t spend time with you in prayer, but I decided this afternoon that I really needed to spend some time with you like this before I go to bed.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I love you. I need you. I need this relationship with you. You aren’t a theology, a philosophy, or a guideline for my life. You are my God, and I need you growing in me. I need you living through me. I need you all around me. That’s what this parable is saying. If I don’t have you then I am a fool. I don’t want to be a fool. Thank you for meeting me here.

I offer my life to you through the grace of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 25, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Luke, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-13)

23 Oct

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Luke 11:5-13

Dear God, as I look at these parables and try to decipher what it is I can learn about you through them, this one puzzles me. I can change you?!? I can change your will?!? Who are you that you should even listen to me, much less relent and change your mind?

As long as I am on this earth, I do not think I will ever understand this part of your nature or exactly how this works. But I know there are some things on my heart this morning. The one that is really on my heart is a friend and his wife who are going through a huge health issue. Oh, Father, I’m not only asking for her life. I’m asking for an easy path forward for them…for her. Oh, please, Father, heal her. Holy Spirit, move in her body and give her a sense of your peace and hope. Guide her. Love her. Love him. Give him strength to love her and serve her. Help this pain to count. Draw them closer to yourself through this. And help their children. Comfort them. One of their children has a young and rich faith in you. Use this to draw him closer to yourself, and protect him from being drawn away from you because of any disillusionment he might have. The same for their two daughters. Use this in their lives. Don’t let this pain and fear be wasted.

Lord, there are so many other things. I had lunch with some dear people yesterday, and there is a lot of pain in their lives. Don’t let their pain be wasted. Heal their pain and use the healing to bring them into complete relationship with you. With each other. With their extended families. One of them is staying with a sister tonight. Use that time, Holy Spirit, to heal both of them.

Oh, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, you know I’m not as good at intercessory prayer. I need to be better. But from international things like Ukraine and Israel, to national things like congress and the presidency, to local things in our state and local governments, to personal things in our community, to individuals, we need you. Lord, use my life as soil for a tiny mustard seed and, even if it only provides a branch for one bird, let my life be a source of your hope and joy in the world.

I pray all of this through the grace of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Luke, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

21 Oct

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Luke 10:25-37

Dear God, “The one who showed him mercy.” I’m going to come back to that, but I think that is the key to this story for me. But I want to start with a couple of quick observations.

First, this “expert in religious law” knew his stuff because he gave Jesus the answer Jesus himself gave as the most important commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). So good for this man for knowing this answer. In fact, in this translation, Jesus replies, “Right!” with an exclamation point, to him.

Second, he “stood up to test Jesus.” I don’t blame him for this either. If I had been there, I would want to have seen Jesus tested. I don’t know that I would have had the courage to do it, but I would have been skeptical about this man being your Messiah. I wish we knew what happened to this man after this encounter. Did Jesus satisfy him and pass his test, or did Jesus simply pass the test, but the man was still skeptical?

But back to the story, I think the whole point of this story is for Jesus to expand everyone’s net to include everyone.

“Who is my neighbor?”

“Everyone is your neighbor.”

I was watching a politician give a speech yesterday. As I write this, the U.S. House of Representatives is locked in an intraparty civil war on the Republican side. There aren’t a whole lot of people from either party showing mercy. In fact, one politician gave a speech yesterday and included what he said was his favorite verse: 2 Timothy 4:7. But it was a complete misquote and misapplication of what Paul was telling Timothy. The politician said, “Paul is the old guy giving advice to the young guy Timothy. And he says, ‘Fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith.’ And I tell folks I love that verse because of the action in it. Americans aren’t timid folks. They are people of action. And the words in that verse: fight, finish, keep, I think fit the American spirit.” I can only imagine if Paul had the opportunity to walk in that room and talk to that man after that quote, what he would tell him. I don’t think he would be proud of how Congress is acting right now. I don’t think he would go up to him and say, “Attaboy!”

Why? Because that’s what what Paul said to Timothy. The New Living Translation has the words apply to Paul in the past tense. For context, here are both verses 6 and 7:

6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 

The verbs Paul used were not “fight, finish, and keep,” but “fought, finished, and remained.” And who he was fighting against was anyone who got in the way of him proclaiming Jesus–mainly the established church of the time. He was fighting for a message of loving you with everything we have and showing mercy to everyone. The misapplication of this passage by the politician actually made me very angry because a lot of people who do not know the Bible will think this is who you are–a power-hungry God who is looking to impose your will on us.

So finally, as I look at who Jesus is telling me you are through this parable, I see a God who has pretty simple expectations on his church. Love everyone. Show mercy to everyone. That’s what you expect of me.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as I move into the rest of this day and prepare to resume my vocation in a couple of days, help me. Help me to love this politician who so badly misquote Paul yesterday and used you as an excuse and authority for his selfish actions. Help me to love everyone I encounter. Help me to love those who have wronged me. Oh, Lord, I want to be just like you, and just like you means being very generous in my love for others. Oh, Lord, I want to love you well. Help me with my un-love.

I pray all of this through the mercy afforded to me through Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 21, 2023 in 2 Timothy, Jesus's Parables, Luke, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32)

20 Oct

30 Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

Mark 4:30-32

Dear God, verse 30 is interesting. It portrays a little of Jesus’s tone of voice that we don’t often get. I can just kind of picture him puzzling over how to get his point across to this group of people who don’t get it yet. He search for a metaphor. To see the example he finally came up with, it’s almost like he’s saying to himself, “How do I get through to them that the Father’s kingdom doesn’t come in big? It comes in surprisingly small and grows out. And if it grows correctly, it will not only be big, but it will be a blessing to everything.”

Then he comes up with the seed metaphor. “Okay, how about a tree? A tree does so many things. It can provide food. It can provide shade. It can provide a resting place for birds. So if a tree is my end, how can I get across to them that the beginning is always small? Well, a mustard tree seed is really small. Yeah, that should work. A mustard tree seed.”

Then he pitches this concept to them: “It is like a mustard seed planed in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

So going back to the purpose of this series on learning about you through what Jesus says about you (the autobiography of God), what can I learn about you and how you work through this parable? Well, let me reverse it. You could be a god (little “g” intended) who said, “The kingdom of god is a king who commands that everything he declares be enforced on the people. He destroys anyone who disobeys him.” Now there are actually some parables like this such as the Parable of the Wedding Feast. But those still show you as someone who has been inclusive and longing for relationship. The difference for the man who was tossed out and separated from you is that he didn’t respect anything about what you expected of him. There was no reverence, but only selfishness. You are still not to be taken for granted or disrespected, but you are also not going to just push your way into things from the top down. You are going to start with contents that will fit inside a seed. And how does a seed work? The seed takes what it brings to the table and the uses things from it’s environment (water, nutrients in the soil, air, sunlight, etc.) and it multiplies itself and grows. It doesn’t do it in isolation, but it lives and grows where it’s planted.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as I come to the end of my vacation and use these last couple of days to prepare myself to be planted, I come to you to ask that you grow in me. The truth is, Satan can work in the same way. negative seeds can grow. The weeds you described in the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat have the same effect. They can strangle and choke out your fruit. So help me to weed my soil today as well. Oh, Holy Spirit, help me to provide you good soil in which to grow.

I pray all of this through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Parables of the Bible

 

Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)

19 Oct

26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”

Mark 4:26-29

Dear God, I was watching a Christianity Today interview this afternoon with Beth Moore. Then I watched another one with Philip Yancey. This parable ties in nicely with some of my thoughts while I was watching the interviews. The biggest tie-in is Jesus’s line for the farmer, “…but he does not understand how it happens.” We can be oh so clever and try to figure out how things are working out, but the truth is that we have no idea. Whether it be in our families, our personal lives, our churches, our denominations, our governments, or the world in general. We do not know what you are doing. We do not know how the Kingdom of God works. We do not understand you. We do not understand your ways. I do not understand your ways.

So what are you like? Well, you are mysterious. You work behind the scenes. You are doing things we cannot see. But the a leaf blade pushes through. Head of wheat are formed. Grain ripens. And you give us two jobs in all of this: two plant seeds and then harvest the grain. So what kind of seed planter am I?

This morning, I was starting to feel a little down and overwhelmed about what awaits me when I get back from vacation. There is a lot of hard work to do. I don’t know how all of it is going to work out. I don’t know if I might fail at some of it. I started to get scared and overwhelmed. Then, I just happened upon these interviews. It’s still a mystery to me how they came up, but I was so blessed by them. The Beth Moore one really helped me as she talked about some of the struggles she has recently had and how you were with her through them. When it comes to Philip Yancey, I have been reading his memoir, Where the Light Fell, and his whole life and the work he has done regarding exploring different aspects of your nature were born out of his childhood experiences with your church and his family, including the loss of his father before he was old enough to know him. You were working in both of their lives. You are still working in both of their lives.

So you used these two interviews to encourage me. To buoy me. Your Holy Spirit spoke to me and inspired me for the work that lies ahead. It has also encouraged me to not let the joy and opportunity of these last few days of rest be wasted. To let them be rest. And this is where the parable comes in: even though it looks like nothing is happening in the rest, the blade is growing and preparing to be fruit.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, first, thank you for being my paraclete today. Thank you for being my comforter, advisor, and counselor. Thank you for the healing you have done in the friends I’ve prayed for. Thank you for the healing you are continuing to do. I have some friends right now who are facing a particularly scary situation in the health of the wife. Oh, Lord, be a healer for them. And use this to do something we cannot imagine. But this couple is dear. They are wonderful. Help them, oh, Lord. And continue to be with the others (I can think of five right now in my head) we are praying for as well.

I pray all of this with great joy to be able to call you; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; my God,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 19, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Mark, Parables of the Bible

 

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Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

18 Oct

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30

Dear God, I have to admit I’ve never liked this parable. I’ve always seen myself as the servant with the one talent who disappointed you. I’m just not a risk taker. I’m not an investor. I’m not an entrepreneur. I’m a worker. In the end, that’s who I am. I don’t mind the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard because I’m willing to work all day long and still get paid what the others who didn’t work as long got paid. I like work. But I can also see that Jesus is comparing the pearl of great price you’ve given to me that you want me to share with the world. If I just keep it to myself then what good have I done with it?

The other interesting thing about this parable is how Jesus describes you in it. He describes you as “a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate.” Is that really you?

It’s interesting because each of these parables seems to reinforce a vision of you that is not to be mocked. You are not a pushover god (little “g” intended). You are God (capital “G” intended). I cannot just wink at you and then go about my business. I am to be about opening myself up to your Holy Spirit to flow through me and enter the world through me. I am part of your kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as it is in the heavens.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, help me to be a faithful servant today. It starts with prayer. From Ukraine, to Israel, to a friend in surgery, to a friend who is meeting with an oncologist today, to a friend who lost her father and is having his funeral today. From my wife, to my children and their significant others, to my siblings, to my parents, to my wife’s family. From my coworkers, to my work, to our local church community, to our nationwide/worldwide church, to our government, to the governments of the world. Oh God, please be in these lives and situations. Heal. Comfort. Guide. Lead. Direct. Do it all for your glory. I give you my talents. Show me how to use them today in any given moment.

I pray all of this in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

“…One holy, catholic, and apostolic church.”

15 Oct

Dear God, I’m in New Mexico right now, and I have experienced so much love for you since I have been here. Now, to be clear, I’ve been in places (churches and missions) where I would find people who love you, but I’ve also been overwhelmed by the devotion and earnestness with which people are worshiping you here, back home, and, I know, all over the world. I know there are people in South American, Africa, Asia, and Europe who worship you fervently as well. You are their God. They love you. They need you. It has been so uplifting and beautiful.

We went to a mission near Santa Fe yesterday called Chimayo. Some of the art was great, including this one statue of a man taking Jesus’s body off of the cross (it is likely Joseph of Arimathea, but I like to think it’s Nicodemus [John 19:38-41]). I took a picture of it five years ago when we were here, but it was the first thing I looked for yesterday.

But it was more than the art. It was the people there for daily mass. It was the special rosary some women had decided to offer in light of what is happening in Israel right now.

Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the friends we are with this weekend while we are here. What wonderful, faithful people. Oh, how they love you. And, oh, how they have sorrow in their lives that is similar to our own sorrow. There is a constant sorrow in my wife’s and my lives that is nothing can assuage. And that’s okay. It’s okay because I think there is probably a constant sorrow for you when it comes to us as your creation. I know there are times when I cause you sorrow and yet I know I’m really trying to love you. Then there is the sorrow you feel for those who have flat out rejected you.

But back to what I’ve experienced the last few days. So much love for you! So much faith! Yes, they are mostly Catholic and I am not Catholic so their worship looks different than how I do it, but I see nothing that probably doesn’t delight you. And there is some beauty in the rituals that help future generations find you through them. It’s been quite something.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I thank you for this trip. I thank you for your one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. I thank you for one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I thank you for the life you lived Jesus, here on earth. I thank you for who you taught us to be before your death and resurrection for me. You made the most of the time you spent on earth. Thank you. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your love for me. Thank you for dwelling in me. Thank you for your comfort. Thank you for your counsel. Thank you for praying for me, for my family, for the friends we are with, for the people I’ve met/seen on this trip. For Israel and the innocent Palestinians who are caught as human shields. Thank you that we are not forsaken, but loved. Thank you that we are wanted by you.

I pray all of this in the name of my Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 15, 2023 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 
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