Have we grown with Christ this year?

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

Growing in favor and stature

The young Samuel was consecrated to God. He outgrew his white linen ephod and each year his parents would come to see him and clothe him in a new garment.

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and with the people.

Samuel's growth echoes that of the young Jesus. The psalmist said, "He has raised up a horn for his people." Jesus grew in understanding. When he was at the temple he discoursed with the teachers. The evangelist shows how Jesus was growing in wisdom, I don't know that he meant anything by his treating his parents poorly. At any rate when he went home he "was obedient to them.... And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor."

We are invited to grow up with Jesus as his chosen beloved. We are to clothe ourselves with the new linen garments of his character.

Colossians 3:12-17

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

That's My King

By Dr. S.M. Lockridge

The Bible says my King is a seven-way king....He's the King of the Jews; that's a racial king....He's the King of Israel; that's a national King....He's the King of Righteousness....He's the King of the Ages.....He's the King of Heaven....He's the King of Glory....He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well....I wonder, do you know Him?.... David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong....He's entirely sincere....He's eternally steadfast....He's immortally graceful....He's imperially powerful....He's impartially merciful....... Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son....He's a sinner's Saviour....He's the centerpiece of civilization....He stands in the solitude of Himself....He's august....He's unique....He's unparalleled....He's unprecedented....He's the loftiest idea in literature....He's the highest personality in philosophy....He's the supreme problem in higher criticism....He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology....He's the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion....He's the miracle of the age.... He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him....He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour...... I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak....He's available for the tempted and the tried....He sympathizes and He saves....He strengthens and sustains....He guards and He guides....He heals the sick....He cleanses lepers....He forgives sinners....He discharges debtors....He delivers captives....He defends the feeble....He blesses the young....He serves the unfortunate....He regards the aged....He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek....... I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King....is the King....He's the key to knowledge....He's the wellspring to wisdom....He's the doorway of deliverance....He's the pathway of peace....He's the roadway of righteousness ....He's the highway of holiness....He's the gateway of glory....... Do you know Him?

Well....His office is manifold....His promise is sure....His light is matchless....His goodness is limitless....His mercy is everlasting....His love never changes....His word is enough....His grace is sufficient....His reign is righteous....and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable....He's incomprehensible....He's invincible....He's irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind....You can't get Him off of your hand....You can't out live Him, and you can't live without Him....The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him....Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him....The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree....Herod couldn't kill Him....Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. Yea!!!, that's my King, that's my King.

Father..."Thine is the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory....Forever"....and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever...and ever...and when you get through with all the forevers, then.... AMEN!....AMEN!

The Sustaining Word of the Creation

Augustine has beautiful thoughts on the Word in the beginning who continues to sustain all things by his powerful word.

But how dost Thou make them? how, O God,
didst Thou make heaven and earth? Verily, neither in the heaven, nor
in the earth, didst Thou make heaven and earth; nor in the air, or
waters, seeing these also belong to the heaven and the earth; nor in
the whole world didst Thou make the whole world; because there was
no place where to make it, before it was made, that it might be. Nor
didst Thou hold any thing in Thy hand, whereof to make heaven and
earth. For whence shouldest Thou have this, which Thou hadst not made,
thereof to make any thing? For what is, but because Thou art?
Therefore Thou spokest, and they were made, and in Thy Word Thou
madest them.

But how didst Thou speak? In the way that the voice came out of
the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son? For that voice passed by
and passed away, began and ended; the syllables sounded and passed
away, the second after the first, the third after the second, and so
forth in order, until the last after the rest, and silence after the
last. Whence it is abundantly clear and plain that the motion of a
creature expressed it, itself temporal, serving Thy eternal will.
And these Thy words, created for a time, the outward ear reported to
the intelligent soul, whose inward ear lay listening to Thy Eternal
Word. But she compared these words sounding in time, with that Thy
Eternal Word in silence, and said "It is different, far different.
These words are far beneath me, nor are they, because they flee and
pass away; but the Word of my Lord abideth above me for ever." If then
in sounding and passing words Thou saidst that heaven and earth should
be made, and so madest heaven and earth, there was a corporeal
creature before heaven and earth, by whose motions in time that
voice might take his course in time. But there was nought corporeal
before heaven and earth; or if there were, surely Thou hadst,
without such a passing voice, created that, whereof to make this
passing voice, by which to say, Let the heaven and the earth be
made. For whatsoever that were, whereof such a voice were made, unless
by Thee it were made, it could not be at all. By what Word then
didst Thou speak, that a body might be made, whereby these words again
might be made?

Thou callest us then to understand the Word, God, with Thee God,
Which is spoken eternally, and by It are all things spoken
eternally. For what was spoken was not spoken successively, one
thing concluded that the next might be spoken, but all things together
and eternally. Else have we time and change; and not a true eternity
nor true immortality. This I know, O my God, and give thanks. I
know, I confess to Thee, O Lord, and with me there knows and blesses
Thee, whoso is not unthankful to assure Truth. We know, Lord, we know;
since inasmuch as anything is not which was, and is, which was not, so
far forth it dieth and ariseth. Nothing then of Thy Word doth give
place or replace, because It is truly immortal and eternal. And
therefore unto the Word coeternal with Thee Thou dost at once and
eternally say all that Thou dost say; and whatever Thou sayest shall
be made is made; nor dost Thou make, otherwise than by saying; and yet
are not all things made together, or everlasting, which Thou makest by
saying.

Chadwick translates it as God created outside the framework of the universe. This cast my mind back to the various creationist theories. Was it a 24 hour day, was it a day-age, was it a day-revelation? Augustine rightly points out that creation happened outside the framework of time. God made a day and called it today. For him creation is still right now. For Christ he is right now at the dawn of time, lying in a manger, suffering on the cross and glorying in the presence of God. He is no longer bound by time.

Scripture interplay

A. Luke 2:1-7

2:1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2:2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

2:3 All went to their own towns to be registered.

2:4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.

2:5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.

2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

B. Hebrews 1:1-4

1:1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets,

1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.

1:3 He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

1:4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

C. Luke 2:8-14

2:8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:

2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."

2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

2:14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

D. Hebrews 1:5-7

1:5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?

1:6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

1:7 Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."

E. Luke 2:15-20

2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."

2:16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

2:17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;

2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

2:19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

F. Hebrews 1:8-12

1:8 But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.

1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."

1:10 And, "In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

1:11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing;

1:12 like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end."

Rejoice the God is in your midst

Luke goes messing this week up again. The first three readings talk about rejoicing that God is in the midst of his people. Emanuel is come.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Isaiah 12:6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Philippains 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice, Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Then we have the end of the world stuff from John the Baptist. "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Yet when you look at what he teaches, "Bear fruits worthy of repentance." It sounds just like Jesus when he is proclaiming that the Kingdom is at hand. Yeah, but where is the grace?

In entering the kingdom silly. Some have said that John the Baptist represents the last of the graceless age. That Jesus offered a new age of grace and wrath is no more. I don't think so, Jesus offered an enterance to the Kingdom of God to the real rule and presence - an eternal kind of life now as Willard puts it. In that God has never changed. He has always wanted people to trust him and enter into his life. The acts John describes are the same kind of living out the eternal kind of life that Jesus shows. And all this talk of the judgement to come gets people talking. A great expectation arose.
Could John be the one? No, he says, there is one coming after me who will baptise into a new kingdom with fire. We get the purifying theme coming back from last week's old testament reading.
It souldn't surprise us that the coming of God in the Flesh would have such strong statements. God is a consuming fire. Let us not let the meekness of the babe allow us to forget.

Fiery Expectation

The dual focus of advent is shown this week. We see the telescoping of the expectation of the coming of the Messiah as we celebrate it on Christmas Day and the expectation of his return “in the clouds”.

Malachi gives us a picture of the coming Messiah that perhaps reflects John The Baptist’s understanding of what the messiah’s role would be.

But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

He did in deed accomplish those things. We see in the ministry of Jesus a way that constantly challenged the religious authorities, but we have yet to see the offerings to the Lord being presented in righteousness by the house of Levi. Instead we see Malachi’s expectation fulfilled in the temples of our hearts, as the Shekinah—the cloud of God’s glory, again fills the temple of our hearts.

The fiery language of the prophets (Malachi and later John) gives a sense of imminent judgment. That sense is not reflected in Zachariah’s song.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Many have questioned whether John understood his mission in the way his father described it. They wonder if perhaps John later doubted that Jesus was the one precisely because he wasn’t winnowing the chaff to be burned. Perhaps, but his message is spot on.

The language John uses in Luke is particularly apocalyptic. Luke alone quotes the further context from Isaiah.

Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all mankind will see God's salvation.

God’s instruction to the one calling in the desert (Isaiah 40:2) is to speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Yet, in preparing the way some very chaotic things happen. We have a list of apocalyptic inversions, employed to show how God will bring order from chaos, and turn the world upside down to bring salvation: valleys filled in and mountains leveled, crooked roads straight and rough ways smoothed. And all mankind will see [a good thing] God’s Salvation.

Paul too points out the good thing in God’s salvation.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Just as in the Revelation reading a couple weeks back, Paul’s concern is that they endure to the end to see the beauty of Jesus face to face. He prays that their love may increase and that they could discern what is pure and blameless. The need only look to their Lord—the fullers soap, the smelting furnace.

Year C Advent 2 Malachi 3

Year C Advent 2 Malachi 3: "Malachi is a book suitable for reading during Advent, in that it describes a time of restless waiting in the history of the people of Judah. The exile was over, the second temple had been built and worship there restored, but all was not as it had been envisioned. There was as yet no sign of the glory of God returning to fill the temple.

We know little about the prophet Malachi, whose name means, ‘my messenger.’ Like the other prophets, he was given a word from the Lord to speak in a particular time. The priests had strayed from their faithful worship, and led the people astray (Mal. 1:6-8). People noted the inequities of life around them and asked, ‘Where is the God of justice?’ (Mal. 2:17)

The passage for this Sunday from chapter 3 comes in answer to that question, with the promise of a day when all will be set right. God promises a messenger of the covenant to prepare the Lord’s way, and to herald the coming of justice. The forerunner is seen in Rabbinic interpretations as an angel appointed to avenge the breaking of a covenant, or perhaps Elijah or the prophet Malachi himself. But this coming is not only good news. It implies purification and judgment will precede the Lord’s coming."

Synoptic study

If we assume Markan priority, then the uniqueness in Luke takes on added significance. First Luke leaves out the reference to the gathering of the Elect. This may be to place the warning at the end of the discourse, But watch at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (vs. 36) The burning question is what are “all these things”. It is frustrating for me to understand these eschatologies outside of the dispensational construct I grew up with and have rejected. This could be taken as a support for a pre-trib rapture. But I think that the things referred to are not the supposed Great Tribulation, but the real possibility of falling away during the trials the Jews and the Church would face. Hooker takes a look at the Markan text in the same way:

At the end of the discourse, we have two parables and a number of sayings, which seem to have been linked together because of certain words and phrases that they have in common. The first is a parable about a sign – a natural enough pericope to have added here. Yet it fits badly into its context: these things in v. 29 cannot refer to the events in vv.26f., since they were themselves the climax to the period of waiting. The parable has been added here because it was thought to be on the same theme as the rest of the discourse, but in the setting of Jesus’ own lifetime it may well have had a different emphasis. Even in its present setting, Luke takes it to be a parable about the Kingdom of God, and he may well be right. If so, then perhaps the signs, which showed that the Kingdom was near were originally the activities of Jesus himself (cf. Luke 11.20; 12.54-6). Mark may perhaps have had another reason for adding the parable at this point. The parable is about a fig tree, and it was a fig tree that was cursed in chapter 11, when Jesus first pronounced judgment on the temple and on Israel. It is significant that now, when Jesus has spelt out the nature of Israel’s punishment and the final gathering of the elect, we have a story about another fig tree. The dormant tree, apparently dead, bursts into new life, and its young leaves are a promise of coming summer: hope and not destruction, is the final word….

…Many attempts have been made to understand the Greek for this generation in some other way, but they are all unconvincing. The reason for these attempts was the embarrassment caused by an apparently unfulfilled prediction in the mouth of Jesus. An alternative solution was to limit the application of the phrase ‘all these things’. Once it is recognized that the saying did not originally belong in its present context, the difficulties become rather different. If it is an authentic saying, to what did it originally refer? The similarity with Mark 9.1 suggests that it could have referred to the Kingdom of God. A comparison of that saying with the Matthaean parallel shows how easily a saying about the coming of the Kingdom could be reapplied to the coming of the Son of man. But perhaps it is a warning of unknown origin, couched in traditional apocalyptic language and used here by Mark because it seemed appropriate – at once ominous and vague. Used here, the saying provides an important clue to Mark’s purpose in this chapter. If all these things are to take place within this generation, then we understand why he ends the discourse with the warnings in vv.33-7. The fact that some Christians have been misled by false signs of the parousia does not mean that there is no need for continual vigilance: sooner or later the End will come, and Marks’s readers must therefore keep watch.

Enduring to the end

The hope we have as Christians is in deed great. This week we are faced again with the messiah coming again – with the hope of seeing his face, the trustworthiness of God’s saving arm, and the promise of trials to come.

Jeremiah prophesies that a branch with sprout from the line of David. We find ourselves in the expectation between the last two verses in the reading. We have seen “The Lord is Our Righteousness” bloom in human flesh, but yet we don’t see Jerusalem living in safety, nor did the disciples who followed him to the cross.

The psalmist sings of our expectation of the ability of God to make his promise sure. In spite of the fact we have yet to see the perfect rule of Christ, we still sing with the psalmist.

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

Paul reveals his joy in the church of Thessalonica and desire to see him and compares it with the hope they have in seeing Christ return. He prays that they would be strong to endure to the end. There is much trouble coming their way, and God puts a premium on the faithful who overcome.

As a former dispensationalist, the Lukan text gives me pause. I believe that the blessed hope of the return of Christ is imminent, nothing has to happen to set the stage, it has been set from Pentecost. The signs of the times can confuse us. I grew up with the fear of movies like “A thief in the night.” My grandfather watched Jack Van Impe regularly and believed Edgar Whisenant’s “88 reasons why the Rapture will be in 1988.” I was afraid, of what should be our blessed hope, along with a surprising number of my generation who grew up with nuclear war as an expectation. This fear is fueled by “Left Behind” and war in the Middle East. Luke says we are not to faint from fear.

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly,”

As we face the text in Luke we must see it through the eyes of a disciple. Jesus isn’t trying to frighten or convert. He is giving them a base of understanding as the approach the cross, then the persecution of the early church. He is equipping them with the tools to overcome. He says this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. One commentator (Pentecostal no less) suggests that “generation” should be taken as a type of people (i.e. an evil generation, or righteous generation). In that, his people and those who will have nothing to do with him will be around to the end – just like the wheat and the tares. What was true for them is true for us. Every generation has had its reason to realize that the return of Christ is near, because it is. From Goth, to pope, to crusade, to Hitler, to Hussein, the stage has been set, the time ripe. Antichrists come and go, but Christ remains forever and one day we will see him face to face if we are strong in the day of temptation and trial.

“Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Revelation reading

An excerpt from Full Life Bible Commentary to the New Testament. Tim Jenny's comments on Revelation are some of my favorite.

Since God is eternal and unchanging (James 1 :16- 17), we should expect the same to be true of his Word (Matt. 5:18). His message to his church is faithful and dependable, not erratic or unstable. When we consider what this book said to its original audience, it steadies our interpretation, making it more balanced. Too often we twist Revelation, forcing it to answer questions about each new daily headline even if the book has nothing to say about it. We must learn to care more about what God wants to say than what we want to hear they are often very different! This attitude of submission pleases God and tunes our ears to his voice. 1.2.3. The Greeting (1:4c-5a). John's greeting begins with the traditional "grace and peace" familiar to any reader of the letters of Peter or Paul (e.g., 1 Cor. 1 :3.; 1 Thess. 1 : 1 ; 1 Peter 1 :2). Since the letters in the Bible are inspired by God, the greetings usually include the names of each member of the Godhead.

Their titles are modified in the light of the audience's plight. The title in Revelation emphasizes the Father's eternality, the Spirit's omnipresence, and the martyrdom of Jesus, the Son of God all of which foreshadow the main message of the book. The readers will have to remember them if they are to endure through the upcoming trials.

Revelation is from . . .

1.2.3.1. The Eternal God (1:4c). God the Father is the one "who is, and who was, and who is to come” (v.4; cf. v. 8). This is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. The order is not chronological, as one might expect (i.e., "was, is, and is to come"). It deliberately places the present before both the past and the future, emphasizing that God the Father is the God "who is." This title does two things. (1) It reminds us of God's covenant name in the O1d Testament.

He revealed himself there as Yahweh (or Jehovah). That name means "I AM” in Hebrew (Ex. 3: 14). (2) His title foreshadows the real impotence of the "beast" (Rev. 17), which these early Christians found so threatening. Revelation describes this beast as "once was, now is not, and will come” (17:8, 11 ). These Christians thereby recognized that this beast was not an eternal, unchanging God, nor would he ever be a match for Yahweh, the God "who is."

1.2.3.2. The Holy Spirit (1:4d). The Spirit is described as the "seven spirits" or, better, the "sevenfold Spirit” in front of God's throne. He is later described as "seven lamps” (4:5), This image surely comes from a Jewish menorah, a seven-pronged lampstand with seven flames.

Its position in front of the throne reminds one of the interior of the tabernacle or temple.

There the menorah burned continually in front of the ark of the covenant, God's throne in the O1d Testament (Ex. 25:37., 37:23). It reminded the Israelites that God never slept or took a day off. He was always "on duty" and able to defend his people (Ps. 121 ; cf. 1 Kings l8:27).

In the same way, the flame that appeared on each believer on that first Pentecost after the resurrection was a visible symbol of the Spirit's presence (Acts 2).

It is surely no coincidence that there are seven flames one for each of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation. The point is that the presence of the Spirit continues to burn among them (l Cor. 3:16., 6:19). God has not forgotten them, nor is he removed from their suffering. John's vision of Christ walking among the lampstands (Rev. 1:12-13) will reinforce this message.

1.2.3.3. Jesus Christ (1:5a). Jesus has the most unusual set of titles. We would have expected "Messiah" or "Son of God " but the titles listed here reminding us of his earthly life.

Jesus was "the faithful witness"; he testified about God faithfully, even to the point of giving up his life. He was "the firstborn from the dead"; God raised him on the third day. Thus he is now "the ruler of the kings of the earth" (v.5)., he reigns supreme in heaven.

If we want to appreciate these titles, we have to remember that the first followers of Jesus were called followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23;24:14,22;cf. John l4:4-6). The titles here describe "the Way" to eternal life in chronological order. First, we must live faithfully, testifying about God even if it means death. Then we will experience resurrection and glorification. This is the path all followers of Jesus must walk.

Unfortunately, many members of these early churches tried to take a shortcut. They wanted to skip the part about a life of faithful endurance, even death. and go immediately to the glorification stage. This change in their theology had been influenced by their booming economy: Asia Minor was experiencing unprecedented regional prosperity. They had been seduced by triumphalism (cf. 1 Cor. 4:8ff ). A theology somewhat akin to the con- temporary doctrine of "Kingdom Now" Some of them may even have believed they would never personally experience death (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18). Convinced that Jesus would return immediately and establish his kingdom, they were caught unaware when fierce persecution came from Rome.

The first step is the one those early believers did not want to take: death. “Faithful martyr” is a much better translation of the Greek phrase than “faithful witness," It not only means death to self ("self-denial"), but physical death for the sake of the gospel (“martyrdom"; see "Testify, Testimony, Witness" at 6:9). This translation also helps us to understand better why they would want to avoid death and go right to being "ruler[s] of the kings of the earth” (l:5). Martyrdom is usually painful. Who would not want to escape martyrdom if it could be avoided? Revelation is a call to Christian martyrdom.

With all its fantastic images, its most important message says exactly what Jesus did while he was still on earth: "Take up [your] cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24., cf. Luke 9:23 ). Paul had to remind the Philippians of this truth too, with an early hymn recorded for us in Philippians 2:6-1 1: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore , my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

The cross of Christ has continued to challenge Christians down through the ages, Contemporary American Christians often forget that suffering was the present reality for most Christians in the biblical times, just as it is today. We would do well to remember that it is our own experience that is atypical. Let us never be seduced by the wealth surrounding us or those who connive for power and glory. We must humble ourselves and be obedient to God. The first step of "the Way” of Christ is still humility and self-denial. It is often accompanied by suffering, sometimes even by martyrdom. Power and glory, being a “ruler of the kings of the earth," will come after our death and resurrection (Matt. 20:2l-23:2 Tim. 2:12) just as it did for Jesus.

The great devotional writers of recent times knew this and wove it into their allegories of Christian life. Reading their writings will help remind us of this great truth (see, e.g., Hannah Haurnard's Hinds' Feet in High Places, or John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress) It will also help us to develop a healthy theology, one immune from changes in our economy.

1.2.4. The Liturgical Prayer (1:5b-6). At this point in a normal letter. we would expect a prayer. Considering the persecution of the seven churches, they probably expected to find a prayer for deliverance, the defeat of the enemies of the church, and the immediate return of Jesus Christ. John asked for none of these, tacitly implying that everything was as it should be.

Instead of asking for an easier situation, John prays that God will be glorified through it. His prayer also encourages the churches to be obedient. He reminds them of the past: Jesus loved them so much he sacrificed his life for them. He also reminds them of the future: They will be an eternal kingdom and a priest- hood for God, if they obey. This ancient promise to Israel (Ex. 19:6) had been recently extended to include the church (1 Peter 2:5,9., cf. Rev. 5:10).

The prayer here is more formal, more liturgical, than that of the other letters in the New Testament. This fits with the descriptions of the solemn "high church" rituals that will appear later in the book. John ends the prayer with the traditional “Amen,” though here it may also be a wordplay on one of the titles of Jesus (see "The Amen" at 3:14).

1.2.5. The Liturgical Prophecy (1:7). In a usual letter of the New Testament, the body directly followed the prayer. Here John includes two more liturgical elements: a prophecy (v. 7) and an exhortation (v. 8). These may well have represented elements in the order of service of these seven ancient churches. They too set the atmosphere for the book's upcoming rituals.

The prophecy of Jesus' coming is a blend of two Old Testament prophecies. One concerns the Son of Man's coming with the clouds (Dan. 7: 13., cf. Matt. 26:64., Mark l3:26., Luke 21: 27.,

Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:17), the other predicts that people will mourn when they see the one they have pierced (Zech. 12:10., cf. John 19:34).

Revelation proclaims that Jesus is ("coming with the clouds" (v. 7). The association of God with clouds is ancient. A rainbow in the clouds is a reminder of the Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:13-16). God also displayed his presence among the Israelites in the desert by a cloud during the day (Ex. 13:21., see "The Shekinah Canopy" at 7:15). The Old Testament describes God as "rid[ing] on the clouds" (Ps. 68:4., cf. 104:3), clouds that are even more noticeable when he comes to judge on the Day of the Lord (Ezek. 30:3', Dan. 7: 13., Joel 2:2., Zeph. 1:15). Similarly, Jesus will return “with the clouds” on the Day of the Lord.

John's use of "with the clouds" rather than "in the clouds” is unusual (only the Hebrew text of Dan. 7:13 has this expression). The prophecy may refer to the thunderclouds that preceded the fall rains in Israel. The high priests prayed for those rains; as they did for the resurrection of the dead, at the daily dawn drink offerings each year during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7).

1.2.6. The Liturgical Exhortation (1:8).

The last liturgical element in the introduction is an exhortation. It emphasizes God's eternality, his presence, and his power. "Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, "Omega" the last. "The Alpha and the Omega” (1:8.,21:6.,22:13) is another way of saying that God is "the First and the Last” (l:l7-,22:13: cf. Isa. 44:6-,48:l2) or "the Beginning and the End" (Rev. 21:6.,22:13-, cf. Heb. 7:3'). Both of these latter phrases appear in the prophecies of Isaiah, where they describe God's uniqueness and his foreknowledge (see Isa. 44:6-8., 46:10): this is what the LORD says Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last', apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it, Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come yes, let him foretell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one " I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

The titles remind the reader of Revelation that God has had everything planned, down to the smallest detail, for a long, long time. The Alpha and the Omega here refer to the Father, not the Son, as one can see by comparing the phrase in verse 8, "who is, and who was, and who is to come" with its twin in verse 4. The two phrases balance and enclose this epistolary introduction.

Stewardship series evaluation

Year B – Proper 22-28

This was a challenging series for the disciple we were continually faced with giving up our whole lives to enter the kingdom of God. Yesterday having finished this series, I felt glad it was over. I felt like the Holy Spirit was putting his finger on people’s hearts. In response to the conviction and challenge they were feeling relationships became strained between some of the members and their pastor. That’s why the pulpit is nothing to covet. If you can do anything else do it. If you are obedient to God and faithfully preach his word, there will come a time when you are not popular. Yet I rejoice if that strain in relationship means they were beginning to get it.

This was a great series for discipleship, but I could have done a better job on stewardship what the readings didn’t lend themselves to (or I didn’t figure out well enough) was doing practical how-to sermons showing not only the importance of stewardship but how to make it part of our lives. Perhaps the fall of another year would have a better sense for that. I’ll have to take a look. Once every three years wouldn’t be bad – if its there.

The Kingdom of God

The following is an excerpt from The Dvine Conspiracy.

The Presence of God in Action
Such a response, along with many others familiar from the Gospels, illustrates how Jesus' hearers understood the invitation to base their own lives on the rule of God “at hand" Of course they had no general understanding of what was involved, but they knew Jesus meant that he was acting with God and God with him, that God's rule was effectively present through him.
The familiar stories, traditions, and rituals of Israel enabled them to know the practical significance of this. They were stories and traditions of individual human beings whose lives were interlaced with God's action. Abraham, David, Elijah were well known to all. And the routinely practiced rituals of Israel were often occasions when God acted. Everyone knew that whoever trustingly put themselves in his hands, as this poor scandalous woman did, were in fact in the hands of God. And God's deeds bore out his words.
When he announced that the “governance” or rule of God had become available to human beings, he was primarily referring to what he could do for people, God acting with him. But he was also offering to communicate this same “rule of God” to others who would receive and learn it from him. He was himself the evidence for the truth of his announcement about the availability of God's kingdom, or governance, to ordinary human existence.
This explains why, as everyone saw, he did not teach "in the manner of the scribes” but instead “as having authority in his own right” (Matt. 7 :29) . Scribes, expert scholars, teach by citing others.
But Jesus was, in effect, saying, “Just watch me and see that what I say is true. See for yourself that the rule of God has come among ordinary human beings.”
“Already during Jesus' earthly activity," Hans Kung has pointed out, “the decision for or against the rule of God hung together with the decision for or against himself (italics mine). The presence of Jesus upon earth, both before and after his death and resurrection, means that God's rule is here now “In this sense," Kung continues, “the immediate expectation . . . [of the kingdom] . . . has been fulfilled.”
God's Rule Extended Onward Through Us
From the very beginning of his work, those who relied on him had, at his touch, entered the rule, or governance,of God and were receiving its gracious sufficiency Jesus was not just acting for God but also with God - a little like the way, in a crude metaphor, I act with my power steering, or it with me, when I turn the wheel of my car.
And this “governance” is projected onward through those who receive him. When we receive God's gift of life by relying on Christ, we find that God comes to act with us as we rely on him in our actions. That explains why Jesus said that the least in the kingdom of the heavens are greater than John the Baptist-not, of course, greater in themselves, but as a greater power works along with them, The “greater” is not inherent, a matter of our own substance, but relational So, C. S. Lewis writes, our faith is not a matter of our hearing what Christ said long ago and “trying to carry it out." Rather, “The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as Himself He is beginning, so to speak, to 'inject' His kind of life and thought. His Zoe [life], into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin."
Jesus' words and presence gave many of his hearers faith to see that when he acted God also acted, that the governance or “rule” of God came into play and thus was at hand They were aware of the invisible presence of God acting within the visible reality and action of Jesus, the carpenter rabbi.
Some years of reflection and further experience with Jesus and the kingdom enabled his people to describe him in lofty language as “the icon of the unseeable God” (Col. 1:15). Today we might say photo or snapshot instead of icon. He was the “exact picture” or “precise representation of God's substance” (Heb. 1: 3) . But that time was not yet. It was to still uncomprehending ears that Jesus said, “Those who have seen me have seen the Fathers."

Made to Rule

What a "Kingdom” Is
To gain deeper understanding of our eternal kind of life in God's present kingdom, we must be sure to understand what a kingdom is.
Every last one of us has a "kingdom" – or a. "queendom,” or a "government” – a realm that is uniquely our own, where our choice determines what happens. Here is a truth that reaches into the deepest part of what it is to be a person.
Some may think it should not be so. John Calvin remarked rather balefully, “Everyone flatters himself and carries a kingdom in his breast.” He understood this to mean that “there is nobody who does not imagine that he is really better than the others." Perhaps this is so for human beings as they are. All too easily, at least, we presume to rule others-in opinion and word, if not in deed.
But it is nevertheless true that we are made to “have dominion” within an appropriate domain of reality. This is the core of the likeness or image of God in us and is the basis of the destiny for which we were formed. We are, all of us, never-ceasing spiritual beings with a unique eternal calling to count for good in God's great universe.
Our “kingdom” is simply the range of our effective will. Whatever we genuinely have the say over is in our kingdom. And our having the say over something is precisely what places it within our kingdom.
In creating human beings God made them to rule, to reign, to have dominion in a limited sphere. Only so can they be persons.
Any being that say over nothing is no person. We only have to imagine what that would be like to see that this is so. Such “persons” would not even be able to command their own body or their own thoughts. They would be reduced to completely passive observers who count for nothing, who make no difference.
The sense of having some degree of control over things is now recognized as a vital factor in both mental and physical health and can make the difference between life and death in those who are seriously ill. Anyone who has raised a child, or has even supervised the work of others, knows how important it is to let them do it - what- ever “it” may be-and to do so as soon as that is practically feasible.
Obviously, having a place of rule goes to the very heart of who we are, of our integrity strength, and competence.
By contrast, attacks on our personhood always take the form of diminishing what we can do or have say over, sometimes up to the point of forcing us to submit to what we abhor, in the familiar human order, slaves are at the other end of the spectrum from kings.
Their bodies and lives are at the disposal of another. Prisoners are, in most cases, several degrees above slaves. And, as the twentieth century has taught us, thought control is worst of all. It is the most heinous form of soul destruction, in which even our own thoughts are not really ours. It reaches most deeply into our substance.

Argument

We had a rather heated discussion at ministerial today. I never knew the widdow's mite could bring out such contention.

I guess it should have been expected. It really is a challenging thing. It was then and it is now. The giving up of everything is never comforatable. A cross isn't made to be.

The widdow's actions challenge us to our core. What is our responsibility, our duty, our responce to God's grace? What do we have to do? anything?

Fr. John said that commentators he read stressed that Jesus was pointing out the injustice of a system that failed widows. The widdow gave everything to a temple system that was supposed to take care of her. The fact that her everything was less than a penny shows how that system had been failing. (Some sources I've read say that was 1/100th of a day's wage.) Jesus was then pointing out a sad state of affairs rather than showing the widdow as an example.

Some of the guys were adamate that the widdow gave out of her faith, her love, her gratitude, her devotion, or what have you, not because she was expecting back.

I pointed out that the fact of a sad state of affairs in the temple system made all the more poigniant the widdows faith in God. And just like the widdow of Zaraphath in the Kings reading, God would take care of her with or with out the religious establishment.

But this idea of giving all was still hard to swollow. If it was so hard for us as pastors, how hard will it be for anyone else. Fred warned us about laying false guilt on good people who are honestly trying to make ends meet and be faithful to God.

I agreed, but also wanted to combat a scarcity mentality that our people sometimes get, where they trust in themselves and not God. I have found with a very meager salary that faithfulness in giving, even extravagant giving, always helps ends meet. God will take care of us.

But some of the guys took Fred's thoughts even further, how can God desire something so impossible as to give him everything. We would be perfect then.
I brought up Brother Lawrence and the Practice of the Presence. He says that is doesn't require changing what we do, but doing what we already do for the sake of God. My take, God doesn't want to be the biggest part of our lives, he wants to be all of our lives - integrated into the whole.

Glenn had a hard time with my thought, thinking I was putting the children I taught that to in Spiritual bondage of a works legalism. Ray too, thought Brother Lawrence didn't once mention Jesus, meaning Where is grace in this practice?

So often in the last few weeks in Mark we have been challenged by the cost of discipleship and the giving up of everything, be it status, riches, or begger's coat. This is hard for us, and rightly so. Admitedly the themes of Grace and our own actions in giving up all to follow are in tention. But it shouldn't surprise us that if we were to give up all, it could only happen by God's grace. We could not bring ourselves to do it on our own, or survive on our own after we did.

Monopoly Illustration

1) Widow And The Banker land on income tax.

Out of love: Who is playing

Grandmother and grandson

2) Flash back: The Widow Lost Her Property To The Banker

the grandson has hotels on everything and the grandmother has just lost her last property, Mediterranean ave.

Previous moves

Landed on Marvin gardens paid $1200 had to mortgage Mediterranean to pay rent.

Rolls 4 lands on community chest

Explain: Community chest advance to Go.

They play with the rule that the tax money goes in the middle like the Community chest - it is gained by those who recieve the mercy of free parking.

Advance to Go $200

Roll 4 and land on income tax

Out of her poverty

3) The Choice 10% Or $200

Assess your blessings

Thanks from the Heart or mouth

4) Who Wins?

Spare change or all of you?

Mercy doesn’t make sense

It doesn’t win the game, but it does win

If we give in proportion to the mercy shown to us by Jesus we are overwhelmed and no amount will do.

What will you give? What will you do with mercy? How will you show your thanks to Christ who is merciful? Now that you have landed on this space, your opportunity to give, what will you choose?

Lord of the law of love and the widow’s offering

A. Law of Love

‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?

The voice came strong and with force over the buzz of the crowd as a teacher of the law should speak. The crowd had just played witness to a debate between some Sadducees and Jesus. They were loving it. The teacher of the law watched Jesus soundly trounce the men in the debate.’ He was pleased, and moved through the crowd to pose a question himself.

The temple was packed. The Passover was only two days away and visitors from all round were preparing to sacrifice and worship.

Jesus was on the steps of the Temple teaching. When he heard the question and saw the man coming towards him. His eyes narrowed and a slight smile started to force its way
across his face.

‘"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' <sup>31</sup> The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these."

His eyes never left the man who asked the question. He was searching his face for something. The man gazed back in thought almost trying to avoid Jesus’ eyes but incapable of it. Almost imperceptibly, the man’s face changed. Lit up with recognition.
The ah-ha moment.

‘"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Jesus’ face could not restrain it any more; the smile broke free and beamed at the man. The worn lines in his face gave away that he had become frustrated with teachers of the
law. They were so concerned with the way things look, with the sacrifices, the little things that the law demanded. But those worn lines danced in the presence of this teacher. He was one of the few that got it.

With almost a chuckle of pure joy Jesus said to the man, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. So Jesus helped them out. If they had finally caught on that he actually counted them as lawbreakers, that his teaching was more strict than theirs because he demanded the whole heart, then perhaps they were ready for this riddle

1. Jesus is Lord-Love the Lord your God

‘‘How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

The Lord said to my Lord:

Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your feet.’’

David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son

The crowd was tickled by the riddle but the even more they enjoyed the look on the scribes faces.

You’ve probably been there too. I know I have. These teachers of the law have been doing it for so long they could do it with out thinking. How ‘bout you, do you ever realize, maybe getting ready for church when everything is rushed and pressured realize
that the Lord your God isn’t real.

The teachers of the law knew all about the scriptures.’ The Lord would be in the line of David—a king. The missed that it was so much more than just a descendant to the throne,
it was David’s Lord, and Jesus had just claimed to be him, standing in front of
them, real, in the flesh, and greater than David.

That might get my attention. But so often I find myself living with the crust of reality. Just the outside, doing the right things, and I find that for a while any way I wasn’t
even thinking that God was real. I may have known it but my heart didn’t
realize it.’ Have you been there?

All of this shock and amazement was all over their faces. They started puffing them selves up and going about their business, getting ready to go into the temple.

2. Not loving the Lord-Scribes’ Pretence

Jesus sighed, and sat down on a stoop along the stairway. Watching the group of scribes making their way into the temple he said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most
severely."

2’. Not loving neighbor-scribes devouring the widows

Jesus’ eyes fixed again on the young teacher of the law who earlier had declared that the
intensity of Love in a mans heart toward God and neighbor was more important than the sacrifices going on in the temple.’ The man’s was standing on the second step looking out into the courtyard. His face had a tortured look.

Jesus followed the man’s gaze. Down in the courtyard there was an older teacher harassing an elderly woman.

‘‘I handled your husbands estate well, madam, the scribe said with feigned courtesy and a gruff voice. ‘Please give me what I am due!’

The younger man’s face twisted as he watched. He glanced at Jesus, with despair in his eyes. The law of Love did not rule in Jerusalem, not toward God, and certainly not toward fellow man. He quickly looked away and walked away quickly and sadly. Brushing between the teacher and the poor widow as he went.

The interruption caught the older teacher off guard and he soon turned, embarrassed, and walked into the temple.

He came to the trumpet shaped treasury box and put in a large satchel of coins and a few bags of carefully measured mint, dill and cumin. A perfect tithe.

1’. The widow’s mite-Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

The old teacher of the law watched her and was about to approach her.’ Not only because she owed him money, but because two copper coins couldn’t be a tithe. A man could make 100 times that in a day. She should be ashamed.’ This ornate temple couldn’t be
supported, and all the priests in side by just a couple coppers.

But just then Jesus spoke up

‘"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the
treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of
her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

Where is your heart today? I have to ask that question myself. This poor widow had a heart brimming with love.’ It poured out of her, a kind of devout abandon. She gladly
gave everything she had.

The Old Teacher of the law’s eyes narrowed and searched Jesus’ face. What a radical teacher this was.’ He didn’t even acknowledge all the tithe of wealthy, he didn’t get
excited about a tithe he was excited about a woman who loved God enough to give
everything.

Jesus followed the woman into the temple with his eyes. His smile brimmed with pride. He--the king of everything, Lord of all the riches in the universe was most pleased by a
gift of change. A gift of complete surrender.

Is he your lord today?’ Does your heart overflow with love for people around the word? How bout for God? Is he even real in your heart today?

This is how we live the life of love.

A’. Life of Love

Seeking Truth

Jesus is here! I’ve been hearing about him. Every time I hear of him, my heart is stirred. The same way when in my studies and work as a scribe the commands of God stir my heart!

Now he is here in Jerusalem! I wonder if he knows where he comes? This is the center of Worship of God! Has he learned his law? His Moses? His David? His Solomon? Does he know what God says?

If he does I wonder if he knows what God wants from him. I wish I knew what God wanted of me. I spend everyday studying God’s commands, how he wants me to act, but in that I still seek the truth of what purpose God has for my life. I know I will go ask him. But I’ll have to go think up the best question ever!
(Exit)

The teacher of the law thought and thought about what question he should ask. He looked through the book of the law.

(Flip through the book)
Should I ask him, “Teacher is it right to wear a poly-cotton blend?” No, No, he’ll know the law says it is an abomination in the sight of God to wear mixed fabrics. What will that prove?

Should I ask him, “Teacher, is it ok to work on the Sabbath? Or how burnt does toast have to be to divorce your wife? No those guys over there asked that last week! Jesus sure had a good answer for them too!

Should I ask him if Adam and Eve had Belly buttons? No, No, I’ve got It!
(Run along wall)
Teacher, Teacher! Teacher, I have a question for you!

Yes…?
Jesus answered the young scribe looking deep into his soul.
What is your question?

Which of commandment is the greatest?

Jesus smiled.

(Excitedly)
A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate—That God is one and there is no other. And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why that is better than all offerings and sacrifices put together.

You’re almost there! Right on the boarder of God’s kingdom
The young scribe felt his heart leap. His inward desire to seek God was validated by this Jesus. He knew Jesus was a true teacher, because the Spirit of God bore witness with in him, and his heart raced. He had to continue to seek the kingdom of God. He left with a great excitement and purpose in his life.
(Exit)

Seeking Vision

Seeking Vision

• Date preached: 22-Oct-06, Sebewaing


• RCL Proper 25 B


• Text: Mark 10:46-52


• Subject: What gives people the ability to see the truth about Jesus?


• Complement: Faith gives people the vision to see and follow Jesus.


• Exegetical Idea: The disciples didn't see what Jesus was about but blind Bartimaeus did. Even though Mark's community could not see Jesus with their eyes, they could with their faith.


• Homiletic Idea: Putting our faith in Jesus means receiving vision to follow him down the road of discipleship.


• Purpose: Hearers will be presented ministry vision and challenged to follow.


• Type: Deductive, Expository

I. See Jesus For Who He Is

1. Blind Bartimaeus saw Jesus for who he is

• Son of David –

• Messiah


• King of kings and Lord of lords


• Savior who could have mercy on him


• Power in his hands


• Divine power

2. Are we blind like the Disciples?

• Hush—don’t upset what’s going on


• Jesus is to busy with the members


• Don’t stick out


• Seem flaky


• Seem annoying


• Don’t disrupt our decorum with your neediness


• Continually getting it wrong


• He surely won’t die!


• We will sit at his right and left hands


• We will be rewarded but no longer suffer

II. Get Up! He Is Calling You.

1. Bartimaeus threw everything aside to come to Jesus

• Throws aside his cloak and alms


• All that was important to him, his lively hood, his whole life


• Jesus was more important


• Trusting that he would no longer need those tools to beg


• Comes to Jesus seeking vision


• My rabbi!


• His deepest longing


• I would see


• Can you imagine how long he had wished for that?


• Could no longer resist, I would see you!


• Are we ready to jump up and beg Jesus for vision?


• Vision means seeing what the road will bring


• The suffering way - sacrifice


• The disciplined way - Work


• Vision means seeing thins as they truly are


• Seeing ourselves in our need


• Seeing others in their need


• Seeing Jesus as he is!

III. Receive Your Sight And Follow Him On The Way

• Your faith has saved you


• Recovered his sight


• Physical need was met


• healing


• And followed him on the road – restored wholly


• Spiritual healing - salvation


• Decided to follow him


• Are we whole and wholly following him?


• Restored sight and transformed life


• See glimpses of what is truly important, the supernatural?


• Life completely turned around for a bigger vision?


• Casting aside everything for a new vision


• Throw away your beggars coat


• Your fears


• Your resisting


• See through the eyes of Jesus


• Dream his dreams


• See people as he sees them


• See yourself as he sees you


• Follow him!

The Road to Greatness.

· Date Preached: 6 April 2003, McCook AM
· Text: Mark 9:30-37, 42, 10:13-16, 32-52
· Subject: Why does the messiah have to suffer?
· Complement: The one who is willing to put the interests of the lowest ahead of his own interests, even in suffering is the greatest in the kingdom.
· Exegetical Idea: The messiah must suffer because the kingdom of God values sacrifice for those of the lowest status as greatest.
· Homiletical Idea: Because Jesus lived and died to serve so we must serve each other.
· Purpose: The hearer should see that as the body of Christ, we must be involved with one another in discipleship and service.
· Type: Narrative

The words rang—echoing in our shocked minds.

“The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him and after three days he will rise.”

It was as if we were knocked off balance. When our shock faded it allowed us to see and the world slowly came to motion again, and the sound again began to return to our ears, as if it had been on a journey down a long road. I turned to John and we exchanged questioning looks.

“This must be another parable, but I don’t even want to guess at the meaning.”

The others expressed their wonder in hurried hushed voices.

“Who is going to die? It’s the Romans; they will kill man, all of Israel if we do nothing! Is that when he will be king? Surely he is not going to die, he couldn’t die, he…

On they went. We didn’t understand what Jesus said half the time, or at least when we tried to interpret it we all had a different version and we never quite got it right. One thing we knew, we had found something good. Something revolutionary. We put all of our hopes in this man attaching our lives and future to him. There were times we were frightened of him too. Who is this man? He could heal the sick, cast out demons even the wind would be silent and the sea lay down trembling at the sound of his voice.

None of us dared ask him what he was talking about. We didn’t understand him, but we loved him. If he were talking about dying, leaving us, our hopes and lives left in the balance—no I won’t think of it. Who would meet our needs? Jesus took care of us with frightening power and ability. We’d make ourselves believe anything to get around what he seemed to be saying. What if our darkest suspicions were true—that he meant that he would die?

Kings are meant to rule not to die!

Soon the group grew silent. We walked trudging down the road. All our hopes and aspirations came into focus again. The words Jesus had just spoken had shaken them, and to the man each of us was trying to regain the security we once held inside ourselves.

John turned to me, “James, what do you think you and I will do when Jesus is king?”

John, you know Jesus has his eye on us. There isn’t a place that he doesn’t take you, Peter and me. We’ll certainly not be forgotten. Jesus will put us on his cabinet or even have us reign with him like we’ve talked about.

“That will be nice James, I just wanted to hear it again. Who do you think will be the greatest in his kingdom? Peter?”

This was a game we loved to play. Soon some others were slowing down to put in their nominations and explain their reasons. It was a spirited contest. The reasons were sometimes sarcastic, and the ribbing would be great road fun.

John and I were brothers, Peter and Andrew were brothers and our partners in the fishing industry. Before we left everything…. We got on pretty well traveling together. We didn’t quite get guys like Matthew or Judas, they were banker types. We all pretty much looked out for ourselves, oh yes we were all together in our cause and in our decision to leave everything to go after Jesus, but we all had our eyes on some great job in the kingdom.

We had our little groups you see. The whole entourage was huge. We gravitated towards others like us. There were the 72, and of course the 12, we stuck together based on how much we saw Jesus. Even within the 12 though there were people who rubbed you the wrong way. We were little groups of brothers, or friends or fisherman. It was almost as if we were on the same road by coincidence. We were so assured of our own strength, needing no help.

Is it just a Galilee thing? Or do you have factions and inner rings in your congregation as well? What is your journey like together? Are you like we were, concerned about what you get out of the service, or are you serving one another? Imagine if you will, our ragamuffin band trudging together, jostling one another hot and dusty, sometimes with tempers growing short. Is that your experience together? Are you on the same road by coincidence, or are you guiding one another down the road?

By this time our game was really getting heated— angry hushed voices, glares and an unseen tussle ended the game. We never let Jesus hear us; we walked slower and let him get ahead with a few others.

Somehow we figured that he wouldn’t be interested in the game—or more to the point we would be embarrassed if he knew we were expecting positions in his kingdom that he may not be intending to give us. We were about to find out how much he was interested.

Once we made it to Peter’s house in Capernaum, Jesus asked,

“What were you arguing about on the road?”

A silence choked us. We were ashamed children caught breaking a window. Sitting down Jesus broke our awkward stalemate calling us around him.

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and servant of all.”

He cut to the heart of our argument. He knew exactly what we were discussing. I could feel embarrassment creeping up my neck with hot pins. But his eyes met blank stares; we did not comprehend what he meant.

He went on to dramatize the point. He took a child and stood him among us. As he spoke, he put his arms around the child and hugged him.

If anyone receives one of these little children in my name he receives me. If you make it your business to adopt someone who has no status and serve him—serve him like a king, you will be great in my kingdom. Yes he will receive me and the one who sent me.

He went on…

And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin. (Here he pointed not to the child but to us.) it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

We who were concerned with being the greatest, were almost insulted to be compared with children. Looking back though how tender, that he being God, Messiah and King would call us his children.

Look around you. What do you see next to you? Strangers? An empty seat? Or children that you can serve. Even if you’re an actual child and the child of God next to you is a grown up do you see someone you can serve? Or if you’re sitting with your own child, do you see someone who needs your services to guide them? What needs are here in this place that you can meet? Friends…

I can’t think of how many times I wished I had grasped what he was talking about. Looking back, how unimportant our arguments were on the road.

As the road took us through Judea, people started bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them. Maybe because he called us children, we forgot that he had said “Whoever welcomes one of theses little children in my name welcomes me.” We were on the road. We were getting closer to Jerusalem. We had bigger thoughts in our heads. Thoughts of kingdoms and political position.

“John,” I said, “Go tell Jesus that Peter and I will keep him free from being bothered.”

Jesus was not as pleased as I thought he’d be. In fact he was pretty upset.

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them.”

I felt embarrassed, I felt like I had never in my whole life understood anything, never done anything right and good, until this moment when I saw the deep disappointment in Jesus’ eyes. At that moment I saw my place clearly, I was humbled. Jesus with one look both destroyed me, and rebuilt me.

When John and I were kids, there was a bully named Matthew that was my friend only when he needed something from me. He taught me that a friend is someone that you can use to get something you want, and that if you weren’t part of our group you were nobody. Often, because of him I wasn’t very nice to John because he wasn’t part of our group, he was just a younger tag along. But that day, in Jesus’ eyes I saw what it meant to include people and not to use them, and just like John, deep in those eyes I also found a friend that sticks even closer than a brother.

That was the way he was, to be around him was to grow, to be healed, to have every need met. At that moment he saw my need and met it. He humbled me. At last I realized that it was good to be like a child. Not exclusive. Not petty and cruel, but accepting. I saw myself now and for the rest of my life like a child, but I was still blind! How quickly I would miss it again.

The closer we got to Jerusalem… he kept repeating what was to happen. We… we continued to be concerned about who was the greatest.

“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later He will rise.”

Even after saying that, John and I asked to rule with him in his kingdom.

“Teacher,” I said, “we want you to do for us what ever we ask.” Like little children we played the game.

“What do you want me to do for you?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

His face suddenly became serious and sullen.

“You don’t know what you’re asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.”

We knew the way he was talking there would be trouble ahead, but we would go anywhere with him, even if we died trying. John’s voice spoke with resolve when he answered, “We can.”

Jesus said “you will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they were prepared for.”

We went a way a little embarrassed, and when the others found out what we had asked, the were upset. Peter and Andrew just thought it was funny, Judas made some cutting remarks about our intentions and commitment to the cause.

Then Jesus called us all together. “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, who ever wants to become great must be your servant, and who ever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As we were leaving Jericho for Jerusalem, Jesus healed a blind man who was along the road. Right there on the side of the road, a man who had never seen saw. Right there on the side of the road a man saw Jesus for the first time.

On the Road!

If only we knew where that road was taking us. If only we knew who was on that dusty path with us—who it was leading us all the way to Jerusalem.

It was we who were blind, we had never seen Jesus for who he was, only what we wanted him to be. Never had we seen how deeply he provided for each of our needs, or what he saw we could become as a community. He was so determined, we were so blind.

Why couldn’t we see it!?

This dirt worn pat was leading Jesus to an execution.

So many times we asked why. I found the answer back on the road when he took up the child.

Up on the cross he was the picture of greatness. There was no greater in this kingdom than its king bludgeoned and bloody, restrained and powerless.

He had the interests of his children, servants, even the enemies of his kingdom ahead of his own. He provided for them with his own life, the only way to open our eyes to his kingdom.

That day our eyes were open—our blindness was healed. We disciples had a long journey, and along the road we argued and looked out for our own needs. At the end of this journey was an upper room. Now we served each other. With out Jesus there to meet our every need, we found his spirit working through us to meet each others needs. This new journey we began together. This new road is the road of love and service.