Revelation 1:1-8: Get On The Train

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:1-8

This is the start of a letter. A letter from God to us.  One messenger (an angel) passes on the message to another messenger (John). Neither claims responsibility for anything more than having delivered it and affirming its contents are genuine. There are three authors: the Father, the Spirit(s) and the Son. In this section we get the summary: God the Father, who rules forever, will reveal Jesus to the world and glorify him.  This is the second advent of Jesus the messiah, but this time he will not arrive as a baby but as a king over all. In his role as king, he will subdue all enemies, establish his kingdom and dispense justice. It is a train: you can be on the train, you can watch the train pass you by or you can get hit by the train, but the train will come. This is why in the last chapter of Revelation, when Jesus says, 'I am coming soon' the author responds: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. John has chosen to get on the train.

For us, I think this involves us watching for Jesus' arrival and moving when he moves, not when we feel it is convenient.

Mark 13:1-13, 24-37: Are We There Yet or Do We Care?

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

“But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” - Mark 13:1-13, 24-37

 This passage reminds me of the other parables of the ten maidens and the basic import is the same: watch because Jesus will move and it will be on God's timetable and our job is to be productive and ready. There is a tension between the being productive and the being ready. Fall off on either side and you can either be so caught up in the pursuit of this world's goals or you can be so caught up in watching fortress like for the coming. We mustn't fall off on either side.

The disciples were in danger of considering the temple as the sign that it had already happened, so Jesus lets them know that the temple itself wasn't permanent or a good indicator. What are the indicators? Wars, persecution, false Messiahs. Looking back over 2,000+ years of history, I would say that we are in danger of falling off on the "world" side of the fence because there have been plenty of wars, plenty of persecutions, plenty of people offering salvation of one kind or another and we get "eschatology fatigue"

So sometimes we stop looking. We stop looking because we've stopped longing. We figure that we just need to do the best we can with what we've got and that distant return of Jesus, while acknowledged, fades in our consciousness. That lack of longing, that lack of desire for Jesus to come and fix the things, is the attitude that Jesus is warning against. So try to cultivate the longing. Translate the injustice and sorrow and incompleteness of this world into a desire for the kingdom come and me, to be prepared as its citizen.

Titus 2:10b: Firmware Just Boots and That's OK

...so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. - Titus 2:10b 

My job is to write firmware. This software is attached to the motherboard of about 200 different new models of PCs. Those new PCs are used by millions of computer users each year to do their jobs, play their games,  write their e-mails, create their PowerPoint slides, etc. That software comes from over 2 million lines of source code. But my daughter, when asked if she wanted to do the type of job that I do, said that she didn't because all we get to say when our product works is: it boots. 

In fact, you don't want to see our product, called BIOS. If you see our product it usually means that something has gone wrong: the computer's hardware has failed, the firmware has been corrupted, etc. Now, I am quite proud of the craft that goes into our firmware. Well-written code is an art and I and my colleagues have spent years writing and fine-tuning the code. But the highest complement that you can pay to our art is that you don't see it. It seamlessly creates the environment where Windows or macOS can load so that other people can be productive. If it draws attention to itself, it is failing. 

A lot of what goes into church work is like that. The end result should always be for someone else's growth and God's glory. If a worship team or a pastor makes you leave the service thinking, "What a great guitarist that worship band has!" or "What a great guy that speaker is!" it is a fail, because the goal of the worship service is in the changed lives of the congregants and the glorification of the God who inspired it all. 

A lot of what goes into life is like that. The end result should always be for someone else's growth and God's glory. When I draw attention to myself--when everyone leaves thinking, "What a smart and compassionate guy Tim is!"-it is a fail because the goal of life is the changed lives of others and the glorification of the God who inspired it all.

It would be like an art gallery where the painting was ignored and the picture frames became the star of the exhibition. Our lives frame the love and goodness of God and the changed lives he brings, bringing those into clear focus. Those frames can be well crafted, sturdy and artful but they are never the point.

2 Peter 3:8-15: Renewal Implies Not Clinging To The Status Quo

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. - 2 Peter 3:8-15

 Peter told believers who were toughing it out that in the world that In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6-7) The timing and the language at the start of this first letter is very similar to the timing and language at the end of the second letter of Peter.  There is a period of time, Jesus is revealed, the world is stripped back to its essentials. The degenerative effects of sin that scar God's people and his creation and they can be renewed in the new heaven and the new earth. 

Peter implies that God's timetable for all this happening is less about dates and more about the readiness of his people to receive him. We should live "holy and godly lives" will "speed its [the day of the Lord] coming." The contrast is with the world which is being destroyed. The implication is that if we are so attached to this world and the way things are now then we will not long for the renewal that God plans.  If God doesn't find that his own people do not long for his return, then he will wait. 

Isaiah 62: Living Up to Our Name

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.

You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled;  but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. 

The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted. - Isaiah 62

The central idea revolves around Israel getting a new future. Her defeat and shame in the eyes of the people around her has been what has defined her, as shown by the names she was given and the labels that she wore: Deserted and Desolate. Hard to be impressive when the city is stripped. But God promises a new identity, so much so that her name is changed from Desolate to My Delight and from Deserted to Married. 

It is strange that the change in a name can change the opinion that people hold about themselves. Israel needed someone strong and powerful and respected to assign her a new identity and then she could live up to that new identity. That was hope. That was me seeing the results of my hard work. It is not a "believe in yourself and you can do it" gospel, it is a "God believes he can do it and he makes space for you to join him" gospel. When he gives us the new, hopeful name, he is creating that space. We can waste it or thrive in it.

Colossians 1:9-23: Four Results of Living in God's Will

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. - Colossians 1:9-23

We want to do the right thing at the right time for the right reasons. Knowing the right thing isn't something that we are born with or even that we are inclined to because of our limited perspective and our inherent selfishness. So when Paul and his colleagues pray for the people in Colossae, they start out with knowing God's will. 

If we are living in God's will, the result will be worthy and pleasing to God. But what does that look like? 1) bearing fruit of good works, 2) growing in knowledge of God, 3) growing in strength so that you can have patience and endure and 4) be joyful. 

The reason is that we are no longer in the dominion of darkness, we are in the kingdom of light, so we should act like it. It is the kingdom where Jesus reigns in us just as he does as king of the universe. We are the creatures who can be enemies of God because we can choose against Christ. In a way, that sort of life is a life out of touch with reality. It tries to replace Jesus at the center of creation, who has the preeminence, with ourselves. It is a pleasant fantasy, but reality shows us that Jesus does a much better job than we do in the center.

Matthew 3: Repentance Over Broken Relationship

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3

Before Jesus, there was John. When Acts says that Apollos knew only the teaching of John about the Messiah, this message was all that he knew: repent because the Messiah is coming. I think that the idea of repentance had been twisted in the popular belief of the day and that twisting had been mastered by the Pharisees. There was a basic desire to be holy, to be righteous and to find favor with God. But the way you became holy, more righteous and find favor with God was to try to obey the laws and rules with even greater fanaticism. So repentance became an exercise in returning to the stricter and stricter observation of the law. By extension, the reason that the Jews were currently oppressed was because, as a people, they didn't obey the laws with enough precision. If only enough of them would obey the law correctly, God would restore his favor on them as a country. 

But repentance doesn't have to do with laws, it had to do with relationship. We must turn our back on the self-centered worldview that, if it includes God in it, includes him solely for our own purposes. The Pharisees saw obedience as a way of coercing God's favor or placating God's anger. But God was already predisposed to love them, if they would forsake using him for their own goals. They had lost the desire to know God, perhaps even thinking that the law showed how difficult it was to have a relationship with God. So they substituted rule-following for relationship. 

"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Jesus' entire ministry was a reflection of the love of the Father for him. We, who are in Christ, can hear the same emotional response from God, our Father: "This is my child, whom I love, with him or her I am well please." Our life should be a reflection of the Father's love for us.

John 1:43-49: Can Anything Come From Under A Fig Tree?

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” - John 1:43-49

 People always seem surprised in the Bible when God sees them resting under a fig tree (see Jonah 4). Nathaniel's was a true Israelite whose fault was not lack of integrity but rather lack of imagination. He couldn't imagine a Messiah that came from Nazareth. We don't grasp how Jesus could be in a situation because our imagination is too small.  Fortunately, God doesn't need to meet our requirements before he acts. If we let him, he will blow our mind, allowing us to discover how much he knows us and our world. Once we see that, then maybe we can also let him be the expert in other areas.

Acts 17:1-9: How We React Shows What Is Going On Inside

Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.

But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”

The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them. - Acts 17:1-9

Why the other Jews felt jealous? How they reacted gives a clue about what was going on in their internal world. When they reacted by gathering some troublemakers, it speaks volumes about their inner motivations and Luke calls it out: jealousy. They had plenty of time to dispute with Paul in the open discussion that Paul fostered when he arrived. They must have felt threatened by their loss of influence: among some Jews, among the God-fearing Gentiles in whom they prided themselves for their evangelistic efforts, among the prominent woman of status and probably wealth (the same phrase is used for women who supported Jesus' ministry, some of whom are identified as belonging to politically influential families). Even then, this threat to their status was a test for them: are you genuinely interested in the truth? If they were righteous, the ploy of getting together morally-questionable thugs to route out Paul and the household where he was staying reveals them to be mafia in church clothing.

It is worth asking why we are so upset and what our reaction is saying about our inner life. Sometimes the other party is deliberately being provocative. Sometimes we are sensitive to an area where we have been hurt before. Sometimes we are defending those who we perceive are without defense in a situation. Or it could be something our identity-who we see ourselves to be, our pride-protecting others perception of us, or our status-other ability to control or influence others, or our desires-what we want and we realize that others have some measure of control over achieving what we want. Even if I am right in an argument, I may fail the test.

Matthew 25:1-12: Do We Really Want What We Say We Hope For?

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ - Matthew 25:1-12

Some of the dangers of waiting to be ready are inherent to waiting, in the same ways that the bridesmaids fell asleep. All ten fell asleep. But there are other dangers that are related to not being prepared for a sudden change. Long waiting can lead to complacency, or assumptions about how really ready you have to me. What I see here is the need to be ready for a change. God has told us all sorts of things that we might be asked to do-be hospitable, be caring, be kind, be generous, or even something as simple as rejoicing or as complicated as Christ returning. The difference between being ready and not being ready is hoping like what is hoped for is unbearably desirable and willing to be interrupted.

Am I willing to be interrupted when Jesus shows up, in whatever guise?

 

Psalm 76: Being On God's Good Side Is Not Anything I Did

God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. There he broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.

You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still.

It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet—when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth. - Psalm 76

The NLT translates verse 10 as Human defiance only enhances your glory,  for you use it as a weapon.

Fear of God is downplayed in Christian circles, partly because we don't like to think of our loving God getting angry (v. 7) and partly because we are taught we don't need to fear God. After all, perfect love expels all fear (1 John 4:18) But Psalm 76 shows what an encounter with the living and powerful God when he is angry. For God to sit back and do nothing while people hurt those who he loves, would he truly be loving? Justice says that we get what is appropriate and fear is when we face that judge while in our own guilt knowing that he has full within his own power to carry out judgment. 

Since I am in Christ, I no longer have the fear relationship with God but I have full respect of what God should rightfully do to me if it weren't for his declared love for me in Christ.  

1 Peter 1:3-9: What Is Suffering But Hope Certain but Deferred

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:3-9

we are receiving the end result of your faith. Suffering has many varieties of pain but they are all temporary. It does not diminish in any way the reward the we will receive. Suffering proves we are alive and will go on living. Suffering proves that this world is not where it ought to be, that I am not who I ought, and in that gap-the distacce between what is and what ought to be-we are reminded how to long for Christ to make everything right.  

 

Hebrews 11:32-12:2: Not Competitors But A Cheering Section.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets,  who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 11:32-12:2

We are wimps. That's the impression I  get when I look at the men and women of faith. But they are not competition, they are the cheering section. There are two types of struggles: one of which we may never encounter, but one which we shared with them in full measure. Whether we encounter the great challenges is not our choice, but we can win that battle that we share. "...the sin that so easily entangles..." One type of struggle handicaps us in any attempt to overcome the second type of struggle.

Jesus chose to do only what the Father put in front of him. At each turning point, the thing which would trip him up was not the failure of God's power to see him through, but the temptation to take the detour of convenience and sin. 

Don't worry about the big challenges, Worry about the stumbling block of sin, and let God worry about whether you will overcome the big challenges.

Luke 12:35-59: The Perpetual Waiting

 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” - Luke 12:35-39

It is interesting in the first of Jesus' stories he adds the phrase, "If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into." In this setting it can't be referring to Jesus himself, since he would be the 'master of the house' Instead it seems to be referring to the other thief 'Satan' One of the roles, then of those who were waiting for the bridgegroom was prevent the thief from breaking into contents of the house, the feast, maybe the gifts. That is, those waiting were not just 'waiting' but rather making sure that everything remained ready.

Both of the stories at the beginning emphasize being ready. I guess it is easy to put off effort if you think there is still a lot of time left (like the foolish mains). I guess it is easy to develop other priorities if you think there is still a lot of time left. I think Jesus' point is we are always on the cusp of a new age. We are never in a period of complacency. It is a form of spiritual laziness that I am prone to, especially after many years of struggling (and often failing) to change to say "I guess this is good enough/"

 

John 9: Irony and Uncertainty

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 

“Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. - John 9

There is a common theme: the blind can see and those who claim to see are blind. John even mentions how ironically that the high priest said that it was better for one die rather than the whole nation perish. 

It makes me think about what assumptions I may have-what am I certain about that is actually not true and grounding me in God. This man didn't have great knowledge, but he continuously responded to the actions of God by desiring to get closer and learn more. There is another aspect, the becoming more loving, but that is not illustrated here. 

 

Ephesians 5: Non-Transactional Relationships

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. - Ephesians 5

This passage starts and ends with the same them: Christ loving the church. That love can have a revolutionary impact on the way we do daily life. But we have spent years learning our habits and in times of stress we can revert back to our former style of dealing with that stress: lying, lashing out, bitterness, drinking, or significance through sex or greed. It is easy to do, not only because of our past, but also because we see these strategies actively being utilized in the world around us. Paul warns the Ephesians to "no longer live as the Gentiles do" and he goes further , "Therefore do not be partners with them" (5:7)  Jesus didn't respond to the world that way, rather he "loved us and gave himself up for us".

Paul brings it (literally) home, teaching an alternate pattern for marriage. Marriage then and now can be treated as transactional, whether between extended families or between husband and wife. He gets X and she gets Y, quid pro quo. But Paul reframes marriage not in terms of transactions, where we are always measuring if what we give is matched by what the other returns. Rather it is drawn in terms of sacrifice. She arranges herself under her husband, and he gives up himself for his wife. It is a tough arrangement because we are all of the "trust but verify" mindset, where we wait to receive that sacrificial love of another before we are willing to gift it. That's why Jesus made the first move, to show us the way.

Ezekiel 36:22-32: Reclaiming His Own Name from the Losers

Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel! - Ezekiel 36:22-32

Putting your reputation in the hands of a loser is a real bummer. Yet that is exactly what God had done. Every time the loser Israel plunged through a cesspool, they dragged the name and reputation of Yahweh with them. What kind of God associates himself with this kind of nation? 

God takes back his own reputation by his own actions in the most remarkable way possible: by transforming the loser. In transforming the people who had been such losers, he caused them to reflect on what terrible people they had been. He caused the nations to reflect on how holy and powerful God is and to reconsider their opinion of the loser Israel. 

When I think of myself, sometimes I like to gloss over how bad I have been. I like to think that I wasn't the worst of all sinners (that was Paul!) but I realize how much God is doing to bring me to a place where I am not a loser and where he is willing to be called my God. I am ashamed of what a selfish jerk I can be and marvel that God has reclaimed me.

Philippians 2:1-18: Avoiding Reorbiting The Universe Around Me

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming 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 acknowledge 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 in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. - Philippians 2:1-18

Take as much pleasure in the success of another as with your own success. Don't just think less of yourself, think of yourself less. The situation that you are in right now is not about you. These are all things I try and remember when I try to live with humility. I repeat them over and over to myself, sometimes to no avail. 

Part of this is from a sneaking suspicion that if I don't look out for my own interests (v.4) then no one else will and I will get blindsided by their ambition and their conceit. When I am more aware of myself, I realize that this is just another attempt to re-orient the universe so that the story is about me and-to be more exact-about me being the successful hero of the story. I am not the center of this story. I am not even the center of my own story. So I pray for reminders and I run phrases like the ones above as matras repeatedly through my head.

Grumbling and complaining are symptoms of this attempted ill-fated reorientation. I got a phone call the other day from a person who wanted to write a story about me for her publication. I got a note from a guy this past Friday asking if he could call me to talk about an article he is writing. The worst part is: to some extent these are part of my job, so I am always battling to check my motives. Am I doing it to help my company or am I doing it to build up my own reputation-my own brand? Worse, the truth is often a mixture of these. So the policy has become not to respond immediately and think about my motives. In the end, I ignored one and accepted the other.

I wonder if this is what Jesus had to go through when people wanted to shout to the world about his miracles and words. I do not know. But I do know that he had to tell some who witnessed what he did and what he said to be quiet. Being humble can sometimes be a complicated business.

Zephaniah 3:God Leads the Proud to Humility

Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her God. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning. Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law. The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.

“I have destroyed nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are laid waste; they are deserted and empty. Of Jerusalem I thought, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did. Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them—all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. 

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings. On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from you your arrogant boasters. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.”

Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

“I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord. - Zephaniah 3

The central idea of this chapter is at the end of verse 8 and the start of verse 9, The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. Then I will purify the lips of the peoples that all of them may call on the name of the Lord. God attempted to convince his chosen people to choose a better, more productive course by showing them the result in the other countries that they could watch. But they didn't get the hint and so God judge the other countries and then Israel. Then he tried another course of action. Rather than a negative example: don't do what they did-he gives a positive example: watch how they are coming back to me and then you, too, will come back to me. 

He makes the heroes of his people the meek and the humble (vs. 12), the oppressed, the injured, the dispossessed (exiles, vs. 19) and give them the praise and honor that used to be heaped on all of the corrupt officials (vs. 3-4)

This really sounds like the sermon on the mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Like the hearers of Zephaniah, they would be the ones who would see and experience the kingdom of God.

Humility seems to be the key. God wants his people to be humble and let him be the one who raises them up. If we push hard to be bigger or more important, we find out how small we really are because God will show us so that we will give him credit for any promotion. 

Romans 13:1-10: How Love is Like Paying Taxes

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. - Romans 13:1-10

Unpopular laws, corrupt leaders and unreasonable taxes are often cited as reasons why people don't follow their leaders in government. Certainly the Roman empire had been no friend to Christians, with bouts of official and unofficial persecution since before Jesus' time. In Paul's recent memory, all of the Jews (and the Christians with them) had been kicked out of Rome and only recently allowed back.

But Paul (along with Peter) followed a line of thinking that can be traced back to Jeremiah when it comes to living in an unsympathetic and sometimes outright hostile civic environment. It says that God has set up government for his purposes-even if that government is made up of crooked and evil mean and women. It is their job to reward good behavior and punish evil behavior and God holds them accountable. Jeremiah told his fellow citizens, forced to relocate to Babylon, ...seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jer. 29:7) 

It appears that Paul's audience particularly objected to paying taxes to the Roman government and giving respect before the various Roman officials. Again, Jesus had given clear guidance on this, saying Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's. 

But then Paul takes that a step further: what if we thought of the taxes and the respect in the same way we thought about loving other people? What if we only loved people who we thought loveable or lovely, would that be truly love? Would we really be fulfilling the law of God? No. Love is proved when it is shown even to the unlovely. Again, Jesus' words guide us, If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (Matthew 5:46)

Submitting yourself is hard. Loving other people is hard. Truthfully, paying taxes is a lot easier than loving some people. In doing the former, maybe I am being trained in the latter.

Amos 5:13 "Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil."

 

Matthew 10:24-42: The Consequences of Wanting to be Like Jesus

“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” - Matthew 10:24-42

This is a warning that it is dangerous to want to be like Jesus. To be like Jesus, we should expect that people will have the same respect or lack of respect towards us that they have towards Jesus. To be like Jesus is to take on the same burdens that Jesus is taking on. To be like Jesus is to put God first, even before your own family. So choose carefully.

But interspersed with these warnings are reassurances. That God values us very much, the way he values Jesus. That God supports us by supporting those who support us during tough times,.

So I should welcome people. The person I am welcoming might be Jesus. So I should refresh people. The person I refresh might be Jesus. 

So I should focus on knowing what God wants me to be doing, regardless of how other people will think about it.  And doing what God wants me to be doing, regardless of what it costs. I shouldn't worry about whether it is "significant" or not. I should only worry that it is what God is asking me.

Matthew 10:16-23: Tough Choices

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. - Matthew 10:16-23

This passage is hard to read, not because of the difficulty of the scenarios that Jesus' disciples might find themselves in, but because it is hard to image the scenarios happening to any family.  How many dramas are built on the backs of a family at odds with each other, whether for the favoritism from one, the inheritance from one, the perceived slight from one, the failures and disappointment. The list goes on and on. I don't like to think of these scenarios because the thoughts in my head required to imagine such circumstances are painful and my brain shies away from them. None of Jesus' disciples were strangers to how this could play out in ordinary life in 1st century Israel. 

Now the disciples were followers of a man-a rabbi-Jesus, who they are alternately mystified by or enthralled by. And he seemed to know them so well that he could speak directly to their souls. Sure, he said some pretty abrasive stuff. Sure, he was pretty good a put downs for those who had an overinflated sense of self. Sure, he was really zealous when God's reputation was in question. But to imagine a course of events that would lead people against Jesus and against his followers to such a degree that their own families would turn against them. That's harsh.

I think this is the difference between spiritual childhood and spiritual adulthood. Spiritual adulthood comes when you own what you believe as your own, not as the pattern of spiritual rituals inherited from your parents or learned from the culture around you. Spiritual adulthood is when God is actually your God and not someone you just heard about. In many ways, God can end up being like your unpopular friend. You like him and everything, but who-through no fault of his own-everyone else doesn't like and ridicules. With your friend, you have a choice-you can continue to sit with him at lunchtime or you can pretend that you didn't bring your lunch for a few days so you don't have to sit with him like you used to. I know its weird to put God in that sort of role. Now increase the heat: not only is he unpopular at school, but now your siblings pick on him and your parents don't want you to hang around with him. What to do then? How to navigate "love your father and mother" vs. "love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength"?

Jesus says those tests will come. Maybe not one of the ones listed in these verses. But God will subtly or obviously bring us to a test over and over again and ask us who is more important. He isn't pining away for us, wishing we would choose him. No, instead he is bringing out truths about ourselves and our loyalties that we may not be aware of ourselves. Just like Peter, who thought he was loyal to Jesus, up until the time the rooster crowed. Jesus knew Peter's weakness and told him about it, so he wasn't surprised. The choice became a point of self-knowledge: do I want to be closer to God or not.

I've always asked God to change me slowly, because I am really a coward when it comes to the big failures in my life in terms of choices. I really don't want those super testimonies about failures and God's amazing redemption. I would rather a 1,000 small failures and a 1,000 small redemptions to help me see my need for Jesus and his unmitigated love for me, his son. So I must be willing to be a failure that many times and not grow weary of my missteps because they are all course-corrections in my coming closer to Jesus.

Matthew 10:1-20: On the Road with Sheep, Snakes and Doves

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. - Matthew 10:1-20

On average, I doubt if there were 6 good public speakers among the disciples. We know that Peter, James and John were public speakers later, enough so that the chief leaders took notice of their speaking (see Acts 4:13, 5:21, 28) but the other 9 were probably not. But Jesus sent them out and he gave them a very simple message: "the kingdom of heaven has come near." and some miracles. I think that since we don't see the miracles very often today, we feel like we have to make up for it with a lot more words. 

They were supposed to be dependent on the hospitality of people along the road, looking for "some worthy person" who would welcome them and in whose house they would stay. Some would be receptive to the simple message of hope and some would not. Some would be keen on having miracles performed in their neighborhood and some would be suspicious of charlatans. 

I think the lesson for us is in the offer of the peace, the words and the miracles. While we may prefer unambiguous situations where everything is clear and the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad, that is not the situation that we live in. Many times, in order to give other people the chance and not pre-judge them, we place ourselves in situations where we are "sheep" among "wolves", where we could be taken advantage of. The disciples would give their peace upon every house they entered-a chance for their host to act welcoming and listening. If they didn't, they would take their peace back. But they didn't proactively shake the dust off their sandals. They gave the people they dealt with the chance to do the right thing. It did require discernment (like snakes) and a care to avoid compromising situations (innocent like doves)

The disciples were going to be outside their comfort zone, in towns they didn't know, with people who they didn't know and populations who might respond suspiciously. That can be dangerous, because some react to strangers in ways that range from fear to intimidation. Not always honorable. For the disciples, they could be in trouble with local powerful people, who might hand them over to the local councils or be flogged in the synagogues either for what they did, who they represented or just general suspicion of outsiders. For us, people can try to shun us, or scam us or call the police. But even in these situations, Jesus promises his disciples that they didn't have to worry about it because the Spirit would speak on their behalf, even if they were novice public speakers. Like Moses who wasn't confident about his public speaking, God provides the words to represent him well in any situation where we are trusting him.

 For me, rather than avoiding strangers and conversations, which can be my tendency, especially if they are not part of my crowd or church, I will plunge in like "sheep among wolves" with discernment and care and try to be hopeful and edifying (Eph. 4:29)

John 15:1-17: If Connected, Would It Be My Native Language?

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. - John 15:1-17

The key word for this section is remain: We remain in Jesus. He remains in us. There is a unity, facilitated by the Holy Spirit (see John 14:16,20) but it seems to be something that vary. His remaining in us does not change, but our remaining in Jesus seems to be able to wax and wain.  What are the symptoms of this variability? Our obedience (15:10) and our fruitfulness (vs. 8).  If we take the fruit to be similar to that listed in Galatians 5:22-23, then this makes sense because John ties his commands back to: Love each other as I have loved you.

At this point, we are in Sunday School-land: God loves us so we should each other. I think that is because we don't think fruit has a cost. How much of the God-infused life is required to be fruitful in other people's lives? We miss verse 13, where Jesus tells his disciples that "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." If it was easy to being loving, joyful, patient, peaceful, forgiving, etc. then Jesus' words would have just provoked a "Duh" moment. To provide our fruit to those who are unlovable, depressing, impulsive, quarrelsome, and unforgiving, is even more difficult, but it is exactly that which shows that we are changed and that we are connected to Jesus.

Sometimes, I try to imagine what it would be like for the connectedness to Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit to simply flow from me naturally, like I was speaking my native language. It isn't my native language. My normal expression is some weird pidgin conglomeration of who I was and who I am becoming. But this thought exercise produces in me a longing for the better, giving self that Jesus is trying to produce in me. Sometimes when I am struggling, I will pray for that natural part of remaining in Christ, and strive towards it, however imperfectly.

We remain in his love. In the previous chapter, Jesus has told his disciples that he is going away and they freak out. Then he tells them that he will leave them the Holy Spirit and by the Spirit's means we will realize that "I am in my Father, and you are in me and I am in you." Almost a duplicate of what he tells them in this passage in John 15.

Remember you did not choose me, no I have chosen you

Remember you did not choose me, no I have chosen you

The world will show you hatred, the Spirit show you truth
That where I am, there you may also be - That Where I Am, There You, Rick Mullins

Jeremiah 31:23-34: New Start without a New Heart is a Non-Starter

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.’ People will live together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks. I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 

“Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord.

“In those days people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 

“It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. 

“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 

“No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. 

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” - Jeremiah 31:23-24

Without a change of personality, having a new start really isn't going to do you much good. God promises that he will return the people of Israel from captivity. God will "refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." He will build the people up and the mistakes of all of their parents and grandparents won't be held against them and won't determine their future. There is no baggage in God's eyes.

But God is going to make a change. He had given the people of Israel a chance for a fresh start when he led them out of Israel and gave them the covenant on Mt. Sinai. There were guidelines for nearly every circumstance, a complete list of bonuses for fulfilling the covenant and penalties for failure to fulfill the covenant (Deut. 28). But that covenant hadn't worked out so well and God had invoked the penalty clauses and brought the people into exile. 

This time, he was trying a different tack, one that would zero in on the source of the problem: the human heart. He will make a new agreement with the people of Israel, but it would be different "because they broke my covenant" (v. 32) He would take on the role of the father and inscribe the laws on their hearts (see Deut. 6:7) More importantly "they will all know me" (vs. 34). Who? Not some "Lord" as in master or ruler, but Yahweh. Six times, it is Yahweh who says these things and it is Yahweh that they will know. 

I think this is a reminder that God is a person, not a concept ("foundation of all being") or a role ("ruler of the universe") God may be different that all of the other people of our acquaintance, but he is still someone who wants to be known by name. I may have a new heart because of what Jesus sacrificed and what the Holy Spirit continues to do in me, but I am still prone to put God at a distance. Maybe I am more comfortable that way, like the distance ruler of Jesus' parables. But a ruler who greets me by name, no. That distance sometimes allows my indifference towards him and his desires. I pray for difference, not indifference, towards God.

Hebrews 13:1-21: The Lure of Conspiracy and Special Knowledge

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.  We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. - Hebrews 13:1-21

We are always tempted to conspiracy theories. Since the time of the Gnostics and the apocryphal gospel of Thomas, these theories promise us a special blessing for those who are in possession of special knowledge. Life can be hard and frankly, mundane. So there is always the lure that says, "If only we knew X" or "did X" or in the case of these verses, "ate X" we would be partakers in a special blessing from God, bypass the lines of ordinary believers and achieve status before the throne of God. In both of his letters to Timothy, Paul has to warn to "avoid the worldly and empty chatter which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith." That chatter is the delicious but ultimately hollow knowledge that makes up conspiracy theories of the faith.

But the author of Hebrews says that Christ is the mystery. There is no more special place than where God transformed the place of Christ's execution into an altar. There is no special food or drink, just the remembrance of his body and blood shed. (see John 6:54-55). There is no special act of obedience, just doing the ordinary acts of hospitality and love of brother and sisters well. There is no special act of purification, just the keeping of marriage as holy. There is no special act of humility, just giving honor to those who God is using as your leader. I want to do the ordinary things as if they were holy; as if each one is on the altar.

I will take the author's prayer, that I would be able to live with a clear conscience and a desire to live honorably in every way. Even as Paul said, My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (1 Cor 4:4) I want to do the ordinary things as if they 

 

Amos 5:4b-15: Holding Me to Account

“Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing." Seek the Lord and live, or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire; it will devour them, and Bethel will have no one to quench it.

There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground. He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land—the Lord is his name. With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin.

There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth. You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins.

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph. - Amos 5:4b-15 

Here is another chiasm example: the first paragraph and the last paragraph talk about people seeking God's will. The central three paragraphs are three examples of how the people who say that they are pursuing justice are in fact taking advantage of the poor and the powerless. The central part says that God will hold people to account.

Part of this is deliberate ignorance: these people know, at some level, about God, how he created the universe and how God is good. Yet at another level, they act as if God doesn't care, is weak and ignorant and, ultimately, not going to do anything about it. These rich people use force of arms, their position of authority and their ability to buy off the courts to act with impunity. But God does care and he is both powerful (maker of the stars, the sun and the waters) and deeply familiar with our deeds and misdeeds. 

Why does God withhold his judgement? It seems he prefers to let those who are doing all these to dig our own pit to fall in. I remember an example mentioned to me while several of us were working to clean up the house of a aging church member were talking about the Varsity Blues scandal, where a few people solicited funds and were paid to get the unqualified children of the wealthy into prestigious colleges. One comment stuck out: "If the people doing this had just stopped, they probably wouldn't have been caught. But they got over-confident and did it again and again. With each success, they were sure that they weren't going to get caught." Whether they were caught, the creators of this scheme continued and cemented their characters as scam artists. 

For me, I seek discernment about those people around me. Some I like, but they are scammers. Some I don't like, but they are earnest and straightforward. And every possible variation in between. These are real people and some of them I don't like. I want to give each one a fair shake and even a merciful shake. But I have gut feelings that tell me not to trust them, for whatever reason. So I pray for God to teach me in each situation when judging people, between different solutions, for the right reasons. One of the greatest lessons I have learned in my job it recall how many sayings from a boss that I didn't really like still stick with me and to admit they are true and to give my former boss credit that is due. 

2 Timothy 2:1-13: Soldier, Athlete, Farmer

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. - 2 Timothy 2:1-13

Timothy obviously needed some encouragement and, in writing this letter which would be read by at least the elders of the church where he was working, they were also being informed to encourage Timothy in what was apparently a difficult and contentious ministry assignment.

There were some real temptations in these kind of pressure cooker situations. You can get distracted, like a soldier who forgets his commanders orders to get involved in some sort of side gig. You can cheat, like an athlete that tries to take the easy way by not competing according to the rules. You can give up early, like the farmer who gives up the hard work before the crops are ready.  I recognize these temptations in my own life. 

Really the theme of these verses is: there is no failure, only lack of perseverance. "God's word is not chained, therefore..." Even in the midst of the worst situation for him personally, he is not worried about his own failure but rather insists that he will continue on, using Jesus as his example. 

The goal is always about other people. What Paul had found-how God was rescuing and changing people-was worth it. One of the reasons he could carry on was he was doing it for the right reasons. Not to satisfy my pride (whatever excuse I may give publicly). Not to appear holy or smart or competent or well read or even to appear caring and considerate or even to appear sacrificial in our giving and life stress. Selfishness can spoil even the most beautiful truths,  like the gospel.

Have I found the right goal, even if it isn't grand? Is it really about other people or a subtle way of redirecting focus back on myself. And, if I have the right goal, am I willing to persevere up to the point of my own failure? 

1 Samuel 2:27-36: More Than Me

Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

“Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

“‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’” - 1 Samuel 2:27-36

There is one main point here: "Why do you honor your sons more than me." The priestly office had become a way for Eli's children to live well. "Eli's sons were scoundrels." Eli knew it was wrong. He told them their behavior was "wicked" However, he did not stop them and, in fact, he enjoyed the perks that came from their bad behavior. Maybe Eli was complacent because of God's promise to him that "members of your family would minister before [him] forever." Maybe it was too much effort to rebuke them time after time or to expose his family to public shame by removing them from priestly duties. Whatever the reason, he did not and God chose the not-son-Samuel-to be the next priest while removing the two sons.

There are a lot of things that can take God's place in our hearts and our children are one of them. We value them so highly and our self-worth is tied to their success. It is easy to excuse their faults, overlook their excesses and even cover for their lacks. I think this is why Jesus said If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-such a person cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26) It was a problem for Abraham, which was why God asked him if we was willing to sacrifice Isaac even though he was the promised heir. It was a problem for Leah and her envy of her sister Rebekah. We invest so much in our children-after we should love our children-that they can take unsupportable importance in our lives. Would God say of me, "Why do you honor your children more than me?" Because of that God took drastic action to remove them and replace them (and their father) in his plan for Israel. I pray that I will not allow my children that place of honor.