Hebrews 12:14-29: Holiness is a today and tomorrow choice, not a fond recollection of yesterday

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” - Hebrews 12:14-29

The holiness of God is always in front of us. There were people who look backwards for "the experience of God" and see that as the turning point in their lives. Indeed, many of the psalms and prophets recount how impressive God's actions in the lives of Israel were. But they also record how Israel is not acting like Israel. The impressive miracles of the past are just that: in the past.

But here, the author of Hebrews reminds us that what defines holiness is not reliance on what happened but on will happen. Holiness is a today and tomorrow choice, not a fond recollection of yesterday. And it is not an attribute of God that leads to diminishing returns, like a candy bar whose second bite is less tasty that the first. God increases with familiarity, unlike nearly all other stimuli that we experience, because he is a living God, a consuming fire.

Luke 22:14-30: Ambitions To Be Just Like Them, or Like Me?

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  - Luke 22:14-30

Jesus told all his disciples at that last supper, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you..." Each of them received the cup of wine and the bread from Jesus' hands. Jesus tells them how much he wanted to be with all of them. In another passage, he goes on to strip off his outer clothing and washes all of their feet.

The disciples can sense that something is happening, but they don't really know what it is. Jesus has just healed Lazarus, a miracle which has garnered all sorts of attention. Jesus has been speaking more directly to them with fewer riddles. They have concluded that the next big act in Jesus' ministry about to begin. But ambition has seeped into their souls.

We have a tendency to put a score card over each person's head. We always have top marks on our internal report card or, if not top marks, then we have a strong asterisk describing the extenuating circumstances that have prevented us from achieving our best. So the disciples are taking a survey to see who might have missed the good mark and how the rankings may have been affected

First, they do a group check to see who are the faithful and who is the traitor.

Second, they start to rank each other based on perceived closeness to Jesus. 

Jesus looks around at them, all scrambling for his approval all the while losing it. He says, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that."

Here is the kingdom of God. you hate the cruel Romans. You think the high priests are crooks. But your actions show that, even if you were to toss them all our on their collective ears, you would just replace them with your cruel and crooked selves. Is your aim really just to take their place at the top of the manure pile? Or have you really changed? I am one among you who serves. Who will you be?

We pretend that we are ambitious for all the right reasons. But Jesus is looking for someone who is willing to descend into a greatness conferred, not by his virtue, but by God's grace.

1 Chronicles 29:10-22: What To Give God, Who Has Everything?

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king.

The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day. - 1 Chronicles 29:10-22

What do you give to a God who has everything? What does he have need of buildings, offerings, words and praise? David must decide what he will say to God before the congregation of Israel who has contributed to the building of the temple. He can only really fall back on God knowing that the intentions of his choices and the intentions of the choices of the people were good. David says, "All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you." It was really all he could give to a God who had everything. And it is really all were can give to a God who has everything: give generously from what God has given with honest and pure hearts.

As Paul said: "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Cor. 4:7)

Revelation 19:1-10: Waiting for Someone Worthy to Judge

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!”

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” - Revelation 19:1-10

Sometimes saying "Yes" to one thing means saying a definite "No" to something or someone else. We hesitate to leave to God that which we are told to refrain from ourselves: namely judgment. Judgement in the Bible is not a sad occasion, it is the cause for swelling praises to God and the sussuration of the praise of multitudes. While we recognize the weakness of any human to render a verdict because of the many factors that limit us, these do not apply to God. Over and over again in the Bible, the writers call upon God to act in his capacity as judge to halt that which hurts flourishing. We need a judge who does not fail to act, but who also isn't swayed by the desires which lean us toward partiality. 

So when God judges in this chapter, the crowd erupts in praises. Judgment that has been deferred for so long and the celebration for which the entire crowd has been waiting can now begin. Will my heart rejoice in justice restored or worry about those who chose the unrepentant corrupt and oppressive course that led to the day.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21: Reconciliation on Our Relational Radar

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

When two countries are in a state of war, the ambassador's job is difficult because every day brings new opportunities for aggravated injuries and misunderstandings. War ends and hostilities cease when each party finds the value of relationship with the other to be greater than sum of the grievances. That is reconciliation.

But maybe one side doesn't care about the relationship as much as they care about right or about being in control. Reconciliation is not on their relational radar. If we are with Christ, we have come to the point of surrendering. When we have surrendered but someone else has not, it creates an odd tension. "The old has gone, the new has come." We wonder why they haven't taken the step that we have. Are they foolish? Are they wicked? Are they slow? Our jobs as ambassadors is to understand this offer of reconciliation, the same offer that was a stumbling block for us. Literally, the job that Paul describes is as "servants" of reconciliation. If we forget the position where we started-far from God-then we run the risk of being more strict and unforgiving than God. 

Deuteronomy 7:6-14: He Loved Us Because He Wants To

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. - Deuteronomy 7:6-14

"But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore..." This is the core message of the entire Old Testament.  Why did God do what he did? Because he loved us and did what he promised to do. Many times, the people of God thought they could buy or earn God's favor through sacrifices or obedience. But God's love was never because of us. Ever. We don't even appear in the equation of God's own motivation. "He is the faithful God."

His reasons for loving us and promising us and sticking with us comes from inside his character-who he is. I find that my reasons are not so pure, but I wish they were