You know I heard a radio program describe President-elect Barack Obama as the "Messiah" and label the God given miracle of the safe rescue of the folks on the jet liner that crashed as "Obama's First Miracle". Now needless to say I am sure that by now we know that Obama is not Jesus, but why do people grasp at that fact? It is because people desire a close and personal relationship with the one who is to save them. The true Messiah is waiting on you to respond to his call. Pick up the "telephone"! Pastor Bill Fay, in his book, "Share Jesus Without Fear" explains that once he had a dream and in the dream “All around, the ocean churned with drowning people, gasping for air…then a huge rock appeared…when they got to safety…they got involved building rock gardens, rock lives, listening to their rock music, and going to rock meetings…nobody went to the water’s edge to help [those still in the ocean].”* (Fay, 5) You know that is what we do, even as Christians. We praise God for the opportunity he has given us but forget to build a close personal relationship with Him and forget to help those who do not know of Jesus, find out what he is all about, through our actions, deed, and word. I pray today that those who read this will step out on faith and give themselves the opportunity to find God's grace by stepping out of the ocean, onto the rock, and turning around to help those who need help to get to the rock too!
Blessings!
*Fay, William. Share Jesus With Fear. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 1999.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Monday, December 8, 2008
What Luke Shows Us About Us Responding to Jesus
"Luke shows us many of the roles that Jesus desires us to move into. Of these roles we should discuss the roles of giver, lover, and healer. Jesus healed, loved, and gave without regard to the certainty of the person or their class in society. Jesus moves throughout Luke to display the kind of love and healing that only God can offer. In this he expresses to the reader the need to strive, not perfection in, but for expression of love. A good example is Jesus’ constant heart for women, children, and widows, sick, poor, and forgotten people. This can be seen in Luke 7:11-17 where Jesus goes to the town of Nain and while entering the city finds a large crowd carrying the only child of a widow who has died. Upon seeing the widow Jesus tells the man to arise and returns the only child to the widow, in essence showing that the value of one act of love can extend beyond the desired outcome. Jesus knew this, but most other people may look at this as if it were entirely Jesus raising a man from dead, which is seen in the story of Lazarus, but in fact this text may be more about Jesus’ desire for man to step up to the real expression of faith in God’s love by giving more than what is offered. If this isn’t a valid response to this passage than it may be a valid response for the expression of faith and love shown in Luke 7:36-50, a passage which discusses the anointment of Jesus by a sinful woman. Author Liz Curtis Higgs describes it in the following terms: “Did she mean to anoint the Lord's head, as had Mary of Bethany (Mark 14:3), who was chastised by the disciples for wasting what might have been sold? Or did this unnamed woman plan to donate her alabaster jar and its contents to support Jesus' ministry financially, as Mary Magdalene had done (Luke 8:2-3)? Whatever her intent, she drew near to him. Then, undone in his holy presence, she wet his feet with her tears. Sorrow for her sins flowed from her heart. Gratitude for his acceptance poured from her eyes.” (Higgs, 2006)
It is evident that Luke, through Jesus’ mission, is helping the reader to understand this very complex passage through various windows. One of the things Jesus is offering us is that God accepts us as we are and with what we have to bring. Here was a sinful woman who desired to present Jesus with more than what she had to gave and she did. She could have readily closed the door or requested someone bring something of theirs to present to Jesus, but she anointed Jesus with her tears and wiped his feet with her hair. In this, Jesus also shows us the humility in which we must present ourselves to God. We must come to him in the knowledge that we are a broken people, healed only by the grace of God through Christ. And lastly, Jesus tells the woman that she is forgiven of all of her sins, in this, the reader is shown that the basis for Jesus’ love comes from the understanding of His Fathers grace and love and the love that he would want each person to show to one another. Yes, the “sinful woman” caused the death of Christ, as we all have, but Jesus forgave her for that and much more as he has forgiven us.
Jesus also shows us in Luke that he requires of us whole hearted giving to the missions of God rather than giving for the idea of giving. In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus witnesses a poor widow putting two copper coins into the temple treasury while others, richer, were putting many coins. To this, Luke specifies, that Jesus says “I tell you this…this woman has put in more than all the others. All of the people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she in her poverty gave all she had to live on.” Jesus helps us to understand that giving for the sake of giving is not giving rather paying, but giving with all you have is required because that shows the heart of the person who is giving.
Moving into the roles that Jesus desires is difficult for most humans to do. The reason why it is so difficult is because it requires one to step outside of their comfort and, most times, outside of their societal norms, to change the world. Jesus did not stop at healing and giving, loving and teaching, but continued until he died for the sins of the world. This was not as a “scapegoat” or to be remembered for his presence, but to bring people to God. This mission has not ended and will not end until the return of Christ."
It is evident that Luke, through Jesus’ mission, is helping the reader to understand this very complex passage through various windows. One of the things Jesus is offering us is that God accepts us as we are and with what we have to bring. Here was a sinful woman who desired to present Jesus with more than what she had to gave and she did. She could have readily closed the door or requested someone bring something of theirs to present to Jesus, but she anointed Jesus with her tears and wiped his feet with her hair. In this, Jesus also shows us the humility in which we must present ourselves to God. We must come to him in the knowledge that we are a broken people, healed only by the grace of God through Christ. And lastly, Jesus tells the woman that she is forgiven of all of her sins, in this, the reader is shown that the basis for Jesus’ love comes from the understanding of His Fathers grace and love and the love that he would want each person to show to one another. Yes, the “sinful woman” caused the death of Christ, as we all have, but Jesus forgave her for that and much more as he has forgiven us.
Jesus also shows us in Luke that he requires of us whole hearted giving to the missions of God rather than giving for the idea of giving. In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus witnesses a poor widow putting two copper coins into the temple treasury while others, richer, were putting many coins. To this, Luke specifies, that Jesus says “I tell you this…this woman has put in more than all the others. All of the people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she in her poverty gave all she had to live on.” Jesus helps us to understand that giving for the sake of giving is not giving rather paying, but giving with all you have is required because that shows the heart of the person who is giving.
Moving into the roles that Jesus desires is difficult for most humans to do. The reason why it is so difficult is because it requires one to step outside of their comfort and, most times, outside of their societal norms, to change the world. Jesus did not stop at healing and giving, loving and teaching, but continued until he died for the sins of the world. This was not as a “scapegoat” or to be remembered for his presence, but to bring people to God. This mission has not ended and will not end until the return of Christ."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Movement of God among men
Hello...being that this is my first blog and attempt at this ministry I thought it would be good to step out on a limb here and say that most of us are yearning for the return of Jesus. If you are not, maybe you should step back and wonder why. Faith in God comes from the covenants that he has lived through, and followed through, with us. Remember Moses, Abraham, and Noah? He kept his promise to them, why would he not keep his promise to us. Are we that different? That far gone? Well, God tells us that we arent and that he isnt far from us. He told us that he will never forsake us. Jesus told us that when he left, the spirit would be among us and within us. So I challenge you this week to step out on faith and allow the spirit to move among you and within you and "ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do for God." In the words of Lon Solomon, "Not a sermon..." Just a blog!
Peace and Blessings
J.
Peace and Blessings
J.
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