pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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The Law and Our Life

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus strives to teach us how to live out our faith. Moses had brought the Law to the Israelites as a means to show them how to live out their love for God. But as time rolled along, they became bound to the letter of the law and not the intent of the law. Sometimes we do the same. Sometimes we get stuck on the principal of the matter instead of understanding what is really going on.

Beginning in verse 21, Jesus explains some basics of how to live. He reminds us that we can’t come to God seeking forgiveness if we are withholding forgiveness or not seeking forgiveness from our brothers. He reminds us that even lustful thoughts constitute adultery and that if our eye or hand causes us to sin, that we should gouge it out or cut it off. Jesus cautions us not to swear by anything but simply to let our yes be yes and our no be no. He is getting not at the literal letter of the law but at the ‘living it out’ concepts.

In the living it out, we can struggle. We are called to be right with our brothers and sisters, to live in correct relationship with them. How could we expect to be in a right or righteous relationship with God if we struggle with our earthly relationships? We are called to love our spouse like Jesus loves the church. How could we truly love our spouse while pining after another? We are called to be without sin. As humans we all sin, but here Jesus is calling us to come wholly before God. If we have sin in one part of our life, how can we come before the perfect Father and expect to be in His presence? We cannot be honest and have integrity some of the time – it has to be all of the time and with all of our being!

Jesus came to fulfill the law – to return the people to the intent of the law. This same challenge exists for us today as Christians – to love God and neighbor with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And what a challenge it is!! But we must remember that in Christ we have the greatest role model ever. Be a copycat today!!


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Blessings or Curses?

Blessings and curses. Like the ‘life or death’ choice this one seems so easy. Who wouldn’t choose blessings? Who in the world would ask for a big old heaping of curses? (At least not on themselves!)

When our choice is life with God, then we are committing to love Him, to listen to Him, and to trust in Him. Notice that all of these things involve us choosing to engage God in some way. All of these things involve us saying we are plugged into God and His plan for our life. The result is blessings. The blessings go both ways too!! We are blessed by God’s presence and how it affects the way we live out our days. God is blessed because when we are in this right relationship with Him, we are also in a right relationship with those in our worlds. We love and care for others.

When our choice is to not do all of these things, the result is curses. Maybe these sometimes come in the form of calamity and bad things. Maybe it looks like things just are not quite going right for us. But in either case, this is not the work of God. We are more suspect to the lies and work of the evil one when we are not close to God. When we are far from God we see things in a different way. Instead of turning to Him, we turn to ourselves or food or …

This choice between blessings and curses can be seen in big and small ways. In big ways we can see it in a tragedy. The family that loves and trusts in God looks at the loss of a loved one so much differently that a family of non-believers. Both families hurt for the human loss of life and grieve over the missing relationship. But the faithful family has a sense of peace and hope. They do not have the ‘what now’ questions and doubts.

In small ways faith allows us to get through a trial at work, an argument with our spouse, a challenge with one of our children a little differently – we know there is a higher purpose, a greater calling to our life. Our trust and faith in God allows us to see past the crisis while we are yet in the midst of it. The hope and peace that comes from Him allows us to work through the crisis filled with a sense of His presence – we know we are not alone. And this makes such a difference!

Blessings or curses? Just as Moses loved and wanted the people to choose God and life and blessings, so too should we want all people today to choose these things. And it is in the way we live out our faith in the real places of life that we are a witness to those in the dark. It is in the way we do the day to day things and it is in the ways we engage the world. May we choose to share faith, life, and blessings today!!


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Choices We Face

Life and prosperity or … death and destruction? Seems a pretty simple choice when put that way, doesn’t it? When one thinks in these terms concerning the big picture, it is hard to imagine many choosing death and destruction. But in the day to day decisions, we don’t always see things in this way. How easy it is to choose something that leads more toward death and destruction than towards life and prosperity!

In our decisions, if it is painted as “good” versus “evil” most would choose good. Few would explicitly choose evil. In life versus death we often think that death is so far away and it hardly seems a decision. If our neck were in a noose or if we had a gun to our head, then the choice would seem more real but it would hardly be a choice at that point! But Satan is much trickier than this!

Once one is on the path of following Christ it can seem almost easy. The daily following of God’s ways and His commands leads to a sense of contentment and knowing that no matter what, you are loved. Storms of life seem to be a bit less rocky; although they do come, there is a peace that resides in Christ that allows us to lean into Him during the trials of life.

But much can keep us from the path and much can pull at us once on the path. Sometimes is it just us – our ego, our judging attitudes, our need to be in control, ______ … you fill in your blank! Sometimes it is the messages culture and the media throw at us. So much points to other gods and idols. Sometimes it is so hard to see the path that leads to life eternal. But in those times, we can pray simple words asking the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Through our faith, God will show the way. Come Holy Spirit, come!!


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Living the Law

As people we easily fall into the trap of judging others. We do it for so many reasons, but often it is to say we are better than them or that at least we don’t do what they are doing. Relatively speaking we are a better person, spouse, Christian, … Far from perfect but at least not the worst.

The Bible is composed of the Old and New Testaments. In Matthew 5 Jesus reminds those he is speaking to that the Law of the OT is still in existence. Not only that, but that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Jesus goes on to teach about the consequences of keeping and breaking the laws. Keeping them means we will be ‘great’ in heaven but when we break one we will be ‘least’ in heaven. But catch the important part – even the breakers of the law will be able o be in heaven!!

At the end of this section (verses 17-20) Jesus drops one on the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. He tells his listeners that unless their (our) righteousness exceeds that of these religious leaders, then we will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven. I can hear the leaders saying, “now hold on a minute!” because they knew the law inside and out, forward and backward. But they only knew it, they didn’t live it out. They only knew the letter of the law and not the intent. Maybe this is why they clashed so often w/Jesus on the Sabbath.

Although I understand that Jesus was making a couple points here with this comparative statement, we must be careful not to judge. When we fall into that comparative game, there is always someone ‘better’ out there. On the other end of the scale, do we really want a faith that simply seeks to be above whoever is ‘least’?

We need to hear both sides of Jesus’ point. Don’t get caught up in the rules and requirements – live out our faith in a real and honest way. Don’t think that because we are on the membership roles of a church that we are ‘in’ heaven. It is a day to day, moment by moment way of life that Jesus is calling us. Just because we helped the first person we encountered does it mean we can walk by the second and third and … It is a 24/7 type of commitment to which we are being called. Is it hard? Yes – the road is narrow. But His burden is easy and the yoke is light. Come to know Jesus and we come to know and live out the law because of the great love that dwells within us!


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Taste and See

Isaiah 34:6-8:
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
He saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And He delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

These verses from Psalm 34 really stood out to me this morning. I especially like “this poor man called” and “taste and see that the Lord is good.” God loves us all equally, but He seems to have a special, soft spot for those in need. The need may be physical, emotional, or spiritual. We see this soft spot in Jesus too!!

In Matthew 5 we are called to be salt and light to the world. As salt we preserve and we flavor. When we are salt to others we encourage them in their situation and remind them that God loves them and will help them persevere. Salt reminds us to continue to hang on, to continue to lean into God. As salt we also challenge others to action – to get off the seat of complacency and to be a part of building the kingdom here on earth.

As light we both shed light into the darkness and also provide a way back into the life of faith. At times we are that light that shines into people’s lives who are lost in darkness or sin. We call them out of that life. At other times light means helping people to see God again. At times we all get lost or off track. As the light we are called to help people find God when they are having a difficult time seeing or feeling the light.

Many out there are in need of God. Many who are hurting physically, emotionally, or spiritually. When this poor man calls, may we be there to answer the call. May we be thereto be God’s hands and feet. May we be there so that they can taste and see that the Lord is good!!


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The Radical Shift

Many people in the world like and chose to live by the Golden Rule. It is some version of the idea “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Treat people how you would like to be treated. The world would be a pretty nice place if we all lived this out. But…

As followers of Christ we are called to more than the golden rule. And the question is how do we get from this rule to living like Christ calls us to live. In 1 Corinthians 2 Paul shares that the Holy Spirit reveals to us the wisdom of God so that we may gain the glory for which we are destined. Gain implies some effort on our part. The Spirit fills us with this knowledge so that we may come to understand the things of God and to make decisions with the ‘mind of Christ’ that the Spirit develops in us.

Through this wisdom of God we move beyond ‘how I want to be treated’ to how Christ would treat me. This is a radical shift. We begin to look without instead of within. It is not a tit-for-tat thought process but a ‘how can I love this person without strings attached’ thought process? It becomes thinking about how we can serve, love, and care for our world without expecting something back.

It is coming to understand how to love like Christ loved. It is bringing people to the John 10:10 Jesus: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Through the wisdom of God that the Holy Spirit imparts we are all capable of this kind of love. May we all begin to make that radical shift that Christ calls us to!!


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Shining for the Lord

Paul was a man who was a religious leader. He was well-versed in the words of the Bible (the Old Testament at the time) and knew every letter of the Law. But whenever Paul shared the Gospel, it wasn’t usually with $100 religious terms or by spelling out a long list of what one must do to come to know Christ. Paul sought the power of the Holy Spirit as his means of delivery of the message. He knew that the people would best see and come to know Christ if they could see the power of God working in and through him.

In our lives we have many ways to share the message. We do not have to have some fantastic conversion story or experience. We don’t have to awe someone with our great knowledge of the Bible or with the great things we have done. We can share our faith through the little decisions we make about how to live out our life daily. We can share the message in the way we interact with and care for our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Christ can shine in all we do.

We can also share our faith by our actions and commitments. This can be but does not have to be some grand thing either. It can be. It may be serving on a committee or team at church. It may be in donating time to an agency that helps the needy. It may be in visiting people at the jail or the hospital. In all we do, the love of Christ should shine through!!

The world is always watching. Be encouraged by this. Be honored by this. In all ways this day, may the love of Christ shine through you like the sun!!


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May It Be

Psalm 112 opens with these lines: “Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” When we find a healthy amount of respect for God and live into His commands, we find our lives blessed.

Often the world looks at blessings as beauty, power or position, a big house or fancy car, and so on. Often the world looks at good health and minimal worries as being blessed. Often the world looks at a successful person as having many of the things listed in the previous two sentences. And God may chose to bless the righteous person in these ways as well.

But sometimes we as Christians expect these material or worldly blessings. We may even question God and doubt our relationship with Him when or if some of these things are missing! But the blessing God brings is not about us. The blessing God promises does not guarantee happiness all the time in this life, just in the eternal.

The wealth and riches that a righteous person receives from God come out of that relationship we have with Him and that gets lived out into our world. In verse 5 we are told that good will come to him who is generous and conducts his affairs with justice. In verse 7 we are told that the righteous man will not be shaken for his heart is steadfast and trusts in the Lord. And in verse 9 we are told that because he scatters his gifts to the poor, the righteousness will endure forever.

Many people around the world are very poor by our standards and they live with little yet they enjoy a deep and lively relationship with God. They have come to fully trust in Him and His provisions for them, no matter how meager their physical world may be. On a basic level they are very content with their lives and deeply know that all they have comes from God. They share freely out of the little they have. They thank God for the littlest of things and for all things.

Sometimes I am almost jealous of their pure faith. Sometimes I wish that I could be as content in all things as they are. So today I seek humility in my contentment. Today I seek to give freely and abundantly to all whom I encounter. Today I seek a pure and simple faith. May it also be with you as it pleases the Lord!!


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Outside the Walls

God calls us not only to faith but to action as well. To just believe in God and the words in the Bible simply are not enough. We are also called to be in the world so that our faith bears fruit.

In Isaiah 58 God calls out the Israelites to loosen the chains of injustice, to break the yoke of oppression, to share food with the hungry, to clothe the naked, to house the poor wanderer. He urges them NOT to turn their backs on their own flesh and blood. These words of Isaiah are echoed several times in the New Testament as Jesus teaches His disciples how to live. These words of Isaiah, and later Jesus, are also a cry to action for us and the church today.

In each and every community these needs exist to some degree or another. We can still stand up for people who are suffering injustice and we can intervene when we see that oppression is occurring. Sometimes these are hard to see but these issues are there. The other needs are easier to see and easier to address. Whether through directly giving to individuals or agencies that help the needy in our community or through donating money to the agencies, we too can share in alleviating the burden many face. In our community there are people in need of food, clothing, and adequate housing. Our faith should call us to care for our brothers and sisters in whatever way we can and as well as we can. As the body of Christ, all are our flesh and blood.

God calls on Israel, and on us, to live out our faith. He expects us to be outside the walls of our churches making a difference in our worlds. In Isaiah 58 He goes on to say why. God promises that our light will shine out before us and our light will rise in the darkness. He also says that healing will come. (And by healing He means spiritual healing, not physical!) God promises that our call will be heard and that He will answer. Our faithfulness to Him and to the care of all of our brothers and sisters will build our relationship with Him. Is this not our call? Is this not your call? Step out in faith and into the world out there. God will be there. We will meet him in those we serve and care for and they will meet Him in us.


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With and Not For

Do you ever wonder what pleases God? Have you ever considered what truly helps us to grow in our relationship with Him?

Just because I go and occupy a pew for an hour on Sunday morning, does it necessarily mean my faith grows. Just because I go and help serve a meal at the Cornerstone Rescue Mission does it mean that I am loving and serving the needy. Just because I read the Bible does it mean I am growing in my faith. We can do lots FOR God but if it is not WITH God. Herein lies a huge difference.

A fast is not a fast simply because we skip a few meals. That is just a diet. A fast starts to become a fast when we feel the hunger and turn to God to admit our weakness and to seek His strength. When we declare our inability to do it on our own and call out to God, then we are building that relationship with Him. The physical need leads to and reveals our need for spiritual strength as well.

Similarly, when we read or hear the Word proclaimed and we take it in and claim it as our own, then we are making it a part of our lives and growing in our faith. When we sit down with someone at the Mission and share a meal with them, then we are beginning to know and understand the needy and how to make a difference in their lives. When we connect we are seeing through God’s eyes and not our own. Then our relationship with Christ grows as well.

When we choose to be a part of doing things with God instead of simply for God, then that makes a huge difference in our lives. And equally important it makes a difference in the lives of those around and with us. Ever worshipped with that guy who just seems so into it, so plugged into the Spirit? Be that guy. Ever served alongside that lady who seems that she would rather be there that anywhere else in the world? Be that lady. Ever marvel at how Jesus could love the least and the lost as if they were the only one that mattered in the world? Be that follower. Today.