pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: stumbling block


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Love, Love, Love

Reading: Matthew 17:1-6

Matthew 17:3 – “Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

Six days after Peter’s highest high and lowest low to date as a disciple, Jesus takes him and James and John up the mountain. Six days ago Peter had declared Jesus to be “the Christ” and then heard Jesus tell him that he’d be the rock upon which Jesus would build the church. Jesus then told the disciples of his coming death and raising on the third day. Peter spoke boldly, forbidding this to happen. That’s when Jesus called him “Satan” and a stumbling block. The high did not last long for Peter.

At the top of the mountain, Jesus is transformed or transfigured, depending on your translation. Calling to mind the words of Daniel 7, Jesus’ face shines like the sun and his clothes become dazzlingly white. Then we read, “Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.” Moses was the giver of the Law, the guide in the wilderness. Elijah was the greatest of the prophets – so great that he was taken up into heaven in the chariot of fire. In talking with these two, God is affirming the importance of both the Law and the prophets. Jesus held both of these traditions together in his ministry and witness.

In the middle of some fumbling words from Peter, God becomes part of the conversation, declaring God’s love for Jesus and God’s pleasure in Jesus. Speaking to Peter, James, and John, God gives this clear instruction: “Listen to him!” Jesus holds together the two core commands of the Law (to love God and neighbor) with the prophetic call to live out these commands in all areas of our lives. In Jesus we see that the law of love goes beyond just hearing its call to really living it out in the world. As we receive and live out our instructions to listen to Jesus, loving as he loved, may all that we do, say, and think be rooted in our love of God and neighbor.

Prayer: Lord God, we’ve heard that all written in the Law and told by the prophets hang on our ability to love you with all that we are and to love neighbor as Jesus first loved us. We ask that you would enable us to love first and foremost. We ask that you would empower us to love even and especially when it is hard to love. Through love, O God, may we be pleasing in your sight. Amen.


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The Hospital We Call Church

John Wesley once noted that sometimes a Christian’s behavior is the greatest obstacle to a non-believer being saved.  Today some churches are refered to as a social club for the holy and righteous.  In some houses of worship we say guests are great but we do not treat them that way – especially if they are not just like us.

In today’s passage from Mark, Jesus addresses our behavior as a follower.  In figurative but somewhat harsh language, we are advised to cut off a hand if it causes us to sin or to gouge out an eye if it causes us to sin.  Jesus tells us it would be better to live maimed or partially blind than to keep sinning and to eventually enter hell.  His point is that our behavior is critical, not only for our faith journey but also for the non-believer who sees us living out our faith.

Jesus concludes this teaching with the call to be salt to the people we encounter.  Through our gracious and loving words and actions we are to ‘season’ the world with God’s grace and love.  As we live out our call to build up His kingdom here on earth, our positive witness will draw the non-believer to seek this same grace and love.

Our behaviors must attract people to God, not make them question having a relationship with Him.  We must offer love and grace when others need it and offer honest and repentant words when our behavior necessitates this.  We must live in the knowledge that we are all sinners saved by grace alone.  May we offer Christ to the world this day, inviting others to join us in our hospital for sinners that we call church.  For it is there we are healed too.

Scripture reference: Mark 9: 42-50