Forgiveness

In the book of John, Jesus encourages His disciples with the promise of the coming Spirit to help them deal with life. They would encounter rejection, betrayal, hatred, fear, frustrations; thankfully, we’re offered the same comforting Spirit to help us along our journey, too.

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives I give to you.” (John 14:25-27)

That’s the key for us as well: remembering all the things the Word has taught us when we find ourselves in our own state of frustration, rejection, betrayal, etc. Jesus’ words link us to God’s age-old promises: “The Lord goes with us, wherever we go” (Joshua 1:9); “Let those who fear the Lord now say, ‘His mercy endures forever.’ I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me…” (Psalms 118:4-7); “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalms 103:12).

God gives us the strength to continue walking in His path, living by His standards, and loving the way He does. But sometimes mustering up genuine compassion for those who have wronged us isn’t easy or natural. That’s why we have to trust in His process of being formed into His image.

In fact, the opposite of living according to His principles adds tremendous stress and unrest in our lives. Some psychologists recognize the physical damage that the failure to forgive does to our bodies and minds.

First of all, forgiveness is different from condoning, excusing, forgetting, or even reconciling (even though this is an important step in bringing unity to a relationship). But the benefits of forgiveness recognized by healthcare professionals include:

• Less anxiety, stress, and hostility
• Lower blood pressure
• Fewer symptoms of depression
• Stronger immune system
• Improved heart health
• Higher self-esteem

It takes greater strength, wisdom, and faithfulness to seek forgiveness, even if the other party isn’t interested in it. In the same way, Jesus sought to rectify the separation between God and man, even before we cared to embrace it (Romans 5:8). Gandhi once said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Jesus gave us something to help us to be stronger spiritually and physically. Trust God’s ways over our own!

The Word is Hope

It isn’t too hard to imagine that scene at the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany after the funeral of their brother. Lazarus’ death came as a big surprise to everyone, especially Martha and Mary. An interesting thing about life is that we don’t know how long we have to live. We make plans assuming that we’ll have plenty of time ahead of us, but then the unexpected happens, and all our dreams come to a screeching halt. There were dreams that Martha and Mary knew Lazarus could never achieve now.

Jesus missed the funeral. He hadn’t been there when those closest to Lazarus felt they needed him. By Martha’s comment in John 11:21, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died,” it seems obvious she was frustrated, maybe disappointed. She also knew that she and Lazarus had become faithful followers of Jesus and that she needed to trust Him now.

However, for Jesus, this was an opportunity to show them an example of what it would be like when He comes back to earth to bring home those who are faithful to him. Before Jesus and His disciples made it to Bethany, He had said in John 11:4, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” For Jesus, the trip was an exciting demonstration of God’s power. It was obvious they couldn’t see what He saw in their situation. They saw death and mourning; He saw life and promise.

His prayer to God (John 11:41-42) revealed His heart. “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”

Sure enough, the day that began in sorrow ended with joy unlike they’d ever experienced. What Jesus did for Lazarus was done to help Martha and Mary and their friends. They needed to have the hope that only God can provide: the hope of resurrection from the dead.

When Jesus arose from the dead three days after His crucifixion, hope was once again restored. We have the privilege of reflecting on that sacrifice daily, but formally we do that when we take the Lord’s Supper, of which Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.”

This coming Easter, take time to think about all the hope-filled promises God makes to us. It takes a different perspective to look at all of our circumstances as an opportunity for God’s glory to be seen in what we do. This is what Romans 8:28 says that helps us gain His perspective: “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

As we follow God, we should hold His words precious, knowing that His words lead us closer to Him. Jesus was the Word in the flesh, according to John 1:1, 14, which means who Jesus was and what He did explains God’s word from cover to cover. Praise God that He sent His son to show us how to trust Him even in unexpected circumstances.

The Significance

Significance. It’s what ultimately drives most human beings to go farther, to reach higher, to try more. We long for significance in life. That’s another way to say we want to have a purpose and to make an impact on the world we live in.

Solomon wrote at great length about the efforts he made to leave his mark on the world. He said in Ecclesiastes 2:4-5, “I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees.” His conclusion: Vanity!

But if simply “being noticed” is the end result of our search for significance, then we might find ourselves making major compromises to the standards we have.

Education opens doors of opportunities. Being educated also is a means to help communicate with others, even specializing in something that really has the power to impact others—and bring more significance to ourselves. A good education can help us work in harmony with God’s goal for mankind and our own search for significance.

The opposite can be true as well. When our “education” is more focused on things that go against our standard found in Christ, then we can find ourselves truly lost in the end.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:25-26, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”

Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

Our education points us in the right direction and becomes the standard we live by. If we make Christ the standard behind any kind of education we seek to gain, then we will find significance and peace.

Jesus modeled the level of involvement, the sacrifice, and the determination it took to make a significant impact on the world without losing sight of God’s high standard. Make Christ’s ways part of your ways; you might find that others can find a way because of your choices today.

Why Love?

What is the soul? Or maybe, who is the soul? Perhaps it's helpful to determine how the word has been defined by mankind. In the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary, the word for soul is defined as life, person, breath. The Hebrew word Nephesh is further described as the man himself, or we might say individual (as was a common old English usage of the word).

Although the usage of a word can drastically alter how we might describe it; however, there are some words we don’t need to look up to understand—even if we don’t fully understand them.

When it comes to things we feel, we may not always understand how to describe the feeling, but we recognize it as something. Similarly, there is something within us that recognizes what our soul is regardless of how someone defines it. We just know it deep within our souls.

If Nephesh, soul, simply means life, then all living things have a soul. Is that important? Going back to Jesus’ summation of the scriptures in the iconic passage found in Matthew 22:37-39, we can see the importance of our soul’s engagement with the things of God and the things He created. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

We are therefore commanded to love. 1 Peter 3:8-12 describes how love should be part of our nature: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Loving God with our whole soul is the key to showing love toward others. Focusing on how our love for all life will be what helps our souls to thrive and be the part of us that God delights in.

Change

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ~ Romans 12:2

One of the most important passages in the Bible (in my opinion) is found near the middle of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans wasn’t the first epistle Paul wrote, but it is definitely regarded as one of the most profound and probably the most referenced. One of the vital things we gain from reading it is to see how Paul says we are to model Jesus Christ in our lives.

The truth is that we all have things we don’t understand about what it means to live for Christ. Even Paul and the other Apostles struggled with understanding and doing what the Good News reveals about God’s will for us and what that means in everyday life.

The Jewish theologians and leaders of that time thought they understood God’s will. In fact, they were proud of their understanding of God. But, after Jesus arrived, those who were seeking to worship the Father in spirit and in truth realized they would have to change the way they thought about everything to do the will of the Father.

God established an important ritual for those living before Christ’s arrival: The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Atonement means ‘reparation for a wrong or injury,’ which in humanity’s case is sin. It was a day that involved many prayers of thanksgiving and sacrifices to demonstrate their obedience to God. However, they practiced the rituals and ceremonies without understanding the importance and meaning.

It took Jesus coming to the earth to model for us how to live. He was willing to be the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb who would take away the sins of the world. Once He lived and was sacrificed for us, this could finally make sense. The challenge still remains, though, that we must change how we think about life and how we live life.

Romans 12:9-13 highlights many amazing practices that will help us model Christ: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality…”

By applying these practices, we can show the world what the Good News really means in the lives of Christians and help them to claim the atonement offered by Christ’s sacrifice. I pray that we all do.

Seeking Joy

Salvation is a gift that can only be enjoyed if we take it. God won’t force us to accept His tremendous mercy and kindness, but why wouldn’t we want it? Why wouldn’t someone want to go to Heaven? Yet, Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The Bible is filled with passages that help us see just how wonderful Heaven will be, and how our loving God made the way there possible for us. One of the most quoted passages in Scripture speaks to this; in John 3:16, “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

How awful it will be for those who reject the wonderful offer of salvation made possible through what Christ gave on the cross. But what about the Christian who refuses to receive the gifts given to the believer?

We’re told that when we accept salvation, we receive a powerful gift. Acts 2:38-39, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

At our conversion, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Most of the New Testament is helping Christians understand how to live by the guidance of the Spirit rather than the guidance of the flesh. And Paul says in Galatians 5:22 that among the Fruits of the Spirit is joy.

Once the church began on the Day of Pentecost, a new, exciting attitude swept over the believers. People eagerly sold property to help others; they met together every day studying scripture and praying together. Acts 2:46-47 says, “They were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” They really enjoyed the fellowship of other Christians.

Joy is produced by living according to the Spirit, but is it something that many Christians experience and display? It seems so common to meet Christians who look and act like they’re miserable. Is this what the Spirit produces within us?

Ephesians 4:30-32 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

It saddens God to see us live contrary to what the Spirit guides us towards. Perhaps Christians should consider what it means when we display lives of constant negativity, complaining, bitterness, anger, or any other attribute that diminishes the Spirit of God. Why would we close our hearts so that joy can’t be seen in our lives? How does that impact the message Christ gave us to spread to people of the world?

My prayer is that we completely accept the gifts of God, that we give our worries over to God, and that we experience the joy that comes from doing that. Let’s encourage one another and do it with joy.

Inspiration

One of the fundamentals of Christianity is believing the Good News about Jesus, the Messiah, and His sacrifice for our sins. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The Gospel (Good News) is revealed to us through the Bible. If we didn’t have anything written about the events that led up to Jesus fulfilling the promises of God, we wouldn’t have a reliable understanding of what defines the good news. We have been given the written accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry to help give us confidence in His claims to be the savior of the world, the only way to achieve eternal life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Yet, despite the fundamental fact that God’s words outline His will for us, we see misunderstanding or complete ignorance about how to use the teaching and can see how that has impacted our culture. Therefore, an important question we must ask is, “Do I believe ALL of these words are from the Creator?”

The word inspiration (God-breathed) becomes the focus of this dilemma. One definition of the word is, “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” Others might focus on this influencing and motivating power being based on God—divinely imparting His will so we can know what to do.

Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20-21, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Many people have difficulty understanding how the Bible helps them with personal problems now, which brings inspiration into question. While many believe in the idea of the Bible being inspired, they live as if they have to still search elsewhere to find solutions to their problems. The Bible is filled with hundreds of examples of people rejecting or accepting God’s teaching (through prophets, priests, or kings), His rebukes (2 Samuel 12), His correcting (Hebrews 12:9-11), or His training towards righteousness (John 13:13-15; 1 Peter 2:21). But, we have to seek discernment to understand the essence of the Biblical examples and teachings we read. This takes maturity; as Hebrews 5:14 says, “Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” And the way to do this is by reading the Bible, carefully considering what we’re reading and how it applies to our lives, and constantly praying for illumination.

I pray that we all seek discernment and maturity to best reach the world with the Good News of salvation and joy.

A Father's Discipline

How do you define God? The dictionary defines Him as the Creator and ruler of the universe and source of all power and moral authority; the supreme being. One concept that Jesus often promoted in His teaching about God is our Heavenly Father.

A father has many roles: teacher, provider, and disciplinarian, to name a few. It’s the discipline part that can be one of the hardest aspects of God to accept. However, when we consider the words in Hebrews 12:5-7, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son. So, endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their fathers? … (9) How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! … “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness.”

God’s goal is that we would emulate His character; but how could we ever match up? Consider Genesis 22:1-14 when Abraham was called to offer up his one and only son as a sin-sacrifice. The amazing thing is that Abraham was willing to do whatever it took to be faithful to God; He trusted the promises of God. How does our faith match up? He was willing to go through the discipline (the action of conforming to God’s character). Or as Hebrews 12:11 continues, “[Discipline] produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Our Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy the peace that makes up His nature and that He is earnestly helping us embrace. As our children grow older, we will see if our loving instruction worked in their lives or not. Our children’s actions can become a great source of pride or a painful regret.

Proverbs 19:18, “Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don't, you will ruin their lives.” (NLT) It’s important that children learn self-control from someone who loves them and only wants the best for them. And we can see how God disciplined us so that we can be like Him.

Consider the great lengths that God has gone to show loving discipline to His followers. Jesus came to offer us a better life—an abundant life (John 10:10), a life with a peace-filled purpose (Ephesians 2:10), and an eternal life (John 17:3, John 3:16)!

Think about the sacrifices your father made. He might not have been perfect since no earthly father is, but did he try to do what was best for you? Sadly, not everyone can say that about their earthly father, but we have a Heavenly Father who is willing and able to offer a wonderful life to those who will accept His loving discipline and instruction.

Why Love?

What is the soul? Or maybe, who is the soul? Perhaps it's helpful to determine how the word has been defined by mankind. In the Wycliffe Bible Dictionary, the word for soul is defined as life, person, breath. The Hebrew word Nephesh is further described as the man himself, or we might say individual (as was a common old English usage of the word).

Although the usage of a word can drastically alter how we might describe it; however, there are some words we don’t need to look up to understand—even if we don’t fully understand them
.

When it comes to things we feel, we may not always understand how to describe the feeling, but we recognize it as something. Similarly, there is something within us that recognizes what our soul is regardless of how someone defines it. We just know it deep within our souls.

If Nephesh, soul, simply means life, then all living things have a soul. Is that important? Going back to Jesus’ summation of the scriptures in the iconic passage found in Matthew 22:37-39, we can see the importance of our soul’s engagement with the things of God and the things He created. He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

We are therefore commanded to love. 1 Peter 3:8-12 describes how love should be part of our nature. “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Hopefully, we can see why loving God with our whole soul is the key to showing love toward others. As an introduction into the nature of our soul, perhaps focusing on how my love for all life will be what helps my soul to thrive and be the part of me that God delights in.

Stand By Me

Jesus often modeled how we are to live; this is part of the reason He came to earth. John 1:9-14, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world…to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”

While His examples of compassion and power are extraordinary, He calls us to do the same kinds of things. John 13:14-17, “...I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…” (also 1 Peter 2:21). In John 7:50-53 we have a story where Nicodemus was able to serve Jesus similarly to how Jesus served the sinful woman (John 8): "Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 'Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?' he asked. They replied, 'Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!' Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home…"

Standing up for Jesus carried a lot of risk to Nicodemus’s reputation, similar to Jesus standing with a woman caught in adultery would damage Jesus’ reputation. It's interesting that the earliest manuscripts don't include this story about the woman caught in adultery. Yet it fits perfectly with Nicodemus’s defense of Jesus and Jesus' statement, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

The leaders thought His words had no claim, but Jesus says, "...My judgments are correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent Me is with Me." While Nicodemus had never seen the Father, he saw something in Jesus that convinced him. The story about the woman serves as an example of how people can stand up against evil knowing that we are not alone when we stand together.

Paul says in Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” James says, “If one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (5:19-20).

We never know how much our example serves as a model for someone else’s bold move for the kingdom of God.

We Saw His Glory

John 10:37-38, “Do not believe Me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though You do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

Their perspective of who Christ was didn’t match up with who He really was. In Psalms 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” God wants us to see Him but from a proper perspective. Satan offered Jesus a way for the world to see God from a different perspective (Matthew 4; Luke 4), similar to how he offered a way to know God from a different perspective in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). But God had revealed Himself to His creation in a way that fostered deep genuine faith in Him. He wants us to see Him as trustworthy and good.

What did Jesus want to show those disciples on the mountain? Whatever it was, God wanted them to see Him from the proper perspective. He wanted them to see how all that has been written about Him and all that has been prophesied about Him all point to the character and heart of God.

Moses has often been equated with the law. For instance in Luke 16:29 which tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.” It was on another mountain, Mt. Sinai, that Moses received the 10 Commandments, and it was there that God’s glory made Moses’ face become “transfigured” and shone. God had told him while he was on the mountain, “If you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:5-6)

Elijah, whose name means “The Lord is God,” was also synonymous with the prophets, those who proclaimed the will of God. Probably the best demonstration of Elijah revealing the power and will of God was on another mountain, Mt. Carmel in 1 Kings 18 during the contest between the prophets of Baal and God. In the end, the people saw the glory of God. “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—He is God! The Lord—He is God!” (Notice the connection in the names!)

The apostles would write about this event and how it gave them the proper perspective of who God is. 1 Peter 1:16-18, “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is My Son, whom I love; with Him, I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain.”

A proper perspective of the events in our lives often helps us see how God is working in our lives, usually much different than what we may have originally expected. This new perspective can allow us to have a mountaintop experience with God. Take time to reflect on your own changed perspective in your walk with God, or determine if now is the time to do something about the new perspective you are experiencing in your life today.

Who is Jesus?

The top of Mount Everest is 29,032 feet. From “the top of the world,” you can see approximately 211 miles (on a clear day). You can also begin to see the difference between the atmosphere and outer space! Standing at the summit is awesome.

But is that enough to prove the existence of God? For those that summit mountains, standing at the top can cause many to reflect on their maker. Throughout history, people have made images that try to help them capture the majesty of God. All the nations, including Israel, made idols to honor ‘gods.’ But God had said in Exodus 20:4, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath…”. 

During Jesus’ ministry, He reminded His followers, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:6-7) 

He had given them ample reasons to trust His claim to be the Messiah, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me?” (14:10) This conversation was after He had taken them to Caesarea Philippi, where the Cave of Pan was located. This was believed by the pagans to be the ‘Gate of Hades.' This entrance into the underworld, the place of the dead, was the place the Greeks and Romans claimed to have received visions from Pan, the "seer." 

Jesus took His disciples to this place as well, a place considered sacred by many cultures throughout the world. Perhaps it was while they were standing at the overlook of the Cave of Pan that He asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:27-30) 

Whatever Jesus’ reason for taking them to that place, it was important that they understood that the kingdom that Jesus came to reveal was not like other kingdoms. His was not a kingdom built upon man or false gods, but on the “Word that became flesh” (John 1:1). An important lesson to His disciples (and us) that we don’t build our hopes on man-made things or on speculative mysteries, but rather on the truths revealed by God. 

All that Jesus had done pointed to who He was so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31). Sadly, many of the people who had followed Jesus would forget that fact and turn their back on the one who had shown them so much evidence of His power. As John writes in John 1:10-11, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” 

Where would Jesus need to take you to convince you of God’s deity and His power?

Risk

  

On August 7, 1782, George Washington ordered the creation of the first U.S. military decoration, the Purple Heart, awarded for bravery in action. It’s believed that only three men received it during the American Revolution, all of them noncommissioned officers. It was forgotten until its reinstatement in 1932, and since then, it is a highly distinguished medal of honor. Receiving this medal tells everyone that this person is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for someone else, no matter what. Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He also said, “...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45) While it’s easy to recognize the high value of loving your neighbor even more than yourself (Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:3), actually living that out is challenging. In fact, the story of the Bible reveals just how challenging that is for us. Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” A verse that helps to explain Paul’s statement in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Instinctively we realize that those willing to give their life for someone else is a rarity and therefore honorable, and even though we may realize the value of that sacrifice, it still seems to be an action few are willing to take. Sacrifice is risky: “What if my sacrifice is ignored or is relatively meaningless to society?” Jesus describes a scenario of the kind of heart God is looking for in his children. In Matthew 25:14-30, He tells the parable of the talents (each talent is about a 20-year salary). Each of the three servants in the parable received a sum of money based, presumably, on their ability to do something with it. After distributing the money, the master left for a long time. Upon his return, he evaluated the “return on investment” from the servant’s efforts. While the first two doubled their money, the last one did nothing with it. His excuse to his master was, “I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. (25)” The risks involved in multiplying what his master gave him were too great for him. While the master’s response may seem harsh, it should help us realize the urgency from God’s perspective in multiplying, or “making disciples of all nations.” Outreach takes risks (as Jesus modeled in His own ministry). With no risk, there’s no reward. Consider the risks we are willing to take to strengthen, encourage, teach, train, and shape someone’s life right in front of us. Remember the reward we gain for taking risks in doing that is much greater than a medal we put around our neck, but instead it is eternity!

Why?

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, people flocked to Him for various reasons. Sometimes it was the simple fact that He fed them or talked with them; other times it was because He healed them, but regardless of their reasons, Jesus gave hope to people. Therefore, it was natural that He would have a following. Jesus did many things that led them to follow Him, but He wanted something from them that was different than what they wanted from Him.

Where was Jesus leading them? What was His ultimate goal? How were they supposed to respond to the many miracles and teachings Jesus offered? All these questions pointed to a bigger question — why? Why lead them, give them hope, or do miracles?

John ends his gospel by explaining why all the miracles and teachings were done, “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God…” (John 20:30-31). Believing in Jesus is more than just mentally acknowledging His existence; it is trusting in Him as Lord! He has all authority, and Jesus wants His followers to trust that. 

At some point, His goals for them and their purpose for following Him ran askew. When the people’s commitment and allegiance were challenged, they began to abandon Him. How deep would the rejection go? How many of His followers would quit when Jesus was so close to fulfilling His mission and inaugurating the kingdom in a visible way?

As the people left, Jesus asked His closest followers, the twelve disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” His candid question is one that we have to ask ourselves when the pressures of the world weigh on us. Jesus was demonstrating authority over all His Creation, and He wouldn’t stop until it was “finished” (John 19:30).

Peter’s answer resounds throughout the centuries as a statement of total surrender, dependence, and reverence. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69).

This is why “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1-5) so that we would believe in His name and follow Him faithfully to the end. After all, as Jesus said in John 6:63, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” 

Why do you follow Jesus?

The Significance of Jesus' Eating with Sinners

Jesus made it a point to spend time with the people He came to save -- sinners! There weren’t any areas off limits in that quest. Jesus found that the sick of society (not necessarily the lame, blind, and leprous) were the ones that need healing first. This is similar to a coach and trainer needing to get an injured player healthy as quickly as possible so they can get out and make a difference in the game.

It’s important to realize the very first command by God to mankind (Adam) is found in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…” This is not a command to exploit and oppress, but to bring life (just as God had done) and make things “good” (Ephesians 2:10). The sick in society represent those that need help the most. Jesus' involvement with them is an example to all people of what God intended by that first command; to “rule over '' the earth wasn’t about domination but about bringing good to all living things.

When the “sick” are taken care of, that removes a level of fear from the community. No one wants to get sick; no one wants to mess up so badly that they are cast out from friends and family. Therefore, Jesus’ outstretched hand to help those in the most distraught situations was a huge message of hope for all people (Romans 5:1-11). By eating with people who had been rejected for whatever reason, He demonstrated that they were important to Him (and to God). 

An important example from the Old Testament is found in the actions of King David after he became king. He sought out those he could show favor towards. Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson, and David did something very uncustomary of a king -- he gave him a perpetual invitation to eat at the king's table! (2 Samuel 9:10). The customary thing to do was to kill any remaining heir to the defeated king to ensure no one would try to exact revenge, but David’s unwarranted act of kindness actually brought a deep sense of loyalty to the “outcast.”

The kingdom of God brings a new level of peace that is unlike any other kingdom. A scene mentioned in several ways in Revelation. Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” The invitation to join King Jesus at the table is being sent out now, and it’s our privilege to join him there. John 3:17, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Regardless of our past, we have been offered an invitation of grace that changes how we live if we choose to accept it. Will you? 

Multiplicity in Ministry

2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear…”

This timely advice from Paul is the motto of many ministers. Even in spite of the growing unpopularity of Christianity in our culture, people still need to hear the good news; and this requires a multiplicity of ministers!

Paul described his work this way in 2 Corinthians 6:6-8, “We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.”

While the task of ministry can be daunting, the job still needs to be done. This is, after all, what’s at the heart of the Great Commission, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Ministry was never intended to be done alone. While not everyone will fill the role of preacher, we each have a place in the body of Christ that contributes to ministry (Romans 12:4-8). In Jesus’ ministry, He called people to “Come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22; Matthew 4:19), a call that brought on plenty of challenges, as the apostles commented on (Matthew 19:27; Mark 10:28). Perhaps that’s why Jesus sent them out in pairs (Mark 6:7; Luke 10:1) — for encouragement and support!

Paul wrote to Timothy and begged him, “Please come as soon as you can!” Why? Because he needed encouragement. 2 Timothy 4:11, “Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.” As we make efforts to reach out more boldly in our community, let’s never forget the power of multiplicity in ministry!

Remember the Alamo

"Remember the Alamo!" The words of General Sam Houston on April 21, 1836, as he led 800 Texans soldiers to victory against Santa Anna's Mexican force of approximately 1,500 men at San Jacinto in under 20 minutes. The lesson for us: Sometimes the memory of sacrifice for a cause encourages you to stand strong in your own battles.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Our memories can drive us to amazing obedience, or they can paralyze us with fear, or even cause us to become obstinate to any kind of change. But just as Paul reminded Timothy of the gift he’d been given (which was all possible through what Jesus did on the cross), we too should be reminded of what fills us now. 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Jesus wanted us to remember His sacrifice on the cross and how that act could motivate us to unity within His body. Before His arrest, Jesus prayed, “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me” (John 17:22-23). Later Paul would remind us how what Jesus did on the cross would help us be unified. He said in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, “For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord Himself. On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, “'This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.'”

Jesus, “the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29), gave His body so that we could have a new body IN HIM. The power of that memory motivates us, or it should, to do everything in our power to honor the will of the Father. Having that powerful memory of God’s unwavering love can be the strength we need to keep going in life.

Romans 8:39, “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Good News Family

God’s first command is in Genesis 1:28, “...Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth…”,thus defining, from the very beginning, that the Great Commission is to “build a family.” Within this concept, making a family after the image of God is ultimately the overall mission of God’s kingdom. Although we don’t make them into a family, we get to be the mouthpiece that reveals the pathway to becoming a child of God.

In essence, we have two families to interact with, and both require special care. Our families we were born into at our physical birth is where we were nurtured as a baby, it’s where we adopted our personality and temperament, and it’s where we learned what love was—initially. Ideally, that upbringing will closely resemble the family we were added to at our baptism (Acts 2:47, Ephesians 3:14-19, 1 Timothy 3:5). However, for some, a family is seen as a group of dysfunctional people, selfishly battling for approval or an inheritance, always manipulating one another and trying to outdo each other. In contrast, God’s family is designed to function in a way that stands out from all other families. This family models attributes like inclusivity, mercy, burden-sharing, and equality in a way that speaks deeply to the needs of everyday people.

1 Peter 2:12, “Live such good lives among (those outside) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” The reality is that this family functions under the principles of Good News. It’s good news to be part of a family that models peacemaking instead of hatred and jealousy.

Perhaps one obstacle that often arises is "Who is qualified to tell others how to become part of God’s family?" Some people may assume they are part of the family already, and there are others that aren’t ready to accept the invitation yet. While God wants everyone to be part of His family, there are certain attributes that are required (Mark 16:16; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:32-33).

The desire to trust (obey) God helps reveal our devotion to God as our father. Romans 8:14-17, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

As Jesus spoke to the woman at the well (John 4), He helped her understand that “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem….[but] the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks…” One important goal is for us to be that family that helps define what the Good News is all about.

The Love of a Father

1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”

There may be many traits we carry with us from our fathers, but a deep, genuine, gracious love for those in our life may be the most important. These should be among the attributes we strive to demonstrate to the world, especially our family. As a father, I have to decide to demonstrate “lavished love” in ways that develop maturity and faithfulness. That can be a challenge at times.

Paul says in Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother...”— which is the first commandment with a promise—"...so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

From the beginning, God was setting an example of a good father loving His children. He is patient and kind (Romans 2:4), He models meekness (Matthew 11:29-30), and doesn’t seek to shame people without cause (Psalm 69:6). He is a father who doesn't seek His own will (Philippians 2:5-8). And as we get to know Him more, we find He isn’t easily angered (Psalm 103:8) and grieved when we choose wrong (Hosiah 11:9). He lavishes His love on those who repent and come to Him (Luke 15:10), because He is our heavenly father who always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Do you have a strong relationship with your children? The way we first think about God has a lot to do with how we experienced “father.” It's sad to see kids rebel against their parents. As a father, I can't think of a worse feeling than to feel distant from my children. Yet God has had to deal with that from the very beginning, which makes the passage in 1 John 3 even more shocking.

Throughout Jesus' ministry, those He came to save rejected, rebelled, and showed Him evil after He showed them good. More than enduring it, He anticipated it. Isaiah 53:3-5, "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds, we are healed."

Time and again He warned his followers that this is how the people would treat Him: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Many men struggle in their role as dads because their own fathers were either absent—physically or emotionally—or were poor examples. But regardless of what a person experienced in the past, the best thing any parent can do is imitate God the Father. For dads, what image of the Lord are you portraying?

Storms of Life

Most of us start out in our early years dreaming of some kind of adventure in life: job, relationship, hobby, etc. If those dreams are fed, and halfway realistic, then they can become our reality. However, there are plenty of obstacles that get in the way of any kind of dream.

In Scripture, we read of some men (apostles) who must have felt that what Jesus was promoting fulfilled some kind of dream for them. He invited them to “come follow Me,” and they did it! That first step required a lot of faith and guts. But that’s the power of Scripture… “living and active” Hebrews 4:12. That means it’s more than just a moral guide and “chastening rod.” It’s motivational and inspirational! (Romans 15:4; Acts 8:8; 13:52; 16:34) It brings life and joy!

But even in the greatest moments of joy, there can be storms that arise. Early on in Jesus’ ministry, after sharing the joys of being part of the Kingdom of God, He took his disciples across the Sea of Galilee to the Gentile territory. He had already given a great lesson on planting seeds and being a light; now it was time to show them how to do it. That’s when a storm blew in—shaking the joy of the followers and causing them to focus on what seemed to be a dire situation.

After Jesus calms the storm, the disciples say, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.” (Luke 8:25). But calming storms was just the beginning (much like His words to Nathanael in John 1:50). They would soon encounter a demon-possessed man, who according to Mark 5:4 was “unable to be subdued”—yet Jesus brought life! Then they would meet a woman that had suffered at the hands of doctors (who couldn’t heal her)—yet Jesus brought life! Then, He raised a dead girl! Jesus brought life!

Perhaps these encounters helped the apostles’ doubts and fears that arose from leaving everything to follow Jesus. We all have storms that rock us to our core and cause us to question why we’re doing what we’re doing, and like the apostles, we may have to wait a little bit to have our doubts removed. Jesus showed them (and us) God’s power over what seems impossible. In the end, their faith was strengthened. Peter exclaims in Luke 9:20, “You are the Messiah!” This was a statement that he may not have been able to make prior to his experience in the storm.

We all face storms in life, but storms can reveal our distorted view of our problems, ourselves, and even Jesus himself. The more we trust Him in our current storms, the more we’ll be able to trust Him in the next storm. 

Jesus' Shocking Message

Jesus’ ministry is filled with moments where He shocked the crowds by His actions. Probably most notable are the miracles He performed on Sabbath Day. A “shock factor” has been described as an act done to provoke a reaction of sharp disgust, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions. When we are shocked by someone’s words, clothing, actions, etc,. it’s usually because they are either inappropriate or we didn’t expect that to come from whoever did it. 

It’s within the “shock” that makes us rethink what we had previously concluded about someone or something. Jesus often associated with people that made His followers (and those who read the accounts) question His reasoning. 

After Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, many people were inspired by His words. Matthew 7:28-29, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” The shock was that He didn’t quite fit the complete role of a Rabbi or a scribe, yet His understanding of scripture was amazing; a fact the religious leaders had discovered about Him nearly 20 years earlier (Luke 2:47). 

But how should that “shock” cause someone to respond to the message? The Centurion (Luke 7:1-10) acknowledged Jesus' authority and asked for help. The sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50) brought expensive perfume and a lot of boldness and humility. 

It seemed that those in attendance didn’t care to understand her powerful message, so Jesus helped them see how this shocking act of kindness, honor, and repentance, was the proper response to a shocking message. He told a “shocking” story of forgiveness.

Luke 7:41-43, “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 

Where they saw a sinner, Jesus saw “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17), someone willing to express her love for Jesus no matter what she had to do or where she had to go. Unfortunately, not everyone who hears the amazing good news of Jesus Christ responds correctly. Yet, the same message that compelled many people to leave all they had and follow Him, or wash Jesus’ feet with their hair, or simply humbled themselves before Jesus—and that response is the goal for us today. How will you show your love for Christ today?

Remembering

Imagine you are a fisherman in Judea in the first century. You have a family and obligations to your co-workers. Perhaps you have a mortgage and other debts; you have aging parents and in-laws that need your help; you have responsibilities. Life is busy! Then, one day a strange rabbi shows up at the worksite and invites you to follow him on a quest. You’re not quite sure where he’s going or what this is really about… would you accept his invitation?

As a parent, I would probably do my best to persuade my son/daughter NOT to accept the invitation. Considering Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me” from nearly any perspective seems risky and honestly quite irresponsible.

We can read Jesus’ sermon on the Mount as a kind of advertisement for a new kind of kingdom lifestyle that shifts how we think about the everyday things in life. If we consider this, then Matthew dedicates almost half of the lesson to put priorities in their proper place, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20). Quickly followed by “don’t worry about life so much,” since “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and “Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34).

Worrying about life can lead to resentment about where we stand in comparison to people around us. Paul says later in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” That comparison often leads to jealousy and envy. Therefore, Jesus seems to link worry to judging in His sermon. He says, “Do not judge… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3). Worrying and judging distract you from the life you have (even if it has plenty of scars in it). Instead, if we trust His crazy invitation to follow Him, we’ll find that “[His] thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways [His] ways, [because] As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways…” (Isaiah 55:8-9). That’s why we trust Him, we build on His foundation, and we listen to His voice.

Thankfully, that voice, those foundations have been shown to us by Scripture and by Godly people in our lives that have modeled Christ well. This Memorial Day, remember those who have shed light on the high road and narrow path leading to true life! Because counting your many blessings, naming them one by one, may surprise you with what the Lord has done, and through whom He revealed it. So don’t worry about the path, just stay on it, trusting God, and stay clear of judgments that cloud our vision of the path Christ is leading us on.

Follow Me

Afterward… The Old English origin of this word is “from aft (behind) to turn towards.” Ultimately it defines a kind of moving on, or a kind of “turn around," not exactly the same as repentance, but this idea is recognized in Jesus’ invitation to “follow Me.”

We leave the path we were on and decide to walk with Him. 1 Peter 2:21, “To this (suffering for Christ) you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” Paul would later remind Timothy of the high price of following Jesus in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” And of course, Jesus gave a disclaimer to those who had decided to join His journey. He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first” (John 15:18).

However, the fact still remains that we’ve been called to follow Him, and all the repercussions of that choice. We make a decision to turn from our place of comfort, our normalcy, and our routines and are called to adopt His lifestyle. From aft to turning towards Him!

It takes a willingness, and it takes action. This is something that Jesus reminded His apostles of during His last night in the garden. He said in Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” The willingness is the motivation for action, but the action still has to take place

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus mentioned the kind of people that go to heaven; He says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

Like ‘willingness’, faith and following Jesus require us to begin to live like He did. John tells us in 1 John 5:2-3, “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”

Jesus’ sermon revealed to all of us the kind of people that love others the way Jesus did. His sermon points us to a way of looking at the world that will seem odd or crazy to some, but it will offer a peace that passes all understanding. Seek that by turning away from our worldly view of life and following His spiritual view of life.

Are Willing

Many graduation speeches are crafted around the idea of going out into the world and making a difference, but have you considered what keeps someone from making a difference? Making a difference has a lot to do with: desire, hunger, or a willingness to endure through difficulties until the difference happens. 

When we hear devastating news from a doctor about a condition that will take a lot of time, tests, treatments, and talks with God, it has been noted that those with a willingness to “beat this” have tremendously higher odds of survival. 

Whether it’s going out in the world to do something good, or searching the world over for something that brings good to myself, willingness is a word that has significant value because willingness is power. 

The leper who approached Jesus immediately after the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 8:1-4), had been inspired by what Jesus had said when he asked Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The man knew that it was up to the willingness of Jesus for a change to happen. 

Of course, we read Jesus' words in Matthew 8:3, “I am willing, be clean!” Jesus was willing to make a difference in his life. But Jesus came to earth, in part, to show us what God’s will for our life is all about, and a willingness to trust and follow God’s is at the center. 

From Jesus’ words, “Come, follow me” (Luke 18:22), to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). He guides us to a place where our willingness to remain faithful is the difference. 

Whether we want to learn, to forgive, to reach out, to impact, to share, to grow...all of these take a willingness. Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” In other words, “stay willing!” 

When we are willing, we become eager, determined, resilient. Willingness is not just mustering up the courage to face something hard, it's an overarching quality that defines faithfulness. Life presents so many opportunities to ask ourselves, “How willing am I right now?” 

What’s your answer?

Compassion of Mothers

When God described Himself to Moses on Mount Sinai, He said, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” (Exodus 34:6) When someone describes themselves with character traits like compassion, patience, being genuine and true, they’re making a big claim. It sounds a lot like the definition of Love that Paul offers in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 that Love is patient, kind, doesn’t envy or boast. It’s not proud or disrespectful, selfish or short-tempered. Love doesn’t even focus on the wrongs you do but protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres.

God’s compassion is seen often. And compassion is different from empathy, which is the ability to understand and feel another person’s feelings. God can do that, but He goes further than that; God’s compassion is modeled by going through whatever the hardship is with the sufferer (Immanuel, God with us - Matthew 1:23). His character seeks to promote wholeness and redemption.

How do we model that in our own lives? Mothers are probably recognized for doing this best. There have been many psychological studies done to determine the impact compassion has on dealing with things like stress, fear, worry, anger, or resentment. No surprise, it’s a night and day difference when people receive compassion.

So, when Jesus demonstrated compassion to people during His time on earth, He gave them more than their health back or even their lives back. He opened opportunities for those people to pay that compassion forward and share that “healing power” with others.

This Mother’s Day, we recognize the significant impact our mothers have played in our lives. While there may be multiple contributions they have made to our development, compassion is one that Jesus definitely favors.

In Luke 7:11-17 we read of Jesus passing through the town of Nain and noticing a funeral procession for a young man, a mother’s only child. 'When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, '"Don’t cry.'" (7:13). But Jesus did more than offer kind words of comfort, His compassion brought restoration and joy to the woman: He raised her son from the dead!

Although it would be nice if we saw that today, we have to learn from Him that He does something to bring her healing and joy. Resurrection will be God’s final demonstration at the end (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). What we can bring may actually take more work, because it is less than resurrection, but compassionate comfort is more valuable than we realize.

Be sure to recognize those in your life who have been by your side to give you the compassion that God wants us to model. Thank God for mothers who do this well!

Sermon on the Mount and Constitution

Our nation’s government is defined by two important documents: The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution (Bill of Rights). Although it seems to be debatable for some on how important these documents are for modern living, it has at least been recognized throughout much of our history, that these documents shape the structure for every major part of how our government functions and why it functions in the first place.

In a similar way, the “Good News” is two parts of one story contained in one document (the Bible). The Good News starts with a declaration of independence from our sinful nature. Colossians 1:9-14, “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 good news is that rescue has been made possible through Jesus Christ! But as Paul describes in this passage, he continually prays that they can understand how to live as rescued people.

Jesus’ declaration to those in bondage (sin) gives us hope. But His death on the cross didn’t fully explain how to live a free life. Although one could argue that His self-sacrifice on the cross demonstrated the ultimate ‘love for neighbor,’ we can easily see that there are further instructions to glorify God by what we do and say, after being set free.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines the “constitution.” By describing the attitudes and motives behind people in God’s kingdom, it helps potential followers know what they’re getting into before they take the plunge. This is an important part of Jesus’ ministry that He brings light to what Satan tries to keep hidden.

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world… [but] the world did not recognize Him… [nor] receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:4-5, 9-13). God’s ways bring life, but we must follow Him because “He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the father without Him” (John 14:6).

Sermon on the Mount

 One of the most influential teachings of Jesus is found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7; Luke 6:20-49). It has been called the “constitution of Christianity,” and it's here, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, that He outlines the “code of conduct '' for His followers. 

At first glance, it may be tempting to surmise that Jesus is establishing a practical lifestyle guide that was actually harder than Moses’ instructions. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago…but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43) all referring to some of the ancient laws of Moses given on Mount Sinai. However, what Jesus was about to show those living on the Judean hillside was that fulfilling God’s laws just required the right heart.

Moses delivered a similar speech. In fact, the entire book of Deuteronomy is a sermon on the mount. And, like Jesus, he was giving the “code of conduct” the people of God should live by in order to be what God had called them to be earlier on the mountain. God said, “Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6).

In Moses’ instructions, he ended his sermon with “blessings” (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) and “cursings” (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Jesus on the other hand begins His sermon with “blessings” in what we call the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11; Luke 6:20-22). Luke, however, follows Moses’ pattern of pairing the blessings with the cursings, or “woes” in Luke. Much like the section in Moses’ sermon about the cursings, which were significantly lengthier than the blessings, Jesus will spend much of His earthly ministry dealing with the curses that were rooted in the hearts of the religious leaders.

The hope is that we as readers will recognize that Moses was giving his final instructions to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land and that Jesus is giving similar instructions before entering the Kingdom of God. As Jesus’ ministry unfolds, we begin to have a paradigm shift in what the Kingdom of God is really about.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”