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).