About 7 years ago I was blessed with a very patient group of folks willing to read through the whole book of Jeremiah. We wanted to learn what a real honest to goodness prophet sounded and acted like. Jeremiah fits the bill of an honest to God prophet.
What I learned most from reading Jeremiah was
The reality of what happened at Christmas is so outrageous—on the outside—we claim today that God infinite and forever has come and lived among us. He is now one of us but he hasn't lost any of his glory—that's the meaning of Christmas. The grace and truth of Christmas is more than Jesus looking like a person—the God of Glory has come and lived with us. He's more than just a hologram, a phantom or a magicians illusion. This was God in flesh. This is God with us, our Emmanuel.
Now I want you to imagine it this way.
Imagine a die hard fan of a purple clad football team deciding he needed to become one with the fans of another team famous for wearing cheese heads. Maybe you imagine that die hard Viking fan might put a green and gold Packers jersey over his beloved purple one—but maybe that wouldn't be enough. That would be like a young man who lost a bet with a relative and had to wear a packer jersey to school on Monday. But later when asked about it he said he was extra careful to make sure that packers jersey didn't actually touch his skin.
Now there are some of you here who's weeks don't rise and fall on the success of either team. And that's ok, but just for the sake of conversation let's imagine just how deeply Jesus stepped into our humanity. He became one of us.
It's one thing for a true hard core sports fan to put on the jersey of the team that gives his favorite team fits. But Jesus did more than just put on a different jersey. Jesus, God from the beginning of all time, came to earth as a human being. He did more than make cosmetic changes to his facade. He stepped into our lives. He did more than just live next us. He moved in as one of us.
Just think about a true died in the wool Viking fan. He's got purple everything every where. He could say he'd been near to Packer fans if he'd gone to Lambeau field dressed in blaze orange. But he'd only been near them if he sat silent and hadn't cheered for either team during a game. But Jesus did more than just come close to us. He became one of us.
When Jesus said, give to God what's God's and to Caesar what's Caesar's he invited his friend to full lives in 2 worlds. The story behind this maxim reveals Jesus' ability as a teacher and gives us an invitation to imagine God's place in our lives as Christ's followers today. Matthew, Luke, and Mark (even the Gospel of Thomas) all tell this same maxim (Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26, Thomas 100).
Matthew says the Pharisees, hoping to trap him, came forward with a simple sounding question ... about taxes. The pharisees buttered Jesus up and then posed this concrete sounding question. “Are we to pay imperial taxes or not?”(Matthew 22:17) On the outside this question looks boring and mundane. Nobody likes taxes. But Jesus' gives guidance in his answer that matters to somebody building a new and better life based on Jesus' life, death, and rising. What Jesus says about giving to God what belongs to God and giving Caesar what's Caesar's (Matthew 22:21) opens up a whole lot of space to imagine how we live, work, and serve today as permanent citizens of heaven and people living full lives on earth today.
God the Father wants the best for his daughters and sons. He does not want what we want or think best; rather God desires to give the best. God's been calling his people to the best way of living. It started with the law and prophets. Isaiah spoke this call and it continued in the words of Jesus. This is a word of law that pulls away a whole lot scar tissue and lays open a hurt soul. It's this opening that can bring the rest that comes from Good News.
Both Isaiah and Jesus explained the relationship between the Father who loves so much and people who turn away with vineyard stories. Why not? Vineyards made sense, people planted and worked in them. They enjoyed the grapes and wine made from grapes. Two parables about vineyards define God's love for his people through the image of a vineyard that had lost God's protection.
Isaiah told of a friend who planted grapevines on a hillside with rich soil Isaiah 5:1. He did everything right hoping good grapes would come Isaiah 5:2-3. Instead the harvest came and there were only bad ones Isaiah 5:4. Isaiah's parable gets me thinking: What should be done with the bad grapes. The response frightens me. All the protection God provided could be taken away Isaiah 5:5-6. Isaiah wasn't speaking about a vineyard. These blunt words from God were for Israel and Judah. He came looking for justice -- but he didn't find it.
Jesus spoke of a vineyard too. It was rented out Matthew 21:33-34. When time came the land owner sent servants to collect his share of the produce. The tenants beat some and killed others Matthew 21:35-36. And last of all the landlord sent his son. The tenants, some commentators think, were scheming to take over the land by squatters rights. After all the landlord's heir was dead. They must have assumed they would now have control.
Jesus left the story unconcluded. He asked the chief priests and the elders of the people what they thought would happen. They responded the renters would be put to death and the land rented again Matthew 21:40-41. That wasn't Jesus answer. And this is the real twist. We don't know what the landlord did. But we do know what God the Father did when His Son was rejected. He raised him up on the 3rd day.
Peace, and thanks for reading.
Forgiveness matters to Jesus. And it will invariably matter to anyone who follows in Jesus' steps—if you don't believe that's true just listen close to what Jesus said to his friend and close follower Peter. When Peter asked, “How many times should I forgive a brother who sins against me? Isn't 7 going to be enough?”
I think Peter picked 7 because it seemed to him, like it does to me, that 7 was an outrageous number of times to forgive somebody. Forgive somebody—yeah seven times is enough. Even for Jesus 7 times would have been enough, Peter likely thought. But Jesus said no.
For Jesus forgiveness can happen 7 times sure. But it can also happen 77 times or 70 times 7 times. Jesus' math seems so strange to our earthbound ears—why because forgiveness costs us something—but we way to often miss what forgiveness gives us in return. Forgiveness in truth changes who we are—and forgiving like Jesus says 77 times or 70 times 7 will always sound so over the top. But it's that over the top life transforming gift of forgiveness that opens us up towards the new future that God has in store.
Jesus has a way of reversing, what to a human, seems logical and natural. Humans might think of power as the answer to the world's problems -- but Jesus sees the cross. When Peter heard Jesus speak of his suffering and death he was stunned. He replied back, never Lord Matthew 16:22. It broke Peter's heart to think Jesus would die (as David Lose wisely observes). Jesus wasn't fooling around--this was the mind of God at work Matthew 16:23. An instrument of humiliation and torture that lead to death was God's very answer to evil and death. Pushing the point Jesus invited his friends to pick up their crosses and follow him Matthew 16:24.
Jesus earliest followers, like Paul, picked up the thought. When Paul invited the early church to genuine love he was casting a vision of living like and for Jesus in this world Romans 12:9. Jesus followers can live today like heaven is for real. We can act towards those who would be our enemies with love and compassion. We can live today knowing that evil can be overcome by good Romans 12:21. God's plan is a total reversal. He invites believers to live in the light of God's kingdom. Even as believers deal with those do harm today there is still freedom to live close to Jesus and in the light of his love. Believers are blessed to know the love of God that changes them and that allows them to regard all people--even those who do them harm--as people with God given dignity. It's through this Christ like love that kingdom of heaven comes closest to the people of this world.
Have no doubt. Jesus still invited his friends to pick their crosses up and follow him.
the question I find myself asking today is not if Jesus followers will pick up the cross but when?
Peace and thanks for reading, John
Reading the first half of Matthew 14 I find two stories, one I dread and one I love. Up first is John the Baptist's beheading. And next comes a great unplanned banquet for 5000. It strikes me most how this meal that revealed Jesus' power came at the end of an absolutely awful day. Jesus heard the terrible news. His co-worker in the kingdom, his cousin, the man we call John the Baptist, was dead. His head was chopped off at King Herod's order at the end of a great palace banquet Matthew 14:1-12.
Jesus offers each individual person a promise of rest and peace. No matter what Jesus offers you rest for your soul in Matthew 11:28-29.
For 2000 years these words of promise have given peace to Jesus friends. Jesus invitation couldn't be simpler. He's speaking to every person who has too much to carry. If we're honest we could all talk about the burdens we have to carry. There are so many burdens people try to shoulder alone:
The Psalms brim with human attempts to define God. This book has been handed down from generations so long ago, in no small part, because it help us understand who God is, who we are, and what God is up to for real in this world broken by sin and death. The Psalms often start out with a person speaking at the very end of human language. And other times they start out with the truth of human need and brokenness heard as someone calls out to God.
Psalm 8 starts out with awe,
1 O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!It's one thing to consider the wonders of God. But it's completely different to think about that same God coming to die for you and me. We aren't perfect people or ever close to perfect.
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars that you have established;Over the past year I've spent more time in the book of Psalms than any other book. It's there, right about the center of any Bible—this book of 150 prayers and songs. Often when I sit with people in the Hospital who will be there for a while I encourage them to talk to God. If they are struggling to know how to start I point them to the Psalms. It's okay to borrow a language of prayer if you know that it will help you learn how to connect to God. It's okay to start with prayers trusted for generations when you have something big to say and you just don't know where to start.
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Jesus made some huge promises to his followers.
Anyone who is thirsty could come to him and drink. (John 7:37)
Out of the hearts of believers would flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)
Jesus used everyday images to explain God's activity in our world. And one of the images Jesus chose was water. Everybody in the world knows water. For people in Israel 2000 years ago fresh water was key to survival. For us today knowing Jesus, the source of living water is key to our thriving too.
Jesus talked about people coming and drinking deep from him. He was talking about finding refreshment for tired souls. Probably the biggest single joy Christians know is the peace and freedom that comes from walking with Jesus in all circumstances. As a Christian you walk with him as you hear stories and teachings. You drink in His word and His presence. Walking with Jesus doesn't make your life perfect or make you perfect—rather it means you are walking with the one who can give you peace for your soul.
Jesus says to drink deep and find peace for the deepest places in your soul. Drink deep of the cross. Drink deep of the forgiveness and new life bought for you at the cost of Jesus' death. Drink deep of hope that sets you free to live a new life. Drink deep of the living water and walk with Jesus day after day.
Jesus is making a way for the Holy Spirit to move on the inside. Each time we hear Jesus call us to love one another it's the Holy Spirt who translates that call into action. Each time we hear Jesus tell us to leave our idols behind so that God and our neighbors and our families can be first in our lives it's the Holy Spirt who does the heavy lifting inside of us. Each time you are confront by God in your selfishness or your self-deceit it's the Holy Spirit at work deep inside you.
Jesus echoes Isaiah invitation to hurting people
Jesus says a river of living water flows from the heart of believers. Pay especial attention to the distinction that Jesus makes—He's talking about living water flowing from the heart of believers.Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,and your labor for that which does not satisfy?Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Every Christian's story includes pain, grief, and death. The night before Jesus died he spoke words of comfort to his friends knowing pain would come soon for all of them. What Jesus said that night had such significance that it has been passed down from the apostles to us. These words hold a promises to us, we have a way home (John 14:1-4), a relationship with God the Father (John 14:5-8) and a promise of God's presence in all our days (John 14:9-14).
In Jesus we see our way to the future. In Jesus we see hope for the hour when we will be at home and at peace with God. Luther wisely wrote,
To be sure, this comfort did not help at the moment, nor was it effective until the appearance of the Holy Spirit. No, when Christ was gone, all was lost; they had no heart or courage, and not one of them could stand his ground against a frail maid. In that hour all Christ’s words and works fell by the wayside, and this comfort was entirely forgotten.Don't be mistaken: Jesus words didn't negate the terrors his friends would soon experience. But looking back, after the resurrection, they remembered a promise worth passing on to future believers. They remembered Jesus' promise to guide them and all his people living in dark days. Jesus' words in John 14 were passed on to us because of the power Jesus' friends saw in them after His resurrection. When times are dark we need to know that same power of God. When things are going from bad to even worse we need to know that God is at work. No wonder so many hurting people find sustenance in these words of Jesus about knowing the way home to the father. Luther wrote,
Thus Christ admonished and consoled His beloved disciples here as men who sorely needed consolation. But these words were recorded, not for their sakes, but for ours that we might also learn to apply this comfort to both present and future need. Luther's works, vol. 24 : Sermons on the Gospel of St. John: Chapters 14-16 page 10
Every Christian, when baptized and dedicated to Christ, may and must accept and expect encounters with terror and anxiety, which will make his heart afraid and dejected, whether these feelings arise from one or from many enemies and adversaries. For a Christian has an exceedingly large number of enemies if he wants to remain loyal to his Lord. The world and the devil daily lie in wait to deprive him of life and limb. Furthermore, his own flesh, reason, and conscience plague him constantly. As a result, his heart trembles with fear. Luther's works, vol. 24: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John: Chapters 14-16 p 10Jesus words promise a forever place. This promise is given to us as church together today. We are not meant to not view this world as home. No we are meant to trust in Jesus' person and his promise: he is going to, "prepare a place for you."
if Jesus = Good Shepherd then his followers (aka Christians) = Sheep
Jesus is every Christians' shepherd. In a world full of dangers that promise shines bright. Jesus watches over and protects every believer in the midst of this world's dangers. Jesus guides his followers into abundant life that starts in relationship with him (John 10:10). This promises more than a way to safety. Relationship with Jesus means full life that doesn't end in death. Thieves may come to steal and destroy (John 10:1) and Jesus is the way through all that to abundant everlasting life. Jesus promise remains even after the world has done the worst to you. Jesus, the gatekeeper, watches over protecting his own. His simple promise rings out--those who know him follow his voice and find abundant and everlasting life with him (John 10:2-6, John 10:10).
Jesus gives His followers abundant life in a dangerous world. Jesus' promise isn't a guarantee of wealth or comfort on earth. I don't think Jesus made any promise of earthly prosperity. Rather Jesus spoke of life that didn't end in this world's struggle. He promised abundant life knowing the cost he would pay for his sheep (John 10:9, John 10:17). Jesus offers us an abundant life-giving forever relationship starting now. The world's dangers remain, and so does God's promise. We remain in the Good Shepherd's care forever: and forever started some time ago. The world's dangers are not eliminated--instead Jesus plants hope in his people to see abundant eternal life with God. Hope takes root in the promises Jesus makes. He will shepherd his followers in all situations even, as Psalm 23:4 says, the valley of shadow and death. Jesus identity as shepherd is his promise and our hope.
Peace, and thanks for reading.
John
Our Gospel this week is a story that's been told for 2000 years. It's a great old story. Sadly it's often forgotten in the middle of annual Easter celebrations.
Luke wrote how 2 of Jesus' friends, Cleopas and an un-named companion, met the resurrected Jesus but didn't know it was him. I laugh reading this story. Just think, they walked and talked with Jesus for a few miles but they didn't recognize him. The suspense is real. Jesus was just waiting to reveal himself to them. They couldn't even imagine that they were walking and talking with the one who they called Lord. It was too much to even hope for as one of his followers. And this is the mystery Jesus, still unrecognized, unraveled for them Luke 24:27.
This is a genuine Easter day kind of story, you can tell. Uncertainty swirls around everybody in authentic Easter stories, except Jesus. This story is full of all the elements of real Easter stories: doubt, fear, questions, amazement, prophecy fulfilled, and finally joy. I hear this story as a gift. Jesus rising overcomes all and any doubts; Jesus is alive. And no human being started the day expecting to meet him alive and well. And they recognized him finally in the breaking of the bread Luke 24:31-32.
Once he left these traveling companions spoke of how their hearts were on fire. Jesus' explanations moved them and reignited hope in them that God could still do wonderful things even after Jesus' death. Oh the joy to see him face to face. The joy to know that Jesus had come to, once and for all, overcome death. As you read or listen to Luke 24:13-35 I hope you smile along the way. There's joy in these two discovering that Jesus was there all along the way with them. The same joy can be found in our lives when we discover how God has been with us all the way through our lives too. The day Jesus rose was full of surprises, doubts, and joy that overcomes doubts. That morning Jesus' friends heard a report that Jesus was alive or at least that His body was missing from the tomb. And that news of resurrection and power met together with human disbelief that day just like in our day.
May every heart burn bright with the recognition that Jesus is alive and well and ready to transform our lives to reveal His glory to the world.
Peace, John.
We want God to come big and bold, But often times we meet God in the most mundane circumstances Luther wrote
If someone at that time had announced: “I know of a place in the world where God speaks and anyone can hear God there”; if I had gone there and seen and heard a poor pastor baptizing and preaching, and if I had been assured: “This is the place; here God is speaking through the voice of the preacher who brings God’s Word”—I would have said: “Well, I have been duped! I see only a pastor.” We should like to have God speak to us in His majesty. But I advise you not to run hither and yon for this. I suppose we could learn how people would run if God addressed them in His majesty. This is what happened on Mt. Sinai, where only the angels spoke and yet the mountain was wrapped in smoke and quaked. But you now have the Word of God in church, in books, in your home; and this is God’s Word as surely as if God Himself were speaking to you. Christ says: “You do not know the gift.” We recognize neither the Word nor the Person of Christ, but we take offense at His humble and weak humanity. When God wants to speak and deal with us, He does not avail Himself of an angel but of parents, of the pastor, or of my neighbor. This puzzles and blinds me so that I fail to recognize God, who is conversing with me through the person of the pastor or father. Luther, M. (1999, c1957). Vol. 22: Luther's works, vol. 22 : Sermons on the Gospel of St. John: Chapters 1-4 (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (22:526). Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.the mystery of God meeting us in the ordinary should never be overlooked peace to all, John
Jesus came to die and rise before reigning as Lord of all. The devil invited Jesus to skip straight to reigning over creation. But Jesus wouldn't take the short cut--as a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus who died and rose--I for one am grateful that He didn't take the shortcuts the devil offered.
A quick reading of Matthew 4:1-11 introduces the two main characters. Jesus, the once and future king of the universe who came to earth. And the great accuser who comes at him with 3 tempting offers. Sounds a little like the ring announcer at a fight. "In this corner the once and future king of all creation who exists today as a weak mortal and in this corner the father of all lies the final enemy of all creation."
It is the fight for the ages. Jesus came humble. He put aside His power to live as a man. The Devil came ready with years of experience destroying what God had made good. The enemy could entice mortals--he'd done it countless times before. He never had any power to create--but he's repeatedly convinced creatures to destroy what God has made good. And as he looked at Jesus he saw an opening for temptation and destruction.
Some readers of scripture take this story as a simple moral example. It's easy to miss the point and give direction to other people to "Just be like Jesus when you face temptation." But that interpretation misses the whole cosmic battle that's taking place there in the wilderness right at the start of Jesus ministry.
I sometimes think the Devil understood from day one who Jesus was, is, and will be. That means the day Jesus came to earth the enemy knew clearly who Jesus was and who he was going to ultimately be for all time. I think that they both were looking at the end of all things the whole time. I think that both understood that at the end of all things Jesus will reign over all--even the devil understands that coming reality. And He invited Jesus to skip the pain of the cross and go right to final glory.
The temptation was right in front of Jesus. Right then Jesus, not at some future moment, right at that point in history the Devil invited Jesus to take full advantage of his power. Come on, Jesus if you are king just start to reign. Forget about everything else. If you are king just start to show it right now. But along the way to that final culmination of all time comes a question: If Jesus is king what does He plan to reign over?
"Love your enemies," Jesus said it, and He meant it.
He offers sinners nothing less than His love on the cross. And He invites His followers to walk in similar steps dealing with real people and real conflicts.
What on earth is Jesus speaking about. He was speaking about how God's word—His law and His Gospel—point His followers to live in this world. Jesus is naming the truth about people and about God. Following Jesus is no pie in the sky religion. He gives an invitation to trust God everyday in down to earth face to face challenges. Be honest: loving enemies isn't easy. Dealing with people who greet you with swear words and curses isn't easy. And Jesus words aren't just meant for us with people who are close-by. He's offering this direction to us in every dimension of our lives. This isn't easy; Jesus knows that and He says love your enemies and pray for them. He says that about people close by and about enemies and warring nations.
Maybe you want to say back to Jesus, "Really Jesus, even they deserve Christ like love?" Jesus invites His friends to new life beginning and ending in His cross. He invites those who greet you with anger and wrath to that very same new life. Jesus isn't calling His friends just to show kindness to the kind and pleasant, that's easy. He calls his disciples to love those they are in conflict with today and those they will be in conflict with in the future.
Jesus invitation to new life starts and ends with His cross. He comes to offer new life, period including in person to person relationships. When He says love your enemies He's not talking about warm fuzzy love. He's talking about love that can stand in storms and face evil for what it is. Jesus is calling us even to see those who do us harm as people with basic dignity. Here's really honest territory for believers. Jesus sees the dignity of all people. And He invites his friends to do the same.
Listen close to the Savior's words,
...love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. Matthew 5:44 NCVJesus invites his friends to live honest about everything--joy and pain, relationships and conflict. Following Jesus means freedom to be honest about who God is and who people are and what people do right and wrong. When Jesus calls you to love your enemies not just the loveable. He is calling us to love our neighbors when we look at them not as good and trustworthy but when even we see them as dishonorable. Even then Jesus says love them and pray for them.
Jesus knows how we tick--especially inside. Jesus' preaching on a Galilean mountaintop in Matthew 5:21-37 reveals just how much he gets us. Listen close to His words. He's talking about "private" thoughts and naming them as sin Matthew 5:21-23, Matthew 5:27-28. He's talking about forgiveness. He's calling his people to step away from the altar to make peace with a neighbor before making an offering Matthew 5:24-26. He speaks about sin and breaking away from it Matthew 5:29-31. He speaks of divorce and vows Matthew 5:31-37.
Jesus boldly points to real sins, murder and adultery, that occur in thoughts as much as actions. He speaks to the harm caused by broken relationship. In short Jesus is showing clear that he knows us. He says there's no difference between the sins present "only" in the space between hearts and heads as in bodily actions.
Jesus leaves no doubt. Anyone who has lusted is guilty of adultery Matthew 5:27-28. Anyone who has raged against another, even without expressing such inner thoughts, is guilty of sin Matthew 5:21-23. There's no medieval quibbling about venial and mortal sin for Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Sin is sin. It breaks relationships and He calls us to repair broken relationships on our way to the altar. Our enraged or lustful thoughts break relationships. It's our thoughts that stop us from seeing our neighbors as equal creatures in God's eyes.
And here Jesus calls us out. He sees the very ones he'd die to save. And he calls out our sin. There's no space for hypocrisy here. All have sinned either through their bodies or in their minds. There's no fake holiness. Just conviction and direction to make right the relationships we've broken.
Peace, and thanks for reading. John
God shapes and reshapes identities: so when Jesus calls you salt and light he's announcing who you are in him Matthew 5:13-14. Maybe you say no to Jesus, "But I am not very salty or very bright." Remember who's calling you salt and light: the one who made the whole of everything says you are salt and light for the world.
It's possible to mistake Jesus' words for a coach's pep talk. Think of an encouraging half time speech from a great coach. You might know of a coach who calls out the best from within his players natural talents. Jesus is doing something different; He names a new identity and ability that comes from God himself. Salt and light aren't in anybody by nature. Salt and light aren't a byproduct of human efforts at being good. The new identity as salt and light changes believers for the sake of the world.
Luther wrote of preachers as salt and light standing bright for the whole world to see,
It is a hard job to be an apostle or a preacher and carry out this kind of office, yes, an impossible one, judging according to flesh and blood. But they must be people who do it gladly for the sake of God and the Lord Christ. He does not want to compel anyone or drive him with commandments. For the state of being a Christian is one that requires only willing hearts. Anyone who does not heartily want it had better leave it alone. But this is our consolation: When we are in trouble and the world and the devil are glaring at us and acting as cruelly as possible, then He says to us: “You are the salt of the earth.” When the Word shines into a man’s heart so that he can depend on it and lay uncontested claim to the title “God’s salt,” then let anyone who refuses to laugh be as angry and cruel as he pleases. With His single word I can be more defiant and boastful than they with all their power, swords, and guns. Luther's works, vol. 21p 54: The Sermon on the Mount. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.Jesus' Sermon on the Mount had a bigger audience than the fisherman who would tell the Good News of his death and rising to the world, no, Matthew 5-7 is full of vision and possibility for all who believe.
When Jesus walked the earth he preached to the people telling them to turn their lives around. He had good reason, God's Kingdom was coming close Matthew 4:17. Somehow I overlap thoughts of God's coming Kingdom with an imaginary picture of heaven. Maybe you imagine God's kingdom as a heavenly place too--you know, filled with
Christmas reminded me this year that Jesus, the Light of the world, shows bright in the darkness. And now this week in Matthew 3 we hear how Jesus ministry of healing, teaching, dying, and rising began. Remember Jesus ministry brought light to everyone he met. Some embraced him, some fought him openly, some hid not wanting to let the light into the painful dark places of their souls.
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I need to be baptized by you!”John the Baptist was a great man who knew he had a part of God's plan. He knew wasn't the be all and the end all of God's plan. No believer is. Instead we are the vessels that God shapes and molds to carry his light into the world. Remember he's the potter and we're the clay (See Isaiah 64:8). Jesus had a plan to come and John the Baptist's soft heart was like clay in the Father's hands. He offered everything that Jesus light might be shared with the world.
15 Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God’s will.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. Matthew 3:13-15 (NCV)
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.” Matthew 3:16-17 (NCV)Jesus pleased God before His ministry had even begun. And I believe that God desires to find great joy in each one of his sons and daughters.
