Jesus knows Matthew 5:21-37

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

Salty and Bright Matthew 5:13-20

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.

Some see this sermon as a new law--a new standard for living--new rules to made and enforced most especially for others. Read Jesus' words close. Jesus is speaking of God making his followers salt and light even if they aren't salty or bright on their own.

This sermon reveals Jesus' vision. It's his plan to work through Word and Spirit. Jesus spoke of a present reality in which God is alive and at work. Jesus spoke of his people acting in this world on their redeemer's behalf. Jesus spoke of a world in which the spiritually hungry, the peacemakers and the mourners would see God move to meet the deepest hungers of their souls. In short, Jesus shared his vision. He tells what he's doing for his followers moving and reordering this world from the bottom up .

Right after Jesus shared this vision Matthew tells how He called to all who could hear him, close friends and onlookers in the great crowd, that they had new identities: You are salt Matthew 5:13 and you are light Matthew 5:.14. Jesus assigned these new identity to all who heard him that day: you are salt and light. Let that sink in for a minute. You are salt and light for the sake of the world.
Peace, and thanks for reading. John.

Close to Heaven Matthew 4:12-23

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

• puffy clouds to float on
• angels--who look like chubby babies in flossy diapers
• harps to strum
• heavenly choirs praising God
• you can add to this list

When Jesus said God's kingdom was coming close He stood on earth and spoke to people who daily knew sin, death, and evil. Jesus spoke of a Kingdom that was coming close to people on this earth. This is Good News for hurting people: the King of the Universe's dominion is coming close to us.

Some might say God can't come if things aren't perfect--but Jesus would likely disagree. He called for people to turn away from sin--the kingdom is coming. Even failed preparations won't prevent Jesus' coming. Past sins and shames don't stop him; turn away from the old sins and come to the light. Matthew says Jesus coming fulfilled the promise of an ancient prophet. He pointed to Isaiah wh o spoke on God's behalf when he said light would come for people in darkness Isaiah 9:1-2, Matthew 4:16-17. And He meant it. God's light is meant for those in darkness.

How close is God's Kingdom? If God's coming Kingdom isn't best envisioned as a far way heaven how can it be imagined. In all 4 Gospels Jesus, and the Kingdom of God that came as he came, were close enough to be sensed with eyes, ears, tongues, noses, and skin. This was no head trip--it was a flesh and blood experience of God coming in the middle of every detail of life. When Jesus called two fisherman Simon and Andrew to come and catch people like they'd caught fish He was inviting them to join in as the Kingdom came close by Matthew 4:19-20. Two other fishmen, Zebedee's boys James and John came along too.
That's how it started--so now comes our invitation to go fishing and come close to heaven.
Peace and thanks for reading, John

like wet clay Matthew 3:13-17

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!”
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)

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.

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.

When you hear God's voice do you hear words like Jesus did? If you don't there's good chance that heart is hard. There's a good chance that you need to remember what it means to live wet from baptism. Living wet from baptism doesn't remove your past. Your history is there—but it does mean that your history—either what you've done or what others have done to you—dictates your future in Christ Jesus. Remember we serve a great and creative God. He's the Father who made you and he is the one who seeks to remake you.

Now if you think that you're to hard of a lump for God to work with you I want you to remember your baptism. In Baptism we, like Jesus, come to the water. We like Jesus come to hear God's Word announce who we are and why we matter to our Father in heaven. And if your heart is hard—like a lump of solid dried out clay today is a wonderful day to remember who made you and who has redeemed you.

When a potter has a lump of dried out clay he doesn't have to throw it out. Instead he starts to get it wet. As the edges start to soften he'll start working water inside the clay little by little. A skilled potter pokes small holes into a dry lump as it starts to soften to let even more water in. God does that with each of us and our hearts. He comes to us day after day. He works on us sometimes with great fever and other times slowly bit by bit as the Word and Holy Spirit works first at the edges of our hardened hearts and hardened consciences. And slowly God's Word and Spirit penetrate to the very core of who we are that we can hear again who made us and how much joy he finds in each of us. AMEN.
Peace, and thanks for reading. John

When Angels Start Talking Matthew 1:18-24

Angels and dreams have a big part in the Christmas story: for both Joseph and Mary God's messengers brought change into their lives. The angel in Joseph's dream was God's representative bridging the space between humanity and our creator. Artist conceive of Angels as tiny children or great warriors. I think the image of the Warrior seems most faithful to scripture; but the Angels shape and size are not as significant as who they speak for and what they have to say.

Angels came in the months leading up to Christmas as the first messengers of transformation. When God's plans begin to unfold our lives take new shape. Angels come to announce the new beginning and the promise of a fresh start and resurrection. In our day it's the Word we call scripture and the dreams God gives to us of a better day when we live for God and God's glory that move us ahead.

It's in the moment when God talks when things start happening. It's been that way from the beginning. When God breathed out the word light it came into being. God works just this way--speaking creation into life. When he spoke to Abraham he called him out one nation to become the father of a great nation. God works just this way giving people a promise and in that promise a new identity for future generations too. When God spoke to Moses he called out of bush and made promises of deliverance for a people in chains. God works just this way hearing the cries of the poor and hurting.
God's speaking through other beings is part of the Christmas story. It was an angel who spoke to Mary. It was angels speaking to shepherds keeping watch over their fields by night. It was angels who spoke about something coming that hadn't yet been seen. May the wonder Jesus the one whom the angels promised fill us with hope and joy this Christmas.
Peace and thanks for reading

What do you hear and see? Mattew 11:2-11

John, the forerunner of God's kingdom, sat in prison. He sent his followers out to ask Jesus, are you the one? (Matthew 11:2-3) Imagine John waiting in prison. He may have looked out of place but he didn't act like he was out of place. He wasn't used to confinement. He likely seemed limited and even vulnerable to his captors. The crowds knew him as strong, untamed, and faithful to God--imagine that man in a cell. When the king brought him out of his cell John preached the same unvarnished message as before he was imprisoned: repent of your sin, the kingdom of heaven is coming near. Even in prison John was no mere reed blown in the wind (Matthew 11:7-9). Jesus echoing Malachi's words 5 centuries earlier said,

This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’ Matthew 11:10 ESV

The king, Herod, liked to listen to him; but he wouldn't turn from his sin and change his lifestyle. And so it went for John up until his death confined but still faitful to his calling to prepare the way for the Lord.
John was the messenger prophets saw coming first(Malachi 3:1). And now he sat waiting for the one would come next. Jesus responded to John's question, "are you the one?" telling John's followers to report of what they saw and heard (Matthew 11:4-6). Jesus fulfilled the promises made by prophets like Isaiah envisions centuries before (Isaiah 35:5-6). He open blind eyes and unstopped deaf ears. He healed making broken people whole. This was the report that Jesus wanted to go back to John in prison. This is the news we as a church have to share this Christmas with the world. God has come and he has brought healing for this hurting world.
Are you the one? This is a great Christmas question to ask of everything you place high up in your life. Whatever it is you are passionate about, ask are you the one. You might ask it later this week as you sort through possible presents for your kids, a coworker who's name you drew for the gift exchange, your spouse, or your parents. Are you the one? Are you flashy video game or shiny trinket the one that might satisfy the deep soul needs of a person in my life? Are you semi-precious object the thing that will convey words of love to someone I can't say? Are you the one flashy tablet or computer that will satisfy the deep needs of a soul that yearns to be loved by God and the people nearby. Christmas is a great time to look at all the things we have and give. The truth is no object no matter how cool or technically advanced or expensive can ever cut the mustard. They simply aren't enough.
What we need today is Jesus. What we need today is a God who is enough. Paul spoke to the Church in Corinth about God's grace being enough 2 Corinthians 12:9. Jesus is the one who meets our needs. Giving his love at Christmas is the one thing that we can give that will last and make a lasting difference in our lives.
Peace and thanks for reading, John
PS a prayer request. I am looking forward to a day in court as part of a divorce proceeding. Please pray for my 3 girls, their mom, and me in the days ahead.

Joseph's Christmas Story an Advent Conversation

Who was Joseph? He was Jesus' dad, but God the Father, was Jesus' Father. There's no way around it, the Christmas story's messy. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's real life complications mirror many people's stories. And that's no accident. God comes at Christmas for the world. Joseph's part in the Christmas story shows God's work in the real world where sin, death, and evil are all at work.
Matthew's tells the Christmas story,

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19 ESV)

The facts seemed very clear to Joseph. He was engaged to Mary. He counted on her faithfulness. He learned she was pregnant. Joseph knew one thing for certain, the child growing inside Mary wasn't his. His plan was simple--end this relationship with Mary and get on with his life. What do you think of Joseph at this point in the story?
Think about it: Joseph's trust in Mary just evaporated. He took Mary's faithfulness for granted. But something happened. The evidence was clear for everybody to see. Joseph lost trust--an essential part of any lasting relationship. Some argue Joseph, in his day, had reason to seek Mary's life. She dishonored him; but he sought to quietly walk away.
How can a person who's broken trust become trustworthy again?
Remember Joseph's plan was to quietly end his commitment to Mary. But somebody had a different plan for Joseph's life. Matthew tells the story this way,

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV)

Digging deeper There's no question, Joseph had a change of heart. His attitude and actions towards Mary and the child growing inside her change after meeting the angel. The facts of the situation hadn't changed: but his attitude did. Mary was still pregnant, they weren't yet married, he wasn't this babies father, and people were likely still talking behind their backs about what had happened. But Joseph saw things differently. He stopped looking for a way out of his promise to Mary stepping forward instead to help her raise this child. How would you explain Joseph's change of heart to somebody who knows about Christmas trees and Santa Claus but has never heard the whole Christmas story?
A visit from an angel changed Joseph's attitude. And God keeps speaking today through His Word read in scripture, sung about in psalm, hymns, and spiritual songs, heard from friends and family who share God Word with us. God's Word changes how we see things. At a funeral we see a dead body; but faith in God's Word helps us see new life for believers who die. The circumstances haven't changed on this earth; but a heart of faith sees something different. How does God change hearts today?
How important is Joseph's change of heart to the whole Christmas story?
Jesus finds us in the middle of our lives and dreams with both broken and healed parts of our souls. Looking at Joseph's part in the Christmas story leaves no question, our attitude towards our circumstances makes a huge difference. What would it take to change your perspective to see people you dislike as someone God very much cares about? Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. John