unlike any other man

Word came to Jesus: the king was plotting to kill him. If someone sought to hurt me or a member of my family I'd take action. The goal would be simple: keep safe. When news of King Herod's plot reached Jesus he didn't prepare for a fight or take flight Luke 13:31. Jesus came to die as much as to live--the thing was he wasn't meant to die quite yet. Luke 13:32

Jesus' aim in life is substantially different than the goals people know by nature. By nature, when healthy, we seek to preserve our lives. We try to live long and comfortable. We dream of going on for a long time. Many seek ways to preserve themselves or a legacy of themselves, Ernst Becker argued well in The Denial of Death, after death here in this earth. But Jesus came for the cross. Along the way He brought new life, healing, and truth to many people. He taught so much by example about how to live on this earth. But that wasn't the point. The end of our faith is not found on this earth. Paul told the Philipians as much in Philipians 3:20-4:1. The end of our faith is life with Christ.

It's an understatement to say that Jesus came teaching us how to live. As much as Jesus came to die as much if not more so than he lived to heal and transform giving us an example of how to live he came to die for us. He came teaching us how to die that we might live in him. Jesus came to give everything—to be totally depleted Luke 13:33. He came teaching us the truth that by dying in we might live both now today and always in Christ. Jerusalem was Jesus' goal—the city where he would meet his end; rejected like so many other prophets before Luke 13:34. He knew the end was coming in Jerusalem and He wouldn't go there until the very last moment Luke 13:35. Praise be that Jesus came to die and rise. Peace to you, John

Alone with your Father Matthew 6:1-6;16-22

Have you ever watched an 8 or 9 months old child interacting with a loving mom or dad? Before speaking a single word babies express love and joy. Arms fly and feet kickout when someone special looks in their eyes and smiles. Grown people don't remember these early interactions; but just watch a young child and you will see the grand design: human beings were made for profound connections of joy and love.
Jesus, in Matthew 6:5-6, invites each believer into a personal space with God the Father. Jesus beckons--go be alone with the Father who loves you. Maybe you don't think you could bring joy to God the Father quite the way a 9 month old does--but just imagine the space of prayer that Jesus invites you to today as a space of joy. It was in the same space God the father rejoiced when you were very little. It's in that same space that Jesus invites you to go be alone with God the Father today. Go to be with the one who knows your name and who smiles just to be with you. Little ones rejoice when someone knows them and calls them by name. And Jesus invites you to be that close with God our Father.
Some argue not everyone can easily relate to God as a Father. Many fathers and mothers betray those they should to protect through abuse and neglect. And still Jesus calls us close to a God who deserves the name Father. Many struggle in relationships with distant parents who wrestle with addiction or mental illness. And knowing all the weaknesses of human parents Jesus still calls us to come close to the Father who loves and knows us who we can trust.
Martin Luther wrote about prayer explaining

prayers ought to be brief, frequent, and intense. For God does not ask how much and how long you have prayed, but how good the prayer is and whether it proceeds from the heart.

Therefore Christ says now: “Your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask for it.” It is as if He would say: “What are you up to? Do you suppose that you will talk Him down with your long babbling and make Him give you what you need? There is no need for you to persuade Him with your words or to give Him detailed instructions; for He knows beforehand what you need, even better than you do yourself.” — Martin Luther, vol. 21, Luther’s Works, Vol. 21 : The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther’s Works, Mt 6:14 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999, c1956). page 143

As you come close to the Father you'll learn the whole truth about who God is and who you are. You'll hear of God's love. You will hear words that challenge and inspire. He showed His love for each of us sending his own Son, his own flesh and blood, to die to save us.
Joy in Ash Wednesday On Ash Wednesday we hear Jesus' invitation to be alone with our Father. As you come close you will be fully known. You will learn God your Father isn't ok with everything you do. Don't be surprised if broken relationships and sins come up. Your Father loves you and delights in you; but there's a guarantee other things well change in value: the idols you've put first in your life--they will fall away as you come closer to the Father. When you come closer you will know the whole truth--you'll see your sins and the cross that over came them. You'll see your broken parts and the new life God has for you in Christ Jesus.
Your father will call you back to that first relationship of joy and hope. He will call you out of the addictions, compulsions, and behaviors that hurt you and others. He will call you out of troubled places into peace with him.
Peace to you, John.

Just a little glory Luke 9:28-43

The kingdom of God is close to us; but it doesn't always appear that way. When Jesus came to earth the kingdom came close to everyone he met. God the Father is close to all of us; much like the father in the story of the prodigal son. We are the ones who wander far from God and his plans for our lives. But God the Father remains close all the time ready to welcome us back Luke 15:11-32.

God the Father's closer than we think. There's a very thin space between heaven and earth; and Luke tells of a moment when the glory of heaven, which had always been present in Jesus (but was often hidden), was there clear for Peter, James and John Luke 9:28-36. When Jesus taught, healed, forgave, and caste out daemons the glory shown to a few. But for the most part Jesus glory, and heavens glory with him, was hidden just beneath the surface.

Jesus revealed His glory and forever identity to 3 friends (Luke 9:28-29). They were up on a mountain top, but the view that most impressed them was Jesus transfigured shining bright as two of Israel's great heroes, Moses and Elijah joined him (Luke 9:30-31).

Mountain top moments are part of faith and hope. God gave such moments like Moses had looking into the Promised Land seeing the future that God had in store not for him but for his people Deuteronomy 32:48-52. Martin Luther King Jr spoke of going to  the mountain top the night before his assassination. Mountain Top moments allow us to see what God has still to come. They are a preview of the glory ahead. But we don't get to stay there in the glory that day of glory will come, but right now we are invited to live in faith and hope and love trusting in the promises of God. 

Peter, not sure what to do or say on the mountain, offered to make booths for Jesus and 2 prophets as a way to hold onto the moment Luke 9:32-33. God the Father's voice boomed This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him! and suddenly Jesus was there alone with his friends Luke 9:34-36.

Heading down hill they came to a Father struggling with a daemon possessed son Luke 9:37-38. The boy's father begged the disciples to help; but they could do nothing Luke 9:39-40. Jesus words expressed frustration at the disbelief; but he didn't leave the boy in the possession of the daemon. Heaven was close and the power of God was clear again as God set the boy free. Luke 9:41-43.

May God grant us mountain top moments to see the Glory of God in our days, even if only for a moment Amen.

Feedback requested: How have you sensed God through touch?

We're working in Fairmont, Minnesota toward a shared Lenten Series entitled Come to Your Senses: A Lenten Journey with God.  The idea is each preacher will share how God is sensed through our different experiences.  I've been asked to speak to experiencing God through the sense of touch.

I'm wondering how other people experience God through touch. 

What stories are you aware of that explore an experience of God's presence through touch?

I am also very curious what scripture you point to as you explain experiences of God's tangible--incarnate--activity touching you in the world.

thanks for your input. Pax, John. Published by John, an unlikely pastor at unlikelyconversation.blogspot.com unlikleyj.tumblr.com unlikelybanter.newsvine.com unlikelybanter.blogspot.com

How have you sensed God's touch?

Jesus, what should we expect you to do? Luke 4:14-21

Jesus came to earth to do great things. When he stood in his home synagogue in Nazareth the people hoped for something as he read from Isaiah in Luke 4:18-19. Jesus started point to Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind
then he made an alusion to Isaiah 58:6
to let the oppressed go free
before he turned back to Isaiah 61:2
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Reading this weeks Gospel I'm struck by word picture Luke paints of the eyes turned towards Jesus in Luke 4:20 as he announced Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
We humans have so many expectations of God. And in Jesus all our expectations find their fulfillment; but that doesn't mean we get what we demand from God. In Jesus we meet the living God and not Santa Claus. We meet the one who made all things who provides for us every deay. But the living God won't give us what we unreasonably demand. No in Jesus we meet the the Living God who wants us to follow him into the fulness of life and hope.
thanks for reading, peace to you, John

Jesus' like trust Luke 4:1-11

I've been blessed for the last 4 days to have conversations with some non-believers. It's been an online conversation at a blog I keep on newsvine So far in 170 some comments I've seen comment from believers and non believe--some non-believers are angry and insulting. Some are wrestling with the question. "How do you experience God?" and their own bitter experiences of religion, church, and theology that just don't add up to a happy life in their minds.

I didn't expect to see so many non - believers come to deal with the question and I've tried hard to fairly answer all who have come. Some are ready to name the sins of the church past and present. Some want to talk biology or cosmology. Some just want to stir the coals. And in it all I find a moment of grace to share a little of my faith and I hope I am gracious enough that the true nature of God revealed in the person of Jesus might come through for all to see.

Looking at Luke 4:1-11 I think that Jesus can relate to the pesky and pointed questions. I sort of wish he were the one having these exchanges rather than me with my limited words and limited capacity to love. Right after Jesus Baptism Luke 4:1-11 says the Devil came at Jesus 3 times. In my own experience it doesn't take the Devil long to do a whole lot of damage--one angry conversation can be all it takes to tear a family apart. One moment of temptation can be all that's required to pull someone away from God.

When the devil challenged Jesus, "If you are the son of God..." in Luke 4:3 and Luke 4:9 the enemy made a bold assumption--that Jesus would try to prove his Divinity by taking up the dares. Jesus was the one the Devil challenged as in Luke 4:6-7 but the enemy was opening up himself to challenges as much as he was challenging Jesus.

Each time Jesus answered the Devil as one with faith in God unseen. Faith is a very curious part of a believers life. It moves people to do unreasonable things--and gives us peace this world can't give. A wonder of faith is that in Jesus we will find that same peace John 14:27. It moves men like Martin Luther King Jr and Desmond Tutu to be almost fearless in working for justice. It moves people facing great struggles to see something better even though the world says otherwise. Jesus showed us how to trust as he faced the enemy.

May the peace of God give us courage in the face all challenges. Amen. Peace to all, John

Feedback requested: Come to your Senses or How do sense God?

Have you ever been told to, "Come to your senses" For some deep thinkers it's a common accusation, "you are being to cerebral" or "you are not in tune with what's actually going on in the world right around you";
In the next month we'll be working in churches in Fairmont, Minnesota USA toward a shared Lenten Series entitled Come to Your Senses: A Lenten Journey with God.
A possible theme verse is, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NIV
I'm wondering how other people experience God through all five senses. I am most curious about the way you sense God in tangible ways through touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell.
What has been your experience: How do you sense God?
What stories are you aware of that explore an experience of God's presence?
I am also very curious what scripture you point to as you explain experiences of God's tangible--incarnate--activity in the world.
thanks for your input. Pax, John.