Sunday, January 02, 2005

January 2nd Reflections

Sunday 1/2/2005
Luke 6.1-26 - Jesus and his disciple heat some grain off some picked wheat on a Sabbath -- The Pharisees get all excited that Jesus was working on the Sabbath and disobeying God and sinning -- but Jesus retells a story of when David and his men were hungry and ate the bread in the temple - Jesus finished by saying that the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath- of course I imagine that just fueled the fire the Pharisees had against Jesus anyway -- how would you like to have a bunch of pastors following you around waiting for you to slip up and then rubbing your nose in it -- well Jesus didn’t even slip up- but they sure were ready to pounce- they wouldn’t find much fun with me - cause they would have too many times they could pounce and rub my nose in my sin- I guess I’d make that bunch of pastors feel pretty good about themselves - maybe- as if that would make any difference in anything --- so Jesus eggs them on and heals this guys hand on the Sabbath -- on purpose - cause he knew what the Pharisees were thinking -- and it made them furious -- I love this stuff - subtle ways to get their goats - then Jesus went off to the mountain to pray - for the whole night - a big thing was about to happen - here is a great example - especially if you know a big event is coming -- go pray - pray a bunch - talk to God - the next morning Jesus chose the twelve apostles - So Jesus and his apostles come down out of the mountain to flat level land - all these people were there wanting healing -- even just a touch would heal - Jesus power was going out from him and healing them all - Then Jesus blessed them
Genesis 3-5 - So the snake tells Eve that hey -- look at that fruit on that tree there- God doesn’t want you to eat it cause then you will know the difference between right and wrong and become more like God -- yea-- like God would be jealous or something -- and then you think that hey! -- Eve didn’t even know what right and wrong was -- all was right to her at that time -- So she thinks -- hey yea! -- that sounds good -- I need to know the difference from right and wrong for no good reason anyway -- isn’t that just like me -- I’ll want something for no reason -- convince myself I’ve gotta have it -- I don’t even know why -- so Eve and Adam ate -- then they noticed they were naked -- well they got what they wanted didn’t they- now they were frightened and hid -- hey that sounds like something good -- now we go hide when we sin -- see how great the knowledge of good and bad is?- whoopee! -- how dumb we all are!!! -- so God comes looking for his kids -- Adam answers that he was naked when he heard God coming and hid -- well -- God has a clue! -- how do you even know what naked means? -- why does being naked make you want to hide? -- it’s just like when I was a kid - I thought Mom and Dad were a couple of idiots and couldn’t figure anything out -- now I relive all that with my kids and can figure it out so easily - so Adam and Eve start to tell lies -- well God puts a stop to all that crap and lays down the discipline-- he does love them after all - just like a Father would - well God kicked them out of the garden - they couldn’t eat fruit from the tree that would give life forever -- yea - Adam and Eve got what they wanted - they now know the difference between right and wrong -- big deal -- why did I want that in the first place?? -- how dumb we are! -- Adam and Eve had a son and named him Cain - then another son and named him Abel - Cain and Abel both gave offerings to God -- Cain-grain and Abel-sheep -- for some reason God like Abel’s offering better that day - I suppose God has that right - but that made Cain all mad at Abel -- seems to me he should have been mad at God - God tries to talk some sense into Cain -- but Cain goes on out and kills Able anyway -- so God asks Cain - where is Abel? -- Huh? -- I dunno! - Why do we think God is so clueless? - So God cursed Cain - sent him off - marked him and sent him away to live on his own -- So Cain and his wife (must be ol what’s her name) -- have a son and name him Enoch - then a whole bunch more stuff like that - Jubal was the first to play harps and flutes - then we jump back to Adam and his wife (like we already for ol what’s her face- course maybe it was a different wife!) -- named that kid Seth - then Seth had a son and named him Enosh - this time they don’t even bother with the wife - probably just some female passing by - who knows?? - then we go back to a bunch of sons of so and so and so forth and so on - Enoch truly loved God, and God took him away at the age of three hundred sixty-five -- doesn’t say he died or anything -- but if I live that long - I figure God should just take me away - enough is enough! - but poor ol Methuselah - he went on to nine hundred and sixty-nine and then died--ok back to some more thoughts - here we go again trying to be like God - we feel we need to know right and wrong - so we want to close that gap that God has put between us - that separation God has placed there -- but we initiate the action - we eat the fruit -- we can’t close the gap by what we do -- same way with Cain and Abel -- Cain rejects God established order - God like Abel’s offering better - Cain didn’t get this and decided to go against God’s order - he decided to eliminate Abel - Cain took on what was God’s priviledge -- that of giving and taking life - Cain was trying to eliminate that gap between him and God - Cain was trying to be God and eliminate Abel - so in both cases with Adam and Eve and Cain -- when we try to be God - we sin -- God is God -- and he wants that separation there -- God has a plan to close that separation in a son -- Jesus -- it’s only through Jesus that the separation goes away -- not by some bright idea we have or something we do -- only through Jesus! -- oh how Jesus is luking in the OT!
Psalm 2 - Why do people make useless plans? - we think we can set ourselves free- yea right! - God just laughs at us - forget all that crap of planning only for yourself -- include God in those plans- his plan - not mine -- serve his plan - be glad and tremble - show respect for his plan- listen and do his will - not some plan of your own!
Contrast the peaceful things and that of reality and it’s harshness. Christ is present in both and is bold enough to be with you peacefully in the reality of your life. Take comfort. Jesus saves you.
Do not neglect God’s Word - gladly hear and learn it
John 1.1-18 - The Word was there at the start -- there is that Lurker Jesus! -- but not really a lurker - cause it all came through him - Jesus is life - John the B came to testify to this Word - this Light - Jesus came to what was his won and we didn’t even recognize him -- there it is -- God comes to us -- we really screw it up when we try to go to God - we can’t -- only God can come to us -- God is God - through Jesus that separation that God intends is in the right order - God closes the gap - I can’t close the gap - Jesus is close to the Father’s heart and has put himself inside of my heart - God came to me through Jesus -- I can’t come to him - God comes to me -- thanks be to God!!!!!
Philemon 8-14 - appeal to each other in love
Psalm 98 - Sing to God a new song - tell of his salvation everyday - god is great-glorious - strong - majestic - --- worship God!
Prayer- Jesus-- Man are you cool or what?! -- you existed before any of it was created -- there was that separation thing going on - yea I know I’m different from God - I hear you - I can’t become God -- but look how it was all set up - even before it existed- you were at creation - and you came to me even before I was created - you are the direction to God -I get to God by you getting to me - not by me getting to you - ain’t that weird?! -you come to the disciples - you came to those needy people after your night of prayer - you come to Noah and give him direction - you come to us as a baby in our dark world - you come to John the Baptist and give him a clear message - you come to us over and over and over -- then look at what happens to all those people who are so bold and proud to think they can come to you -- they can’t be God - it just ain’t gonna work that way - come to me this day - make me a part of your plan this day - show me the action/item you want me to take on - show me the gifts you want me to use - show me the love you want me to give -- today I’ll praise you - please hear my worship and praise for you - for you are God - I am here to please you - You are God - You are God - You are God!!! --- Amen

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