Willow - Matthew 9:9-13 - Second Week after Pentecost

 

Matthew 9:9-13 NIV

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Willow

So, in the context of these past few reflections, we have backed up in time a bit. We are back to the midst of Jesus ministry. This passage begins with Jesus moving on from there. Well, where is there? In this case the there is Capernaum. Capernaum is on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is a place where Jesus was active in His ministry. It’s the hometown of Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew as well. Here Jesus taught, healed and cast out demons. In some ways you could say that Capernaum was home base for Jesus’ ministry.

Jesus spots Matthew at work as a Tax Collector. You can see how Jesus is intentional with connecting to people. And Jesus connects with those you may not expect Him to connect with. He doesn’t look at the qualifications for being a disciple as the world would consider.

Even in Matthew’s own name is some meaning. Matthew means “gift of God” or “gift of Yahweh.” And for Jesus, I can see Him seeing Matthew as a gift. Even though considering Matthew’s occupation, most people would not see Matthew as a gift, let alone a gift of God. Most people would see Matthew as a nuisance, perhaps a swindler of money, to gain from taxes that were due for the government, skimming additional money off the top for himself.

Yet, Jesus calls Matthew anyway. And Matthew responds!

So, if you think about your own life as a disciple, especially if I ponder my own; we can be assured, at some point, Jesus comes even to sinners like me, and calls us to follow Him. I’ve related my experience in the past of a dream of Jesus coming to my door and calling me “Out to Play.” I didn’t understand it, at the time, but my life has wrapped itself around this saying from childhood to today. Jesus calls all disciples to “Follow Him.” Some calls may be more visual than others, and other calls may be subtle hints; but the point here is to follow the example of Matthew and get up and GO! And that in itself, takes trust and faith in that God IS involved. For some, like Matthew, it’s a quick response, but I think, for most, it’s a pause for consideration, prayer, thought, and discernment. But, in the finality of it all, we as disciples, GO and follow Jesus.

So, just in one verse, we see the power of Jesus on display, as He comes to sinners, and sinners respond. There is power in the personal touch of God, in the life of Matthew, and the life of us as well. So, likewise, as we work in the Kingdom of God, be bold to reach out in a personal way to ask for help from others, in Kingdom work here on earth. This personal touch is powerful.

Next is a wonderful celebration of Matthew’s new call and life change. Jesus gathers at the home of Matthew with all the sinful people. This wasn’t a dinner to impress the mighty and holy religious leaders. This was Jesus in communion with sinners and the common people of the day. This was Jesus, once again, coming to all those for whom He came to forgive, to save, and to call into the Kingdom of God.

Not only did Matthew break the common barriers of society, but Jesus, more importantly, broke all the barriers of, what was believed to be an unclean action, by communing and breaking bread with sinners. Jesus came to touch the unclean, not to justify the pious religious people of the day.

Think about it. If God wants to forgive sinners, He must be with the sinners. SO THAT, me and you, as well as ALL sinners, can repent and be turned around by Jesus’ presence to receive God’s forgiveness. Once again, do you see WHO is taking the initiative to act FIRST? God acts and we respond. How great is that!

Jesus comes into a relationship with us sinners to build us up into His image, to make us righteous, through HIM, rather than through our continual failures to be obedient to God’s will. God acts and we respond, in love to Him, and in love for one another.

As the Pharisees observed this dinner with sinners and the unclean folks of the day, they judged Jesus. How weird is that? Sinners, the Pharisees, judging God. Well, I’m not sure the Pharisees would think of themselves as sinners, just like many self-righteous Christians of today, tend to elevate their own moral standards beyond the common people of society; and judge those outside of their own particular beliefs or denominations.

We can get caught up in judging others. This alienates people. This doesn’t work like God would have it work. Remember, God comes to us. We too, as disciples, must GO… like last week’s message, TO those God gives to us, to love them and proclaim the Gospel of God’s forgiveness and salvation and eternal relationship.

That’s a TALL order. That’s an act that takes a life-time. That’s a call of the Church, here on earth to GO! And along the way we will be sure to stumble. But we are called to a change that only God can bring about in us and in His Church, that will be perfected by God in eternity. That’s a change! That’s a journey! That’s relationship WITH God!

So, don’t look down your nose! Rather turn to God and seek His will and His way, with a humble, joyful, thankful heart, for all that God has done for you.

Now Jesus speaks of “healthy” and “sick” people. Well, just who are these people?

The healthy people are those who “Think” they are healthy. People who place themselves above or beyond other people that, THEY decide, are sick. So, who does this deciding?

The healthy people decide this about themselves. But guess what? There are really NO healthy people on this earth. All of us are sin-sick. All of us sin against God AND one another. So, if you think you are one of the “Healthy,” don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s NOT your place to decide! We are ALL unclean. Get over it!

So, Jesus is coming to ALL of us, especially the “Sick” among us. And we’re all SICK! But if you don’t believe you are SICK, then you don’t think you need to be healed. Or maybe another way to put it is, you don’t think you need to be healed to become healthy.

This is the place that Jesus makes plain the LAW. We all fall short of fulfilling the LAW of God. In fact, the only one that was able to fulfill the LAW completely was Jesus. And Jesus makes it plain that He IS God. So, it’s only through Jesus, the Physician, that we can be healed. All others, that make this claim as our Healing Physician, are imposters.

So, as the Church, we are sent to reach out to the “Sick.” And that includes everyone. But reach out with what? Well, this is where Jesus teaches through Word and example. Jesus reaches out to the “Sick” by making the sick know they are sick, and He reaches out in active love for the “Sick” by communing with them, teaching them, healing them and bringing each of the “Sick” into communion with Him into eternity, SO THAT, the “Sick” may be turned around and away from sinfulness to a new life with God.

And yea, the “Sick” include the Pharisees, and all those pious Christians who claim to be so much better than the rest of this world, only through their own decision, that they are better, or above the other.

Now, the end of this passage, Jesus sends us all back to dig into God’s Word. To dig and discover true meaning. To dig into the Word and attempt to understand the message. This is a tall order. One, that for me, takes a lifetime of digging, and still, I don’t always “get it.”

Listen to just a couple of Old Testament prophets:

Hosea 6:6 NIV

⁶ For I (God) desire mercy, not sacrifice,
    and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

 

Micah 6:8 NIV

⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

 

Just as Jesus has come to the sinners, then and today; we learn, by His examples, that He is showing us mercy and compassion and love. Not because we deserve such a response from God, but because God can do what He wants, and He does do, what He wants.

 

So, likewise, when we receive such a great gift from Jesus, what is our response?

 

It’s NOT to overpower or over-lord other people. It’s to show one another mercy and compassion and love, no matter how filthy, or sinful, or hateful that other person is, or that other group of people are. We aren’t called to “Rule Over” one another. We are called to an obedience to God to love one another with mercy and compassion. Even those we hate. Whew! Lord, teach us and guide us and correct us along the way as we respond to Your call to love you, and one another!

Sometimes God catches us off guard when He calls us to do something in His Kingdom. Sometimes when we hear the call from God; God is the farthest thing from our minds. Sometimes He calls us right when we are in the midst of our sinfulness, even in the act of sinning. But God sees something different in us. God has the power to initiate and carry out significant life changes. And I think it’s important to be humble in His presence and fully acknowledge His power to change us into something we couldn’t imagine. And this is when trust and faith play out through what God calls us to do.

When I think of Abraham’s response to God’s call to GO, I think of how it wasn’t about how Abraham had any more fortitude than the rest of mankind. Rather Abraham, decided to place his trust in God’s call. Abraham wasn’t any better than any one else. Yet, God still called him to GO. And Abraham, or his descendants, for that matter, are no better than anyone else. But Abraham did recognize that trusting God, in God’s actions, rather than his own actions, would lead him to a better place. A place that God wanted him to go to. Abraham accepted God’s call with hope and faith that God would take care of him all along the way. So, Abraham didn’t go, or accept God’s call because he felt he was better than anyone else. I think Abraham accepted God’s call through trust, hope and faith that God gave him to go and follow God’s lead in his life.

Help me, Lord Jesus, as I listen to your word and your command. Teach me Your ways and set my heart straight.

When I think back on this past week, for myself; there was a knock on the door of my daughter Sarah’s house, early one morning. Two females from a horse farm across the road were at the door. They were looking for Willow, a horse that was in the pasture the previous night that went missing. I looked at all three of the cameras at the house, and could find no evidence showing what had taken place. The female ranch hands figured that Willow was stolen during the night.

Of course, the local authorities were notified. As the day went on the ranch hands continued to search. Then someone had the idea to search from the other side of the fence around the pasture. And yes, they found Willow, stuck in a creek by where the creek passes under the nearby road.

So, what happened? The fence was never compromised, but due to recent rains a sinkhole next to the creek had developed. Since Willow wandered close to the fence, she fell through the sink hole and crawled through a small cave like feature, and became stuck in the creek.

With this, I thought of how Jesus comes to us to call us. Even in the midst of our sinfulness, as we fall into sink holes and get stuck in our sin, Jesus hunts us down to find us where we are.

That’s just like my life with Jesus. Jesus comes to me and finds me. Jesus finds me, a sinner, and rescues me, but not only does He rescue me, He calls me into a relationship with Him and changes me. He calls me to tell the story of His rescue, to ALL those around me, and with me, in my life. He pulls me out of the mud of my life and the waters of my “creek,” to teach me His ways, to show me His love, and to send me out in His grace.

So, yea, you and I, likewise, like Willow, respond with joy and thanksgiving for all God does for us in our lives to bring us from the brink of death to new life, in, and with, Him.

And yes, that’s for today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!

I leave you with a couple of videos…

First is the “Willow” rescue… (You may need Facebook to see this)

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EAneaF5kn/

Finally, this YouTube Music Video that spoke to me this week…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rAbbdEGwq4&list=RD7rAbbdEGwq4&start_radio=1

 

GO! - Matthew 28:16-20 - Holy Trinity

 

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

GO!

Sort of back to the start for Jesus and His now eleven disciples. How’s that? Jesus had pre-arranged this meeting with His disciples, to go to Galilee. This is back to where Jesus’ ministry began and where He first called some of His disciples. It’s almost like an extension of His ministry after His resurrection. So, this is a connecting place for ministry to continue into this world, even after He returns to heaven. And on a mountain to boot. God seems to go to mountains to meet with His people.

I think that is why I like mountains myself. Mountains, to me, mean peace, fresh air, and spectacular views. Thin places, I’ve heard others refer to them as, thin places close to God. So, think back on mountains that you have been to. Think back on the mountains that God mentions in Scripture and give all of that some thought.

So, here in this one verse is a call to obedience in following Jesus pre-arranged instructions and a spiritual connection with God. For the disciples, this was a journey that is faith-filled and a journey that will move ministry into the future through them.

Reflect on your own walk with God and think of the times and places that God has called you to go to that are unknown. Give thanks to God that you are called and permitted to serve Him in your life in your present life journey.

We see God and worship Him. Here the disciples see Jesus and worship Him. It’s a sign of faith and belief that Jesus IS who He says He is… God. But some of us still doubt. That’s not only then but for disciples today. I fall to doubt at times. This is unfortunate, but really natural. In the midst of my doubt, I tend to dig deeper into God’s Word. I think that may be a good thing. In the midst of my doubt, I pray. In the midst of my doubt, I look to see God. So, here, it seems to me in the seeing and believing or doubting, all is a walk with God that leads to faith, trust and hope.

So, as we all walk out our lives, let’s live in faith and doubt, and not judge the other person that is wavering from one to the other. For in faith or doubt, God is still present looking for each of us to be with Him.

And then Jesus makes an amazing move and declaration. First off, He comes to the disciples. He comes to you and me as well. He doesn’t wait for us to come to Him. Next, he declares His authority that exists not only in the physical realm of earthly creation, but in the spiritual realm of heaven. Think about it… He came to earth from heaven. So, Jesus in God exists not only as flesh and blood but Holy Spirit. And now we tie it all back to the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. Yea, Holy Trinity!

So, what about this authority that Jesus speaks of? Well, it’s a given. God is always giving. God even gives His authority. Jesus gives His life. The Spirit gives His church on earth, and the saints within it, gifts to carry out what is coming next, in these few verses of Scripture.

Now, with Jesus having established His authority in this world and in heaven, He issues a command for the disciples then and now. Go! An action command. Jesus has been teaching us, and them, all along. Even through the winter and spring months with this very series of Reflections, we have heard Jesus’ teaching. Teaching that points to Him and the Father’s plan of salvation for all people. A plan that now will involve the guidance of the Holy Spirit at work not only in disciples, but in the catholic church as well. Catholic you say? Sure! Not just Roman Catholic, but ALL the church here on earth made up of ALL believers from various Christian practices, theologies and callings to GO. Go and do what? Tell of what God has done! Tell of how God has acted in your own life by forgiving you and saving you and giving you a new life through what Jesus has already done. Yea, sure, GO! This is not the first time God has issued this command. So, even to the people of Jesus’ day, it should sound familiar. Maybe they even have the passage of Scripture memorized.

Genesis 12:1 NIV

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

This GO command uses all the teachings and examples that Jesus has been letting us in on all along. This GO is a GO of trust, hope, faith and the belief that God has our backs. But again, GO and do what?

Well first, tell the Gospel to the people, then baptize, baptize, baptize. Remember that your baptism is a gift from God. Your baptism is an action of God. Your baptism is God claiming you! And from your baptism you become a new creation, powered and gifted by the Holy Spirit, through all that you have witnessed God do through Jesus to forgive you, to free you from sin, death and the devil. No longer are you held captive. You are too, as a newly baptized child of God called to GO! GO and proclaim all that God has done, TO all those God places in your life, day after day after day, place after place after place. This is an exciting new eternal journey, full of risk, danger, and ultimate joy living with God as you GO!

Now Jesus has set the Trinity in the center. Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All God. All unique. All different, yet ALL God.

Think of it!

Revelation 7:9 NIV

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

That there, IS, what this GO results in at the end of time! This is the fulfillment of the command of this “Great Commission.” This “Great GO!”

And as disciples GO! We recall the teachings of Jesus. We “Point to Jesus” and tell of His Word as recorded in Scripture, and TEACH, TEACH, TEACH. Thinking and witness in Word how Jesus has taught disciples all along. For in Word and through the Holy Spirit we can be assured that Jesus IS WITH us all along the way we GO!

Revelation 21:1-4 NIV

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

WOW!

Back to the start we go with Jesus, in this passage. Remember how He was present at Creation? Now He is present at the beginning of the ministry given to His disciples. Jesus came to earth in the flesh and blood of a divine intervention, and now He draws us into this divine intervention to be at One with Him, to be at One with the Father, and to be at One with the Holy Spirit. Why? Tag your it. Tag I’m it. Listen to Jesus, and be obedient to His call and the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide His church, here on earth and finally in eternity, when all will be made new and perfect, once again. So, yea, back to the beginning we go, with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The power of the Trinity is evident in creation. And not just the creation of what is physical. The power of the Trinity is evident in the spiritual. So, seen or unseen, God shows His awesome power and majesty.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The disciples can see Jesus. Jesus in the flesh. He is, without a doubt resurrected from the dead and alive. Yet, Jesus is leading us to not just trust our eyes, but to also trust in the Holy Spirit, which He is giving to us on the mountain tops of our lives. The Holy Spirit that will lead us and guide us and provide for all our needs. So, once again, Trinity, the Father sent His Son to us, and the Son leaves, or better yet, gives us the Holy Spirit to bring us back to God… Father, Son, Spirit… here with us.

So, guess what? We will die, unless you are one of the few that are alive when Jesus comes again. But we know that since Jesus lived, suffered, was crucified, and buried, and rose again; He has led the way for us to eternal life. How? In His death, He forgave us and released us from the bondage to sin. Sin holds no eternal power over us. And since He rose again, just as the Father had planned, He rose again FOR us that the power of death would be defeated. So, rejoice in what God has done. He forgave our sinfulness, put it to death, and leads us to new life by overcoming death. Why? So that we could live with Father, Son and Spirit, forever in unity into eternity. Wow! How mighty is that? How majestic is the power of God!

So, this is an eternal thing here. We GO! We look to the teachings of Jesus. We GO and tell the story. We GO and teach the teachings. We GO to all the places and people God calls us to not only teaching, but living out the Gospel of love God places in our hearts through what He did to bring us into Him, and to one another, forever.

Yep… Today… tomorrow… and forever… GO! Thanks be to God!

I love this song. Enjoy this YouTube Music Video…

“Come to Jesus”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGy2VHlj0qY&list=RDqGy2VHlj0qY&start_radio=1

 

Rivers Within - John 7:37-39 - Pentecost

 

John 7:37-39 NIV

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Rivers Within

This short Gospel passage of Scripture takes place during the Feast of the Tabernacles. A feast to remember the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness. A central theme of this feast is “water.” Water is a big deal. Think of the needs of water in the wilderness. Water was not only needed to refresh the body, but symbolically it was a spiritual refreshment, as well.

When I take a shower, water washes over my body and also refreshes my spirit. Water makes us feel good. And God gives us these waters in our baptism as well. Water combined with God’s Word, raises us up, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, to a new life, to be a Child of God, accepted and loved into eternity.

Water quenches our thirst. And as Jesus invites us here to come to Him and drink. Why?

Because it is through Jesus that we are fed with not just H2O, but life-giving eternal water of salvation and grace. Well, hold on a minute, that seems to be taking this too far. But it’s not a stretch at all, take Jesus at His word and believe! Jesus invites us to come to Him.

Listen to the prophet Isaiah…

Isaiah 55:1 NIV

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.

And here we are once again, back to gifts from God. An invitation from Jesus to take in His life-giving water, free! When we come to Jesus, we come in faith, we come for refreshment and we receive what Jesus alone can give, life and life abundant, life full of His life-giving water, His eternal water, His grace.

So, yes, this is a time to celebrate! The Festival of Booths, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, while approaching the waters of the Jordan, to cross over into the promised land through those refreshing waters of promise and hope of a new life with God.

Now Jesus invites us to His gift of endless water, to cross over into life eternal, through Him and with Him. Abundant water that never ceases to flow. I think of Jesus at His baptism

by John, and how Jesus Himself was washed over by the waters of the Jordan, to have heaven open up, and the Holy Spirit descend upon Him. At this He was called by the Father, gifted by the Spirit, and began His ministry in earnest to save ALL people.

So, come to Jesus and let that water flow!

Revelation 22:17 NIV

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Jesus issues an open invitation to believe in Him. Believe what? When you consider the rest of His statement,” that streams of living water will flow from you,” it becomes clear, that when you believe in Jesus, you receive eternal life. Life is in the water, and the Word, which IS Jesus.

Think of the water that flows from the throne of God, as mentioned in Revelation and other places. This is life giving water that sustains everything it contacts. So, to believe, is to use the faith and gifts God has freely given to you, SO THAT, you place all your hope and trust in what Jesus has done, and what the Spirit has freely given to you, each and every day of your eternal life with God.

So, as the prophet Joel states…

Joel 2:28 NIV

²⁸ “And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your old men will dream dreams,
    your young men will see visions.

So, this pouring out of the Spirit, is like the ever-flowing water of living water streaming from God.

And with this Jesus tells us about the Spirit of God that will come over His believers. The Spirit that will show us our sin and lead us to the gifts from God that flows freely from God in water, fire and the conviction to do the will of God. As believers live by the Spirit, as God’s work is done in this world, in forgiveness, love and salvation.

God places His Spirit upon His people. Moses wished that ALL the Lord’s people had the Spirit placed upon them…

Numbers 11:24-30 NIV

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.

²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” ³⁰ Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

And as David did in times past, we too, seek the guidance, the forgiveness and the ways that God would call us and teach us to go. In this day, the day of Pentecost, God sends His Spirit upon us to teach us, to lead us, to guide us, and to call us out, to do His will for ALL the people.

As we celebrate the day of Pentecost, we see how the Holy Spirit, calls, enlightens and gifts all believers to be fruitful in living out God’s love throughout the life of the Church on this earth. A love that will flow like rivers of living water until Jesus comes again and all those believers will see the source of that stream of water from God. What a vision! What power God has shown through creation, redemption in Jesus, and gifts of life in the Holy Spirit.

So, as disciples of Jesus, GO! Go out in Spirit and Word, to boldly proclaim the forgiveness of sin, the salvation of God brought to earth for ALL. Go and speak the Gospel Word not only vocally, but in actions of love and forgiveness for one another. Go, in obedience to the call that God has placed on you, that the Holy Spirit has given all the needs you need, to tell the world, all that God has done… today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God! Be on fire full of life-giving water for all the world.

I leave you with this YouTube Music Video that spoke to me about “Living Water” this past week… relax and enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA9UfBEHciY

 

Know This! - John 17:1-11 - Seventh Week after Easter

 

John 17:1-11 NIV

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Know This!

Gather to pray together. Disciples have a calling and a mission to carry out as we are anointed by God to proclaim the Gospel of God’s salvation to all the world. So, as we are called, we gather, and we appoint one another to fulfill God’s will until He comes again in glory at that final resurrection. Come, Lord Jesus, come…

God rises up and brings salvation to all the hopeless, the poor, the needy, and the people of this world lost in sin. God rises up from this earth and reigns in His Kingdom, now and forever.

Jesus, doesn’t sugar coat what it is like to be His disciple. There is no promise of ease. There is no promise of comfort. In fact, He is open and honest about how the world will treat His disciples. After all, look how the world treated Him. Yet we can still have comfort when we cast all of our anxieties upon God. God will comfort those who are faithful to His will and His way.

Prayer is a big deal. I love how Jesus, on this night, before His crucifixion, prays so intimately. He demonstrates how prayer is a primary connection to His Father. Like a family member, and He draws all of His disciples right into this close conversation and prayer, with pleas of thanksgiving, and obedience to following God’s will in the Father’s own way, even down to this meaning of this “hour” as Jesus puts it. When it’s time it’s time.

And then to proclaim loud and clear that Jesus is God and the Father is God and authority to grant eternal-life exists in God for all the world. How could you not believe, while hearing or even as we do now, reading, these very words of God in Jesus?

All of these statements of giving. We are given to Jesus, Jesus is given to us, authority is given to Jesus to GIVE eternal life. How humbling to witness these words of Jesus.

James 4:10 NIV

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

That’s chilling stuff there, that warms a disciple’s heart to the core! Thanks be to God!

When we think of eternal life, many of us think of something in the future. But here, Jesus points out that eternal life is here and now. How’s that? In the knowing of God, we experience eternal life. To know God in this sense is a deep relationship with God. Jesus comes to us and becomes One with us, in flesh and blood. That is God’s deep knowing of what He has created in mankind. That is God knowing the created by becoming One in us and with us. So, when we “know” God, we have eternal life.

In Jesus’ carrying out the Father’s mission to redeem His created; Jesus showed obedience in always “Pointing to the Father.” Likewise in our lives as disciples, we “Point to Jesus.” It’s through this priority of God the Creator and God the Redeemer, that we become One with God. We should never fail to recognize that we ARE NOT God. We are the created people of God throughout time to “Point to Jesus.” Show and speak to the world, and all those God places into our lives, what God has done.

Just as Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father, we are called to obedience in fulfilling the will of Jesus, with the gifts from the Spirit. That’s our work in this world. To love, serve and obey God.

Then Jesus takes us right back out of time, in glorifying God the Father through His obedience, He goes back from now to before the Creation to be One with the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus moves in and out and all-around time. It’s God’s eternal presence that He calls us and gifts to us through what God does. We can’t do that on our own, that’s all a gift of God, out of His love for His creation.

As we have gone all this year, hearing Jesus’ ministry and teaching, over and over again, Jesus has made it known that the Father sent Him into this world, AND that Jesus IS the Messiah, Jesus IS God as well. It’s comforting to hear that the Father gave us Jesus to forgive and love us back to life in God.

So, daily recall your baptism knowing full well that you ARE a Child of God. And yes, now we know that everything that Jesus granted to us comes from the Father. What a gift!

As a gift from God through Jesus, we receive. Wow! God gives life to us, even though we deserve the death that Jesus is about to suffer for us. And we can believe. So, not only is faith a gift from God, but the ability to believe comes from God as well. What a gift!

Jesus goes to the Father FOR us! How great is that? As Jesus prays, He prays for us and NOT for this world. This world will pass, but our relationship with God will not pass away. Eternal life is ALL wrapped up in US with God. And to think that God initiated that, through the giving of Himself in Jesus, who came to us. That’s all hard to fathom, but true, in these words from Jesus. So, believe it! God gives you the faith to believe, so, believe Him at what He says.

In the believing of what God does, we give ALL honor and glory and thanks, right now and right into eternity, forever and ever!

And with this Jesus leaves our presence, sort of. With this unity with God the Father, and this unity with God the Son, and this unity with God the Spirit; we can continue on. Continue on loving all of those God gives to us each and every day… Even in the midst of persecution, doubt of our testimony, denial of God, and any torture we may incur because we believe what God has done to be true.

So, there you have it. Jesus words at the Last Supper, just ahead of his suffering, death and resurrection. Yes, in the face of it all, Jesus gives us a hope of eternity, with God, to truly KNOW God as He has sent His Son to forgive us, to die for us, to defeat the power of sin, and to raise to new life, as He draws us into Him.

Yes, Jesus! You are proof of the love of God… today… tomorrow… and forever.

Thanks, glory, honor and all praise be to God… Forever and ever!

Enjoy this YouTube Music that speaks to the Knowing…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j25JqWgjDF4&list=RDj25JqWgjDF4&start_radio=1