The First Teaching by Jesus

I have been reading and thinking about the first recorded teaching by Jesus, called "The Sermon on the Mount", for the past couple of years. I'm currently working on memorizing it, so writing my way through it seems like a good idea.

The sermon is fairly controversial. Did Jesus really mean what he said? Was it just hyperbole to capture peoples attention? Is it humanly possible to do what he said? 

Jesus covers a range of topics, but I don't see it as a simple "laundry list" of things he wanted people to consider. I see it as a cohesive structure that in a small way reveals how God thinks. That is going to be my approach to it in the coming weeks.

Here is the setting...

Jesus went throughout Galilee (Northern Israel), teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.  

Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

Jesus had created a following. He was teaching that God's "kingdom" had come to them and was healing people to prove it.

He didn't go to Jerusalem, the spiritual, cultural and economic capital. He started teaching near where scholars think he grew up and worked in construction for a number of years. The only thing it might have been was the center of was agriculture. 

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Sundays | God will set things right – I want to join him

- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God

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Doing Good

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

In the book of John Jesus also said:

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Right after he said this, he healed a man from blindness.

This thought came to me a few months ago, and I have continued to wrestle with it: Everyone who is alive - every single person - is a possible redemption story. I think if we draw breath, God is pursuing us, desiring to give us love and eternity. In a complex, difficult world it's hard for me to come to grips with this idea - but I can't let go of it.

So what does this mean?

I have an obligation to do good, all the time, whenever I can. It's what I was made for. God has given me his spirit and it needs to come out. If it doesn't, I'm "keeping my light under a bowl".

Paul wrote:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God, help me in my daily battle with selfishness. It's easy for me to see the good should do, but it's hard to do it. I want to see every person I know as valuable and worth doing good to.

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Sundays | God will set things right – I want to join him

- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God

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Psalm 23 - Sunday

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

From the very end of the Bible (Revelation 21):

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 
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. 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.”

The old order – what we experience now – will pass away, and will be replaced with something far greater. I’m looking forward to that. As Paul quoted:

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

Yes God, by your grace and mercy, I will live with you forever.

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Sundays | God will set things right – I want to join him

- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God

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The Fall - Sunday

After God's questions and their answers, God inflicts the curse on mankind. Note that the curse is in three statements that follow the same pattern I've looked at this week. Next week I hope to look at it in depth.

Inflicting a curse doesn't seem to be a way to declare peace. On the surface it looks like the opposite.

I see the curse as a means to an end - that end being peace and eternity with God.

At the end of this section, God says: “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

So we are banned from the garden and cursed to struggle through this life. He didn't want us to stay in this state for eternity. He planned on resolving it - which involves our physical death, like it or not.

After looking at this for the past couple of weeks, here is what I think: 

• The only way we can grow is with testing as part of the process. 
• God intended for us to pass the test and eventually come to the realization that the tree of life was our destiny - then reach out and eat from it.
• He is not going to let our failure stop his plan, so he also planned for our "redemption" - our coming back to him through his own effort and sacrifice.
• Ultimately, we will reach out and eat from the the tree of life.

I think it's no mistake that in the very last chapter of the Bible it says: "On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse."

The curse is a tactic, a mitigation, to bring us to eternal life and peace with God.

God, thank you.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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Revelation - Letter Seven

This letter is about peace.

The seventh Beatitude: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God

The seventh letter in Revelation:

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Jesus says, "You think you're rich, but you're actually poor." This makes me ask myself: Are there things that I think are worth something to God that he thinks are worthless? I think should I ask what they are, not if they exist...

Then he goes on to say, "Do business with me. Buy the things from me that are worth something - the things that will make you whole and heal you."

He tells them he loves them, and with that comes discipline. Finally he says that he is ready to come in and spend time with them, be friends with them, make peace with them.

In biblical times, to eat together was a sign of friendship and peace.

Isaiah wrote:

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

God, I look forward to that day. We sit and eat with you face to face.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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Roman 13 - Sunday

Paul wrote:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

From my reading of chapter 12, this first part of 13 should be in it. It's not a very big deal, just a numbering system.

Paul says to not rebel against the government, but live at peace. They are put in place by God.

What about evil, oppressive governments? I honestly don't think that's the intent in Paul's writing here. He makes it clear that in the situations he's referring to, the government doesn't punish those who do right.

This is about promoting peace, and not thinking I'm above the authority of the government because I'm a Christian. God uses them as part of his plan.

As many things as are wrong with our government, I still believe I get to live in the best, most just country in the history of the world. I have nothing to complain about.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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Base

I got to teach Sunday school this morning to a group of about 20 fourth and fifth grade girls. I was the emergency backup teacher, this isn't my normal thing (lucky for them).

I talked with them about what paradise / heaven might be like. Since I haven't been there, most of what I think about it is speculation. Paul wrote this: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived: the things God has prepared for those who love him.

I asked the kids if they thought heaven would be like church - and they are good kids, so they said "yes". I told them I hoped not. Church is really nice for a few hours each week, but not more than that. It's not much of an adventure. I told them I think we will be a giant family, and we will enjoy being with God and each other forever. We will have great things to accomplish and great stories to tell.

As one of the girls said, "we will socialize."

I told them it's sometimes hard to believe - that I struggle with doubt at times. Also there are those times where it's so real I can almost stick my finger out and touch it. The struggles of a sinful but saved man...

The kids know it's real. I draw strength from their faith.

Jesus said: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

After we were done with the lesson, about a dozen of the kids wanted to play tag. I was getting ready to go talk with someone, and one of the girls said, "you are the base".

Base? 

So I sat on the steps of the stage for 20 minutes, and they had to have a hand on me to be safe and not get tagged. I'm good a being base - not much skill required.

A couple of the kids would stay at base quite a bit. Finally I said, "Go, run, have an adventure." Then they would run and scream and have a good time. 

While I was being base a girl came and sat by me and told me she was writing a story. I asked what it was about. She said it was about her dad, who is in Afghanistan until November. She misses him a lot. She said she wants to do it for him as a present. I bet in the view of God, this story will be far greater that most best-sellers - it will last for eternity.

It was pretty much all I could do not to cry for her - maybe I should have. I'm still not used to this emotional world I've had to enter.

For all the intentional conversations I want to have with the kids, sometimes just being base is a better way to go.

There are many times I wonder if the effort in teaching the kids isn't really worth much. I think most of us who are involved with them feel this way at some point. Then there are those days that bring so much value. God let's me see that it really does matter.

I'm going to think of myself as "base" at least for a while on Sunday mornings.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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Writing

Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote: I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write.

I guess I count myself as one of those as well. I haven't written anything for about three weeks, and I feel unsettled in my thoughts. Writing makes me come to some sort of conclusion about what I'm thinking and feeling.

John wrote this in a letter to Christians:

I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

Writing helps me confirm my ideas. It's often encouraging. Even though I'm really just writing to myself, it has a much larger effect than only thinking. I believe God wants me to learn and develop as I write and talk about him.

Moses wrote:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.

I guess this blog is my door-frame. It reminds me of who I am, who God is, and what he's done for me.

God, thank you for being good to me. Help me to write about how much you've done.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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Weakness

This past year, I have been talking to God regularly. Prayer is hard for me at times, but I've been sticking to my weekly routine.

This is a very interesting and difficult to understand passage written by Paul on prayer:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

If I get this right, God prays for me to himself on my behalf. What good does that do? Seems strange to me - illogical.

I looked up "intercede" this week: to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences.

With this idea, it makes much more sense. I think it means that God takes responsibility to bring us together where I'm too weak to pursue it. I guess I just need to be willing to talk to him.

So God made it clear to me this weekend, he wants me to make kindness the top priority in all I do. This is one of my biggest weaknesses, as I wrote about weeks ago. He basically told me that if I practice kindness, I will be fruitful, and if I don't I won't. So all the things I'm good at won't lead to anything, and the thing I'm bad at will lead to results.

When my mind opened this weekend and I saw this new situation, my initial response was "God, you've got to be kidding. Can't it be something else? This is a joke. You know it's hard for me." I can see working at it with my family, but everywhere? It's overwhelming.

I guess there really is no surprise here. Paul wrote about his own struggles, and God's response to them: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

God, I'm at a loss for words.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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Mancation

I spent Thursday evening through Sunday morning in Sunriver with over 20 guys from church. We hung out, talked, played games, ate a lot, and skied our legs off at Bachelor. Craig Eaton has named this annual event "Mancation" - he is the positive force that makes it happen.

There were guys from their early teens to those in their 60's. All men of faith - all on their own journey with God. I have friends from the entire spectrum of beliefs, and I value all of them. But there are times when I want to be with those who know Him, this being one of them. I draw strength from our shared belief and destiny.

My youngest son Nathan was there, which was the best part of all. It was great to see him interact with the others, coming into his own as a young man. At 14 he's a respectable poker player...

I spent some time skiing alone on the second day. I felt sorry for myself and wished Caleb was there - and I also felt happy for myself, that I had the chances I did to be with him. He and I both love the mountains and the snow. In eternity, we can make up for a few missed years with millions more.

I'm lucky and honored to have the friends I do. I hope to be as good to them as they are to me. They are a gift from God.

Jesus said: But about the resurrection of the dead - have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.

We will live as friends forever. I have no doubt of this.

As I'm writing this song came on Pandora - I think it's fitting:

Even though I'm posting this on a Tuesday - these thoughts were in my head on Sunday. It was good to be with these guys - spending time making peace and happiness.

Blessed is Craig Eaton, peacemaker, he is a child of God.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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A few pictures of Caleb and others from good years past on Mancation...

Noah - Peacemaker

After a break, I'm back to writing my journal - and I want to finish up the seven days of thinking about Noah.

As in many of the stories in the bible, the final concept is peacemaking. So it goes with the story of Noah:

Noah also said, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

There are the statements that Canaan will be a slave to his brothers (see my last post), but there are also blessings towards Shem and Japheth.

- Praise to the Lord, the God of Shem (the older son)
- May God extend Japheth's territory (the middle son)
- May Japheth live in the tents of Shem

In essence, Noah is asking God to bless both his two older sons, and that they would be friends and live in peace together.

Up to now, this is something I have never done: Blessed my children together, out load, asking for there to be peace and friendship among them. I've often told them they should be friends, and I have prayed for that - but never blessed them in this way. I wonder what they and I have been missing out on...

God, remind me to bless my family. Remind me to do it out loud. Remind me to be a peacemaker.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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Miracles - Peacemaker

The seventh miracle John wrote about was Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, which corresponds to the seventh beatitude recorded by Matthew. This is a long passage, but I will keep all of it here for clarity...

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

I think the whole reason for this miracle was for Jesus to demonstrate that he truly had power over life and death. He could actually bring peace between us and God. I think he needed to do this before he left to give his followers the courage and strength to survive.

Even though Jesus knew he could bring Lazarus back, he still cried in pain with his friends. I think he was reacting to their sorrow, being sad for what they had gone through.

Why did these people have to suffer, even for a short period of time? I don't know. I do know that pain and suffering are shown all over the bible as part of God's plan.

God, thanks for my son Josh, who read through a lot of my writing and was willing to talk with me about what he saw. I value his input and perspective. I love him.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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God's Blessing and Peace

This is a follow-up to my post on Friday about kindness.

I have been thinking about how I will daily tell my family how much they mean to me. I will try to deal with them as if today is all I have. After consideration, that's not enough.

I'm not their God.

They need his blessing, forgiveness and unconditional love - even more than mine. But for reasons I don't fully understand, he wants me to speak for him. I think it's for both their benefit and mine...

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

I want to daily put God's name on my family, I want him to bless them, and I want him to give them peace. This sounds good, but I think this is going to be hard work.

From the writer of the book of Hebrews:

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Why is speaking a sacrifice? What am I giving up?

For me, it's the same reason praying out loud every day is way more difficult than thinking it in my head. Something about speaking introduces a whole different reality. Putting God in the right position is hard for me to do a lot of the time.

God, help me to bless my family. Give them peace.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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Jonah - Peacemaker

The story of Jonah runs out, and he never changes his heart to be a peacemaker. So I will make a few interesting (at least to me) observations I had over the week.

God's plans don't always work the way he wants. I say this from my limited perspective - no disrespect to God intended. He wanted Jonah to change, but that didn't happen.

The idea that God won't use me unless I'm willing is false. He forced Jonah to do the job, as an absolutely unwilling participant. He is God, I am not.

Jonah had a change of heart while he was in the fish, but it didn't last. I don't even know if I would call it a "change of heart". I think the parable Jesus gave explains it well:

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

I think Jonah was someone with "no root" on this issue. I wonder if God's small demonstration to him about the plant having its root eaten away had some deeper meaning in it. I also like the parallel between this parable and the idea that the "word of God" came to Jonah and he had a lot of trouble with it, so he fell away from what he said inside the fish.

So at the end of this week, I'm amazed at how God put so much together to try to get to the heart of this man. Throughout the drama of the story, God is persistent in trying to get Jonah to change and grow.

Did Jonah get it? No.
Did God give up? No.

God thank you for being with me, even when I don't get it and my roots are shallow. Thank you for your persistence in making peace.

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Sundays | Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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Peacemaker Bill

This is my good friend Bill Tate, teaching the kids this morning about the Ten Commandments. Don't worry, I don't think he normally stands on the table...

Why is he up there? Because he cares.

He cares that the kids have fun
He cares that the kids understand the lesson
He cares that the kids know he loves them
He cares that the kids know God loves them
He cares that the kids come to know God himself

This is what Jesus said about children:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” 

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

It's an honor to know this man.

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed is Bill Tate, for he will be called a child of God.

Jesus - Peacemaker

Sunday: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Over this past week, I have tried to map the phases of Jesus life to the beatitudes:

Poor in spirit, mourning and meekness – his birth and early life, a time of chaos

Hunger for righteousness – his baptism and temptation, a time of change

Mercy – his period of ministry, a time of reaching out

Pure in heart – his going to Jerusalem to face death, a time of preparation

Is this the best way to think about all this? I don’t know - it works well for me. It helps organize things in my mind.

Today is about Jesus as peacemaker – his crucifixion, a time of reuniting God and mankind.

From Mark’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and death:

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews”.

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Paul wrote a great summary of who Jesus actually was, starting with him as a child of God and concluding with him as the ultimate peacemaker…

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

To conclude the week, since it is Christmas, I will consider what Isaiah wrote, a few hundred years before Jesus was born. It’s kind of a parallel to what Paul wrote above:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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God, I don't clearly understand why all these things had to happen - but from the beginning to the end of your word, there's this pattern and symmetry that makes sense to me.

I want to be your child.

Bless the whole world.

Light on the Horizon

C.S. Lewis: “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.” ― A Grief Observed

I would like to be free of the fear and grief. I want peace, healing, and restoration for my family. It’s not going to happen right away, but I’m beginning to see a light on the horizon. I see being open and honest with God as the path forward.

King David wrote: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

I think silence toward God is a prescription for ongoing pain. I would be crazy to not talk with Him.

John said: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

I trust Him to bring us peace in the middle of a lot of things I still don’t understand. As I said, my part is to be transparent and honest.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

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God, help me to be a peacemaker.

Sunday - Mustard Seed

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”

Sundays: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Finally, in this simple saying of Jesus, the mustard seed becomes a tree. It's established, produces fruit and provides a place for the birds to safely rest. The tree is a peacemaker.

God looks at me and says, "Be a peacemaker - help people come into my family and find rest with me."

Moses wrote: For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Isaiah wrote: The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

I think God looked at the earth on the seventh day of creation and said, "Be a place of peace for me and my children."

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So in the past seven days I have considered:
- How the mustard seed went from almost nothing to a place of peace for the birds
- How God takes me from being poor in spirit to being a peacemaker
- How the earth went from chaos to a place of peace for God himself and his people.

God, let it be so.

Peacemaker Steve

On Sundays I meditate on this saying of Jesus: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.   

Here is Steve, one of my buddies and a man I really respect. I got to sit in on Steve's small group of 4th graders at church this morning.

Steve is holding a rubber snake and a sledgehammer. He smashed the snake's head flat - which of course the kids loved. Me too. 

What's he trying to teach?

After the serpent deceived Adam and Eve, and they ate the fruit they weren't supposed to, God said: Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust  all the days of your life. and I will put enmity  between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

Sounds cryptic.

The main point: the offspring (Jesus) will crush the serpent (Satan) at some point in the future. Steve explained that this is the reason Jesus came to earth - to set in motion the end of evil, where only goodness will remain, and we will be with God.

Paul encouraged the early followers of Jesus with this same idea: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Obviously God doesn't see "soon" the same way I do. None the less, He will ultimately get rid of evil and we will live in peace with Him.

Do I believe all this is true, and it's not just a myth? I'd be crazy not to. Every time I read the bible and put what it says into practice, my life gets better.

Do I understand why it all has to be this way, why evil needs to be here now? Not really - but I'm trying to.

Why does Steve spend his time teaching kids this stuff? Because he's a peacemaker. He wants to see these kids have the chance to get connected to God. I've known him a long time - and I know he genuinely loves them.

Blessed is Steve Irvine, for he will be called a child of God.

Sunday - Loss

It's Sunday, and I normally try to focus on peace with God.

Today, I'm feeling an overriding sense of loss and regret over my son, Caleb. I wish I could rise above it, but I don't think that's going to happen right now.

I know God is in control. I don't like everything He allows to happen - but where else can I go? He holds my life and all the lives of the people I know in His hands. I know He cares and grieves with me. I wish I understood all of this - I wish He would make it more clear. Right now, all I understand is sadness.

From Psalm 34: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. This is me.

I miss you.