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Becoming

2 Cor. 3:12-18 NRSV

“Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

We are not who we used to be. We are being transformed daily. We are becoming. The veil was removed when we came to Jesus. The sad part is that many think that is all, or that joining a church is enough. It is the start of our journey. The start of our being spiritually transformed. The start of walking in our freedom with God. 

Verse 17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” That’s where we want to be. The glory of God is mirrored in Christ for all believers. It’s a spiritual birth that happens, the veil is gone. We can see, hear, understand a little better. 

We don’t have to go up a mountain but can get in God’s presence wherever we are. That is ours to hold.  We don’t have to figure it out alone. We can follow Holy Spirit’s guidance better. It frees us up to know more, do more, be more of who we really are in God. 

We are being transformed daily. What we know now- hmm think about what we will know in a month, a year. It’s the walking with him. When we commune with him we are changed. We can’t be with him and stay the same. It’s his transforming power of love. Blessings of peace and joy!  more later.

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What Do These Stones Mean?

Joshua 4:4-7 NRSV

“Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.”

There are many times in scripture where stones are raised to commemorate an event of God’s intervention. These stones provoke conversation in order to tell the story of what God has done. 

What do these stones mean? Think about the times that God kept you from peril, when you went through trials unscathed, over the rivers of disappointment, of tragedy, and you made it unharmed and safe.  The times when you knew to bury the kings - the idols in your life as you trusted more what is doing. The times you are able to celebrate with your witness of God. 

When you look back, you find that you have many places to commemorate God’s faithfulness to you. And then you can share. It helps to keep the memory alive. It provokes more and more thanks to him. You must remember, in order to tell them what the stones mean.

As Joshua challenged the Israelites I encourage you to stay faithful.

Joshua 25:14&15 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefather worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Tell them what the stones mean. enough for now.

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Can you Drink the Cup?

Matt. 20:20-23 NRSV

“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 

While we all want what’s best for children Salome took it a little farther. But a part of this was keeping herself elevated. In that patriarchal society if her sons were elevated, she would be elevated. Jesus asked, “Can you drink the cup I’m going to drink?”  Now that was clue to back off, to rethink what they were asking. But no, they answered yes. And Jesus said, “oh you will.” And they did. 

To drink the cup was not only about servanthood, but to  participate in the suffering. “Cup” is an Old Testament metaphor for “suffering.” Although the Sons of Thunder, James and John greatly helped to spread the gospel, James was martyred by the hands of Herod Agrippa, and John, the one who cared for Mary, was exiled to isle of Patmos.

The question, “Can you drink the cup?” Is loaded. We must be careful how we respond. Too often people want the power and glory they see, but don’t realize the pain and suffering it took to get there. Each of you - someone has looked at where you are and envied that. But they don’t know what it took to get there. They don’t know the time, the sacrifices, the lonely moments.  But you do.  None of us have a clue of what Jesus went through in his time on earth, but he did - for us. 

Yes, we too have a cup. We can’t be so brash to think that we can drink from his cup, but from  the one he has given us, in order to achieve our mission on this journey. enough for now

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Why are You Afraid

Mark 4:35-40 NRSV

“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Storms arise quickly on the Sea of Galilee because of the cooler air from Mt Hermon meeting the warmer air from the Sea. So the boats were subjected to the storms, which were usually about midday.  Jesus was asleep in the stern, the lowest part of the boat. He didn’t not respond to them but rebuked the wind and spoke to the sea. That rebuking suggest that there was a demonic source of the wind. Gods knows the source of our storms.

Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid? “ He not question them for disturbing him with their fear but for disturbing themselves with their fear.  I like a clue that Jesus gave, when he got into the boat, he said,”Let’s go to the other side.” That was a clue that they would make it across the troubled waters. 

Come on. God knows the source of those storms that arise quickly in our lives. And he speaks to them in so many different ways. If we can remember our ‘before’, then we can live easier in our ‘now’. When we got us through before, he’s doing it now.  

Tye Tribbett says, “If he did it before, he’ll do it again. Same God right now, same God back then.” Oh won’t he do it? 

I’m a witness. Yes he will.  And we don’t have to be afraid. More later.

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Who Do You Say

Matthew 16:13-18 NRSV

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”

This was one of two times that Jesus traveled north of Galilee. Caesarea Philippi or Banias was named for Pan, the Greek god. A few other pagan gods were worshiped there.  Against the backdrop of Paganism Jesus asked the disciples who did others say he was, then he asked who did they say.  The disciples said who others said, then with the second question Peter answered. 

Others may not know what we know about Jesus. But we must know. They may say one thing but act another way. Although we are around others who don’t know, we must know. And we know because of our relationship with him. Not something we heard, or read about him- but that we know. Peter spoke out of his relationship with Jesus. Peter spoke and was used mightily. It’s who we know, and whose we are. more later.

Do You Want to be Healed?

John 5:1-9 NRSV

“After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.”

You know the story of the man who had been differently abled for 38 years, and he laid at the pool of Bethesda wanting to be healed. That was the state that Jesus found him in at the pool, just inside the sheep gate. This pool had five covered porches; and accommodated quite a few people who had different disabilities. It was not the place where the proper people went; they actually avoided that area because the felt the people there unclean. But when Jesus was in Jerusalem, he didn’t stay at the best hostels, no he stayed near the everyday people. The common people. The people who really needed his help.

This passage speaks of healing through the stirred waters at the pool. In later translations, scribes added the reason why the waters were stirred, possibly to explain to the exiles returning home in case they had forgotten. With the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it was found that this explanation was not in the original translation. That’s why you see verse 4 in King James but not in the New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, or any dynamic version. With translations written later it was added as a scribal note about the fourth verse that says, “From time to time an angel came to stir the waters and the first one in after the stirring was healed.” When I was young that was my favorite part of the passage.

One thing to hold on to. We must be clear on what we hear and who is making the offer. The differently abled  man had been trying to get into the water- for his healing. He could not have heard with clarity what Jesus offered. You see those years of desperation may have clouded how he thought. Trauma will cause you to not think clearly, and make moves out of desperation. 

When Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be healed?” he gave excuses why he couldn’t get healed. The man was trying to get in the  water for a healing when a healing was being offered- period. 

 Jesus offers compassion and healing to us. Do we accept it? Or do we give excuses on why it can’t happen, can’t be. Let our answer to him be “yes”! Yes to any kind of way he wants to heal  us. Yes, and thank you. And let us walk- walk out of and away from those things that have hinders our growth in him and with him. Yes, we want to be healed! more later.

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What are You Looking For?

John 1:35-39 NRSV

“The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.”

When I was a union rep I cared for the grievances of the 240 people that I represented. They came to me with all kinds of grievances. Many times, while they had a real issue, some came with so much baggage wrapped around the issue itself that I had to unpack what was grievable and what was not grievable. In order to do that I always asked the six w’s: 

Who- who was involved, witnesses?

What- what happened

Where- where did it happen?

When- when did it take place?

Why- why do you think it is grievable? 

What- what do you want?

We get so caught up with some stuff that it’s not worth the stress. And we miss where we should focus our heart, our time, our energy. 

Jesus asks the question, “What are you looking for?”  If we are not clear what we are looking for we will look in wrong places and to wrong people that will hinder our spiritual journey. Knowing what we are looking for is a fundamental step on our faith journey. Self reflection, meditation, and prayer helps us explore us. 

The disciples followed Jesus as Rabbi (teacher), but recognized him as Messiah (the deliverer). We respond to his question through actively pursuing him, opening our heart, and living intentionally.  

We want what not only fills us but fills us to overflowing. We want to be, as an instructor used to say, “Under the spot where the glory comes out.” more later.

He Is

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures;  he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;  for you are with me;  your rod and your staff—  they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies;  you anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me  all the days of my life, 

You know this one. David talks about who God is and shifts to talking with God. This is in two parts, verses 1-4 , God as our shepherd, and verses 5&6, God as our host. 

As our shepherd, he guides, provides, protects, comforts, cleans us up. He leads us to safety where we can be refreshed and rest. He guides us along our path, the one he has chosen for us. We have no fear, even in dangerous, or dark times. He has us. 

He brings us to his table. He provides for us right smack in our enemies face- favor. We are filled to overflowing, and it must overflow to others. There is so much more to this- go back and mediate in it. But hold on to this “surely goodness and mercy shallow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” More later.

Answer

Rev. 3:20 NRSV

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”

This is in context to the church of Laodicea, which was lukewarm. It did not stand for anything and allowed everything. Although it thought it was righteous, It was spiritually pitiful. Theologians see the churches of Revelation not only as historic but covering different periods of time. We are the church of Laodicea. The letter refers to us as believers as the church is us. And yes, Jesus is knocking. He rebukes and her offers hope for us but we must attune our ears to hear, be attentive to his knock, and be accesible to him. 

He wants us to be reconciled to him, restored by him, through our repentance. We have places in our heart that we need clearing up. Let do this this year. Let’s kick it off right- by answering the door. We have seen what God can and he has so much more. 

One other thing. Hear from Holy Spirit your word or phrase for you for this year. One client’s word is ‘joyful’, another’s is ‘production’. My word,  ‘Each Day- New Mercies.’ Happy New Year! more later.