Let It Go

 James 1:19–22, NRSV

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

One way of living positive and without the weight of hostility and anger- let it go.

Let it go. Most of what we hold in our anger, our unforgiveness  will not matter in a little while- 

In a season. So why do we allow it to hinder us now?  James brings us back- be doers of the Word and not just hearers. There is freedom- yes peace in that right there. Let it go! enough for now

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Come Home

Luke 15: 11-32

“So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.”

 We know the story of the prodigal son. The one who thought he was grown and tried to make it on his own. After the money ran out things  got so bad that this Jewish young man was not only feeding pigs but wanted to eat what they were eating. The carob pods were used as fodder and only the very poor people ate them. 

When he came to his senses, he headed back home. My favorite verse has always been 20b “But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.”

Even as a child, I used to wonder how was it that the father knew the son was on the way? I mean he had to be always watching for the son. He didn’t know when that son was coming. He didn’t know if he was coming.

It could have been night, but the father was still watching. He had to have been always watching.

How could he have gotten anything done - for watching for his son - who left home never to return?

Can you see it? When young men left home as this son had done, it was not only that he had left the father’s home, but he had left the community. So if the son attempted to return home, to the community, he would be stoned to death. Did you see it? So, you know the son had to know that. If he didn’t, the father did, which is why he ran to stop anything from happening to his son. 

Listen, a man of the father’s respectability never showed his leg. But this father - ran to his son. In order to run he had to tuck his robe between his legs.

He showed leg, still he ran. He ran to his son to claim him as his own. The rightful ownership. He placed his arms around his son - don’t you hurt him. This is my child.

While this young man had returned as a pauper, he was greeted with the love of his father.The son was apologizing, but his father was loving.The father didn’t chastise him, but embraced him as his own son, filth and all. 

“But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”

That robe symbolized a restoral to sonship. What was dirty was now clean.  The ring was a symbol of authority - restored. Right then, without hesitation, without a conversation on what had happened - the son went from having nothing, no power, no say - to one with authority.

The sandals were a sign of a free person. Not a slave, because a slave didn’t wear sandals. The son was immediately restored to his place in his father household. Just like that. Full kinship- restored. Whatever was- was no more. Whatever was between them was gone. The fatted calf was an animal that was fed and kept to be slaughtered for special occasions. 

The special occasion was that a son who was lost has now been found. Oh, the unconditional love of God.

Jesus told this parable to a mixed a audience of Pharisees, scribes, and everyday people. He explained God’s joy over repentance. Ohhhh the love of God. No matter what we have done- we can always come home. enough for now.

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Do You Love Me?

John 21:15-19 NRSV

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”  “Do you love me more than these?” How could Peter answer so quickly about what he did not know. We don’t know where others are in their relationship with God. Then Jesus asks again,  called his name - now it’s just the two of them, “Do you love me?” Can you imagine how Peter felt? After all, he was the one who failed many times. Why would Jesus ask him that? Then he asks a third time. It was not a place of confrontation, but of reconciliation. He loves us that much. He loves us enough to wait on us to get it. Each time Jesus asked, he gave Peter a mission.

Listen, A deacon at my home church in Detroit used to ask me, “Rev, is Jesus in your heart?”

The first time he asked, I answered rather flippantly, “Well yes.” He shook his head and walked off. The next Sunday when he saw me, he asked me that same question again. I wasn’t so flippant that time.

I couldn’t understand why he was asking me. (Oh, I see you Peter).

He was a very nice deacon but what was he doing?

And again, he shook his head, but said, “Don’t tell me, show me.” And again, he walked off. I begin to wonder what was wrong. Why would he ask me that? Why couldn’t he see it? After all, I was a preacher. 

And why was he singling me out? 

I had to think. I had to get still. I had to hear from God. Then I got it.The next time he asked, and the times after that, “Is Jesus in your heart?” I just smiled, and he nodded and smiled back. He taught me a lot with that simple question. 

It wasn’t about what I said or did, but what he saw from within. When you have Jesus, there is something that causes you to smile from within. You don’t have to say a word, you don’t have to prove anything.

It comes from within.

How do we respond? How many times does he have to ask us? Jesus wants the sincerity of our heart, after all, we have a mission. He knows, but we must know. Our response is into follow him. Following him is not easy, still we follow. In this Lenten season, let us examine what we do, and why.  more later.