The Cross - Applied

 I am a follower of Jesus, and the Way of Jesus.  I am thankful for the Redemption and Atonement - the Salvation I believe we all have because of His Gift of Sacrifice as The Lamb of God on the Cross - His Grace, powerful, beautiful and applied to our need.  I truly believe that because of The Cross and His becoming the Passover Lamb for us, as demonstrated by the Temple Curtain being torn from top to bottom, as if God grabbed it with both hands and tore it apart because it separated the Holy of Holies from the unworthy people - NOTHING can separate me from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.  I am worthy because HE makes me worthy.  He is my only righteousness.  He is my Savior, yes, but also my LORD - the Lord of my life.

   But the gift is not just for me.  The Agape Love Jesus taught, gave and exemplified for us in the Gospels is by its nature something to be shared.  Jesus did not just die for ME and MY SALVATION. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of THE WORLD.  What He taught quite clearly, as reflected in the Gospels, is that God wants us to live this Agape Love (committed action on behalf of the other) with one another in every aspect of life, society, social interaction.  I believe that what God expects is that I will be THANKFUL for this tremendous liberation from sin and death, and being thankful live as one who believes others have this gift as well and need to know it, receive Agape Love and live it in the world.

   What I do not need to do is "get people saved".  Jesus did that for them 2000 years ago.  My interactions with people are not about asking them if they are saved, trying to get them to pray some magic words to get saved or "decide" to believe.  I believe we are created to be in a relationship with God.  I believe the Holy Spirit of God works dynamically in the world.  I believe in the power of God's Grace in Jesus to save THE WORLD.  I do not believe I decide anything, but rather simply live in the relationship I was created to live within.  I believe concern for "saving" people has more to do with the one(s) trying to do that, than it does about those whom they objectify as "saved souls".  I believe I am not called to "save" anybody, but to share the Agape Love I am commanded to live, and that people will respond to that Agape Love and therefore the Lord I follow.  The best way for me to convey the Love of God in Jesus is not to talk about it, but to LIVE IT.  To actually fulfill Jesus' command to LIVE IT in their lives.  I DO THAT because Jesus loves them.  Telling them that Jesus loves them and then laying EXPECTATIONS, REQUIREMENTS, JUDGMENTS on them is not following Jesus.  They are WORTHY, just as I am worthy because JESUS says they are, not because they meet some expectation I have of them... I am simply commanded to live AGAPE LOVE with them.

   I believe I am called to tell people about the Agape Love of God, to live it as if I believe in it and to apply it to the world around me.  It is to apply THE CROSS to the world.  It is applying the Redemption, the Atonement, the Salvation, the Worthiness in Agape Love to the lives of those in the world around me.  If I want to follow Jesus, I must FOLLOW JESUS - what He commanded, taught, exemplified and fulfilled in the world.  Jesus is my example.  Jesus is my model.  Jesus is my Rabbi.  Jesus is my Lord.  I will spend the rest of my life applying the Grace, the self-sacrifice, the Agape Love for the Redemption of others in the world around me - in the lives of the people around me in the world.  THAT is denying myself, taking up the Cross and following Jesus to me.  THAT is evangelism to me.  That is walking with God to me.  That is Micah 6:8.  That is Luke 9:23,24 to me.  That is Matthew 28:16-20 to me, as well as Matthew 25:31-46.  That is Romans 12:1 to me.  

   I am THANKFUL for the Grace given to me and the price paid for it on my behalf.  Because I am thankful and believe in its power out of Agape Love, I must live as if I value it, not just for myself, but also for those in the world around me.  I don't want to claim it so I can exploit others around me, try to indoctrinate them into MY beliefs or "collect saved souls" to somehow justify my own faith.   I don't just want to preach it, proclaim it and teach it.  I want to live it.  If I value it and am thankful for it, I can do nothing else.

   THANK YOU, JESUS for your gift of Grace in Agape Love.  Make me as Gracious with others as you have been with me, as Loving with others as you have been with me, as actively committed to the well-being of others as you were to mine... that others may see Your Love in it, come to value Your Grace in it, and want to live Your Kingdom Values in the world around them - that Your Way may spread like leaven (Matthew 13:33) in the world around us.  Amen

Community and People of the Way of Jesus

It is too easy to isolate in our culture...
   to make our primary mode of communication with our thumbs and not our faces, arms and voices...
   to sit alone within our little, private bubbles in a river of little bubbles, going to the same places as
      everyone to our right and left, in front and behind, but separate...
   to drive into our garages at the end of the week, to only re-emerge for work at the beginning of the
      week, within our castles... satellite TV, internet, social media... enclosed decks... hiding behind
      our privacy fences, heard but not seen - self contained...
   to go to an auditorium and watch the band and choir, listen to the monologue, sit in a sea of
      thousands, eyes forward, with little if any conversation with others, giving our tithes and calling
      that the family of God being gathered in community...
   to drive across town to a restaurant, theater, nightclub, megastore and pass dozens of places close to
      our homes in order to do it, with the result that we see no one we know when we are out...

People are now considering those whom they have never seen (except through a photo), but whom they have "read", as the primary support persons and friends in their lives... maybe never even to hear their voices...

People are now not really WITH the people in front of them when they are face to face, because we are texting or talking on the phone with others at the same time... never really where we are at fully... reporting the experience, rather than experiencing it fully...

We are privatizing at an alarming rate, isolating at an alarming rate and getting self-absorbed in EVERY little thing about OUR existence without taking interest in the lives of others around us at an alarming rate... partly, because our worlds are shrinking to only include our own, little castle, experiences (cooking dinner as a picture-worthy, narrative worthy event) in our daily life, and excluding the richness of other people, even strangers and neighbors and what they bring to our lives - to life together as COMMUNITY.

We ask a great deal as PEOPLE OF THE WAY OF JESUS...
   We ask people to actually leave their castles and come to our home or someone else's, in an intimate setting, and share it with other human beings... we ask people to engage in conversation around Faith and Life... we ask people to share in a meal together... to share in discussion, debate, laughter, tears and comfort... we ask people to pray for and with each other... we ask people to sing a little in a small, intimate setting (and be unafraid in doing it)... we ask that folks gather AS community, IN community... to rub shoulders with each other, turn off the phones, break the isolation and gather - to be connected - physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially present and engaged... for about two whole hours, once a week...

I know, I know, right?  It's A LOT to ask of anyone... especially when it is SO COMFORTABLE to stay in our castles and connect only through the airwaves... be gathered in anonymity with a crowd... or just sit in the easy chair and passively let what comes into our living rooms pour over us, whether news, sports, entertainment or infomercials...  as we tune it all out, day after day, weekend after weekend... disengaged... but convinced that we are connected to the rest of humanity somehow, magically, through our thumbs...
 
Jesus and His disciples... Paul and the Apostles... met in peoples' homes... touched others physically... talked face to face and sang, prayed, ate, drank, discussed, debated, laughed, cried and engaged one another face to face... and it changed the world... THAT'S WHY we do it this way... to follow Jesus means to FOLLOW HIM - His teachings and examples and His Way of engaging with each other in Agape Love...

PEOPLE OF THE WAY OF JESUS IS ON FACEBOOK... it gives information regarding the GATHERINGS as an encouragement to join us in one of them...

Do something different - ENGAGE WITH OTHERS PERSONALLY... their life will be better for it, and incidentally, yours will be also...

Pastor Jamie

Follow Him

"I have not come to abolish (the Law), but to fulfill it." Mt. 5:17
"This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to HIM!" 
    Mt. 17:5
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me... and teaching them to obey everything     
    that I have commanded you." Mt. 28:18-20
"On these two commandments rest all the Law and Prophets" Mt. 22:40
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved
    you." Jn. 13:34 (15:12)
"others will know that you are MY disciples in that you love one another."
    Jn. 13:35
"if you abide in MY Word, you are truly my disciples..." Jn. 8:31 (8:37,51)
"if you love me, you will keep MY commandments." Jn. 14:15
"if you keep MY commandments, you will abide in my love." Jn. 15:10 (15:7)
"You are my friends if you do what I command you." Jn. 15:14
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and you do not do what I tell you?" Lk. 6:46
"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up
    their cross and follow me." Mk. 8:34

So, Jesus is our authority on Kingdom Values. His IMPERATIVES are our commandments. I believe we are called to live what Jesus taught and exemplified in our lives, and not just praise and worship Him and give our tithes.  What Jesus taught is in the Gospels.  Want to follow Him? FOLLOW HIM - LIVE what Jesus taught and exemplified! The world will be a better place for it!

Pastor Jamie

PREDATORS AMONG US

Predators

1. stake out their “territory”
2. aggressively attack others to their detriment/expense for self-serving gain of wealth,position or power
*Predators by Nature – they have no choice to be but who they are – envious, ruthless, mean-spirited, controlling, manipulative, aggressive, bitter, hateful, arrogant and with a distorted sense of entitlement to get what they want at the expense of others
*Predators by Opportunity – choose to be predatory only when some opportunities arise
*Predators by Circumstance – because of their own victimization, their manipulation by natural predators or out of ignorance of the predatory nature of their words or actions, they strike out in a predatory fashion

Pan- handlers are not predators, unless they are aggressive and threatening. The vigilantes who go after them are often the predators, because for their own gain of having a neighborhood of only people just like themselves and for their own property values and area development for personal gain, they victimize human beings who are just trying to live.
Squatters are not predators, unless they are directly victimizing others. The vigilantes who go after them are often predators, because for their own gain or position they aggressively attack these human beings who are just trying to have a roof over their heads. Absentee Landlords who do not keep their properties livable, but collect rent or labor in lieu of rent, are predators.
Undocumented aliens are not predators, unless they are victimizing others through crime. Unscrupulous employers can be predators because they pay sub-standard wages and offer horrible living and working conditions, knowing that they have no one to which to report them. Societies are predatory who reap the benefits of their underpaid labors, especially while victimizing them by using them and then deporting them.
Burglars, Car Jackers, Drug Dealers, Gangs, Muggers, Identity Thieves, Hackers and Thieves are predators. They use stealth or force to aggressively victimize others.
Loan Sharks, Title Loan Companies, Rent to Own places and some car dealers, Credit Card companies, Mortgage Loan companies and Banks are predators. They aggressively work to victimize consumers for their own gain through unscrupulous business practices, taking advantage of desperate people and charging ever increasing rates of interest.
Lawyers who push for litigation when they know they will string people along and get paid exorbitant wages while doing it with no positive results for them in the end.
Doctors who push for unnecessary or ineffective treatments and surgeries, and who gouge patients and insurance companies for more gain at the expense of everyone.
Company Executives are predators when they pay their employees as little as possible with few or no benefits, burn out their employees for their own gain, sell products that are known to be harmful while refuting the evidence (tobacco companies, modified foods, etc.) and lay off employees for their own bonuses or stature in the company.
Lobbyists, the government officials who take their bribes and the system that allows this “buying” of government for the wealthy and powerful are predators because what they do is done at the expense of the people, as well as those who would limit basic, human rights or the availability of voting.
Local government officials who use their office for personal gain, position or power or that of their cronies are predators. Those who use regulations to punish residents unnecessarily and those who do what they do to keep certain people out of their territories are predators.
Clergy are often predators, seeking wealth, power and prestige at the expense of The Gospel, the Church and individuals within the church. Using “The Law” to control people, using their position for sexual self-indulgence and manipulating others to tithe for their personal gain are all predatory practices.
Church members, congregations and denominations who viciously attack and judge others (homosexuals, single parents, non-believers, etc.) are predators.
Motorists can be predatory in their driving, riding someone’s bumper, speeding up so another motorist cannot merge in the lane, going slowly in the passing lane and zipping in and out of lanes in an aggressive manner are all at the cost of the safety of others.
Citizens and neighbors who out of their predatory nature, circumstance or opportunity seek personal gain in wealth, position or power by attacking other neighbors, unnecessarily reporting harmless, even helpful property violations and those who cannot afford to meet arbitrarily adopted standards on their property are predators.

OUR RESPONSE TO PREDATORS?
1. become a predator oneself
2. associate with or hire predators to attack the predators
3. organize non-predators to say “No” to predators and their actions
I will assertively defend the victims of predators, and not aggressively attack the predators, because I do not want to become what I hate. It is much too easy to let the predatory behavior of others to turn oneself into a predator, rather than an anti-predator. It is out of love for the predators as well as their “prey” that we must stand up to predatory behavior, because a predatory norm in society hurts all of us.
Human beings are only “prey” in the eyes of a predator.

JESUS healed on the Sabbath and picked grain for hungry followers on the Sabbath, and the Predators came after Him for it. Yes, it was against the Law of Moses. It did not harm anyone and was beneficial for some in need.
JESUS said, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” regarding a legalistic view of the Law and punishing those who break the law, rather than be predatory in the Law… JESUS warned us to beware of Wolves in Sheeps’ clothing, who appear just to be “upright, appropriate and proper”, when they are simply predators looking for an opportunity to be predatory
JESUS taught that we must be “shrewd as a snake and unmixed as a dove” – know what the score is, not naïve, and STILL not fall into these unscrupulous activities – not become what we do not or should not value
Lord, help me to follow YOUR Way when dealing with Predators.
Pastor Jamie

Generosity

Generosity is born out of an understanding of "(Agape) Love your neighbor as yourself", so that one will no more want to see a neighbor (defined by Jesus in Luke 10:25-37 as even stranger and enemy) go without what he/she needs than he or she would want to see that for the self - would no more want harm or misfortune to come to a neighbor than one would want that for oneself...
Generosity has at its core an acknowledgement that one is blessed with more than enough, thankfulness for that fact and a desire to see that others beyond oneself have at LEAST enough or as much in their lives, and the willingness to share from one's own abundance for their sake without recompense.
Generosity is the living of Faith in God to provide one with what one needs, after one has given of one's abundance for others who have needs, out of Agape Love for them.  One must trust in the provider in order to be willing to share of one's present abundance.
Generosity takes some sacrifice of self, selfishness and self-centeredness in the openness to give to others for their sake with nothing to gain for oneself.  It precludes the exploitation of others for one's own gain, stinginess with what one has and others need, the expectation that one need not give unless there is a "return" for self, begrudging others for getting what they need and considering others in any way to be "beneath" your self for not having as much and being in need.
Generosity is a force that brings people together as neighbors, and when done with all humility and grace, it is a powerful force in building equitable community.
Generosity transforms lives and changes hearts, as the giver and receiver are changed and their lives transformed by this active form of Agape Love.  They become more loving, more connected and more open in spirit.
Generosity is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).  It is how God works in the world around us when we are willing to put it out in the world around us with others as an expression of Agape Love.

The word "Liberal" means generous in spirit and intention... open in sharing and treatment of others... beyond fair-minded to being gracious... tolerant, broad-minded, open, bounteous, free-handed, open-handed (Deuteronomy 15:10-11), munificent with gifts and towards well-being...

I pray that any of this may in some way describe me.
Yes, you can label me that!  THANK YOU!
Pastor Jamie

Greed

The nature of Greed is to be Conservative (to hold back, to turn within, to reserve for self), rather than Liberal (generous, egalitarian in concern over well-being).
Greed is never about recognizing that one has "enough" with a thankful, grateful heart and having a healthy sense of satisfaction in that thankfulness.  The nature of Greed says that it is not about having "enough", but rather always MORE... as long as there is more out there, the greedy heart is always focused on getting "it".
The person or nation that is driven by greed will begrudge ANYONE else who has more than THEY need, or even those who just have enough, because the value of the greedy is not about others having what they need or more, but about the greedy himself/herself/themselves always getting more, beyond "enough", and given that there are limits to resources, they want what the other has, even if what they have is much greater than what the other has - so they must do whatever they must to get what the other has at their expense.
Others then are not brothers and sisters in their hearts, but OBJECTS - a means to the end of more for "me/us", to be exploited so that I/we may have MORE, even at their expense.  Especially if more for them means less for me, even though I may have MORE THAN ENOUGH, I cannot have that when I have a greedy heart, because what I treasure is simply MORE FOR ME.  Anyone else getting what they need or more, then makes the greedy fearful and angry therefore, because it necessarily means less available from which they might get MORE, always MORE.
The nature of Greed is to not be concerned about the well-being of the other - only about gain for the self (or those who are just like self or who may benefit self in the future), and it comes in varying degrees.  Beyond having enough, concern for having more at the expense of anyone else who might not have enough, is a disease of the heart and soul.  It destroys both.

I personally know people making six figures in their households, owning boats and nice cars and living in what most in the world would consider mansions, but who out of fear of not getting MORE, BIGGER, BETTER all the time are angry because the most vulnerable in our country get help from our government (their tax dollars), and they REALLY GET ANGRY when it might be suggested that the wealthy have to pay ALL their taxes (with no loopholes or shelters, exemptions), so that the most vulnerable might have a better chance of having ENOUGH.  The current sequester is an expression of that on a grand scale, allowing the Congress to hurt the most vulnerable and the whole country economically, rather than require the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes, and in the long run there is a vision of privatizing public healthcare institutions, schools, prisons and other public entities for the profit of a few at the expense of the many, also eliminating any public assistance (except, of course the corporate welfare that would continue and be expanded).

Jesus said A LOT about Greed.  I address only a SMALL FRACTION of His teachings here:
The Rich Fool of Luke 12 tells of ANYONE who would hoard lots of assets and resources with no concern for anyone else in society... completely self focused... always about getting and having MORE... it does not end well for the Rich Fool in Jesus parable of Kingdom Values.
The Rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 shares Kingdom Values regarding what happens when we ignore, step over and neglect the sick and poor in society... again, it does not end well for the Rich man.
Zacchaeus is a refreshing example of repentance for one who was all about Greed, but who encountered Jesus and allowed that to transform his heart and life (Luke 19).
The Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25 is JESUS' VISION of His return to make things right, and it does not bode well for those who thought they were sheep because they offered worship, praise and tithes, but found out they are goats because they had no concern for the most vulnerable.
Jesus said it will be VERY HARD for the rich to enter the Kingdom because of their conservative consideration of only self and disease of affluenza (desire to be affluent... always have MORE)... Luke 18:18-25... because their values are NOT Kingdom Values...
Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke 12:32-34
Jesus also said, regarding religious and political leaders who are duplicitous and corrupt in their motives, "you will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:15-23

What Value drives you in YOUR life?
Are your values in line with Jesus' Kingdom Values?
Are our nation's values in line with Jesus' Kingdom Values?

Pastor Jamie