Matthew 14:13-21 (16)
When Jesus preached to the crowd and realized they were hungry, He had compassion on them. It is out of compassion that this Good News is lived.
His followers, the leaders, wanted to send them away to fend for themselves. Jesus rejected that idea and told the disciples, "They need not go away; YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT." The followers of Jesus are to act on this compassion, if not their own, then on the compassion of the one they follow.
Then their argument was that they did not have enough resources with which to feed them and themselves.
Jesus ignored that argument and told them, "BRING THEM HERE TO ME."
He blessed it and broke it and distributed it by the work of His followers to the crowd. This, to me, is sacramental... the Word/Command and Elements shared in Grace and Agape...
And all 5,000+ ate and were satisfied, and there were 12 baskets of leftovers, more than what they started with...
1. Jesus has compassion on those in need, and His followers had better get with that program, because if they do not, they are not following Jesus... many who are goats think that they are faithful sheep - see Matthew 25:31-46.
2. There is no excuse for not helping people with what they need - the lame excuses of "it's not our job" or "we don't have enough for everyone AND ourselves" hold no meaning or value with Jesus, the one we profess to follow.
3. God provides through OUR hands and feet and mouths. God works through us in THIS part of God's Kingdom. We are COMMANDED by the Good News Law of Agape to live the compassion of Jesus with one another, and if we are not willing to follow Jesus in this, we are not Jesus' followers... making disciples means making folk who will FOLLOW Jesus' teachings, commands and examples, and baptizing them into a radical community that lives His Agape - see Matthew 28:16-20.
And Imperative is not a suggestion, but a COMMAND... simply put, it is "do this... don't do that..." If we are going to follow Jesus as Lord and not just try to hold onto Him as Savior, we must obey His commands... to be His followers, we must FOLLOW HIM.
Pastor Jamie
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Imperatives of Jesus - Part IV
"Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'" (Matthew 9:13)
Jesus associated with people who were known by others to be "sinners". He, in fact, according to the Gospels, refused to judge and shared that He came, not for the righteous, but for sinners.
The Law of Agape has its deepest expression in Grace - undeserved loving mercy. God is Gracious with us, regardless of our deserving. We are commanded to be gracious with one another. Just as Jesus embodied Agape and did not just teach it as a theoretical ideal, so Jesus WAS Grace on the Cross.
In Luke 7:36-50, we learn a lesson, not only about being gracious with one another, but about forgiving the debts or sins of others. If we understand our sinfulness, we understand the greatness of God's Grace in our lives. If we don't recognize our sinfulness, but rather have some delusion about our own righteousness, especially over others, then we have no value for God's Grace and are much less likely to be gracious with others. I used to think, "Just give me what I deserve." Coming to understand my sinfulness and consequent need for Grace, I now do not want what I deserve. I know what I deserve. I want Grace. If I want it for myself, I must necessarily want that for those who I love as I love myself. If I want to receive God's mercy in Grace, I had better learn mercy for others over some punitive desire to see them make a sacrifice for their sins.
Agape Love demands Grace. I cannot live Agape, as commanded by Jesus, AND judge or refuse to forgive. I cannot live Agape and want, out of vengeance or a sense of superior righteousness or a lack of compassion, to want others to pay a price while I enjoy the fruits of Grace. I am either a person of Grace in Agape Love, or I am not.
We are not to consider this a theoretical, spiritual truth with no application, but rather to LIVE it with one another. As God lives it with us, so we are to live it with one another. We learn from Jesus' parable of the two debtors in Matthew 18:23-35. God will deal with us as we dal with others. We had better learn mercy over a desire for punitive sacrifice.
Jesus is THE sacrifice for ALL sin. He WAS Grace and Mercy. He WAS Agape, and command it.
If we hope to follow Jesus, we must indeed LEARN mercy over sacrifice for others, because it is what we want for ourselves.
Pastor Jamie
Jesus associated with people who were known by others to be "sinners". He, in fact, according to the Gospels, refused to judge and shared that He came, not for the righteous, but for sinners.
The Law of Agape has its deepest expression in Grace - undeserved loving mercy. God is Gracious with us, regardless of our deserving. We are commanded to be gracious with one another. Just as Jesus embodied Agape and did not just teach it as a theoretical ideal, so Jesus WAS Grace on the Cross.
In Luke 7:36-50, we learn a lesson, not only about being gracious with one another, but about forgiving the debts or sins of others. If we understand our sinfulness, we understand the greatness of God's Grace in our lives. If we don't recognize our sinfulness, but rather have some delusion about our own righteousness, especially over others, then we have no value for God's Grace and are much less likely to be gracious with others. I used to think, "Just give me what I deserve." Coming to understand my sinfulness and consequent need for Grace, I now do not want what I deserve. I know what I deserve. I want Grace. If I want it for myself, I must necessarily want that for those who I love as I love myself. If I want to receive God's mercy in Grace, I had better learn mercy for others over some punitive desire to see them make a sacrifice for their sins.
Agape Love demands Grace. I cannot live Agape, as commanded by Jesus, AND judge or refuse to forgive. I cannot live Agape and want, out of vengeance or a sense of superior righteousness or a lack of compassion, to want others to pay a price while I enjoy the fruits of Grace. I am either a person of Grace in Agape Love, or I am not.
We are not to consider this a theoretical, spiritual truth with no application, but rather to LIVE it with one another. As God lives it with us, so we are to live it with one another. We learn from Jesus' parable of the two debtors in Matthew 18:23-35. God will deal with us as we dal with others. We had better learn mercy over a desire for punitive sacrifice.
Jesus is THE sacrifice for ALL sin. He WAS Grace and Mercy. He WAS Agape, and command it.
If we hope to follow Jesus, we must indeed LEARN mercy over sacrifice for others, because it is what we want for ourselves.
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Part III - more on Agape
And Then Jesus took it up a notch. As if loving God and Neighbor (even stranger and enemy) , with all we have, even as we love ourselves is not hard enough, the Jesus of the Gospels COMMANDS that we "Love one another as I have loved you (Agape)." John 13:34,35 It is His New Commandment,
The Agape Jesus modeled in the Gospels is full of compassion, confrontation, advocacy, sarcasm, exhortations, admonishments, tenderness, mercy, hard lessons to hear, unconditional, undeserved grace and self-sacrifice. Hard enough for you to emulate yet?
It is not enough to love the easy ones to love - those who love us (Luke 6:32-36). We are commanded to forgive the ones who ARE actively killing us, as did Jesus, give mercy without judgment to the undeserving (Luke 6:37,38) as did Jesus and look beyond ourselves in order to live this active commitment on behalf of the other (Matthew 16:24) that we must do to follow Jesus. If we say we are His followers, do we not need to follow Jesus, both what He taught AND what He did(Luke 6:46)?
I sometimes have my issues with Paul, but I believe Paul got it right in Romans and Philippians, largely - some of the most beautiful, powerful and enduring applications of the theology and practice of Agape and Grace...
more powerful than I Corinthians 13, I believe, is the teaching in Philippians 2:1-11 on Agape...
by definition, active commitment on behalf of the other requires that we "look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." We are commanded by Paul to "Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus..." so that we, having so changed our minds, our thinking (see Part I), will say and do as Jesus did - Agapao as Jesus did, even in self-sacrifice.
It really is that simple. It really is that hard. If you say you follow Jesus, you must go where Jesus leads you. "Love one another as I have loved you."
One can see why some have come to self-justify with mere worship, praise and tithes as if that is being faithful to the one who never asked for them, but who commanded this.
Are you ready to be THAT loving and gracious? Are you ready to truly follow Jesus?
Pastor Jamie
The Agape Jesus modeled in the Gospels is full of compassion, confrontation, advocacy, sarcasm, exhortations, admonishments, tenderness, mercy, hard lessons to hear, unconditional, undeserved grace and self-sacrifice. Hard enough for you to emulate yet?
It is not enough to love the easy ones to love - those who love us (Luke 6:32-36). We are commanded to forgive the ones who ARE actively killing us, as did Jesus, give mercy without judgment to the undeserving (Luke 6:37,38) as did Jesus and look beyond ourselves in order to live this active commitment on behalf of the other (Matthew 16:24) that we must do to follow Jesus. If we say we are His followers, do we not need to follow Jesus, both what He taught AND what He did(Luke 6:46)?
I sometimes have my issues with Paul, but I believe Paul got it right in Romans and Philippians, largely - some of the most beautiful, powerful and enduring applications of the theology and practice of Agape and Grace...
more powerful than I Corinthians 13, I believe, is the teaching in Philippians 2:1-11 on Agape...
by definition, active commitment on behalf of the other requires that we "look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." We are commanded by Paul to "Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus..." so that we, having so changed our minds, our thinking (see Part I), will say and do as Jesus did - Agapao as Jesus did, even in self-sacrifice.
It really is that simple. It really is that hard. If you say you follow Jesus, you must go where Jesus leads you. "Love one another as I have loved you."
One can see why some have come to self-justify with mere worship, praise and tithes as if that is being faithful to the one who never asked for them, but who commanded this.
Are you ready to be THAT loving and gracious? Are you ready to truly follow Jesus?
Pastor Jamie
Friday, May 6, 2016
Jesus' Imperatives - Part II - Agape Love
After a while of changing my thinking and considering a different way, Jesus' way, I discovered in study the centrality of Jesus' teachings and commands around AGAPE... This is that upon which the whole New Covenant is built. God's Grace and Mercy are expressions of that Agape. It is not about feelings, but about active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy according to Jesus. It is about looking beyond self to other(s) around self. It is about all of us making it not just about ourselves, but looking to the interests of others, as Paul put it (Phil. 2:1-11).
Matthew 22:34-40 introduces this fulfillment of Law and Prophets very clearly. Love for God and love for Neighbor (Agape), is that upon which hang all the Law and Prophets, according to Jesus. It is unconditional and self-sacrificing, as Jesus modeled for us. Love for neighbor is not secondary to love for God, but "just like it", in fact, HOW we love God - by loving others.
In Luke's Gospel (6:38), we learn that we are to love enemy with such love. That love is expressed on how we DO with them. As God is merciful as an expression of Agape in Grace, so are WE to be gracious and merciful with one another. We also learn that in order to live this Agape, we MUST NOT JUDGE and we MUST FORGIVE. These Imperatives of Jesus are integral to the living of Agape, and are such that, when we give them (forgiveness or judgment) we will receive them in kind. Often misused as a "prosperity" text, it is forgiveness or judgment that, when we give, we will receive in "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over...into your lap".
Also in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37), we learn who the neighbor is with whom we are commanded to live this Agape. When looking for loopholes, we must hear Jesus teach us that it is the stranger and enemy who is our neighbor. We are to go to extraordinary lengths to actively commit to that one's well-being, because Jesus commands, "Go and do likewise."
The Golden Rule sums up this Imperative of Jesus. "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Matthew 7:12) This means that we no more want harm or lack come to a stranger or enemy than we want that for ourselves. It means that we treat others in need as we would hope to be treated in need - with help, respect, dignity, acceptance and justice.
This is not easy. It is simple to understand. It is a command. The teachings underscore just how we are to live as followers of Jesus' Agape Love command. It is not hard to understand. It is hard to live. In order to BE followers of Jesus, who modeled this in His ministry and on the Cross, we MUST live it.
I believe that I can spend the rest of my life contemplating, learning about and applying this to my life in every aspect of it (politics, economics, family, work, community, etc.). I can spend the rest of my life learning how to LIVE this Agape Love. It is the call of EVERY person who claims the name of Jesus. It is HIS LAW. It is HIS PROPHETS. It is God's Will.
As the Good Samaritan did and as Jesus did, "Go and do likewise."
Pastor Jamie
Matthew 22:34-40 introduces this fulfillment of Law and Prophets very clearly. Love for God and love for Neighbor (Agape), is that upon which hang all the Law and Prophets, according to Jesus. It is unconditional and self-sacrificing, as Jesus modeled for us. Love for neighbor is not secondary to love for God, but "just like it", in fact, HOW we love God - by loving others.
In Luke's Gospel (6:38), we learn that we are to love enemy with such love. That love is expressed on how we DO with them. As God is merciful as an expression of Agape in Grace, so are WE to be gracious and merciful with one another. We also learn that in order to live this Agape, we MUST NOT JUDGE and we MUST FORGIVE. These Imperatives of Jesus are integral to the living of Agape, and are such that, when we give them (forgiveness or judgment) we will receive them in kind. Often misused as a "prosperity" text, it is forgiveness or judgment that, when we give, we will receive in "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over...into your lap".
Also in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37), we learn who the neighbor is with whom we are commanded to live this Agape. When looking for loopholes, we must hear Jesus teach us that it is the stranger and enemy who is our neighbor. We are to go to extraordinary lengths to actively commit to that one's well-being, because Jesus commands, "Go and do likewise."
The Golden Rule sums up this Imperative of Jesus. "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Matthew 7:12) This means that we no more want harm or lack come to a stranger or enemy than we want that for ourselves. It means that we treat others in need as we would hope to be treated in need - with help, respect, dignity, acceptance and justice.
This is not easy. It is simple to understand. It is a command. The teachings underscore just how we are to live as followers of Jesus' Agape Love command. It is not hard to understand. It is hard to live. In order to BE followers of Jesus, who modeled this in His ministry and on the Cross, we MUST live it.
I believe that I can spend the rest of my life contemplating, learning about and applying this to my life in every aspect of it (politics, economics, family, work, community, etc.). I can spend the rest of my life learning how to LIVE this Agape Love. It is the call of EVERY person who claims the name of Jesus. It is HIS LAW. It is HIS PROPHETS. It is God's Will.
As the Good Samaritan did and as Jesus did, "Go and do likewise."
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Imperatives (Commands) of Jesus - Part 1
Jesus is Redeemer, Savior and Lord to me.
I must therefore, as a Disciple, follow what Jesus, Fulfiller of Law and Prophets, taught, commanded and modeled, as we have that in the Gospels.
Jesus is my authority on the Will of God.
So, over the past twenty or so years, I have been focused on living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, because I believe that Jesus' Central Teaching in the Gospels, the living of Agape Love (active commitment on behalf of the other - even stranger and enemy) is what Jesus wants of me in THIS PART of God's Kingdom, here and now.
It amazes me still that people who confess Jesus with their lips and profess to be followers of Jesus, ignore what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, especially the living of Agape Love in the world.
I will address that further on my next installment.
The FIRST GOSPEL WRITTEN...
in the FIRST CHAPTER,
offering the FIRST public WORDS of Jesus in the Gospel Genre has Jesus making an IMPERATIVE STATEMENT... the first of MANY... a command (do this/don't do that)...
"The time is FULFILLED, and the KINGDOM OF GOD has come near;
REPENT, and BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS." Mark 1:15
It was an announcement by Jesus...
THIS IS IT, FOLKS... what you have been waiting for...
The FULFILLER of Law and Prophets, the Messiah is here...
The KINGDOM OF GOD is what Jesus represents and brings...
This is GOD'S WILL... so, LISTEN UP... here it is...
John had prepared Jesus' way by telling people to repent for the forgiveness of sins.
It was time to start afresh. John's repentance was key for the followers of Moses and Elijah.
Jesus COMMANDS (Imperative Mood)...
REPENT - metanoia in Greek - CHANGE YOUR MIND
CHANGE YOUR THINKING
(so that your Words and Actions will be different)
Indeed, we would have to change our thinking to comply with His next command -
BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS
If we believe in God, if we believe in Jesus as Son of God, Messiah, or even if we believe
Jesus to be a messenger of God...
If we believe Jesus is the LOGOS... the Word made Flesh...
Then we must believe in His MESSAGE... His GOOD NEWS...
Throughout the Gospels, we have Jesus telling His followers that to BE His followers they must "abide in MY words" and "keep MY commandments", along with other, similar teachings. The Good News is JESUS' Good News - Jesus OWNS IT... it is God's WILL for God's people who live in the New Covenant of Grace in Agape Love.
It was time to let go of the salvation by merit according to the Law and Prophets...
It was time to welcome Jesus as the Giver of God's Grace and Mercy...
It was time to let go of the check-list mentality of keeping ten commandments...
It was time to embrace Jesus' Law of Agape...
It was time to let go of counting others as worthy, unworthy or less worthy...
It was time to see our need and theirs for GRACE in Jesus...
So, you say you believe in Jesus...
as Redeemer, Savior and Lord?
But do you believe in Jesus' GOOD NEWS?
Do you believe that Jesus' teachings, commands and examples are to be followed?
Do you live by Jesus' Law of Agape Love?
Do you believe that you need to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled?
Do you believe that to be right with God, you must follow His example and teachings?
I know you worship and praise Him. Did Jesus once ask for that in His Good News?
Did Jesus command tithes in order to please God?
Did Jesus teach intolerance of anyone, even those who do not believe in Him or those who broke the Law of Moses?
Did Jesus model hatred of ANYONE? Violence toward anyone? Discrimination of anyone?
Yes, we must repent... change our minds, our thinking, if we want to follow Jesus.
He COMMANDS it.
I believe that Jesus' Way is a better way for the whole world, particularly the world around me when I live it. I believe that to be faithful to Jesus is to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in His Good News. I believe in it. Do you?
Pastor Jamie
I must therefore, as a Disciple, follow what Jesus, Fulfiller of Law and Prophets, taught, commanded and modeled, as we have that in the Gospels.
Jesus is my authority on the Will of God.
So, over the past twenty or so years, I have been focused on living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, because I believe that Jesus' Central Teaching in the Gospels, the living of Agape Love (active commitment on behalf of the other - even stranger and enemy) is what Jesus wants of me in THIS PART of God's Kingdom, here and now.
It amazes me still that people who confess Jesus with their lips and profess to be followers of Jesus, ignore what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, especially the living of Agape Love in the world.
I will address that further on my next installment.
The FIRST GOSPEL WRITTEN...
in the FIRST CHAPTER,
offering the FIRST public WORDS of Jesus in the Gospel Genre has Jesus making an IMPERATIVE STATEMENT... the first of MANY... a command (do this/don't do that)...
"The time is FULFILLED, and the KINGDOM OF GOD has come near;
REPENT, and BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS." Mark 1:15
It was an announcement by Jesus...
THIS IS IT, FOLKS... what you have been waiting for...
The FULFILLER of Law and Prophets, the Messiah is here...
The KINGDOM OF GOD is what Jesus represents and brings...
This is GOD'S WILL... so, LISTEN UP... here it is...
John had prepared Jesus' way by telling people to repent for the forgiveness of sins.
It was time to start afresh. John's repentance was key for the followers of Moses and Elijah.
Jesus COMMANDS (Imperative Mood)...
REPENT - metanoia in Greek - CHANGE YOUR MIND
CHANGE YOUR THINKING
(so that your Words and Actions will be different)
Indeed, we would have to change our thinking to comply with His next command -
BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS
If we believe in God, if we believe in Jesus as Son of God, Messiah, or even if we believe
Jesus to be a messenger of God...
If we believe Jesus is the LOGOS... the Word made Flesh...
Then we must believe in His MESSAGE... His GOOD NEWS...
Throughout the Gospels, we have Jesus telling His followers that to BE His followers they must "abide in MY words" and "keep MY commandments", along with other, similar teachings. The Good News is JESUS' Good News - Jesus OWNS IT... it is God's WILL for God's people who live in the New Covenant of Grace in Agape Love.
It was time to let go of the salvation by merit according to the Law and Prophets...
It was time to welcome Jesus as the Giver of God's Grace and Mercy...
It was time to let go of the check-list mentality of keeping ten commandments...
It was time to embrace Jesus' Law of Agape...
It was time to let go of counting others as worthy, unworthy or less worthy...
It was time to see our need and theirs for GRACE in Jesus...
So, you say you believe in Jesus...
as Redeemer, Savior and Lord?
But do you believe in Jesus' GOOD NEWS?
Do you believe that Jesus' teachings, commands and examples are to be followed?
Do you live by Jesus' Law of Agape Love?
Do you believe that you need to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled?
Do you believe that to be right with God, you must follow His example and teachings?
I know you worship and praise Him. Did Jesus once ask for that in His Good News?
Did Jesus command tithes in order to please God?
Did Jesus teach intolerance of anyone, even those who do not believe in Him or those who broke the Law of Moses?
Did Jesus model hatred of ANYONE? Violence toward anyone? Discrimination of anyone?
Yes, we must repent... change our minds, our thinking, if we want to follow Jesus.
He COMMANDS it.
I believe that Jesus' Way is a better way for the whole world, particularly the world around me when I live it. I believe that to be faithful to Jesus is to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in His Good News. I believe in it. Do you?
Pastor Jamie
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