It is not only enough, but VERY IMPORTANT for the disciple to BE LIKE the teacher. In wisdom, in faith and above all in Agape Love, we are called to follow Jesus where Jesus went in the living of life in this part of God's Kingdom, and be like Jesus in how we live faith and share wisdom and Agape Love.
When we are identified with Jesus, we unashamedly embrace our identity in Jesus. If we are most concerned about fitting in with others, we will not be able to identify with Jesus. If we want to please others or hold onto some kind of identity apart from Jesus, we are not following Jesus or living like Jesus.
It is a matter of degrees. Our love and devotion are a matter of degrees. The question is - What do we lose by following Jesus? A life apart from Jesus is what we lose. What do we lose when we find a life apart from Jesus? We lose a life a life with Jesus. We are identified with Jesus when we follow Jesus and live the wisdom and love that Jesus taught us. When we do that, we are a part of the body of Christ.
We cannot claim the things that are not of Jesus and follow Jesus.
We cannot live apart from what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled and be disciples of Jesus.
We can claim Jesus' name all we want, but if we do not identify with what Jesus shared as Kingdom of God values, we are not of Jesus.
Doing unloving things, living out of Greed, being obsessed with power, being selfish, self-centered or self-indulgent, arrogant or hateful is not of Jesus.
If we are identified with Jesus, we will reflect Jesus. Our identity with Jesus means that others who identify with us also identify with Jesus, IF we reflect what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for how to live Agape Love and Grace in this part of God's Kingdom.
How much? How much do you love Jesus? His teachings, commands and examples?
Do you love enough to submit to Jesus in how to live in this part of God's Kingdom?
Do you love Jesus and experience the fullness of your love for others within the context of your love for Jesus?
Do you love Jesus enough to love stranger and enemy?
Love Jesus enough to give generously to those in need?
Love Jesus enough to accept those who are marginalized?
Love Jesus enough to follow Jesus in how you live?
Or are you just claiming the name, but giving your devotion to others or yourself?
To what degree do you love Jesus?
How much do you identify with Jesus?
How well do you follow Jesus in this life, here and now?
I am asking myself the same questions.
Pastor Jamie
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Sunday, June 11, 2017
This is how it works... The Kingdom... Matthew 9:35 - 10:23
Jesus showed us how it works.
Out of Agape Love and in Grace Jesus healed. Jesus did not only share Good News, but lived it and then called His followers to do the same.
Jesus then sent them out to BE His example in the world and to bring Shalom.
Shalom : well-being, completeness, wholeness and peace cannot be or be restored without Agape Love and Grace being lived. The restoration of individual lives, relationships and communities only happens when Agape Love and Grace are lived among the children of God.
It is not about personal gain at the expense of the other, but about receiving what one needs and giving what the other needs in life. It is about genuine mutual interdependence, based on love and grace.
Jesus foretold how resistant the world will be to living in this Agape Way, His Way. People are so invested in the status quo, quid pro quo, exploitative, greedy, power hungry way of self-centered existence that they believe that is actually a faithful way. Jesus taught, commanded and modeled otherwise.
Our physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual health and well-ness begins and ends in the living of Agape Love in the Kingdom of God. When we learn that and live it, individual, relational and communal shalom shall be restored. We will have peace within and around us. Not until then. There is no other way for that. Until we learn that and value it, we will continue to settle for scraps and exploit and abuse one another, and be victimized, abused and exploited.
You can claim the name of Jesus all you want. You can worship, praise and tithe everything. You can carry the biggest, floppiest Bible and wear the biggest gaudiest cross around your neck. If you do not live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in the Good News around Agape Love and Grace, that all means nothing. It is not about personal salvation, but the restoration of all the children of God. That is faithfulness in living God's Will and commands, and in following Jesus.
As I have felt compelled to say many times, "It is about you, sweetheart. It's just not ALL about you." It is in the living of Agape Love and Grace are our mission, rather than personal salvation, that the world will be transformed by the Good News of Jesus, and in nothing else. Unconditional, self-sacrificing, active commitment on behalf of the other is that to which we are called. When all of us do that, we all receive what we need, equally, which is the Will of God. Then all children of God will have enough and have well-being. That is what we are called to live in THIS PART of God's Kingdom, here and now. THAT is what we are called to put out in the world around us today and everyday. THAT is following Jesus - bringing shalom to the lives around us by the living of Agape Love and Grace.
How are we doing as individuals, congregations, church bodies and Christianity in America at doing THAT in this world around us?
Pastor Jamie
Out of Agape Love and in Grace Jesus healed. Jesus did not only share Good News, but lived it and then called His followers to do the same.
Jesus then sent them out to BE His example in the world and to bring Shalom.
Shalom : well-being, completeness, wholeness and peace cannot be or be restored without Agape Love and Grace being lived. The restoration of individual lives, relationships and communities only happens when Agape Love and Grace are lived among the children of God.
It is not about personal gain at the expense of the other, but about receiving what one needs and giving what the other needs in life. It is about genuine mutual interdependence, based on love and grace.
Jesus foretold how resistant the world will be to living in this Agape Way, His Way. People are so invested in the status quo, quid pro quo, exploitative, greedy, power hungry way of self-centered existence that they believe that is actually a faithful way. Jesus taught, commanded and modeled otherwise.
Our physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual health and well-ness begins and ends in the living of Agape Love in the Kingdom of God. When we learn that and live it, individual, relational and communal shalom shall be restored. We will have peace within and around us. Not until then. There is no other way for that. Until we learn that and value it, we will continue to settle for scraps and exploit and abuse one another, and be victimized, abused and exploited.
You can claim the name of Jesus all you want. You can worship, praise and tithe everything. You can carry the biggest, floppiest Bible and wear the biggest gaudiest cross around your neck. If you do not live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in the Good News around Agape Love and Grace, that all means nothing. It is not about personal salvation, but the restoration of all the children of God. That is faithfulness in living God's Will and commands, and in following Jesus.
As I have felt compelled to say many times, "It is about you, sweetheart. It's just not ALL about you." It is in the living of Agape Love and Grace are our mission, rather than personal salvation, that the world will be transformed by the Good News of Jesus, and in nothing else. Unconditional, self-sacrificing, active commitment on behalf of the other is that to which we are called. When all of us do that, we all receive what we need, equally, which is the Will of God. Then all children of God will have enough and have well-being. That is what we are called to live in THIS PART of God's Kingdom, here and now. THAT is what we are called to put out in the world around us today and everyday. THAT is following Jesus - bringing shalom to the lives around us by the living of Agape Love and Grace.
How are we doing as individuals, congregations, church bodies and Christianity in America at doing THAT in this world around us?
Pastor Jamie
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Commissioned to Actively Love...
Jesus, in ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth... both parts of God's Kingdom... commanded the living of Agape Love in Grace...
Go - a command - do not sit and wait, open up church clubhouse doors and wait for people to pour in and be assimilated into the church culture, cult, social club and indoctrinated into a belief system mostly made up by humans who lead the church and participate in it, and into their biases and prejudices, their agendas and ulterior motives... go out into the world, where the people live, in their lives, in the pain, grit, dysfunction, joy, wisdom, poverty, sickness... realness of the world... not cloister and create a sanitized, perfectly manicured and quaffed, false façade place with false ideals to aspire to, but realness in order to live a real relationship with a real God with real people...
Jesus commanded them to Make Disciples... students of Jesus' Good News, followers who would follow Jesus' teachings, commands and examples... follow Jesus where Jesus went... to people that many in Jesus' church would not find desirable for conversation or life together - on the highways and bi-ways with the poor, the lame and maimed... all invited by Jesus to His banquet... student/followers who would obey what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled as Kingdom of God values, and not the quaffed who live a duplicitous life between spoken words and actions in the world around them which portray one set of values but exhibit a very different one based on their greed, lust for power and control and self-centered perspectives... disciples - student/followers who will not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of their MINDS and hearts in and by the Good News of Jesus...
Jesus commanded them to Baptize them in the name of God, not indoctrinate them into the name of their sect or denomination and not force them to assimilate to customs, ideals, ideologies, philosophies or practices that run contrary to the Good News teachings of Jesus - but include them in Grace - even if the law would exclude them (like Gentiles, Ethiopians, Eunuchs, women, and even those who represent the oppressors like Romans and Pharisees)... welcome them into the community and help them to know that they belong and that they will help shape how the community is now, even with their different ethnicities, customs, sexualities, economic class or histories... by Grace in Agape Love.
This can only happen if Jesus' command to teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you is done. In the teaching is a reminder for those who are teaching to live by the same principles, values and mission that Jesus commanded in the Good News. In the learning is transformation that happens together as these Kingdom values are learned and actively lived. In the agreement of what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for the living of Agape Love in Grace is the building of community based not on xenophobic homogenization, but identity with Jesus as Lord of our lives. In the lifting up of what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in the Good News is the mission of the church to be the salt and light in the world - this part of God's Kingdom.
Remember, Jesus is with us to the end of the age (for a vision of that, see Matthew 25:31-46). Remember that Jesus is in the midst of the two or three who dare to gather in His name to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled. Jesus in with us to comfort us in His Love, Grace and Peace. Jesus is also with us because we are accountable to Jesus and what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled. It is by that that we are judged in the end - in how we have lived or refused to live Agape Love and Grace in the world around us.
It is simple, really. It is not easy, but it is simple. Not easy to live but simple to understand. Obedience is to be lived, not to the Law or Prophets, but with the Lord who fulfills both Law and Prophets in His Good News of Agape Love and Grace.
So, how are we doing with the Commission to be self-less, deny ourselves, take up the Cross and follow Jesus in living Agape Love (selfless, even self-sacrificing active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy) and Grace (undeserved loving mercy given freely)? Are we following Jesus as the church? Are we following Jesus as individuals? Into what are YOU baptized?
Pastor Jamie
Go - a command - do not sit and wait, open up church clubhouse doors and wait for people to pour in and be assimilated into the church culture, cult, social club and indoctrinated into a belief system mostly made up by humans who lead the church and participate in it, and into their biases and prejudices, their agendas and ulterior motives... go out into the world, where the people live, in their lives, in the pain, grit, dysfunction, joy, wisdom, poverty, sickness... realness of the world... not cloister and create a sanitized, perfectly manicured and quaffed, false façade place with false ideals to aspire to, but realness in order to live a real relationship with a real God with real people...
Jesus commanded them to Make Disciples... students of Jesus' Good News, followers who would follow Jesus' teachings, commands and examples... follow Jesus where Jesus went... to people that many in Jesus' church would not find desirable for conversation or life together - on the highways and bi-ways with the poor, the lame and maimed... all invited by Jesus to His banquet... student/followers who would obey what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled as Kingdom of God values, and not the quaffed who live a duplicitous life between spoken words and actions in the world around them which portray one set of values but exhibit a very different one based on their greed, lust for power and control and self-centered perspectives... disciples - student/followers who will not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of their MINDS and hearts in and by the Good News of Jesus...
Jesus commanded them to Baptize them in the name of God, not indoctrinate them into the name of their sect or denomination and not force them to assimilate to customs, ideals, ideologies, philosophies or practices that run contrary to the Good News teachings of Jesus - but include them in Grace - even if the law would exclude them (like Gentiles, Ethiopians, Eunuchs, women, and even those who represent the oppressors like Romans and Pharisees)... welcome them into the community and help them to know that they belong and that they will help shape how the community is now, even with their different ethnicities, customs, sexualities, economic class or histories... by Grace in Agape Love.
This can only happen if Jesus' command to teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you is done. In the teaching is a reminder for those who are teaching to live by the same principles, values and mission that Jesus commanded in the Good News. In the learning is transformation that happens together as these Kingdom values are learned and actively lived. In the agreement of what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for the living of Agape Love in Grace is the building of community based not on xenophobic homogenization, but identity with Jesus as Lord of our lives. In the lifting up of what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in the Good News is the mission of the church to be the salt and light in the world - this part of God's Kingdom.
Remember, Jesus is with us to the end of the age (for a vision of that, see Matthew 25:31-46). Remember that Jesus is in the midst of the two or three who dare to gather in His name to live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled. Jesus in with us to comfort us in His Love, Grace and Peace. Jesus is also with us because we are accountable to Jesus and what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled. It is by that that we are judged in the end - in how we have lived or refused to live Agape Love and Grace in the world around us.
It is simple, really. It is not easy, but it is simple. Not easy to live but simple to understand. Obedience is to be lived, not to the Law or Prophets, but with the Lord who fulfills both Law and Prophets in His Good News of Agape Love and Grace.
So, how are we doing with the Commission to be self-less, deny ourselves, take up the Cross and follow Jesus in living Agape Love (selfless, even self-sacrificing active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy) and Grace (undeserved loving mercy given freely)? Are we following Jesus as the church? Are we following Jesus as individuals? Into what are YOU baptized?
Pastor Jamie
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Pentecost Being ONE...
Please allow me to use last week's Gospel Lesson from John 17:1-11 with the Pentecost story for this week. Partly because I missed sharing last week but mostly because I think this lesson has great significance regarding the Holy Spirit's purpose and work, I would appreciate your indulgence of me on this choice.
Jesus, in all authority over all people, desires that we be one with God. Just as He and the Father are unified, so God's will is that we be one with God. The introduction of Jesus between God and God's people was a re-introduction, necessary because of the corruption of the Temple Cult leaders of their time and the oppressive occupying force of Rome. God desires that we be unified in order that we may not fall to the destructive, oppressive forces of greed, lust for power and self-centeredness, but rather that we in strength resist these evils together and live in Agape Love. Jesus re-introduced us to God's love in the Gospels through what He taught, commanded and modeled for us.
The Pentecost is the introduction of the Holy Spirit's presence, power and guidance toward that unity with one another and with God. It is the great UN-DOING of the scattering of peoples at the Tower of Babel. This etiology tells the story of how God draws all people together at Jesus, in Agape Love. It is about unity, oneness with God brought by the atoning act of Jesus on the Cross. The Holy Spirit is introduced in the mix now, in power and strength. The Holy Spirit guides, draws and even drives us to Jesus by communication of the Good News of Agape Love. It is God's will and God's purpose that we be one people together, and that we be one with God. The deeds of wonder and power are not the purpose, so getting caught up on them as if they are the purpose is not helpful or faithful. God needs to prove God's power and wonder to no one. We should not be surprised by signs of God's power and wonder. No, the deeds of power and wonder are a means toward God's will - to draw people together in unity with one another and (therefore) with God.
Greed divides. Abuses of power divide. Self-centeredness sets people apart from others.
Jesus' Good News of Agape Love - his teachings, commands and examples of it, draw people together in unity, justice and peace.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit - to bring about God's will in THIS PART of God's Kingdom by transforming hearts, minds and lives of individuals and community toward unity with one another and (therefore) with God, as one Body of Christ.
So, how and to where is the Holy Spirit leading, guiding, drawing and driving you?
Pastor Jamie
Jesus, in all authority over all people, desires that we be one with God. Just as He and the Father are unified, so God's will is that we be one with God. The introduction of Jesus between God and God's people was a re-introduction, necessary because of the corruption of the Temple Cult leaders of their time and the oppressive occupying force of Rome. God desires that we be unified in order that we may not fall to the destructive, oppressive forces of greed, lust for power and self-centeredness, but rather that we in strength resist these evils together and live in Agape Love. Jesus re-introduced us to God's love in the Gospels through what He taught, commanded and modeled for us.
The Pentecost is the introduction of the Holy Spirit's presence, power and guidance toward that unity with one another and with God. It is the great UN-DOING of the scattering of peoples at the Tower of Babel. This etiology tells the story of how God draws all people together at Jesus, in Agape Love. It is about unity, oneness with God brought by the atoning act of Jesus on the Cross. The Holy Spirit is introduced in the mix now, in power and strength. The Holy Spirit guides, draws and even drives us to Jesus by communication of the Good News of Agape Love. It is God's will and God's purpose that we be one people together, and that we be one with God. The deeds of wonder and power are not the purpose, so getting caught up on them as if they are the purpose is not helpful or faithful. God needs to prove God's power and wonder to no one. We should not be surprised by signs of God's power and wonder. No, the deeds of power and wonder are a means toward God's will - to draw people together in unity with one another and (therefore) with God.
Greed divides. Abuses of power divide. Self-centeredness sets people apart from others.
Jesus' Good News of Agape Love - his teachings, commands and examples of it, draw people together in unity, justice and peace.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit - to bring about God's will in THIS PART of God's Kingdom by transforming hearts, minds and lives of individuals and community toward unity with one another and (therefore) with God, as one Body of Christ.
So, how and to where is the Holy Spirit leading, guiding, drawing and driving you?
Pastor Jamie
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