God's Will, according to Jesus...

If you read the Gospels, concentrating on what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for life in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now, you get a very clear idea about what God's will is for God's people - what Kingdom of God values are as opposed to worldly empire values (such as those exhibited by the Roman Empire at the time of the writing of the Gospels).

God clearly wills that ALL people should have enough -
   why Jesus taught the Parable of the  Laborers in the Vineyard, who are all paid a daily wage
        because they needed it to survive, regardless of what time they were hired or how much
        time they worked... Matthew 20
   why Jesus said that the laborer deserves his (her) wages... Luke 10
   why Jesus said that though the poor would always be with us, we should not withhold our
        hand from helping them, because we can do so, according to the Law in Deuteronomy 15
        and Mark 14.
  why the rich man remains nameless who is sent to Hell for not helping Lazarus at his gate,
        who needed help... Luke 16
  why the rich fool was a rich fool for hoarding more for himself while ignoring the needs of
        anyone else... Luke 12
  why the rich young man went away sad, because he could not bring himself to value the
        needs of the poor above his own desire to have and keep more for himself... Luke 18
  why Jesus made salvation contingent upon how we treat the most vulnerable in our society,
        feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and imprisoned and welcoming
        the stranger in our land... Matthew 25
  why Jesus demands that we treat children well as God does... Matthew 7, and condemns those
        who would lead children astray by teaching them evil behaviors and values... Mark 9

God does not want us to prosper "above" others, while many go without what they need.
God does not want us to be well and ignore those who are sick.
God does not want us to make more money than others and exploit them so we make more
     while they struggle to survive.
God does not want us to sit in the places of honor, full of hubris (Luke 14) like those caught up
     in status do (Mark 12), but to walk humbly with God and one another (Matthew 23).
God does not want us to have power over others like those who do not know God do (Mark 10).

God commands us through Jesus to live Agape Love with one another - active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy and especially the most vulnerable (Luke 10).

So, if you are a pastor and you are teaching or leading by example according to worldly empire values, you had better check with Jesus, who you CLAIM and proclaim as Lord and Savior.  Is what you are preaching and teaching consistent with Jesus' will that all have well-being and enough, or is it designed to get you (and your church) more wealth, power or status?  If it is the latter, you are not following the Christ (Matthew 23).

If you are a politician who CLAIMS to be a follower of Jesus, and you write laws or say words or actions that go against Jesus' Law of Agape Love in order to gain more power and/or status (Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 25:31-46; etc.), you are much to be pitied.
    Hint: Rounding up, locking up and deporting the stranger in the land and separating families is
             NOT of Christ.  It is of Babylon and Rome and Nazism, but it is NOT of Christ.
             Designing laws or de-regulating commerce so that the wealthy can further gain quick
             profit off the backs of the poor is of Rome, our own Slavery, Jim Crow and Gilded Age eras,
             but NOT of Christ.
             Allowing a Tyrant to first dominate a political party and then run rough-shod over the
             nation, ignoring its constitution and laws and destroying its Democracy is of Rome, of
             Nazism and of Soviet ideology, but NOT of the Christ (or American ideals). 
             Taking away the support of the poor (that you helped put in their plight) and their healthcare
             is of Rome and of our own Gilded Age but NOT of the Christ.

If you are a business leader who CLAIMS to be a follower of Jesus, and your practices come out of greed, you had better check with Jesus (Luke 12:13-21; Matthew 6:24), who values others having enough to live on and NOT you getting much more than you need.
   Hint: making sure your income is padded while denying your employees a living wage and benefits
            is of Mammon and not of God.
            doing all you can to give your executives bonuses and make more money for your
            stockholders while keeping your employees who made you all the money struggling to
            survive is the stuff of rich fools and NOT of the Christ.

A whole lotta folk who are sitting in the pews or comfortable theater seats and breathing in the sanctuary air on Sundays (Saturdays and other days), who are believing that they are the sheep for confessing with their lips one thing... will find themselves GOATS in the end for what they DID or DID NOT DO regarding the most vulnerable among us who are loved by God and for whom Jesus COMMANDED us to care in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now. 

God's will, according to Jesus is that we live thankful and satisfied with enough, and work toward the day when all have that and the well-being (SHALOM) that comes with it.

It really is that simple.

Pastor Jamie