It is not what goes into a person that defiles them, it is what comes out of a person. Well, what just came out of me, defiled not only myself, but the whole bathroom! Unclean!!!! (Too easy)
Quick take - it's not about reading the Bible, going to church, doing the Harder 75, volunteering, giving to Compassion. Sure, all that is good, but what matters is how I treat people, how I react in every situation, and what I do once I leave this computer.
They came back and reported all they had done. That sounds kind of cool.
First, they are all going out as a team. They have their partners and other groups of partners are ministering to different places. They have this group that is all focused on building the kingdom - everyone with the same purpose encouraging one another, holding one another accountable, doing stuff for God!
That would be cool - to have a group like that.
Then, they are reporting what they had done. They actually did stuff! They were healing people and teaching people about God. They were seeing people coming into the Kingdom and realizing how much God loves them. There were miracles and struggles, and they got to tell and listen to all the stories from their friends.
That would be cool too - to actually be doing stuff that built the Kingdom.
I don't really have that. Most people don't. Even when I was going to church, I didn't have a group like that, and you could definitely count the things that were worth sharing on one hand. It starts with the group - notice Jesus never sent out one person. OK, he did actually do that, but it's cooler in a group.
Wait, maybe I am more John the Baptist than Peter. Maybe I'm more Elijah than Big James. Maybe I am one of the one personers. Hmmmmmmm!
Even though I found it extremely interesting how much time Mark spent on the beheading of John the Baptist even though he does not spend more than one paragraph on anything Jesus does, I want to talk about prayer.
Every day, before I start reading the Bible, I pray the Lord's prayer. When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, that's what You said, so I figure that's a good way to do it. And really, I guess You knew what You were talking about because it really does cover everything.....FOR EVERYONE!
Today, I stopped when I finished "on earth as it is in heaven" and said the names of people I really care about. Then, I noticed how many times I used "us" and "our" the rest of the way. There's no need to mention specific people - this prayer is for all of us! At no point does the Our Father focus on me - the whole thing is us! Love that!
Now, I am reading Francis Chan's book and he said yesterday that he would ask every pastor if they are praying an hour a day, and if they weren't, he would find another pastor. One, shouldn't they be praying 24 hours a day (or at least as long as they are awake)? It seems like that's what they Bible says. That's kind of why I like to walk everywhere - it helps me to focus on God's presence. And I hope when pastor's (and I should do this too) are talking to people they have one ear to God.
But, here's my other thought - isn't the Our Father enough? What else do we need to pray for? That covers everything.....FOR EVERYONE! Do we really have to sit in a chair for an hour?
Those are just my thoughts - what do you think? (I know no one reads this, but it just sounded like the right thing to say!)
Was God just having a little fun? Was He just seeing how many crazy rules He could come up with to see if they would follow? Or was His plan all along - I am going to give them all these rules so they can see that following rules will never get it done?
Naming exact birds and insects that they can and can't eat. Chewing from the cud and divided hoof, but not one or the other. What's wrong with pigs? How come they couldn't eat them?
All of the rules had to be for something. He spends an awful lot of time coming up with them, and I can't even imagine the people who had to make sure they followed every one! But, why?
He does say at the end of Leviticus 11 - He wants us to be holy! He wants us to do everything He asks. Now, that kind of makes sense - not from a chew the cud kind of way, but from a becoming like Him kind of way. Pretty sure it's not so much about what we eat or don't eat, it's more about our willingness and trust to follow Him.
Today Jesus tells the parable about the Kingdom of God. It is like seed that is spread all over the ground. Then, the seed spreader goes to bed. Night after night, he (or she) sleeps and somehow the seed sprouts into a plant. He (or she) doesn't have to do anything. He (or she) has no clue how it happens, but it just does.
All we have to do is throw the seed out there! That's it! Then we're done - God does the rest. It's kind of freeing, honestly. Anyone can talk about God or The Kingdom. Anyone can ask a person a question or two. Anyone can share their faith by how they act and how they treat people.
God does the rest! Sounds easy (he says right before he actually walks out the door and tries to live it out!)
So, why does Jesus start throwing tables and bringing out the whip (maybe only in The Chosen)? He talks about how the people in the temple are turning God's house into a den of thieves because they are charging people. But, in Leviticus, it says that people have to pay the priests for sin offerings. (Wow, it kind of makes you rethink the old Catholic thing of selling off indulgences!)
It was the way, back then. You sinned, you had to give the priests money for forgiveness. Now, maybe the thing Jesus didn't like was how much the people were charging or the fact that they were trying to make money on something that was supposed to be for God. But, it just struck me that you could "buy forgiveness', and that God would require money!
Funny thing is, it never moved me when it mentions a goat or a lamb or a dove. Those things actually seem weirder. But, money - how could God ask the people to give their money?
Maybe it says something about the over importance I've placed on cash!
A lot of different offerings were explained today - the grain offering, the meat offering, a whole bunch of offerings. Each one gave specific instructions, but the one thing that kept being repeated was "of the finest quality." The grain, the lamb, the oil - whatever you brought had to be of the finest quality.
At first, I got that weird religion feeling. Does God really need us to make an offering? Does He really need the sweet aroma? Isn't that just doing stuff that doesn't really matter?
Kind of! Once I got over how good the grain offering must have smelled, it hit me. Bigger picture - whatever we do for the Lord should be "of the finest quality." There's some Bible verse that says that. Work, how we interact with people, how we talk to our family, what we do with our free time - those are all of our offerings. And guess what they should be...."of the finest quality."
John was the one who was to prepare the way for Jesus (and that's really all we find out about John in Mark. He goes through everything so fast - we go from John, to calling the disciples to casting out demons in 28 verses!)
I've always considered myself a John though. I'm not the main guy. I'm the one who prepares the way for the main guy. I'm not the one who is going to lead a bunch of people (although I guess John did have disciples), but I will help the person who is going to lead a bunch of people.
Actually, now that I think about it, there have been times when I've been the main guy. Running the homeless shelter, commissioner of the fantasy league, Tennis Club, Summer School - those things have gone pretty well. Maybe I am the main guy some times. Maybe, like John, I can prepare the way for some and be the guy for others.
Today we are going to continue in the series: Weird things that happened during the Holy Week that somehow I missed in the first 53 years of my life!
So, the ladies are going to the tomb where Jesus' body was placed. Knew that.
When they get there, an angel says He is not there. Knew that.
They were supposed to go tell the other disciples. Knew that.
On the way to the tomb, there was a massive earthquake. Wait! What the? A massive earthquake?
So, the ladies were walking outside during a massive earthquake? Now, I've only been in one, very minor, earthquake. Some things in the house moved a little, but our lives were not disordered in any way. But, I get this image of ladies dodging falling trees, housing crumbling to the sides of them, holes opening up as the skip from side to side. I hear loud crashes and people screaming. It's mass chaos. But, they continue on to the tomb.
Now, maybe I have totally blown this out of proportion. Maybe it wasn't even that hard to walk during an earthquake, but either way, I give it to these ladies. There's an angel. He's saying Jesus is risen. And there's a quaking earth. And what do they do?
Stay the course. They go back to tell the disciples.
"...and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus' resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people." - Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open, bodies were raised. How did I miss this?
So, when Jesus died there were all of these formerly dead people coming out of tombs? Did people see this? Why was there not more given to that story?
Wait, maybe they were just hanging in the tombs waiting for Jesus. Then, on Easter, there's this whole group just appearing to people. So cool!
His blood is on your hands. Pilate was right - he had no idea how right he was.
Every time I read this, see this, think about this - the crucified Jesus stirs up anger, sadness, and a feeling of injustice. I get mad at the leaders, the people in the crowd, and all the events that lead to this just make no sense.
But, all of that doesn’t matter. This had to happen. This is why You came - well, one of the reasons. No matter what the leaders did or the people said - this was always going to be the result because of us. Our sin did this - the blood is on our hands!
I don’t blame us and I won’t even go into all the things I’ve done that Jesus had to go to the cross for. God knew this when He created us. He didn’t create us perfect and knew this day would eventually come.
Still sad, but not good or bad - it was just the way things had to be. Really, it’s more of a story about how much God loved us and wanted us to be here than an injustice that never should have happened.
Three years ago on this day, Dr. Emkee and his team, gave me a new knee. At that time, walking was a struggle - I'm talking about like walking up the stairs at school, walking from the parking lot to a Raider game, just regular walking.
Today, I walk everywhere. For two years, I've been able to walk to and from school - every day. I play Pickleball, like a lot of pickleball, like 8 hours one day! I was even able to play in a tennis "league" this fall. Walking for 12 hours a day, seven (or 13) days is no problem. Heck, I've even run (not like a mile or anything), but been able to run and jump! This knee is the best part of my body and has really allowed me to do the things I most enjoy in life.
I will be forever grateful to Team Emkee. What a great job they did! And even though I would have rather had just had God heal it so You would get all the glory, I am thankful that sometimes you choose to let people help You out.
The Last Supper just gets me. Communion - I don’t know why, but to me, it’s the most spiritual thing you can do. What it represents, what You ask us to do, even the bread and wine - beautiful!
Then, You call out your accuser and tell the disciples they will abandon You. And when You go to pray in the garden, we see what this all really means.
You get the human with the supernatural! Your struggle with Your need to do what is right. Dying for people’s sin and just dying. Even the disciples - they want to stand up for you, they are adamant that they will. But, they are human just like us, with tiring bodies and choices made in the moment that are almost unbelievable.
Your last supper should have been a party. It should have been a celebration of all You did and who You did it with. But, it wasn’t. It was the most meaningful meal of all time.
Tim Tebow said we should do something about human trafficking. Jesus, today, talks about helping the poor.
I used to be able to check off that box by volunteering and then working with the homeless. Then, I quit that job and have not volunteered since.....anywhere. I think the problem might have been that I was just checking off a box.
I know I should do something for the handicapped or less fortunate or the children who face grave situations. And, yes, I do still sponsor kids from Compassion, but that's easy - money and a few letters. There's just not anything that excites me, that I'm passionate about, that I care enough about to do something.
Some would say I've become selfish. I would be included in that "some." I email people about volunteer type stuff, but then when I think about the time and effort - no thanks! All I really want to do is go to my job (and that's not really a want, it's more of a have to), come home, play some pickleball, and attend a few Raider games.
I thought it would just be a phase. I thought that after I quit the homeless shelter I would take a little time to "restore my soul", but it's been like four years. And even as I'm writing this I'm torn. I want to do something, but I don't want to do anything.
Give me some oil? Heck no, I am not giving you oil. You are a grown adult, you knew this was coming. You should have made your own oil.
This is going to be ore of a rant than a life lesson.
I can't stand when people are not prepared. If you are going to get something to eat, have an idea what you are going to order. If you say you want to do something, have something in mind - with the time, place, and cost already figured out. If you are going on a trip, know the hot spots and things you really want to see when you get there.
I know some people like to "live in the moment" and be spontaneous. That's not me (ok, sometimes it's me), but if a virgin came up to me asking for some of the oil that they could have gotten on their own....
Hard "NO!"
Wait, that's the rant. I hate it when people ask me to do something that they can do on their own!
Yesterday, we were having a talk in the car. Actually, we had a lot of talks in the car - we were in there for about 9 hours! But, one of them was about rules. I said, "If everyone followed the rules, the world would be a much better place."
Mychon replied, "But, who gets to make the rules?"
More on that later.
I sure am glad that we don't live in the time of Exodus (although, I feel like Jewish people may still have all those laws). If your bull gores a person....If you are holding a goat for your neighbor and it goes missing....If you have sex with an animal......
So many laws. So many things they had to remember. They were trying to cover every situation, but there is no way you can.
That's why I am so glad that Jesus made it simpler. Love God and love your neighbor. That's it!
So, first, God gets to make the laws. And, second, if everyone did that, the world would be a much better place - some might even say perfect!
I like it when you read something in the Old Testament and then there's a direct reference to the New Testament. Today it was the Moses Seat.
After the whole frogs, gnats, river drowning the Egyptian thing, Moses sits on a throne where everyone comes to bring their questions and disputes. He is judge over everything. He is a self-proclaimed interpreter of God's will. That tradition must have gone on until Jesus' time because he says to do what the Pharisees say because they are in his seat. The key word there is "they."
Here's the problem. Even Jethro, thousands and thousands of years ago, realized this was not a good idea. He suggested that Moses lets the people that are just standing around doing nothing, let them make some of the decisions. So, he does.
It is never good to have one person in charge of everything. In the U.S. we call that checks and balances (probably other places too!). But, whenever one person makes all the decisions, not only is it an enormous task for them, but there will inevitably be mistakes made - no one is perfect.
This is not a political rant. This is more of a reminder to myself. I love to be in the Moses seat and to make decisions for everyone. But, I think I should listen to Jethro. Let others take care of some of the stuff. Get input from groups of people. Make sure that it's not just my way or the highway!
I like when people follow my instructions and I get really angry when they don't. I've often wondered why that is. Disrespect is a big trigger for me. Any kind - it gets me when people don't care about another person, property or me. Now, in regards to me, I think that goes from a larger issue - not realizing how valuable I am and not recognizing the worth that I have as one of God's greatest creations. But, why it bugs me when people disrespect other things, I don't know.
Maybe it's the rules of it all. I just can't fathom how people blatantly do not follow rules. It makes no sense to me. Honestly, if everyone just did what they were supposed to - what a world this would be!
That's it! That's why God gives the Israelites all these instructions and then says, "I want to see if they follow them." (That's not the exact quote!). He knows it too. If everyone follows the rules, if everyone follows His instructions - bingo! Great world! Heaven on earth!
The Egyptians are coming and the Israelites are freaking out. They think it's all over. This is it - they are going to die in the dessert.
But, then Moses says, "The Lord will fight for you. You just need to be still."
God is going to do everything.
Retirement? Check. Kids and their jobs? Check. What happens with buddy's love lives? Check. Cars, houses, stuff that you need? Check. Not getting treated fairly at work? Check.
No matter what I can think of, God can handle it. We just need to be still. (OK, we probably have to do something, but I think the point is clear. It is a lot more on God and a lot less on us).
Kind of reassuring really. Just be still. Trust God. He'll do the "fighting."
Is it true that there will be no shame for those who follow You? I read that in the Psalms this morning. I know the Psalms are not like direct teachings from You. They are more like prayers from David, so it's not like You are saying there is no shame.
Shame - a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
I guess there is no shame. If we do something wrong we know that we have a God who will forgive us. If we do something foolish we have a God who can make all things new.
Have I been embarrassed? Yes! Have I been humiliated? At times! But, I can not really remember a time that I have had a painful feeling because of it. Honestly, I thought it was because I just don't care. But, it might just be because I realize God is bigger than my mistakes.
