Esther 6:14-7:6

Esther 6:14-7:6 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Here's what's fascinating about this passage to me.  When Haman is talking to the King in Esther 3, he's talking about a nameless people, and the King has no problem allowing Haman to have his way.  He's not offended at the thought of their destruction.
  And yet, just a few chapters later, the King is shocked and appalled at the thought of the destruction of the Jews, Esther's people. 
  What happened?
  A personal relationship.
   When the King initially allowed this to go through, the Jews were a faceless people, and none of them meant anything to the King.  Now that the King knows Esther, they matter to him.  He's no longer okay with their wanton destruction.   He wants to fight to save them.
  What we learn is that personal relationships matter.  Building a relationship with one person can change the way you see entire categories of people.  They  move from the realm of the 'other' into real people, with stories that matter.  Hearts and minds and lives are changed.
  God knows us and deals with us on an individual level.  May we do the same, reaching out and letting God change us through relationships.

Esther 6:6-11

Esther 6:6-11 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  A few things to remember here.  First, when we last left the King, he was looking to honor Mordecai, who had saved the king's life years ago and never been rewarded.  Second, Haman has an ego the size of Montana.  Third, Haman hates Mordecai so much that he wants to kill his entire tribe.
  So Haman is called in to the King and asked what the best way to honor someone would be.  Hilariously, Haman can't possibly imagine why the king would want to honor anyone other than Haman, so Haman devises a very public way of honoring such a man, imagining himself receiving such honors and accolades.
  Only then does the King reveal that Mordecai, Haman's hated enemy, is the one receiving such an honor, and it is Haman who will be the one shouting his praises throughout the town streets.
  Beautiful, isn't it?
 
  Remember, God is the one who lifts up the lowly and the humble, and strikes down the proud.  Haman is somewhat lacking in self-awareness, and his own ego leads him so far out the cliff that he's like Wil E. Coyote, looking down too late to see that there is no ground beneath him.  Jesus told a parable similar to this, talking about the man who builds his house on the sand, only to discover there's no foundation there.
  We are but humble sinners, each of us, struggling to get it right.  We occasionally do well, and often fail to do so, either by acting wrongly or failing to act as we should.  Each of us, however, has been claimed by the eternal love of God, accepted as we are, and invited into the Kingdom through grace.  You are loved and redeemed, but remember that it was not by your own might or brilliance that you secured your salvation.  It was a gift, secured by the blood of a man on a hill thousands of years ago who knows you, strengths and faults, better than you know yourself. 
  So let us treat one another with extraordinary kindness, and may we strive to be the type of people who are willing to selflessly lift up one another.  I'm sure Haman hated walking around town exalting Mordecai, whom the king wanted to honor.  When God our King pours out the blood of God's Son, Jesus Christ, for another, even for our enemies, may we have hearts willing to celebrate the salvation and honoring of another sinner who has been redeemed.  We are no more worthy of such an honor than anyone else, and yet that gift has been freely given to us. 

Esther 6:1-5

Esther 6:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  People who say the Bible is boring are reading the wrong parts of the Bible!  The stories in here are amazing --  here we have Mordecai, who had done the king a favor a while ago and likely was long past expecting any reward for it.  The King can't sleep one night and is reminded of Mordecai's deed, and the king decides that it's past time that Mordecai receive some honor for his deed. 
  We also have Haman, a man with a massive ego.  He was angered by Mordecai's refusal to honor him, so he is working on having every Jew killed, and in the end of chapter 5 he had a massive gallows built, certain that he would take satisfaction in hanging Mordecai on it.  He shows up in the King's court, certain that he is about to be honored for his service to the king.  Hang on until tomorrow for a dramatic ending...
 
  This is a great reminder not to give up before the story ends.  Even when all seems dark, when it seems like the enemy will win, when the enemy is perhaps prematurely celebrating their victory, God is not finished yet.  Even when Jesus was in the grave, the story was not finished, and your story is not over yet -- God is still at work, and there is a story being written where you emerge triumphant, victorious.  So if you don't notice the signs that God is at work, be patient, and know that we aren't at the end of the story yet!

Esther 5:1-8

Esther 5:1-8 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  From the outside, it doesn't seem like much happens in this passage, does it?  Esther goes before the King, asks him to come to dinner, and then, when they're having their post dinner wine, she asks him to come to another dinner.  No big deal, right?
  This is where context is huge, for when we understand what happens, we realize that Esther is one of the bravest people in Scripture.  Esther risked her life on behalf of her people, and she didn't know what the outcome would be.  See, you couldn't just go in to see the King.  The King had to invite you.  And if you showed up without an invitation, the King didn't have to accept your presence, in which case, you died.  But Esther took the chance, because she was convinced she could save her people, and when the King extended the scepter to her, she must have breathed a huge sigh of relief.  But her work was not yet complete.  She had to have dinner with the King and with Haman, the man actively working to have every Jew in the Kingdom killed.  Her bravery, to sit through the meal with him beside her, is incredible.
  From the outside, not knowing the details, it doesn't seem like much.  Know the context, however, and it changes radically.
  Friends, people all around you are carrying heavy burdens, and for some of them, showing up to work or church is a monumental endeavor.  If you truly understand their struggle, you'd have a deep appreciation for what a battle they are fighting.  People around you are struggling with addiction or depression or domestic violence or abuse or some other monumental obstacle, and they often put on a brave face and don't reveal the depths of their struggle.  Occasionally we are given a glimpse of their full context and the depth of their struggle is revealed, but often we never know, or we find out too late.
  So let us tread gently around one another.  We rarely grasp the fullness of each other's struggles.  May we be vulnerable and honest about the battles we are fighting, and may we support and encourage each other.  May our churches be a safe place, where grace and hope are offered, and may we understand that the strength and mercy of Jesus Christ is the only thing that gets us through each and every day.

Esther 4:15-17

Esther 4:15-17
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I once spent a long weekend at the Abbey of Gethsemani near Bardstown, KY.  Easily one of the greatest weekends of my life.  My appreciation for monasteries deepened there when they described to me that their mission is to be in prayer with and for the world.  They understand how linked we are, and they understand how important and powerful prayer is.  Through their prayers, they are linked with people around the globe in need.
  Here in Esther, the situation for the Jews is dire.  Esther is about to attempt to intervene on their behalf, but before she does, she asks that all the Jews hold a fast on her behalf.  She understands that she does not do anything on her own, but rather as part of a community, and so she gathers the community around a single purpose.  Going before the King without being called is risking death, and she is going to do that, but she's not doing it on her own.
  In the same manner, you and I are part of a community.  We are linked, one to another, and though modern technology and the pace of the world would try and tear us apart, we continue to be connected.  We do nothing on our own, but rather as part of a community.  Our actions and our words effect one another, and we support each other as well.  Whatever you do today, you do it as part of the community, and we are with you every step of the way.

Esther 4:12-14

Esther 4:12-14 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So Haman (bad guy) is working to get all the Jews killed while the King stands idly by.  Mordecai is mourning, and Esther seems caught in the middle.  Mordecai sends Esther this short note, a tremendous call to action.  Mordecai reminds Esther that even though she is close to the King, she is in danger as well, and then asks if perhaps she is here for such a time as this.
  It's easy to forget about danger when we're comfortable.  We can read about Christians being persecuted (Voice of the Martyrs is a great resource for this), but when we're safe in our homes, it's hard to internalize what that persecution is really like.  It's hard to grasp what true hunger is like when our bellies are full, and it's hard to know economic scarcity when we have a rainy day fund in the bank account with enough to get us through a month if we need it.  (This is part of the problem we have with recognizing how great of a debt we owe God -- when we're comfortable, it's easy to forget how lost we would be without Christ and how great the weight of sin would be without Christ!) 
  Mordecai reminds Esther of the threat, but also reminds her that perhaps she has been equipped for just this time.  Perhaps you, too, have been called and equipped by God for such a time as this.  Perhaps you have unique gifts to offer to the world or your community that might be a source of encouragement and hope.  Perhaps for such a time as this you are to call others to serve the poor and hungry, to look out for widows and orphans, to remind those in power of their responsibility to the weak.  Perhaps in such a time as this, you are the one who can be vulnerable to show that weakness is not weak.  Perhaps in such a time as this, you have been set in just the place you are in to witness to the love and grace and mercy of God and invite others to worship God as Lord and Savior.

Esther 4:1-3

If you're not familiar with the Outreach Foundation, it's a fabulous organization, one with deep humility that is focused on fostering relationships throughout the global church, always curious to see what God will do when churches and individuals connect. They have a podcast, and I'd highly recommend it -- it's inspiring to hear the great things Christ is doing!

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Esther 4:1-3 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Sometimes, I think the world needs more mourning.
  We're good at outrage, although much of the world's outrage is so social media focused that it doesn't actually change much in the world.  I'm not a big believer that signing an online petition really does much difference, although I'm sure that it does every now and again.
  We're good at cynicism as well.  We've seen so many public leaders, including many, many church leaders, fall from the towers we've placed them on (or perhaps they've ascended on their own).  We've heard so many promises and often seen so little progress that we approach much with a healthy (and in my own case, unhealthy) amount of skepticism.
  But I don't know how often we truly mourn.  When we see brokenness in the world, when we experience death and loss in our lives, do we truly stop and weep for what was lost?  When death and loss break into our own carefully ordered lives, life can grind to a halt, and our sphere of friends and family will usually slow down for a little while with us, but life continues forward, and many people push onward, often encouraging us to get over it and move on well before we're ready.  We need to remember how to mourn, how to pay attention to the broken things in the world and how they often break something in us.  We need to stop and weep, because in weeping and mourning we remember that things are not how they're supposed to be, that the world is corrupted and it's terrible, but we have a hope in a Savior who has shown the path through death and will lead us into life.
  There is great loss in the world, and we should slow down and recognize how it tears us apart and it separates us and it's painful -- in recognizing the wounds, we're better able to discover how grief separates us and come together to find eventual healing.  In mourning, we weep for what was lost and look to God for a restoration in the days to come, a restoration that can come only from God.

Esther 3:8-11

Esther 3:8-11
nglish Standard Version (ESV)

 John Stuart Mill once said, "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."  Nature is said to abhor a vacuum, so when good people stand by and do nothing, evil will most assuredly rush in and fill the leadership void.  It is as true of our political situation today as it was over two thousand years ago -- there are leaders in every country of the world who wish ill and violence upon others, and if those who strive for peace and equality do not stand up and advocate for it, then those who strive for evil will move forward with their plans. 
  Here, in the 3rd chapter of Esther, Haman is incensed by Mordecai's refusal to bow before Haman, so Haman sets out to destroy the entire Jewish race.  The king, uninterested in stopping this hateful violence, stands by and does nothing, abdicating his responsibility for those who live under his rule. 
  We as Christians are called to notice where evil is being done in the world today, and we cannot stand idly by.  We must lend our voices to the struggle for equality and justice, for peace and for rights, that those whom might be trampled upon by others would find in the church a champion for their cause.  Jesus invested his life in reaching out to those trampled upon by the powers of the world, and he plucked us out from underneath the powers of sin and darkness.  May we who have been rescued find the strength to stand tall in the world and invest ourselves in trying to emulate our selfless Savior and be for those in danger.

Esther 3:1-6

Esther 3:1-6 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Remember how last week I mentioned that little things can have huge effects down the line?  Mordecai had overheard some things, and that led to a vacated position, and here comes Haman, who would be accompanied by foreboding music if this were a movie.  Wherever Haman went, people bowed down to him, paying him homage.  Guess who didn't bow down?  Mordecai.  Mordecai worshiped the one true God, the God who carved the mountains from the sea, set the stars in the sky and had power over life and death.  Compared to God, Haman wasn't so great, and this really, really bothered Haman.  But rather than take on Mordecai, Haman sought to work behind the scenes to attack the Jews.
  There are a lot of people in this world who think their worldly standing makes them worthy of deferential treatment.  Just google celebrity entitlement if you're bored.  It always intrigues me how people trip over themselves to give things to rich people for free, never mind the efforts of cities to give money to the owners of sports teams.  The rich and powerful grow accustomed people deferring to them, and it's somewhat surprising when people do not. 
  To remain humble is a worthy goal.  Remembering how Christ sought us out, how Christ saved us from the despair we deserved, is helpful, as it's a gentle reminder that we are the lost sheep, the one caught in the thicket in the dark, lost and alone, and Christ came to us.  The more we remember that we have been saved, the more willing we are to help others who are lost and alone, who despair.  We are no better than any others, and each of us has a responsibility to reach out to those around us and offer some encouragement.  We have all been lost, and we have all been found, and we are in this together.

Esther 2:19-23

Esther 2:19-23 
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  Small actions can set life-changing things in motion.  If you know the story of Zacchaeus, he climbed a tree to see Jesus walking through town, and pretty soon Jesus was dining in his house, and next thing you know, Zacchaeus had renounced his corrupt ways and was giving back to the poor.  All because he climbed a tree.
  You've probably got stories like that in your own life -- friends you've met because you decided to go try some place new on a whim.  I keep hoping that one of these days I'll have a story about how I randomly decided to buy a lottery ticket and happened to win $800 million because of a chance, last second purchase.  I'll keep you up to date on my progress.
  Here, Mordecai is sitting by the gate, minding his own business, when he overhears people plotting against the King.  He passes this along to Esther, who tells the King, which gets the men put to death, setting things in motion that will change the fate of a lot of people.  All because Mordecai was sitting by the gate at the right time and place.
  So what's the lesson for you and I?  Don't discount what is going on right now.  Maybe you can't see the bigger picture.  Maybe it doesn't feel like anything larger than this moment is happening.  At these times, it's easy to doubt that God is at work, because we can't see or feel what's going on.  But in these times, we're like Mordecai, sitting by the gate.  May we do so with open minds and open hearts, that we may hear the small things, the whispers of the Spirit, that are preparing us for bigger things later on.  Be patient.  (John Ortberg recent preached a great sermon on patience.)  Trust that God is at work, that God is on the throne, and that God hasn't forgotten about you!

Esther 2:15-18

Esther 2:15-18 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So Esther is going before the king, and she's uncertain of what to ask.  So she goes to the person she knows who is closest to the king and asks him what to do.  By listening to this source, she triumphs in a time of adversity.
  This makes for a great story for Esther, and a happy ending.  The great news is that it's also your story, if you want it to be.
  Here we are, uncertain.  Jesus tells us that we'll have trouble in this life, and he wasn't wrong about that.  We have trouble and stress and uncertainty and fear and doubt.  If you're at all like me, there are plenty of moments where you aren't sure what to do next.  If we're wise, we listen to the person we know who is closest to the King.  We listen to Jesus, who is fully God in addition to being fully human.  Jesus tells us and shows us how the King is -- both righteous and merciful, forgiving and just.  Jesus invites us into a relationship with the King and tells us how to live -- selflessly and patiently, kindly and full of forgiveness.  Live with Love, Jesus tells us, and we'll triumph, we'll recognize the glory of the feast to which we are invited.  Jesus tells us how to live, and he's closest to the King, so may we obey him.

 As Mark Twain was believed to have said, "It is not the things which I do not understand in the Bible which trouble me, but the things which I do understand.”  Jesus tells us some challenging things about loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us and turning the other cheek and laying down our lives for our friends.  May we read them and confront them and let them lead us into the banquet with the King!

Esther 2:5-7

Esther 2:5-7 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I love heroes.  You love heroes.  The world loves heroes, to the tune of $2.5 billion if you're an account with Disney and responsible for tracking the Avengers: Endgame box office totals.  We all love the story of someone who will dramatically save us from our enemies.  Frankly, I don't think the world pays nearly enough attention to the people who actually do non-dramatically save us from our heroes, or else middle school teachers would get paid a lot more than baseball players, but that's another topic for another day.
  What is just as important as a hero is the one who enables that hero to grow and develop into a hero.  Jonathan and Martha Kent played a vital role in helping Superman grow into the hero he became.  Each and every police officer serving today had someone in their life who steered or encouraged them at a pivotal moment. 
  And so you and I will likely not become well-known heroes.  Mordecai didn't become one, either.  But he cared for Esther, raising her like his own daughter when she had no mother or father of her own.  The book of the Bible isn't called Mordecai, because Esther was the hero of the story, but Mordecai supported her as she grew into her role.
  Who in your life can you support and encourage?  Who might need some intervention?  How can Christian community be a benefit to someone you know?  We can play vital roles in the lives of others if we slow down enough to notice the needs around us. 

Esther 1:16-22

Esther 1:16-22 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  As a reminder, what Queen Vashti did was refuse to be displayed by the king while he was drunk.  The men around the king are instantly fearful -- if other women see Vashti refusing an order from the King, then they might begin to think and act independently as well, and the men are fearful, afraid of what a society of powerful women might look like.  They aren't about to let this power go quietly, so they issue a decree making an example of Queen Vashti in the hopes of preventing other women from using her as an example when they stand up to the injustices they are exposed to on a consistent basis.
  This is a reminder to us that the story of Esther takes place during a time when women were not considered equal with men -- when the only way to honor a husband was to be subservient and domestic.  Interesting that we come across this reading after Mother's Day, a day in which we should honor the way that all women bravely and courageously serve our society and enrich us all.  The men were afraid of what might happen if the women stand up to the men.  They shrunk back in fear from the unknown.  What they should have considered is all the ways that society would be enriched by the knowledge and strength that women could bring.  They couldn't see beyond what they knew, and they missed out on countless benefits by trying to keep women controlled.  The story of Esther is a story about a women who risks her own life to save her people.
  This story is also a reminder to us that society continues to miss out because we see things as they are, not as they could be.  Who are the people in your circle, in your church, in your city that are not encouraged to see themselves as made in the image of God and equal with everyone else?  Where has society not encouraged certain individuals to be free and fierce and brave?  Where can the church lift the eyes of others' to a future where people from every tribe and nation will gather around the throne of God as equals? 
  Jesus has come to call all of us, each of us, and there is no privilege given to rich or poor, male or female or black or white.  Let's pray for Holy Spirit vision to pay attention to where society isn't encouraging certain individuals or groups to be independent and empowered, and may we reach out to one another as we move forward in Christ.
  Remember, at one point the church didn't allow the laity to read the Bible, and church service was held in Latin rather than the vernacular.  The way things have been isn't the way they must be going forward.  God is doing a new thing!

Esther 1:10-12

Esther 1:10-12 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So Esther is a fascinating story, as it demonstrates the complex range of human emotions.  It's the only book in the Bible not to mention God, and yet God is at work throughout it.  I didn't include all of the introduction, but suffice to say that after a six month party, the kind decided to throw a week-long party, and in the midst of it he had had too much to drink and decided it would be a prime opportunity to display his wife to others.  She, having the good sense of not wanting to be a display piece, opted not to comply with his drunken command.  Which made the King mad, because he was a man likely accustomed to getting his way.  Quite the story we're crafting here.
  There's a lot to take away from this.  For starters, don't get drunk and view other people as at your disposal.  And then don't get mad when everything doesn't go your way.  Not throwing six-month long parties may be a prudent course of action as well.
  It's easy to let success go to your head.  You start thinking that the world revolves around you.  And at that moment, it's easy to forget that everyone has a story, and every single story matters deeply to God. 
  When all is right in the world, do you still notice the homeless man sitting on the sidewalk, hoping against hope that someone might care?
  When your ship has come in, do you pay attention to the people weeping on the margins, hurt by the brutality of the world?
  We don't have to constantly focus on the negative, but we need to remember, even at the height of success, that all people matter.  God loves each and every one of us, and if we're to imitate God, we are called to love each and every person, when it's easy and when it's not (and we should remember that we're not always easy to love, but God still loves us!). 
 

3 John 1

3 John 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Community is a hard thing.  It's hard to live in a house with people who might have different interests than I do.  Sometimes, my kids wants to do things differently than I do.  Often, Rachel has the nerve to not want to do exactly what I want to do.  It's hard -- and it's training me, slowly, to consider others.  I'm hard to love sometimes, and I'm much richer because of the patience of my family and friends to bear with me when I'm challenging. 
  Not to focus too much on death, but an amazing man died the other day.  Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, passed away.  The linked article says so much about the man and his approach.  Not enough people have heard of him, but in my opinion, he is far more important than any movie star or musician or athlete.  He patiently loved others, and made an intentional choice every day to display selfless love.  I'd highly recommend you read everything you can about him.  We don't all have to go off and found communities like L'Arche, but we can learn from his example and think about how to be patient with one another, and to remember that we have received grace upon grace, and God gently nudges us to demonstrate that same grace to others.

2 John

2 John 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  If you read this first thing in the morning, you've already read an entire book of the Bible today -- that's a great start to the day!! 
  It's so easy to not read the Bible.  You and I could probably sit down and list twenty things that are easier to do than sit and make a concerted effort to read the Bible.  An average person will spend 116 minutes a day on social media -- most of us would say that we never come close to that, and if teens spend 9 hours a day, that's probably pulling the average up quite a bit, but the reality is that time flies by quickly when we're mindlessly scrolling.  The social media companies employ psychologists to figure out how to get you to spend more time online.  The power of distraction is strong -- time will fly by, and we seek out distraction, whether it's online or offline, be it television or some other task. 
  Now, none of these are bad in and of themselves.  They're fine -- but the point is that we all have pockets of time in our day.  The trick is to pay enough attention to how you spend your time to notice how much time you have. 
  2 John is telling us that we show our love by following God's commandments.  Well, how do we know God's commandments?  Being informed about how God calls us to live is a way that we show our love for God, and the brilliant thing about Jesus is that his words are very challenging -- loving our enemies and intentionally pouring ourselves out for others isn't easy.  We think we know the Bible, and then we really read it, and we discover that it challenges us in new and unexpected ways.
  So monitor your time, and look for ways to put Scripture first.  You'll learn, and then you'll be transformed.

1 John 5:18-21

1 John 5:18-21 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  You've likely heard by now about the death of Rachel Held Evans.  She was, I believe, an important voice in Christianity, one who sought to hold evangelicalism accountable.  There are a number of really excellent pieces out there that discuss her impact on the larger church community.  She was incredibly honest, and I always interpreted her agenda as being focused on how to ensure that there was room in church for everyone, no matter what.  While I didn't always agree with how she approached an issue or a topic, she always made me think, and made think about why I thought about something the way I did.  That's challenging and refreshing, and to have someone as a part of the larger church who makes people think while striving to be more inclusive is, I believe, a wonderful thing.  Dialogue around the hardest issues in the church is crucially important, even and especially when we disagree.  We can still be Christ's church and not agree on everything.
  Another death, one that received a lot fewer mentions on social media, is that of Warren Wiersbe.  Aged 89, his death was far less shocking, but from my seat, as important a voice in the church.  I relied heavily on his commentaries when I was teaching Bible studies, and they were wonderfully accessible.  The way he wrote made it easier to understand what the Bible had to say.  His style invited others into a conversation with the Bible.

  The impact of these two individuals to me is that they both sought to make the church more accessible.  They tried to help outsiders find a way to Scripture, to meet the Christ who comes to save and deliver us into life.  They used their gifts to invite others closer to God.

  So may the true God and eternal life be real to you through the person of Jesus Christ.  And may you and I find a way for our lives to invite others to draw closer and meet God on God's terms, which are always more gracious and free than what we can ask or imagine.  I don't know how you might do that, and I'm still trying to figure out how I can -- maybe you can't write commentaries like Warren Wiersbe or tweet like Rachel Held Evans, but there is some unique gift you have, be it loving children as they are or listening to lonely neighbors or baking cakes for the hungry or praying for the lost or something else -- there's a way for us to all invite others to the table, to make it clear to the outside world that God loves us as we are, and that the Good Shepherd comes to us to give us understanding, that we may know him who is True.

 

1 John 5:13-17

1 John 5:13-17 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Purpose matters.  Ensuring that purpose is aligned is also critically important.  If you're looking for entertainment, picking a movie created with the purpose to enlighten and challenge you probably wouldn't be a great choice.  If you're in an Uber with the hope of a quiet ride somewhere, and the Uber driver feels their purpose is to convert you on the ride, then it's not going to be a great ride!
  The purpose of this letter, we're told, is to help the listeners know that they have eternal life.  It's to secure them in confidence and the knowledge that God has reached out in love to invite them into an eternal Kingdom.
  And then John goes on to challenge the listener -- one of the purposes of their community is to ensure that the sins of one another isn't destructive.  Now, discussing sin with one another is a hard thing, but it can be critically important as well -- for sin held in secret or isolation can destroy.  It can erode relationships and build walls that destroy trust.  But attacking someone for their sin doesn't strengthen the community.  Going to one another in humility, however, can be a powerful act, assuming it's done with the right purpose. 
  If one community member approaches another with a sense of humility and a heart focused on strengthening the relationship, then that can be transformational.  Then the sin can be collectively buried and new life can spring up, and the healing process, undertaken together, can be inspirational.  When the motive is love and the purpose is clearly to figure it out together so that we can stay in community, then there is room for grace.  When the purpose is to cast out and to convict, then feelings get hurt and community breaks down.
  How and why we relate to one another matters.  Purpose matters.  May we approach one another with humility, that our intention to draw closer in community is clearly seen as we discuss the damage that sin does in ourselves and one another, and may we all find healing in Christ together.

1 John 5:6-12

1 John 5:6-12 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There's a tree in my backyard, and the roots are poking up through the ground in various places.  Last year, I decided to put some dirt over them in the hopes of reducing the trip hazard.  I planted a bunch of grass seed, watered like crazy, and pretty soon they weren't as obvious.... Until this spring, when I once again put some dirt over them, planted some grass seed, and water like crazy. 
  The roots are persistent -- they keep rising to the surface, pushing upwards, undeterred by my efforts to contain them.
  In the same way, the Holy Spirit is unstoppable.  It continues breaking through boundaries, pressing upwards, bringing life into the world.  God gives us eternal life, gives us love and peace, and the Spirit works its way into our lives, like a shepherd pursuing a lost sheep, and no matter how many times we turn away, God continues to pursue us, continues to press after us, continues to remind us of the unconditional love God has for us.  You are treasured, and the Spirit will not be stopped -- the love of God will pursue you every day of your life, seeking to wrap you in love and surround you with mercy until you collapse into the beauty of unmerited favor that is poured upon your life.

1 John 5:1-5

1 John 5:1-5 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  What if I cooked you a dinner that was the greatest meal you'd ever eaten, and that I offered to teach you how to cook it, but first told you that there was only one way to do it?  Would you try and figure it out for yourself, or trust me, and follow the instructions?
  Or what if the world's most beautiful diamond was yours to be had, but you could only get it following a certain path up a mountain?  Would you follow the path, or make your own way?
  The world can be overcome.  God promises us that.  The evil and sin and brokenness in the world will be defeated.  We see a glimpse of that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we're promised that we, too, will join in that victory one day.
  But there's only one way to victory.  There's only one path, and it's through Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world.  He invites us to come as we are, and grants access freely, to any who will bow the knee and proclaim Christ as Savior.  Jesus tells us that there are sheep we don't know about, and we can't pretend to understand everything about the final victory, but we know what it takes to be a part of it.  So much time is spent inventing our own way around it, but ultimately, our victory depends on Christ.  Let us rejoice that Christ is defined by grace and mercy!

1 John 4:13-21

1 John 4:13-21 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Today is May 1 -- we press forward into spring, with grass continuing to grow and flowers in bloom and, as I'm sure many are aware pollen filling the air, signalling renewal and the promises of spring.  New life is in the air, and Easter continues to drive us forward in hope. 
  Today is May 1 -- whatever happened in your life last month is history.  Maybe it was a great month, and this is the opportunity to continue the momentum gained.  Maybe it was a terrible month -- well, it's history, and today is a chance to start anew.  Maybe you strayed far from who and how you'd like to be.  It's a new day, and God has loved you first.
  No matter who you are, and no matter where you are in life, God has loved you first.  God is always the first mover -- we live in response to God.  God reaches out to you in love and grace.
  So join me in starting anew this month.  Every day, let's remind one another that God loves us first, before we could think or move or talk or run.  God loves us, and invites us to an eternal kingdom that is defined by love.  Whatever negative forces exist in the world, in your life, will fade away one day, and there will be grace, nothing but grace.  Whatever is dragging you down, causing you to despair, causing you to look at yourself in a negative light -- that will die, and you will live in resurrection.  Whatever oppresses us, drives us apart, separates us -- it'll be defeated.  Love will cast out fear.  So let us remind one another that our fear will perish and that love will persist.  God loves us, and may we seek to define ourselves in the light of that love.