Matthew 17:14-20
English Standard Version (ESV)
We run up against our limits constantly. Think about how often you've reached a place where you simply cannot go any farther. Maybe you've hit the limit of your energy, or your knowledge, or your physical strength, and you simply cannot solve the problem in front of you. It's too big, too much, too comprehensive.
The disciples couldn't cast out this demon. They tried everything, but nothing worked. The only thing that could cast out the demon was Jesus Christ. The disciples were trying everything in their power, everything they knew -- but they couldn't let go of their own solutions and simply trust in Jesus Christ.
We, too, often spend all of our time trying to come up with our own solution, crafted out of our resources. Jesus invites us to try something new -- to give up looking within and to lean into him.
This reminds me of the advice to come up with mantras or other positive things to say to yourself when you're feeling down. The advice is well-meaning, but it's basically saying that you have the resources within you to fix all your problems, and if you still have problems, it's because there's something wrong with you, so fix yourself.
Jesus, on the other hand, recognizes that there are many things we cannot do on our own. We have our limitations, but he does not. So he invites us to live in a different realm, one where he is king and sits on the throne, where accepting that we do not have the resources but Jesus does, is the wisest solution. Faith is hard, but it allows us to lean into the strength and wisdom of our true King!
Friday, June 29, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Matthew 17:1-13
Matthew 17:1-13
English Standard Version (ESV)
There are lots of overnight successes that are 20 years in the making. I was reading a story yesterday about Pablo Picasso drawing on a napkin in his 90s at a cafe. When he was finished, he went to throw it away and a woman asked him for it. He offered to sell it to her for $20,000. She was offended, since it had only taken him a few minutes to draw it, but he reminded her that it was 60 years in the making.
With our spiritual lives, we're all hoping and praying for miraculous event to occur, but we hope for it on day 1, and often we're disappointed if it hasn't happened by day 3. We want Jesus to appear or God to speak in clear and decisive ways, and when that doesn't happen, we get discouraged and often let up on our spiritual disciplines.
Peter, James and John didn't witness the Transfiguration on the first day of following Jesus. There were a lot of dusty roads, many hard conversations and some threats from the Pharisees in between their choice to follow him and this incredible moment of clarity. If it was easy, there would have been a much bigger crowd present at the Transfiguration, but these three were willing to endure all the challenging moments because they saw things they'd never seen before and came to the realization that Jesus was exactly who he said he was, and that it was worth everything to follow him.
So may we patiently endure a life of faithful discipleship, recognizing that God is at work in us and through us and around us, and the moments of affirmation and confirmation that may or may not come are wondrous gifts, but our faith rests on the firm foundation of what God has done for us, and so while we'll celebrate those moments when they happen, we will continue to show up and listen and pray and watch even if we're still waiting for them, because we know that God is faithful.
English Standard Version (ESV)
There are lots of overnight successes that are 20 years in the making. I was reading a story yesterday about Pablo Picasso drawing on a napkin in his 90s at a cafe. When he was finished, he went to throw it away and a woman asked him for it. He offered to sell it to her for $20,000. She was offended, since it had only taken him a few minutes to draw it, but he reminded her that it was 60 years in the making.
With our spiritual lives, we're all hoping and praying for miraculous event to occur, but we hope for it on day 1, and often we're disappointed if it hasn't happened by day 3. We want Jesus to appear or God to speak in clear and decisive ways, and when that doesn't happen, we get discouraged and often let up on our spiritual disciplines.
Peter, James and John didn't witness the Transfiguration on the first day of following Jesus. There were a lot of dusty roads, many hard conversations and some threats from the Pharisees in between their choice to follow him and this incredible moment of clarity. If it was easy, there would have been a much bigger crowd present at the Transfiguration, but these three were willing to endure all the challenging moments because they saw things they'd never seen before and came to the realization that Jesus was exactly who he said he was, and that it was worth everything to follow him.
So may we patiently endure a life of faithful discipleship, recognizing that God is at work in us and through us and around us, and the moments of affirmation and confirmation that may or may not come are wondrous gifts, but our faith rests on the firm foundation of what God has done for us, and so while we'll celebrate those moments when they happen, we will continue to show up and listen and pray and watch even if we're still waiting for them, because we know that God is faithful.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Matthew 16:24-28
Matthew 16:24-28
English Standard Version (ESV)
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
************
For all those who wander in the desert, thirsty for water, here it is.
For all those who wander through life, hungry for meaning, waiting for truth, here it is.
For all those who are just trying to make it through, hoping to secure themselves against the chaos of the world, here is a greater story.
Jesus comes to save and to deliver. He comes promising abundant and eternal life, accessible only through him. It is a narrow door, but he invites us to come, but he also promises that it will not be easy. In order to accept this gift, we have to empty our hands of everything else, trusting that what he fills us with will be enough.
Some days, some weeks, some years, this will be a difficult truth to hold onto. We'll wonder where Jesus is, what grace looks like, while looking at the world around us and seeing the comfort and ease of others. We'll be tempted to grasp for easier promises and let lesser things try to satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. We'll seek to gain the world, and we'll forget about our soul.
And so the Holy Spirit whispers in the dead of night, and the community of faith shouts from the nearest mountaintop, that Jesus is Lord, and that he is King and mighty God and a gracious Savior. He has come to deliver and to save, and to trust in Him is to accept eternal and abundant life that cannot be taken from us. He is strong and mighty to save, and he will deliver you through every enemy, even death.
But to accept this means we have to trust completely, and we have to take up the cross, and daily follow him.
Will you lose what you have to gain what you cannot earn?
Will you treasure your soul above the riches of the world?
Will the hope of heaven that is buried in your soul sing loudly enough to call you into the deep waters of discipleship?
I pray yes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
************
For all those who wander in the desert, thirsty for water, here it is.
For all those who wander through life, hungry for meaning, waiting for truth, here it is.
For all those who are just trying to make it through, hoping to secure themselves against the chaos of the world, here is a greater story.
Jesus comes to save and to deliver. He comes promising abundant and eternal life, accessible only through him. It is a narrow door, but he invites us to come, but he also promises that it will not be easy. In order to accept this gift, we have to empty our hands of everything else, trusting that what he fills us with will be enough.
Some days, some weeks, some years, this will be a difficult truth to hold onto. We'll wonder where Jesus is, what grace looks like, while looking at the world around us and seeing the comfort and ease of others. We'll be tempted to grasp for easier promises and let lesser things try to satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. We'll seek to gain the world, and we'll forget about our soul.
And so the Holy Spirit whispers in the dead of night, and the community of faith shouts from the nearest mountaintop, that Jesus is Lord, and that he is King and mighty God and a gracious Savior. He has come to deliver and to save, and to trust in Him is to accept eternal and abundant life that cannot be taken from us. He is strong and mighty to save, and he will deliver you through every enemy, even death.
But to accept this means we have to trust completely, and we have to take up the cross, and daily follow him.
Will you lose what you have to gain what you cannot earn?
Will you treasure your soul above the riches of the world?
Will the hope of heaven that is buried in your soul sing loudly enough to call you into the deep waters of discipleship?
I pray yes.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Matthew 16:21-23
Matthew 16:21-23
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter, here, knows a thing or two about organizational dynamics. He wants to see the movement growing and spreading, and he sees the crowds that are following Jesus. If the crowds are going to continue to grow, Jesus talking about his impending death isn't going to help momentum. Everyone wants to focus on the positive!
But Christianity has always been intertwined with death. It's part of who we are, and it's part of our story of life. Our sin leads to death, and so we must face our own mortality. Only Jesus can deliver us from eternal death, and so we must accept his gift of grace -- he has stepped in to accept the punishment, but we still must pass through death to reach the eternal life on the other side. This is a giant leap of faith, but it is part of our story -- we worship a God that is greater than death, but we still pass through it. We cannot simply deny that it is there, whistling past the graveyard in the hopes that we can ignore it. No, let us embrace it in confidence, rather than shrink back in fear. Your death need not terrify you, for God is greater than the grave, and love is stronger than death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter, here, knows a thing or two about organizational dynamics. He wants to see the movement growing and spreading, and he sees the crowds that are following Jesus. If the crowds are going to continue to grow, Jesus talking about his impending death isn't going to help momentum. Everyone wants to focus on the positive!
But Christianity has always been intertwined with death. It's part of who we are, and it's part of our story of life. Our sin leads to death, and so we must face our own mortality. Only Jesus can deliver us from eternal death, and so we must accept his gift of grace -- he has stepped in to accept the punishment, but we still must pass through death to reach the eternal life on the other side. This is a giant leap of faith, but it is part of our story -- we worship a God that is greater than death, but we still pass through it. We cannot simply deny that it is there, whistling past the graveyard in the hopes that we can ignore it. No, let us embrace it in confidence, rather than shrink back in fear. Your death need not terrify you, for God is greater than the grave, and love is stronger than death.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)