Wheel Bearings and the Gospel

Luke 17:34–37

Luke 17:34-37 

English Standard Version 

  I remember the Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy is perched in a tree, waiting for a victim to come by... when Linus comes by and tells him that he's looking the wrong way.  Snoopy didn't make a great vulture.

  When you see a group of vultures circling in the sky, you can conclude that something has died.  It's not a lovely visual, and I wish Jesus would've picked something happier as well, but this is what we have.  We all know what a group of vultures mean.

  In the same way, Jesus is telling us that when the end times come, it will be very obvious.  We won't miss it.  There aren't going to be signs that are unclear or ambiguous about whether Jesus has returned.  It'll be clear.  

  Since we don't have to worry about that, we can instead focus on how to live in the here-and-now.  I think that's why Jesus is telling us that the end times will be clear -- once we stop worrying about that, we're free to focus on living faithfully today.  

  So what does it mean for you to be faithful to God this morning?  Maybe even leave the afternoon and evening for later.  What can you do now to serve Christ, to be a faithful disciple, to invite Christ into this day, into this moment?  Perhaps it is to stop and pray now, or to pick up a book and read, or to make that call you've been putting off.  There's something that could wait if you get distracted... but you can also take the next step now.  Glorify God this morning.

Parable on the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 17:31–33

Luke 17:31-33 

English Standard Version 

  There's so much to try and hold onto!!!  There are often so many good things, and we want to hold them tightly in our hands, never letting go.  

  Do we trust God enough to put everything into his hands?  What we place there is ultimately preserved in a way that it cannot be if we hold onto it on our own.  Life is safe in God's hands.  

  It's a constant choice.  Everything we have is a gift from God.  We can offer it back to God, or we can try and keep it on our own.  

  How can we make each day, and whatever is in it, an offering to God?  How do we set out hearts on that mindset, so that we're aware of what a gift the good things are?  May we pray for an open mind and open heart and open hands, so that we treasure God's gifts while offering all of life back to God.