Tag Archives: God’s Love

Sermon Notes Luke 15:1-32

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Luke 15:1-32, 03.23.35

Our passage for today begins with this intriguing word ‘NOW’. It is up there with the words ‘Therefore’ and ‘Nevertheless’, and with the phrase ‘Once Again.’ All of these are introductions to a new moment which is built on a previous moment, or moments. The word ‘Now’ is not really a reference to an event but instead it is more of a travel monologue. ‘Yesterday we did so and so and now, today, we are doing something else.’

Our ‘Now’ in today’s passage is referring to this journey of Jesus, and growing number of followers, on their way to Jerusalem, and for Jesus, on the way to the cross. Remember that this is a growing number of followers and today we see the addition of an entirely new group of followers.

NOW…all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 15:1-2

[Title Slide] The complaint the religious leaders had with Jesus was that he saw/noticed people, all people, in a loving manner and did not exclude anyone from God’s compassion and mercy. This inclusive love was not new to Jesus, it was commanded in the OT. It was/is a love for God that is all encompassing, a love for God that then calls us to love what God loves and who God loves.  This outraged the religious leaders when Jesus did not reject and shun the ‘sinners’ and the tax collectors – (‘Sinners’ being a subjective term such as ‘your sins are worse than my sins so YOU are a ‘sinner’ and I am not.) 

Understand this, the people that the Jewish leaders condemned were their fellow Jews, they were not gentiles…they were the people of the promise, the children of God just as the religious leaders were.

It makes you wonder – Did the leaders expect  God to abandon these individuals like they had done? Or, worse, did they find their condemnation of these individuals to be a holy and righteous act? Did they find comfort in their own hearts and minds nurturing this ugly dark and unholy judgement, condemnation, and hatred? Did these religious leaders see these people as enemies even though these were their own people culturally and spiritually?

Ill: Wayne Scoggins in Deacon Training

Sadly, this type of prejudice still exists in the Christian church in America and around the world. It is actually the history of the Christian church for almost 1,750 years ago. Then, and now, religious communities were/are rejecting those who worshipped the same God.

This is the scene our story for today begins with. Jesus, as he is on the way to Jerusalem and the cross, is engaging with those who are considered unacceptable by their own religious leaders.

Our passage today takes place before Christianity was a word that identified Jesus followers, it is before Jewish Jesus Followers thought of themselves as anything other than Jewish. This was a time, much like our present time, when religious institutions and religious individuals were judgemental of others not only because of sinful actions but even more so because of things beyond their control, factors such as skin color, cultural background, religious practices, religious interpretations, as well as education, economic status, politics and many more. Basically no one was above being judged – even those with who they shared the same faith.

Emmanuel Katongole tells the story of the 1990’s when the most successfully evangelized country in world, Rwanda, fell into an inner genocide. Tribal ties became points of loyalty and allegiance over any other factors. Church services on Sunday mornings were frequently interrupted by brutal physical fighting between different tribes who had before always been able to joyfully worship together in the same room. But as their focus subtly moved away from Jesus, the fighting intentionally ended with many fellow believers dead. 

Stories of Rewandan genocide such as bulldozing a church building while people were inside worshiping just because the worshippers in side were of a different tribe than those driving the bull dozer. Katongole warns that this is happening in more subtle ways in churches around our world, and, in our own nation. Allegiances like political parties, religious agendas, rejection of different practices of religion, as well as differing religious interpretations of truth – interpretations that were often more dependent on tribal leaders than time spent searching for truth.

Mirror to the Church: Resurrecting Faith After Genocide in Rwanda, Emmanuel Katongole 

So, Jesus told three parables in response to the judgemental religious leaders’ contempt toward Jesus.

As I share these with you, remember that these parables were how Jesus answered the religious leaders’ contempt toward him because he spent time, and sat at the table, with these Jews who were considered unacceptable and undesirable by the leader and others.

I will be asking your thoughts…

  1. [Slide] So Jesus told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (15:3-7)
  1. [Slide] Or, another parable, “what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (15:8-10)
  1. Recap of Prodigal Son Story 

[Slide] The youngest of 2 would not wait for his father’s death to receive his share of the inheritance. Disappointed and surely feeling somewhat rejected, the father grants his son’s request and gives him his share of the inheritance… 

Feeling worthless and hopeless, the young man returned home hoping to be accepted as a slave but instead the father came running to him accepting him back as a son. A treasured son who had been lost but now had found his way back – now to be found.

[Title Slide] 

Interaction: With an understanding that Jesus told these parables in response to the religious leaders’ contempt toward Jesus because he was sitting at the table with the sinners – what was Jesus’ intent?

{Responses}

{Question:}

Who, or what, was to blame for the lostness of the lamb?

Who, or what, was to blame for the lostness of the coin?

Who, or what, was to blame for the lostness of the younger son?

{Responses}

{Bounce off the responses to bring to the story of the older son…}

“The Older son was in the field when the younger son arrived, and as the older son came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 

[Slide] He answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Note: The older son had been living on the father’s estate, the older son was now the sole heir to the father’s estate. But, living there he had forgotten this. He was jealous of the fathers’ love for the younger son because he had failed to realize his own favored status. The younger son was one of the family, that did not change when he left and that did not remove the love of the father.  

We do not have an ending to this story, we do not know what the older brother did with his discussion with his father. We do not know if he ever realized the truth of his existence. These parables bring us 3 separate yet dependent categories of truths to hold for us to recognize.

First – [Slide for each of this category]

God’s love has no judgement or regard for our worthiness/worthless. 

God’s love has no regard for anything about us except that we carry the breath of God.

God’s love is the constant and consistent of life for all people.

God’s love empowers God to never give up on us.

Second – [One Slide]

God’s love is often missed most by those who are in the middle of it.

God’s love is often forgotten when we reside in the midst of it.

God’s love can often blind us to God’s presence when it is our daily reality.

Third – [Slide for each of this category]

We must not allow ourself to let the judgement of this world, including the religious parts of this world, keep us from recognizing that we are living in the midst of God’s Love, that we are loved sons and daughters of God.

God loves us all. God loves all. God goes after what is lost regardless of the reason for the lostness. We have been found, we will be found. All that matters is what/who God finds important enough to go after and that is all those who have been created by God.

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05.17.20

Final Moments – Passage Basics

Today, we continue our look at the words of Jesus to his disciples hours before he was arrested and just days before he was crucified in what is called the Final Discourse.  

Our passage today takes us to a  revelation about the nature, character – a revelation of the merciful and compassionate outflow of love and acceptance of God.  It will be in this revelation that Jesus begins to bring together the things we have heard him say in the past – illustrations he has given involving sheep, roads, connections, and voices.  It will be the how of the ties that bind us together as believers, as church. 

Today, our fifth essential lesson for the leaders of the first ‘church’ is Paraclete.

To better understand, let’s begin by breaking down our focus passage.

14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

  • This is a monumental challenge, possibly it could be called a ‘responsibility’ or even a ‘task’.  Maybe, it could even be the basics of the ‘job description’ of being a leader of the new church, or to give an even a more broad boundary, a ‘job description’ of followers of Jesus.
  • In this challenge, Christ uses two very specific words (as he usually does), they are the word ‘If’ and ‘Will.’  It is our nature to filter words, any words in the way we think they are said.  We may think that this challenge is said with our interpretation being – ‘keep my commandments so, you will love me.’  Reading it this way the emphasis, and entire point of this small verse becomes an order to act ‘obey my commandments.’  We then seek to do a ‘work,’ obey the commandments.
  • Christ’ words, is actually a statement, not an order.  The ‘love’ comes first and the ‘obey’ is a natural outflow. ‘Love me and you will obey me.’  Love brings trust, trust brings a desire to know, this naturally leads us to obey.
  • Christ statement here is to point out the ‘how’ of following Jesus as the ‘Way’, the ‘Life’, and the ‘Resurrection.’ Love God.

14:16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate/Helper (greek word – Paraclete), to be with you forever

  • Paraclete Defined – one along side of you, another (simply put – in place of Jesus in flesh with you as he has been for the past three years) he will be an advocate, helper, companion, comforter, intercessor, the one with you, (all these roles and all other roles that Jesus in flesh filled)
  • Paraclete Presentation  – Unseen and Unknown to world who does not know/follow Jesus (the way), is grasped/known by those who know/follow Jesus (the way). Paraclete is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead.
  • Paraclete Gifting – Paraclete, much like the dwelling abode, is an inclusive gift, not exclusive.  Paraclete lives with all who step onto the road that is the Way, that is Jesus.

14:18 I will not leave you orphaned (last week, previous verses, Jesus talks about leaving)

  • This was the disciples worst fear, to be abandoned. A fear that, after just have Jesus return following the crucifixion, that he will now leave again.  
  • Now, as the realization they have been given the task of teaching and doing as Jesus did; the task of forming the faith communities that will be the church – this assurance is of immense importance.  It will be a promise that returns to their minds and hearts in the face of trials and celebrations for the remainder of their lives.

Now let’s go to the  revelation about the nature, character – a   revelation of the merciful and compassionate outflow of love and acceptance of/by God, 

by beginning with a Tiny/Huge  Greek Word

κἀγὼ, kagó

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask  the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, the Paraclete, to be with you forever.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, the Paraclete, to be with you forever. 

And I

Definition: and, even so, me also

Usage: I also, I too, but I 

This is not a reprimand of their inability to keep God’s commandments, nor is is a concession to their unfaithful love, it is a revelation about the nature and character – a revelation of  the merciful and compassionate outflow of love and acceptance of God.

God gives even though Jesus has just stated that if we love him we will obey him.

Reveals the Character and Nature of the Father

Reveals the Character and Nature of the Son

Reveals the Character and Nature of the Spirit (Paraclete)

Reveals the Character and Nature of GodA Very Wordy Paraphrase of John 14:15-16 

As you love me, and grow in that love for me, you will naturally find yourself doing all that I taught you and and all the ways you saw me be love to all those I came in contact with – with no judgement, with no condemnation.  This will just be natural response because you cannot help but do, and live, this way. It will come automatically from you just like the healing of the lady that pushed her way through the crowd even though she had to be unbelievably weak after bleeding for a decade.  This doing, and living, will be as natural as breathing.  You will become the embodiment of love more and more as you love me.  Oh, by the way, I am asking the Father to send you the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, a companion like I have been to you in the flesh for the past three years, the Paraclete help you on The Way.

The revelation about the nature, character – a revelation of the merciful and compassionate outflow of love and acceptance of God.

Enlightenment of God in the flesh to the Human Experience through God in the Flesh experience 

Jesus understood, after living this life, that it is difficult.  He understood that to simply say Love will lead to Obedience was a denial of the human experience.  He personally understood the temptation of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the allure of the toxic things instilled into the world through the choices of humans.

The nature of God, of the Father, Son, and Spirit is for all humans to experience a full life – God is our biggest fan 

God will give more than is foundational needed for us to succeed.

But HOW?

The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, was never meant to take us over, to fix us, it is a cooperative effort. The very name ‘Paraclete’ is one that comes along side of us, a helper. It is still up to us to do the work, to know God, to increasingly grasp the love of God so we can respond with love back.

Start Where You Are, Grow from there 

Start with what you know – Love God, Love Others

Illustration: Love God, Love those that God loves (all others). Love your neighbor as yourself…. I shared last week that the ‘as yourself’ has always bothered me. I know too may people who loathe themself. This pandemic has brought me to an understanding of this love, it is a love that holds others in the same regard we hold ourself. During this crisis we have seen countless individuals proclaiming their ‘right’ to not wear a mask, to gather as they want, to be able to work regardless of the dangers to a community. Sadly, this has often been from self proclaimed followers of Christ. This is saying I love me first, my wants trump your needs. This is not loving your neighbor, it is not loving God. It is not permitting the Paraclete to bring us back to truth.

Guide you and seek to know God, Love God, more & more

How do I grow in my love for others, put that into action w/God.

Being Human at the Apple Store

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I recently revealed my humanity, in public, at the Apple Store, my kids were horrified.

It was unexpected.

As an adult, I have honed the skills of hiding the fact that I am human.  I have crafted an ability to react to situations, or events, that let people know that I have neither feelings or emotions.  I have skillfully learned to keep a fence around myself that permits only the closest family members to see any vulnerability or pain.

However, I am human.

I exposed this humanity recently on a visit to the Apple Store.  If you have never been to an Apple Store you may not have a point of reference to understand.  An Apple Store is much like stepping onto another planet, especially if you are an old guy like me.  There is always a crowd and, upon entering, no one seeks to help, or even acknowledge your existence.  There is no eager employee to please you or even to attempt to sale you the Apple products.  It is your job to identify the employees, which are always the hippest looking people in the mall.  Once you have made a positive identification of the employee it is your responsibility to approach him or her.

It is best to not look desperate or needy.

I ventured into the Apple Store in an effort to drop off my son’s computer.  It had quit working during his summer job in Hawaii; yes college kids can lead a rough summer existence.  He had mailed it to me hoping to get it repaired and working before the fall semester.

It didn’t take long for me to recognize the look on the Apple Employee’s face; you don’t just drop off a computer and expect it to be repaired at the Apple Store. I had violated one of the core principals.  You need to have made an on line appointment and an exact time scheduled to meet with a technician.

Right there, next to the kiosks for flying helicopters, sea salt skin care products and teeth whitening products, you need an appointment. I didn’t have an appointment.

I looked at the face of the employee and then the crowd sitting at tables around me and immediately felt very old.

“There are six people with reservations in front of you,” he said, “it will be awhile before you can see a technician. You are welcome to wait.”

He was very polite.  I came to the precipice of not being very polite which was evident by the fact that I turned to find my daughters gone.  They had made a quick exit to stand outside the store eliminating any possibility of being connected with the crazy old man who didn’t have an appointment.

Somewhere during this exchange, while I said arrogant things like, “I expected better from you guys than this,” I mentioned that I did not have time to wait as I needed to get my youngest son to Children’s hospital.

My son, who is actually fifteen, has had a difficult year health wise. At this moment he had already had two surgeries on his left kidney area. A local urologist had gone in twice to cut stuff out that was blocking the flow from his kidney to his bladder. This had originally revealed itself through his experience with intense pain and continued to cause him agony even after the first and second surgery.  We had recently consulted our amazing pediatrician, who had referred us to the state Children’s Hospital.  Within hours, and before ever meeting us, or my son, these specialists had reviewed his case and made an appointment.  

I was in the Apple Store on the day of the appointment.

As I told the hip and functioning Apple employee that I needed to get my son to Children’s hospital, my humanity began to flow out of me.  My eyes became red and began to swell and my voice began to sound like my dog when the back door is not opened quickly enough at meal time.

I was embarrassed.  I have spent a lifetime keeping this persona separate from anything anyone ever sees, and now it was showing.  I was becoming a progressively increasing display of humanity for the world to see; it was showing in the Apple Store in front of the hip young employee who was able to grow a full beard and then keep it trimmed just perfectly.

As I looked at the young man I saw his countenance change. He continued to look hip and cool but suddenly he didn’t seem to just see me as the guy who was too old to comprehend the way things work at the Apple Store. He got the manager who quickly told me that they were going to see what they could do to get me to the hospital on time.

The manager had heard about the revelation of my humanity from the employee, he had also unlabeled me.  He then brought out the technician, who, incidentally had an even more hip and unshaven beard.  The technician had also learned about my exposed humanity and began telling me about his own experience with his humanity.  His twins had be born premature and spent months in Children’s Hospital before he and his wife had been able to finally take them home.

He assured me that this whole humanity thing is normal, even after my crackling voice kept me from being able to respond to the manager who checked back in to make sure I was doing alright.  The manager said “I hope everything turns out ok with your son.” to which I could say nothing.

As I sat on the hip stool, in the hip store, I began to realize the power of humanity when we cease to be labeled or label others.  The raw response of humans to humans.  Humans that do not have a name tag attached to their old man clothes that says “I am not cool”; “I am too old”; “I am too stupid”; “I am ugly”, I am uncoordinated”; “I am unclean”; “I am a male”; “I am a female”; “I am unacceptable”; “I don’t know what I am”; “I am not worthy or your time”; “I am human.”

What happens when we began to see all of humanity as God’s beloved created.

As I left the store, it occurred to me that this was a great learning experience which had given me the knowledge of a very powerful tool.  Tears, emotions, and humanity.  I had the fleeting carnal thought that this was something that I would need to remember in the future.  I now had something much more powerful than anger and arrogance.

God quickly reminded me that this was, indeed, a learning experience but not for me to use selfishly. This was a learning revelation that showed how God looks at all of us. He looks at us as humans.  He does not see us with labels or name tags that identify our current struggles, our confusion and doubts, our mistakes and sin, our humanity.  He sees us as humans with a beating heart.  A heart that screams out for help, assistance, and acceptance.  A heart that is crying out for God. He sees us without any name tags or labels.

When Christ was writing on the ground at the feet of the accused adulterous woman, while the men stood with stones gripped tightly in their hands, he was discarding the labels that had been placed on the woman.  He was taking off her ‘slut’ and ‘immoral’ name tags and replacing them with tags that said ‘human’ and ‘loved’.  He was seeing the woman through God’s eyes.  Eyes that were then able to lovingly and compassionately say,“Go and sin no more.”

He was looking at a human…..just like him.

wristbandTomorrow my son will have his fourth surgery.  His human family, including his human dad, will be in the waiting room for the endurance.  I have kept the parent’s wristband on my arm since his third surgery to remind me of my humanity, my son’s humanity, and God’s love for all of humanity.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Being Human,

Rick