Podcasts about rather jesus

Luke 14:1-24; “Dinner Disaster” Today's story is of Jesus attending a dinner with His enemies - who have an agenda and it's not a good one. Yet Jesus has a heart even for those who oppose Him.  Jesus is invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee on a Sabbath day and they are all watching Him. There in front of Him they have placed a very sick man with a serious health condition of being severely swollen.  Keep in mind:  It's a Sabbath day Previously Jesus had done healings on the Sabbath and the synagogue leaders were extremely angry  No “work” was to be done on a Sabbath  Healings were considered “work”  Entrapment:  We can see this sick man placed in front of Jesus, is a set up for entrapment so that they could say Jesus broke the Sabbath by healing someone.  Jesus recognizes the trap and He addresses it head on saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they did not answer Him, so Jesus healed the man and sent him on his way. They all witnessed it.  What was that like to see the healing of this very sick man? As the swelling disappears and he goes away whole and healed. No longer critically ill. Can you imagine the murmurs and whispers of the dinner guests?  Jesus' concern and love for the lost (including the religious who in reality do not know the Living God) compels Him to take the conversation further because he loves the Pharisees and those that are hostile to Him.  So Jesus asks them, “If one of you has a child or ox that falls into a well on a Sabbath day will you not immediately pull it out?” And the Pharisees made no response.  As Jesus looks out over the table where people had worked to get the best seat reclining near the host, He continues with a parable. The summary of the parable is that you don't go to a party and take the seat of honor, as you'll just embarrass yourself. The lesson is one of humility before God and man and as Jesus continues the story He speaks these powerful words: “for all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  Rebuttal:  Jesus is rebutting their arrogance, their pride, their self-aggrandizement. He's saying - when you really know the Living God it affects how you behave. Not that we are saved by our behavior - but that when we know the love of God and the forgiveness He offers in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, it changes our behavior.  When we truly understand how much God loves us and how much Jesus paid to redeem us, that news changes our attitude about ourselves and we realize we bring nothing to the heavenly party.  It's not about what I can achieve, it's about what God offers and therefore my attitude changes and how I act changes and what I think changes.  The story continues with Jesus challenging the host to not invite friends who will simply reciprocate the invitation to his next party. Rather Jesus says to invite the poor, lame, crippled, and blind and then he will be blessed. Though they can't repay him for the invitation - Jesus adds that he would be repaid at Chris's return.  Diversion:  A dinner guest attempts to change the subject, clear the air, calm the tensions and says, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” What does Jesus respond with?  With this profound story about an owner inviting many guests to his banquet. When it was time for the party he sent his servant out to let those who had been invited that it was now time to come.But all invitees had excuses. So the host ordered his servant to bring in the poor, crippled, blind and the lame and after doing so, the servant told the owner there was still room left. So the Master sends out the servant into the country roads to compel more to come so that his house would be full. Jesus ends the story with the owner saying that not one of those who were invited and changed their minds in coming would get a taste of the banquet.  Jesus is saying this is what's happened with His own people. The very one God invited rejected God and refused to accept all that He was offering through Jesus.  These people were religious but they didn't really have a heart for God. And when you reject Jesus, you reject the Father who sent Him.  This story is not just for 1st century Israel - these words are for us today. Jesus is telling us that nothing is to get in the way of our relationship with the Living God through faith in Jesus. We are not to allow anything to get in the way of God's purpose through Christ for each one of us.  There are eternal consequences to rejecting God's mercy through Jesus, but God is faithful and works to show them then and us now the consequences of rejecting Him, rejecting the open door to coming to Him, rejecting His love for each of us.  There is a forever party coming! The joy of life forever in the presence of God! We don't want to miss the heavenly banquet! Surrender to the Living God. Jesus is summoning us to Himself. He offers life to all who repent and believe. He desires all to experience the joy of daily following Him.  Check out our website – everything we offer is FREE!! https://www.awakeusnow.com  Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper  Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01  St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group Bible study.

What is a “Jesus” response to rulers in our world? Especially governments we disagree with? How do we live an integrated life with dedication to the Kingdom? For so long tradition has taught that this passage suggests to us a “split” way of looking at life. It has been commonly understood to refer to politics and religion as two separate spheres. These verses have historically been used by monarchs and governments to demand full loyalty to them – for they are to “render to Caesar what is Caesar's.” However, when we read this story in context Jesus is by no means making any commentary about the way one approaches their specific government. Rather Jesus seems to be saying that “everything belongs to God” which means then, that nothing really belongs to Caesar.  Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

The Ascension of the LordThe Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven is not Jesus simply going up into the clouds somewhere to distance Himself from his holy people. Rather Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father to lead, guide, judge, and encourage people of faith in their journey. Given much of the world is mission territory, Christ is calling all people of faith to preach, teach, and sanctify.Scripture Readings for May 12, 2024Acts 1:1-11Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 Ephesians 1:17-23 Mark 16:15-20 

Jesus' extravagant grace is not cheap grace.  It is not a license to sin; it should not be taken for granted.  Rather Jesus' grace is a motivation to live a changed life!

Whichever way it is, hopefully we make the best decision we can each time. Knowing that Jesus is with us is good and supportive, but he is not the puppet master, or a heavenly sat-nav. Rather Jesus guides us through his Word. Which way we turn is up to...

What is your image of Jesus? Not Jesus the divine. Rather Jesus the man. Where did that image come from? Does it inspire you or does it leave you wanting more? What if your view of Jesus the man isn't at all like he really was? Today's guest, author, leader and student of Jesus, Josh Khachadourian, is here to set the record straight about who Jesus really was. And, to help us see that he is the standard for manhood that we need, that we've been looking for.   Contact Info: Website: standard59.com Book: The Standard Podcast: Raising the Standard   Expanded Notes: Avoiding the prodigal path has much to do with the influence of parents and how you are raised There is no shame in a story that is focused on running a steadfast race which doesn't require a radical conversion Jesus invites us into an experience with him Jesus, as a human man, was the inspiration for Josh's book and a model for great masculinity Economic and social changes created a church culture that became more feminine and in turn lessoned Jesus' masculinity In contrast, Jesus came as a blue collar man, physically strong and deeply confrontational with truth and with grace; Jesus was strongly subversive Jesus shows us that real strength comes from within, a more courageous expression of strength 6 Major themes of Jesus' life captured in the book, The Standard, about how Jesus modeled manhood for us: Self Mastery Leadership Communication Empathy Strength Mission of Love Jesus provides an example for every man about preparation The key message is that grit and grind and intensity is not enough; you cannot live Jesus' example on your own

Kingdom People2. Faith in the Kingdom Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor Matthew 17:1-13 4 September 2022 Ive always had a fascination with Everest, and the idea of reaching the top. Back in Australia I climbed lots of little mountains, but our tallest peak is 7,309 ft just a little bit shorter than Everest at 29,032 ft! Back in 1995, a postman from Washington State named Doug Hansen had his chance to climb Everest. But due to bad weather, he was forced to turn back just before the summit. Hansen returned the following year, in 1996, to finish what he had started. You might know the story. He was part of a team who started their summit attempt shortly after midnight on 10 May. They were instructed that everyone had to summit by 2pm, otherwise they would be turned around. At 2pm Doug Hansen hadnt reached the summit. At 3pm snow began to fall as a storm gathered on the horizon. Still Doug Hansen hadnt reached the summit. He was so close at Hillary Step, just 30 minutes away from standing on the top of the world. He was out of oxygen and exhausted, but determined to make the top. Tour guide Rob Hall offered to escort him on the final stretch. At 4pm Doug Hansen finally reached the summit of Everest. But they say descending is the most dangerous part of mountain climbing. Hall and Hansen were already 2 hours past the safe cutoff time. A storm rolled in. Without oxygen and in the dark, Hall and Hansen were in trouble. Hansen became physically and mentally impaired and could not be coaxed onward by Hall. Hall descended to the South Summit, but when he got there Hansen was no longer with him. His ice axe was later found jammed into the ice just above a sheer drop off. It is conjectured that Hansen slipped and fell 7000 feet to his death. Later that night, guide Rob Hall and 6 others also perished, alongside Hansen... They say descending is the most dangerous part of mountain climbing. In our Bible passage last week, we were taken up onto a mountain top with Jesus, and Moses and Elijah, and three of the disciples. And there Jesus was revealed in shining glory. It was this golden moment, a moment where you see the world from an entirely new perspective, a life- altering moment. But as Jesus comes down from the mountain in todays passage, we have an abrupt reminder that life is not always like the mountaintop. Everyday life is not always glorious. Its not always 1 golden. Actually life is messy. There is sorrow and tragedy and brokenness. And its not the way we want it to be. And so todays passage takes us into the mess, into the valley, and it asks: what will Jesus do about our brokenness? Thats where were going, so why dont we ask God to speak to us as we open the Bible now. Our heavenly Father, as we open this part of your Scripture now, will you speak to us. Will you reveal to us your good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives. And will you help us make sense of the brokenness, and your eternal plans to bring it to an end. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Well we are just a couple of weeks into our fall teaching series from the book of Matthew. Well be working our way through Matthew 17-21 over the next 9 or 10 weeks. I love these chapters because they are so practical for us as a church family. Jesus will talk about conflict and forgiveness, leadership and humility, money and materialism, marriage and divorce. There is lots for us to learn and to discuss as a church family. So I do want to encourage you to take a set of these Study Notes, and to work through them yourself. But Id also love you to think about joining one of our Small Groups theyre a great way to get to know people and a chance to dig deeper into the themes we study on Sundays. Anyway, lets jump into the Bible. As I said before, our passage follows right on from the mountaintop experience of the transfiguration, where Jesus was revealed in shining glory as Gods own Son. There was the cloud of Gods glorious presence, his voice speaking from the clouds, the OT heroes Moses and Elijah were there. And it was so good that Peter never wanted it to end. It was this amazing experience of Gods power and presence, and spiritual awakening for Peter as he understood Jesus true identity for the first time. That mountaintop experience gives us a foretaste of what heaven will be like. But that bubble bursts as Jesus and the disciples come down from the mountain. Almost immediately they run into an abrupt reminder that this earth is far from [the glory of] heaven. The Sick Boy A father comes to Jesus with his very sick son. 14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt beforehim. 15 Lord, have mercy on my son, he said. He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him. (Matthew 17:14-16) 2 As a parent, I can only imagine what it was like for this father. There are few things harder than having a sick child, especially when its an illness that is so out of control. [When our daughter Charlotte was 2 years old, she had super high fever on Christmas Eve. Christmas in Australia is in the middle of summer, and so the outside temperature was in the early hundreds. So was Charlotte. When we measured her temperature, the thermometer said she was like 42 Celsius, or 107 Fahrenheit. And then she started seizing. It was really scary to see our kid like that. We called the ambulance, they took her to hospital, and the doctors said that sometimes happens with really little kids. They get a really high fever, they have a seizure and its kind of like hitting the reset button. Within 24 hours she was doing much better, and shes never had another seizure. Not so for the father in our story. His son had seizures often - violent seizures that put his life in danger. He had fallen into fires, and into water. I know this sounds like epilepsy to us, but apparently there was a word for epilepsy in the Greek language at the time, but they didnt use it here. Instead they use a verb which comes from the word for moon perhaps you could translate it as the boy is moonstruck. The old King James, uses the word lunatick not politically correct, but it conveys that root in the original language. Apparently in the ancient Near East, people were afraid that the moon (and the sun) held/harbored/contained harmful magical powers. We see that in Psalm 121, where the Psalmist trusts that God will keep him from harm from the sun during the day, and the moon at night.1 So this young boy, as far as the father is concerned, has come under some kind of evil influence. The seizures arent medical, they are supernatural. As we read on, the cause is revealed as demon possession. Now I know that sounds weird to our modern Western ears, and Im going to say more about that in a moment. But before we go there, I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the father, or the shoes of the boys mother. This must have been terrible. Frightening, and unpredictable, and unrelenting. In Marks account of this incident, it says the boy had been robbed of his speech he was no longer able to speak.2 In Lukes account, we learn that this is an only child.3 This is a desperate parent, bringing their sick child to the great healer in the hope of a miracle... 1 Psalm 121:5-6 2 Mark 9:3 Luke 9:38 3 Illness and Evil? Now come back to the weirdness. It would be unusual for us to take our child to the emergency room, and the doctor diagnoses them with demon possession. And so I want to take a moment to address what the Bible says about illness, and its causes, and the relationship between sickness and the supernatural. The first thing to remember is that the Bible assumes a supernatural or spiritual realm that is outside of our human perception. God himself is spirit. There are angels, and demons. Satan, or the devil. They all exist. And the Bible is matter-of-fact about all of this. And in ancient culture, the supernatural world was often held responsible for illness. As one commentator writes, The ancient world believed unquestioningly and intensely in evil spirits. The air was so full of these spirits that it was not even possible to insert into it the point of a needle without coming against one. Some said that there were seven and a half million of them; there were ten thousand on a mans right hand and ten thousand on his left; and all were waiting to work men harm. They lived in unclean places such as tombs, and places where no cleansing water was to be found. They lived in the deserts where their howling could be heard. [...] They were especially dangerous to the lonely traveler, to the woman in childbirth, to the newly married bride and groom, to children who were out after dark, and to voyagers by night. [...] One of their favorite ways to gain entry into a mans body was to lurk beside him while he ate and so to settle on his food.4 William Barclay Sounds a bit like germs, doesnt it? So that was the prevailing understanding of the time. There was great interest in the demonic perhaps more than was healthy. We probably have the opposite attitude as modern Westerns we have so little belief in the demonic that we almost dismiss it completely, in the same way that many dismiss the idea of any supernatural power good or otherwise. So is there a link between illness and evil? The OT is clear that God alone gives life, and God takes life away. He gives us the breath of life (Genesis 2:7, Isaiah 42:5, Job 33:4) and he numbers our days (Job 14:5, Psalm 139:16, Psalm 90:12; Psalm 39:4). 4 William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew (Vol 1), p320-321 4 And so it makes sense in the OT that it is God who is the source of sickness, as well as healing. In Deuteronomy 32:39, the Lord says: There is no god besides me.I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal,and no one can deliver out of my hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39) Much of the theology of the first 5 books of the OT set out a relationship between obedience to God and a prosperous life without illness (Exodus 23:25-26, Deuteronomy 7:12-15). This wasnt a promise just for individuals, it was a promise for Gods people as a nation. Obedience would result in prosperity and fertility; sin would lead to illness and decline. When you come to the NT, Jesus is not as mechanical about the link between sin and sickness. Of course there are some choices we make in life that have direct consequences on our health. But we wouldnt say that a child with cancer did anything to deserve it, any more than we would say that disabilities are the result of personal sin. Thats an abhorrent idea. Rather Jesus teaches that death and disease are a consequence of sin more generally. That is, when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, they unleashed a torrent of evil/corruption that has tainted the goodness of Gods creation to its very core. For example, Jesus was speaking about a natural disaster that had happened a tower fell and killed 18 people. But Jesus said it wasnt because those people were more sinful than anyone else the accident was part of a world that is broken. On another occasion somebody asked Jesus about a man who was born blind he asked if the mans blindness was a result of his sin or his parents sin. But Jesus says it was neither it happened so that God could display his power in the mans life. (John 9:1-3) Jesus healed him and many believed because of it. So when we think about sickness, or illness, or accidents, a biblical attitude is to understand that these things happen in a world where sin is still eroding the fabric of creation. Its not normal for God to punish our sin by sending sickness, although I guess he might, but thats not the normative pattern. God doesnt operate on karma. Actually he treats us better than our sin deserves (Psalm 103:10). Jesus says that God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45), he blesses every human with all kinds of good things. And even in the midst of our sin, he reaches out with the gift of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. But most people never recognize the source of the blessing. And they dont get forgiveness. 5 But healing? That makes people sit up and pay attention. Sickness and Healing Come back to our passage. This father comes to Jesus, begging him to heal his very sick son. And Jesus heals him, with just a word. Look at v18: 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. (Matthew 17:18) We see here that the father was right his son had been possessed by an evil spirit. But even the world of demons has no power when Jesus is there. And thats the testimony throughout the NT Jesus heals the demon-possessed time after time. The devil may prowl about like a lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), but hes a caged lion. His power is limited only to what Jesus permits him to do. And when Jesus heals, he gives us a window into his eternal kingdom where there is no more sickness, no more suffering, no more loss, no more accidents, no more death, no more mourning, no more pain. A world where evil is no more. Dont you long for that world? When someone we love is sick, we long for healing. Thats why people flock to the healing waters of Lourdes in France, hoping for a miracle. Its why people make pilgrimages to the burial places of saints, hoping for a miracle. Its why the crippled in Jerusalem waited at the pool of Bethesda during Jesus time they hoped for a miracle. Its why crowds came out to see Jesus. We long to be healed. We long for someone to take away the pain. We want a miracle in a world where our bodies break down and eventually die... Did you notice how easy it was for Jesus to heal the boy? He speaks, he rebukes the demon and its gone. On other occasions, Jesus spoke and the lame walked, the blind were made to see, the deaf to hear. A man with a shriveled hand had it restored before a crowd of onlookers. In Jesus kingdom, death and decay disappear, like a bad dream disappears when you wake up. PAUSE I know there are people in this room who have experienced miracles that cant be explained by medicine. I love that! I love that God is still doing miracles in this world. 6 But I also know that some of you are praying for a miracle right now, and the miracle hasnt happened. One of my good friends in Africa found out that his wife was sick. She was only in her 30s, with 3 small children. Not a country with great health care. My friend prayed. His wife prayed. His church prayed. They trusted God for a miracle. But still she died just a few weeks later. And the truth is, even if we experience a miracle healing from Jesus, one day death will claim us anyway. Thats a reality of living this side of the resurrection. Jesus kingdom is coming, but its not completely here just yet. We live in the in-between, in the now-and-not-yet. We get glimpses of whats to come, but were waiting for the fullness of the promises of God to break into this world and to rebuild it from the inside out. Thats what will happen when Jesus returns, bringing with him the new heaven and the new earth. When all of us who trust in Jesus will be resurrected to eternal life. Imperishable. Never again to die. But that day is sometime in the future, whenever God decides the time is right. So what can we expect in this lifetime? Can we expect God to heal? First I want to say that God can do whatever he wants. God still does miracles and absolutely we should pray for them. But its up to God to decide if, and when, he will heal in this lifetime. And even if God chooses not to heal our illnesses, that shouldnt change the way we feel about him. You see, Gods promise doesnt change. Full restoration is the promise on the other side of the resurrection. Every illness will be healed, even if he doesnt heal us today. And as hard as it is to understand, perhaps God has a more important purpose for your life than healing your body. Perhaps the way you live with illness will help somebody see the glory of God even more clearly. Perhaps your implicit trust in God, even in the face of death, will lead your family and friends to the same trust that you have. Because trust, or faith, is what is most important, says Jesus. Look at v19. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, Why couldnt we drive it out? 20 He replied, Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Jesus wants us to know that there is no obstacle that he cant overcome in our lives, if we just 7 trust him. Whatever our life might look like, we can trust him to achieve his purposes for us, even in the face of death. After all, thats the attitude Jesus took to the cross, wasnt it? Even death couldnt stop the kingdom of God from advancing in this world. In fact, Jesus had to face death in order to bring an end to it once and for all. And on the day that he rose from the grave, his resurrection showed us that we have nothing to fear, even from death. On the other side is the world that we long for, the world where our prayers for healing will be answered fully and finally. Is that something you can put your faith in? 8

We all know that we can't make through day to day life without using money.Yet, when we look at the pages of the Gospels, Jesus talks about money more than any other subject.Why is that? Jesus is not calling His people to retreat or withdraw from the market, banks, or using currency. Rather Jesus is warning us how easily the pursuit of money and wealth can ensnare us into addiction and slavery. However, some of us still probably think just a “little more wealth” would go a long way. King Solomon was the richest man in history. He had a lot to say in his poetic reflections on the emptiness of wealth.

The 7th and 8th chapters of John focus on the crisis of the Person of Jesus. Is He the Messiah or not. Jesus does not seek to win them over as His brothers suggested. Rather Jesus provokes them to reject Him. They do try to arrest Him, but He proves that He is sovereignly in control of the situation. He will surrender to their will when His hour arrives and the will of the Father is accomplished.

The 7th and 8th chapters of John focus on the crisis of the Person of Jesus. Is He the Messiah or not. Jesus does not seek to win them over as His brothers suggested. Rather Jesus provokes them to reject Him. They do try to arrest Him, but He proves that He is sovereignly in control of the situation. He will surrender to their will when His hour arrives and the will of the Father is accomplished.

Jesus Does Not Always Bring Us “Peace” in the World; Rather, Jesus Is a Divider by Bringing Conflict and Division MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction: While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tabulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke's Gospel, we need to pay attention to God's signs in the world. Today's Message: If we are serious about being a follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His sermon, to many thousands, starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise. Jesus continues, in Luke 12:50, with: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”. Jesus uses “baptism” to refer to His immersion in death and His separation from the Father on the cross, but death would not hold Him. Continuing with Luke 12:51, Jesus tells us: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”. How does this statement of “division” rather than “Peace” reconcile to Jesus' other statements regarding His bringing “Peace” into the world? This apparent contradiction, regarding Jesus and His “Peace”, can be addressed by considering the five ways the word “Peace” is used in the Bible [as presented in the audio teaching]: 1) an attribute of God; 2) fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) a state of mind; 4) absence of conflict; and 5) being in right relationship with God through Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus, in Luke 12:51, says that: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”, Jesus is referring to the Bible's use of “Peace” regarding an “absence of conflict”. Jesus is telling His followers that He, the Gospel, and they have come to disrupt and confront. However, Jesus wants to have “Peace” in the other four contexts of “Peace”. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and “conflict” are created. In this passage from Luke, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners. Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God's signs. Do we see and follow God's signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; Luke 3:21; John 14:27; Judges 6:24; Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20; Ephesians 2:13; John 16:36; John 17:22-23. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Do You Struggle with Your “Prayer Life”? Find a Quiet Place for Your Personal Relationship with God and Pray to the Universe's Creator”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Jesus Does Not Always Bring Us “Peace” in the World; Rather, Jesus Is a Divider by Bringing Conflict and Division MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction: While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tabulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke's Gospel, we need to pay attention to God's signs in the world. Today's Message: If we are serious about being a follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His sermon, to many thousands, starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise. Jesus continues, in Luke 12:50, with: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”. Jesus uses “baptism” to refer to His immersion in death and His separation from the Father on the cross, but death would not hold Him. Continuing with Luke 12:51, Jesus tells us: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”. How does this statement of “division” rather than “Peace” reconcile to Jesus' other statements regarding His bringing “Peace” into the world? This apparent contradiction, regarding Jesus and His “Peace”, can be addressed by considering the five ways the word “Peace” is used in the Bible [as presented in the audio teaching]: 1) an attribute of God; 2) fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) a state of mind; 4) absence of conflict; and 5) being in right relationship with God through Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus, in Luke 12:51, says that: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”, Jesus is referring to the Bible's use of “Peace” regarding an “absence of conflict”. Jesus is telling His followers that He, the Gospel, and they have come to disrupt and confront. However, Jesus wants to have “Peace” in the other four contexts of “Peace”. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and “conflict” are created. In this passage from Luke, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners. Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God's signs. Do we see and follow God's signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; Luke 3:21; John 14:27; Judges 6:24; Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20; Ephesians 2:13; John 16:36; John 17:22-23. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Do You Struggle with Your “Prayer Life”? Find a Quiet Place for Your Personal Relationship with God and Pray to the Universe's Creator”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 Sharing with others is an act of worship.  It is offering up what we have freely been given back to God.  Stewardship means recognizing that nothing that we own really belongs to us.  In Genesis 1 “God said” six times as He created the heavens and the earth. Everything that was, was created by the word of God. And so, we are really only stewards of His wealth, His houses, His gifts, His technology and everything else that we have.  Everything that we have belongs to and is a gift from God, freely given to us. When we turn to Genesis 2 we see that we have been tasked with taking care of what God has given us, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (v15) God gave us a job to do.  We are to be caretakers of all that He has given us. Whether it be physically working the ground and taking care of our creation, or whether it be taking our goods, money, time and talents and sharing them openly with others. One of the biggest hindrances to the Christian life is pride.  If we are not careful we can start to feel entitled: I deserve this, I earned this.  We can start to feel inadequate: what I can give/do won't make a difference anyway.  We can start to feel selfish: I need this, this is mine.  All of these thoughts are rooted in pride, in our own desires and wants, or in our perceived ability or inability to “deliver the goods” that God has gifted us with to others. The counter to this is humility.  Humbly recognizing that all we own belongs to God, that we are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world.  The Holy Spirit fills us and sends us out into the world to be a blessing. We often like to complicate things though.  We need to impress others with what we have, and we always need to have more.  More clothes, more toys (yes, adults have “toys” too!), more stuff.  And our entitlement mentality grows and our sense of ownership grows.  No!  Let this stop with us.  We are to be the light and the love of Christ in this generation. We don't need flashy evangelistic conversations, or prominent bumper stickers displaying a fish and our loyalty to the Christian faith for all to see.  What we need is for the world to see Jesus in who we are and how we give just as Christ gave Himself up for us. Paul says “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:12-13).  What do we need to be content?  Are we willing to share with others and live with less so that another might have more?  Jesus said to a man asking what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life, “If you want to be complete, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matt 19:21).  What are the desires of your heart?  Where does your treasure lie? “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:21).  Jesus didn't carry extra food or provisions or an extra set of clothes as He went from town to town.  Although He does ask a very few people to give up all they own and live as He did, that is not what He is usually saying to us.  Rather Jesus asks us, “will you give of the first fruits of what I have given to you, the things of this world, as a symbol of my love, grace, and generosity towards others?  Will you be a wise steward of My creation and all that I have made?  Will you give back to Me what I have graciously given to you?"

When a Samaritan woman encounters Jesus at the water well in her hometown, she does not get the usual response she has grown used to. Rather Jesus offers her something…the greatest gift we can receive (which might be different from what you think). In this message, we will look at how wonderful this gift is and how we can experience it no matter how broken we are.

On this edition of the program, the hosts discuss The Great Commission. In this important mission statement, Jesus does not begin with the imperative, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” Rather, he first tells his disciples that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Christ has already accomplished redemption, therefore the great commission is not a plan for us to execute or an ideal toward which we strive. We are not extensions of the incarnation, and our work is not redemptive. Rather Jesus has conquered sin, death, and hell, and calls us as his ambassadors to announce this good news to the world. –––––––––– Become a partner and you will receive all of the White Horse Inn extended episodes. Head over to whitehorseinn.org/podcastpartner  

(Watch Online) Sometimes we're tempted to view the Old Testament as something outdated or disposable on our way to the New Testament. Rather Jesus himself taught that the entire point of the Hebrew Bible was to lead us to Jesus. Join as we explore Jesus on every page! 

"Jesus showed us by how he lived and died and lived again on the other side of death that nothing is too big, too much, too hard for God, that human dignity and flourishing are God’s dream for us no matter under what oppressive systems we find ourselves. The Jesus who allied himself with the poor and disenfranchised by becoming poor and disenfranchised will not abandon us to a world that does not love us, fears us and seeks to harm us. Rather Jesus stands with us as we remake the world that is our heritage, our sacred trust, as we rediscover its poetry and the poetry inside of each of us." Sermon by Wil Gafney at All Saints Church, Pasadena, on Sunday, December 1, 2019. Readings: Genesis 1:1-5, Psalm 8, Romans 8:18-25, and Matthew 24:32-44. For video and a text of the sermon, visit our website: https://allsaints-pas.org/holy-blackness-the-matrix-of-creation/. Follow All Saints Church on Twitter @ASCpas. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AllSaintsPasadena/. Donate to support the mission and ministries of All Saints at https://allsaints-pas.org/donate/donate-now/.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 6:10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. No Vacations
 Yet Sweet Rest! R Aylor I don’t know about you but for me it’s usually when I'm lying in bed and should rise, shine and rejoice in the day the Lord has made that this scripture comes to my mind. However its truth about slumbering and resting is clearly applicable at other times and in other areas of life as well. You see, my idea of rest, relaxation and even vacation need a correct Christian world view understanding. Of course regular sleeping is good… it is a gift from God… it is letting your body take a vacation from its work… it gets rejuvenated so it can do everything better including work. However sleep turns bad when I sleep the day away so much that I become depressed and nothing gets accomplished so my day can become a fail big fail. And the sad thing is that I can get used to it… and it becomes my routine… Solomon tells his son that poverty sneaks up on us like a robber and all our self centered lazy desires for our “me” time surround us like an armed man. They steal our joy and zest for living a life of purpose… They encircle us and our sins of laziness take our life hostage. Along the same lines we should never let our guard down against satan and become spiritually lazy… We may need a vacation from work but never a vacation from Jesus or Gods word. That’s when the thieves of spiritual laziness break in. Rather Jesus is the one to go to for true rest. He said beginning in: Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Our domesticated version of Jesus is not on par with scripture. Today Jesus reveals his anger, but it isn't a cruel type. Rather Jesus reveals that through his anger towards sin, under it is a genuine and passionate love for His heavenly Father. In other words, Jesus is teaching us that being offended on behalf of God is actually a good thing.

The world is a dark place. Just today, as I was preparing this lesson, a man drove a van up Las Ramblas in Barcelona and killed 13 people and injured another 100. On any given day, terrible things done to others. Child abuse, rapes, murders. The world is a dark place. But it is also dark in your local community, where good citizens go about their business doing no harm to others. It is dark because they are blind, spiritually blind, and they move through life lost and hopeless. Today we will look at the healing of the man born blind. His blindness is both physical and spiritual. Turn to John 9 and let us look at the sixth sign performed by Jesus. So what do we need to learn today? Our takeaway is this. Jesus is the only light that can drive away the darkness that surrounds us.  Let’s read John 9:1-7 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Like the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus sees this man and decides on His own to heal him. The man did not cry out for Christ. Rather Jesus takes the initiative. We would call this a sovereign decision. Jesus is God and as God, He can make such decisions. The disciples ask about the reason for the man’s blindness. The Jews at the time of Jesus assumed all suffering was due to sin. But this is not the case. Just read the book of Job. Not all suffering is due to sin. Another assumption we often make is that the man was blinded by God so that later at this moment, God could heal him and get the glory. The Greek here is flexible and I believe that God looked at this man and decided to change the man’s situation. God decided to heal the man and rightly get the glory. Jesus then makes the statement that gives us the focus of our study. He says, in verses 4 and 5, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus has work to do, which is directed by God the Father. His time is limited on this earth and while He has time He is going to declare His light, which is the gospel. Our time is limited as well, my friends. Any moment God can call us home. But some of you are saying, “No too soon, I have things to do.” And I would say to that “Yes you do.” You have family, friends, and neighbors to share the gospel with. So Jesus heals this man and the man then bumps into some of his neighbors. You can read John 9:8-12 on your own. These neighbors knew this blind man.  But when they see him healed some do not recognize him. Why don’t they recognize him? All their lives and all of his life they had seen him live and function as a blind man. Maybe he walked with a stick like some blind do today, and now he is walking without this tool. Before, his eyes were dead in appearance. Now they have life. The man had been changed by this healing. And the people struggled with these changes. You, too, were changed when you met Jesus. Not necessarily in a physical sense, but in a spiritual. And when this happened some said to you, “You’re different. You’ve changed.” Some of you lost friends and even family because of the change Christ worked in you. This man’s situation reminds me of my former change. And it should remind you of how Jesus changed you. After meeting his neighbors, the healed man is brought before the Pharisees. They debate with the man, his parents, and the man again in verses 13-34. This debate is confrontational, it is exciting, but most of all it is sad. It is sad because the Pharisees show themselves to be blind. Let us start with John 9:13-17 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” Many of the Pharisees are upset because Jesus broke the Sabbath by healing the man. He broke it by spitting on the ground and using His spit to make clay. It is a violation to knead clay on the Sabbath. This divides the Pharisees. Some say He cannot be from God because He broke the Sabbath. Others say He must be from God because He heals the blind. Eventually, the Sabbath lovers win out. Next, they bring in the parents. The parents testified that this is the son and that he was blind since birth. But that is all they say because the Pharisees threatened to excommunicate anyone who follows Jesus. Excommunication from the Synagogue would be a serious thing. So they go silent. And then for the final exchange, the Pharisees bring the man back. Look at verses 24-34. As I read I want you to take notice of the healed man. He is capable of standing his ground. He is not intimidated by the educated Pharisees. So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” 25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. Did you see that? This blind beggar is well spoken and has a strong backbone. He never wavers. He never falters. We should be so bold. When called to defend your faith, do you falter or do you stand strong? This man stood strong. Charles Stanley, writing for In Touch Magazine listed eight reasons why your faith may falter. Here are the eight: A situation goes against our human reasoning. We allow feelings to overcome our faith. We don’t see God in certain circumstances. We listen to negative counsel. We focus on our circumstances. We may be ignorant of God’s ways. We might feel guilt over past sins. We could be listening to the devil. I know these 8 went by quickly. I will include them in the show notes. So go to wakefieldbible.org/podcast and look for episode 32. Many of Dr. Stanely’s observations apply to this man’s situation, but he does not falter. He stands firm. Now we return to the great purpose of this healing. Let’s look at verses 35-38 first. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. Here is a short application of these verses that are important to our overall lesson. Jesus takes the time to share the gospel with just one person. All along it was about bringing this one man from darkness to light. Often churches and ministries get taken up with large group evangelism – rallies and revivals. I wonder how many people truly get saved through such. Not as many as we think. Most salvations happen when one person shares Christ with one other person. How were you led to Christ? Most of you through the witness of one other person. God has called you and me to share the light. To share the gospel with others. This week why not start with just one person. As you and I share, we need to be aware of the three types of spiritually blind people. When you share the light of Jesus with others, they will be blind. We need to understand how they may be blind. First, here are some general principles about the unsaved spiritually blind. Someone who is spiritually blind does not see Christ for who He is. Jesus is God. And the spiritually blind cannot see Him as God. Also the spiritually blind cannot understand Scripture. They can read it and even make some sense of it, but they cannot understand it. Why? Because to understand the Bible you must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Those that are spiritually blind either do not have the Holy Spirit or have so quenched Him that there is little understanding. Hmmm? The spiritually blind love the sinful world or are heavily drawn to it. Here is 2 Corinthians 4:4. “...whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” So those three things identify the most of the spiritually blind. These spiritually blind are unsaved.  But there is an another type of spiritually blind person. Look at 2 Peter 1:8-9 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. So the second type of spiritually blind you may encounter is a saved person who is blind. This happens when a believer stops walking in the Spirit. They no longer live as it is described in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Like the unbeliever, they are drawn toward the world. And, although they are saved they have grieved and quenched the Holy Spirit to the point that Scripture rarely speaks to them. According to 2 Peter they have become blind, or at best shortsighted, which means they live only in the present and only for themselves. And they begin to forget or neglect what God has done for them. The final form of spiritual blindness is what Jesus is addressing at the end of John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. The Pharisees suffer from a form of blindness that is unique to any religious person, especially if their religion has a measure of the truth in it. The Pharisees knew the Scripture, they had an understanding of God and His Bible. But they could not come to accept Jesus as God and Savior. I bet you know people like this. Their religion gets in the way of faith. What can we do? Really the answer is the same no matter which type of blind person we encounter. Pray for them. Share the gospel with them. Allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest. Only God can remove the blindness. Now I wonder, do you see yourself in any of these three? Do you reject Jesus as God? Does the Bible not speak to you? My friend, you need to quickly, even now ask God to save you. Believe on Jesus Christ. Trust in Him. Ask God to open your eyes. When God opens your eyes you will see Jesus as God. You will see your sin. And you will see that only Jesus can save you. Sign Up & Subscribe Remember to review, like and share the podcast. This helps spread the good news of Jesus around the world. Sign up for our show notes. When you sign up, you receive an email notification and a copy of the show notes whenever a new episode is released. Just CLICK HERE and sign up today! The best way to listen is to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, or just about any podcast app. If you live in a country that tries to block Christian podcasts, here is a link to our RSS feed. You may be able to use our RSS to get the podcast. Finally, feel free to contact us with any question. You can contact us by clicking HERE or going to www.wakefieldbible.org/contact-us/. I would especially love to hear from you if you have believed on Jesus. Resources 8 Reasons Our Faith Falters, by Dr. Charles Stanley, https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/8-reasons-our-faith-falters

Speaker or Performer: Pr. Mark D. Lovett Scripture Passage(s): John 16:23-30 Date of Delivery: May 10, 2015 In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.Jesus is speaking to His disciples on the night when He betrayed. He is speaking to them about things to come and says to them, “In that day.” “At that time I will speak to you plainly about the Father.” “In that day you will ask Me nothing but whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you … In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall ask the Father for you.”Today is that day.But I don’t mean that May 10, 2015, is that day. I mean that we are living in that day and have been living in that day since Jesus ascended to the Father. This is the day of the Lord and it has gone on now for some 2,000 years. That’s how you must think of the kingdom of Christ; as never-ending having begun when the Christ, risen from the dead, ascended to the Father having put all things under His feet. Today He rules the nations in mercy and grace.But a quick look at the world around us challenges this notion that Christ rules the nations at all, much less in mercy and grace. But He does. It is the world that rejects His rule which is why the world is in such chaos and turmoil and will be until that final day when the Christ will raise the dead and reveal the children of God to all creation.All the wickedness of the world even down to our own wickedness when we lie and gossip and slander even our brothers and sisters in Christ with our haughty looks or our self-absorbed pity parties, all wickedness of the world is a rejection of the rule of Christ. Christ is the mirror for every man, woman, and child, for He is the perfect Man from whom we receive our definition of what it means to be human and the beloved of God. Jesus is not the perfection we strive to obtain, for we can never obtain perfection by our own efforts. Rather Jesus is the perfection we must confess we do not possess. This is what it means to confess that we are sinful and unclean.But the King is reigning even if the world rejects His reign. He is faithful even if the world is faithless for He is true to Himself. Which means that even if the world is wicked and evil – and it is – still He rules in mercy and truth. For He did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. But from where does He rule? We have and know the answer to that, perhaps especially as Lutherans. He rules from His means of grace. His kingdom is a kingdom of grace so He must rule from the means of grace, which are the mysteries or sacraments, including private absolution by which we each individually hear in our own ears that He is merciful to us and does not count our sins and rebellion against us but deals with us mercifully and forgives us all our sins.When you go to confession – and all of should go at least once in our lives, especially when our conscience and the word of God are condemning us – we are not coming to show how evil we are but to show how merciful and kind our Lord is. We are not coming to boast in our wickedness but to boast in the Lord’s love toward us. Confession, then, is not arduous or heavy but easy and light because it is not for us to bear the load but to lay the load upon our Christ who bears it for us, giving us His light burden and easy yoke of being loved by the Father.When we are gathered together here by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, it is to teach us how to live in the kingdom of grace Christ has and is establishing by His word of peace. We eat and drink here not to obey some law but to live in freedom, the freedom Christ gives from the condemnation of the Law. We are not here to prove what good Christians we are but to prove what a merciful God we have. We are not here to fulfill some law but to be filled with the law of love.When we look into the mirror of the law of love we see Jesus who laid down His life for us and lives and reigns on High for us, for our good. Jesus is our reflection because we have been baptized into Him and have been clothed with Him. But if we forget what we look like, that we look like the Son of God being children of God ourselves through holy Baptism, then we are as St. James says, we are not doers but hearers only. But if we live in the law of love which is to forgive as we have been forgiven and love as we have been loved, then we are free and are blessed in our doing.This divine gathering is the mirror that all people look into. And here they see Jesus for this is His Body and He makes Himself known in the breaking of the bread. But the wicked turn from this mirror and forget what it is they are supposed to look like and they return to their evil like a dog to its vomit. But those who look here and find Christ and His Father, those to whom He reveals Himself and speaks to them plainly about the Father, they are blessed forever.This is how it has been for 2,000 years now: men, women, and children, the aged and the infants, being gathered to hear, to eat, to drink and to live in the day of the Lord, which is today. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of the Lord. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.+ In Nomine Iesu +