Mission Faithwalk

                 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20  So then, you will know them by their fruits.   “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.   Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I ...

                   What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.   Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  (Romans 8:31-35) The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!   For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5) John Or...

                  Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2 NSAB1995)                   Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (3 John 2 NIV)                 Same verse, two versions. Normally, I share NIV, but I learned this verse with the word prosper in it, and it seems to be missing something without it. I have to begin by saying that I’ve been experiencing this verse for the last seven to ten years. I will admit that I have prospered, at least according to the judgment of some, but I didn’t feel prosperous. It always felt as if I were under someone’s heel or thumb. I won’t bother with the d...

                 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63) Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!"   (Acts 5:29) If you don’t know the story, King Nebuchadnezzar had built a statue of himself, and issued an irrevocable command that anyone who didn’t bow down to it on command was to be thrown in a fiery fu...

                   This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:10)                 Two ideas come to mind about what this verse says. The first is the idea of the dying god. There are a number of supposed gods who died and rose again, including Adonis and Osiris. For this reason, some dismiss Jesus’ death and resurrection as Christianity stealing an overused trope as a means to power. This idea faces two problems. In the stories of the other dying gods who rose again, it was not as a sacrifice for anyone’s sins. If it was associated with anything, it symbolized the seasons. Like the plants, the god died and returned in the spring. That made life more convenient for people, but it didn't change anyone's eternal fate. In addition, the deaths and resurrections w...

                      Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.   For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5...

                  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) (James 2:19)                 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder . (James 2:19)                 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)                 Like just about anything popular, I’m not fond of this verse. It’s not what it says, I think, as the sense that so many people seem to treat it so exceptionally. Or maybe part of it is because it’s one of those all-inclusive vers...

                 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (I Corinthians 13:6-7) And today, love isn’t red but continues in black before – thankfully – turning white. Love does not delight in evil. And today, that’s a huge problem. We do evil. I would go so far as to say that we are evil. We may struggle against it, but when the day is done, it’s highly doubtful that any of us got through it without doing anything evil. And we tend to want others to accept and approve of our evil. We may say they should forgive our evil, but in reality, it’s not about forgiveness. It’s easy to claim things we (or our loved ones) do are not evil, and give ourselves permission to delight in them, but that’s not love. But, ahh. We finally turn from everything that is not love or loving, or that love is or does not, to things love does. Rejoices with the truth. Always ...

                 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (I Corinthians 13:4-5) Ah, love, as I said yesterday, not a definition, but a description, and at least in today’s description, it’s mostly about what love doesn’t do. It begins with being patient, which for some of us is a negative word. It means that it doesn’t give up on its object, but gives its object time to do whatever the lover wants. There are times in disagreements with others when they say they’re done or that they won't answer my question. They are taking command and ending the discussion because I’m not worth their effort, and they’ve run out of patience. Sometimes, that’s the answer I get as soon as I disagree with them. Since I wasn’t seeking their love, that’s OK. It just occurred to me that this is what’s going...

                 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3) This is a tough one, because people are divided, and both sides have far to many people who claim to be Christians, but who read this verse and effectively say, “Yeah, you worthless piece of roadkill that claims to be a Christian, you talk big but where’s your love?” So, I’m going to begin with a clear statement: I am nothing. I will probably always be nothing. I will gain nothing. Because I can probably guarantee that you’ll decide that I don’t love unless I live according to your dictates. If I d...

                 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”   He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. (Matthew 12:9-14) We tend to think that Jesus didn’t minister to the Scribes and Pharisees and that He disapproved of them. After all, His words sound (to put it mildly) negative. But the first point is that the Scribes and Pharisees considere...

              While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50) Jesus was creating a stir. The authorities weren’t happy with Him, and His family decided to step in to fix things. I wonder what Mary thought of this intervention. Maybe, as with the wedding at Cana, she thought a little push might produce some good results. Maybe she thought He was stepping on too many toes and needed a vacation and some advice to complete His mission. Maybe she was trying to convince His siblings that they needed to back off and came along ...

                 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness . (Matthew 10:1) Oh, that would be the life… to have God call me and tell me, “Go here, do this marvelous thing in the following manner” (not included above). What we likely would find coolest about it is the authority. But God had reasons for doing things that way at that time. He has reasons for doing things differently now. There are, however, two things are clear. The first is that He sent them to minister to people, and not just people, but people who were the last sort of people they (or we) are likely to have wanted to visit: the possessed, the broken, and the sick. This wasn’t about their classification. It was about their need and about the disciples' comfort zone. They were, in short, to be Good Samaritans who didn’t need an innkeeper to help them. And again, I struggle ...

  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.   Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.   Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38) Have you ever tried to point out a bird or other small object to someone? Or looked at an optical illusion and tried to explain to someone what you see, and they don’t? Being able to point helps, but this is the problem Jesus saw as He went through the land. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Romans, and even His disciples seemed to see the virtual people who weren’t what they wanted. When Jesus saw the crowd, He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. Not a flock of sheep, which would be the coll...

              Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”   Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?    Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”   Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man . (Matthew 9:1-8) Take a deep breath and relax. I’m not going...

                 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm . The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27) The first point of interest this morning is that when the disciples got scared, they went to Jesus. Hurrah! How many of us get upset about something and try to solve it ourselves, seek social or governmental intervention, or otherwise look to someone or something other than God?  They had enough faith in Him to get them that far. Jesus chastised them for their lack of faith. What lack of faith...

                 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said (Matthew 5:2-3) And what He said is well known to us all as The Sermon on the Mount. Ministry involves communication. There are ways our ability to speak to others can be improved, but mostly, it involves two things. Love and practice. The love part includes caring enough to have something to say that will help them. Sometimes, we confuse helping them with making ourselves feel superior. They aren’t the same. In this sermon, Jesus doesn’t single out anyone. He’s talking to people, but He’s not exactly talking about people. He’s talking more about human conditions. This doesn’t mean that He never takes anyone to task, but more often than not, He acts as a teacher, not a judge. There are consequences to not correcting an error, but there is time in which to do so. That time is a...

                 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”   As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him… Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.  (Matthew 4:17-20 & 23) And today, we come to the crux of the matter. Jesus returned from His time in the desert and began to preach (v 17). He called disciples (actually verses 18-22, but I only shared 18-20). He traveled, taught, marketed (advertised the kingdom), and healed. One thing all those ...

                 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) This wasn’t the passage I had in mind for today, but it’s the one shared by my Bible platform, and let’s just say that it’s a concept that I want to be (and that I hope is ) central to my life. According to Jesus, it’s half of the greatest commandment. If we’re to have a mission in our lives, this is it. If we’re to have a ministry, this is its foundation and core. Having said that, I have to return to my “no magic” idea. Functionally, “god” refers to anything that provides the foundation of our lives and beliefs. This means not all gods have to be personal. Science can be a god. Self can be (and very often is) a god. And even if you hate that god, if you don’t turn to another god, you’re still loving that god because your a...

                 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.   After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:1-3) As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, (Galatians 4:13) Perhaps, because He is Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus’s calendar had written across the forty days immediately after His baptism, “Forty Days Temptation.” Maybe He knew exactly what was coming. Most of us don’t expect that when we have taken on some sort of ministry, the next seven days, weeks, months, or years will be spent uncomfortably wandering around, hungry, and under attack. What does any of that have to do with ministering? How are we to serve God or help anyone else if we’re sick, homeless, poor, improperly educ...

            Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”         Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15)   Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:    “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. (Matthew 23:1-3)   “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:7)   Jesus’ ministry didn’t start off with a fireworks demonstration signaling the start of something new and different. His life started ...