I hear this passage “moralized” a lot. The reader or listener hears it and is to take inventory on the things they aren’t doing, feel guilty about it, and begin to try and fit more of those things into their schedule. Of course if that were the case, and this is merely a righteousness to-do list, then it contradicts the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith as taught in John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8, and a mountain of other OT & NT texts. But read it at face value and doesn’t it seem Jesus teaching that I enter heaven by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting prisoners and sick people, and welcoming strangers?

The best illustration I’ve heard to explain how our works are evidence of and not a prerequisite for salvation is this one. Imagine the most desired event you would want to attend, and for the sake of this analogy pretend it is far beyond the reach of affording a ticket to get in. For me, with our family’s income, that would be the Super Bowl or NCAA Final Four. And to your surprise some generous person buys a ticket and your able to go and by handing the ticket at the turnstile, you get in.

The event is heaven, God is the giver of the ticket, and the ticket is your works, the evidence you are supposed to be there. The ticket represents salvation in that it was gift that you couldn’t afford and at the same time is very much yours and you benefit greatly from having it.

Jesus solemnly warns us that there will be judgment and we will enter into one eternal destination or the other on that day. So read this and sit under the weight of it and other heavy texts commanding you to do good works, but never forget how those works fit into your relationship with Him and are only possible by His grace.

One of my favorite things to do is going to major sporting events. One time I’ll never forget is when in 1999 the Denver Broncos came to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to play the Chiefs in an NFL playoff game. Through some connections I was able to make it down on the field to do some work for one of the film crews. Long story short, the experience was intense. The noise so loud it took my ears days to recover. The energy and passion from the 80k fans in attendance was overwhelming. Jets flying overhead at kickoff. Fireworks. Music playing throughout to keep the crowd worked up. Needless to say going to a High School, College or even a regular season NFL football game will probably never live up to that atmosphere.

Reading this passage about what it looked and sounded like 3k years ago when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the newly built temple made me think about the fans at that NFL playoff game and long for that type of passion from God’s people in worship today. Am I saying to worship God today we should paint our faces, play really loud music, spend 3 hours, get super worked up emotionally? No not really. But at the same time, why not?

Why do you think American Christians today rarely put together the type of celebration that occurred at the time of Solomon when God’s temple was dedicated? If we’re honest most of us in this culture have at least one hobby, activity, and/or area in our lives that we devote more time, money, energy, and passion to than we do to serving, celebrating and savoring Jesus Christ for who He is and for what He’s done.

What is the first thing you would like to see change about your worship of God individually, and also collectively with His people on Sunday morning?

I love this story of Mary & Martha having Jesus over for dinner. My wife Audria is amazing at preparing for the guests that we welcome into our house. This place is spotless and the meals are over the top good, let’s just say the red carpet is totally rolled out over here. And I thank God that my wife is not a full on Martha hostess, anxious and troubled about all the preparation! So I think that helps me to keep from wrapping this story up into a simple lesson about whether we should work hard for Jesus OR listen intently to Jesus.

The Message is a paraphrase of the Bible that describes the choice Mary made as “the main dish”. Some translations read “good portion”, or “good part”, the word in original language means share or portion. Remembering the central teaching of this passage in that final verse is crucial. What Mary chose will not be taken away from her, and that applied not only during the dinner party but for all eternity.

Would it be obvious to anyone looking, is it obvious to you, that the “main course” of your relationship with Jesus is being with Him rather than working for Him?

Commit to doing at least one thing in the next few days that puts you at Jesus’ feet, listening to His word, pursuing the presence of the God who loved you and gave Himself for you.

If you’ve read my blog or talk to me at all you know how I rail against the American church for its safety-oriented rather than risk-oriented approach to discipleship of Jesus. Look around you, how many people in your congregation do you see taking significant risks for the sake of gospel, sacrificing their own safety and comfort for the good of others and to be closer to Jesus? I work in a pretty big church and see a few, but not many.

In this story about Esther I found what I think is a direct parallel with one of Jesus’ hardest sayings. In Mark 8:34-36 Jesus teaches what it will mean to be His follower and says that in order to gain the life He offers we must incur the loss of our own lives. So what does He mean by that and where is the parallel? In Esther 4:14 Mordecai points out to Esther that if she doesn’t plead the case of her people before the king she’ll die anyway because the king’s order is to kill all the Jews. Jesus is saying that if we won’t risk and ultimately give up our lives in this world for the cause of the gospel that we’re going to lose it anyway, and those consequences are far worse.

God may not place you in a life or death situation in order to truly follow Jesus, but ask yourself if following Him is resulting in your risking much of anything. Esther’s risky decision oddly seemed to become pretty necessary to her.

Have taking risks for the mission of Christ, as crazy as they might seem to you and others at times, become oddly necessary to you yet?

Do you ever look around and wonder why God seems to allow certain things to happen to and for others that He doesn’t you?  I do, and when I “go there” I can easily take that to a place of full on envy.  One of the ways I like to illustrate this is through my experience playing and watching basketball for 30+ years.  It is almost a universal truth that the little guys want to post up and play under the basket and the big guys want to bring the ball up the court, which diverts them from focus on the ultimate purpose of winning the game and the obligation to play their role in that.

There is some parallel in how Peter’s eyes again wander off the big picture of what God has done and is trying to do through him, but only if his love produces obedience.  In John 14:15 Jesus says “if you love me you will obey my commandments”. I think we can learn 3 things about the obedience that loving God should produce by looking into what this Scripture says about Jesus, about us, and about others;

I.  Jesus has just been obedient to God the Father to the point of death on a cross, He’s now resurrected, and continues to teach His disciples about what a restored and committed relationship with God looks like. And one characteristic is found in what He asks of Peter, and essentially that is to be about doing His work.  Is the obedience of Jesus offering Himself as a sacrifice for you sins the example for your obedience to God?

II.  Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times on the night He was betrayed and so the three “do you love me” questions seem more than likely to have some connection to Peter’s epic failure. By commanding us in the Old and New Testaments to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength the same “do you love Him” question is continually posed to every believer.  Do your failures lead to repentance and more obedience or shame and more failure?

III.  In this passage Peter is restored by the risen Jesus and then told how his service in this life would end in martyrdom.  And immediately he’s concerning himself with what’s going to happen to his fellow disciple John.  Like in the analogy above you and I can join Peter and so easily make our main concern what others are doing, even God.  When it comes to following Jesus are you centrally focused on His call on your life?

If you could ask God one question, what would you ask? The Alpha Dinner is an open and relaxed place to ask the most meaningful questions about life and God and explore the claims of Jesus.

If you’re not a new Christian this is your opportunity to invite those you know who may not be in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, or who don’t enjoy the fellowship of other believers in a church, to join you.

If you’re not really connected here at Schweitzer yet this is your opportunity to begin new relationships in the church and brush up on your knowledge of the essentials of the Christian faith.

If you’re reading this and are by nature a questioner, perhaps you still have big questions about this whole Christianity thing, then this is your opportunity to come ask them and seek truth.

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Praise – Father God in the glory of heaven and here in the presence of Your Spirit I praise and worship You for who You are. In all Your power and holiness You reign as the Lord & Savior of all things.

Repent – You call me to change, to conform into the image of Jesus, but my old nature fights against that. Help me turn again today from the sin in my life and fuel in me more desire to do Your will.

Ask – The fact that you care about even the little things in my life is unbelievable. I ask mostly for contentment but also the things I have need of, food and clothes. All provision is from You.

Yearn – Holy Spirit Your power that conquered the grave lives in me. I know that in my head but want to experience that through a more continual pursuit of You. Convict my unbelief and convince me of Jesus!

Expect – Jesus You promised so much to those redeemed by the blood of Your cross. I stand in the victory of those things You are not only able to but will accomplish in my life, and in this world.

Rest – Everything is all about You God, I accept this new day as a means to further Your Kingdom and not mine. My sins are washed away and I begin this day on mission to remain in and with You regardless of what happens.

My thought is that we can make taking the bold witness of the name and power of Jesus Christ as creator, ruler, king, redeemer and sustainer of the entire universe out of a lot of things sound good and right (even for “the fruitfulness of the ministry”), but in the end the scriptures don’t seem to require that we back away from the bold use of His name to love God and neighbor or make disciples.

He sure didn’t, and many didn’t respond the way He’d (and in retrospect we’d) have liked. In fact claiming His identity is what got Him killed. I’m not saying we go around looking for trouble, don’t get me wrong. We have good news to tell, but our good news is a person (Jesus) and what He’s done. Not even the stuff we do in response to that, by itself, has any power to save. This blog is in response to an article I read about a large Christian ministry removing Christ from its name.

What are your thoughts?

And help me put aside all the compromise in my life. All the fear of man issues I have and go boldly out to bring as many to the Cross as possible by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I also pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit when I am speaking of You to others. In those moments give me the combination of the grace and truth of Christ. I ask for passion and boldness with a choice of words and a love that make the message better for planting seeds in those You might be calling.

Father thank You for Jesus, for regenerating my heart, sending Your Holy Spirit and for Your unending grace & mercy to me, a sinner. In Christ’ resurrected name I pray, amen.

Do you hear it said often that the local church has a high obligation to make people feel comfortable? I don’t discount that in some ways, certainly it’s very Biblical to offer hospitality and the create an atmosphere where anyone feels welcome. I just wonder how easily that can, and does, become such a primary culture in American churches that it creates a conflict with and/or barrier to the central message of Jesus, that following Him will not be very comfortable. How does a church walk that dangerous tight rope?

I love the saying that “the gospel comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable”. In this passage Jesus makes a stern warning about the counterfeit and hopeless means of seeking comfort in any aspect of a self-life, and boldly demands commitment to a selfless-life in His name and for His glory. In fact at the end of verse 35 He says that self denial is the only way to save our life.

The gospel does provide comfort and security but in a very counter-cultural and counter-intuitive way. Do you have a testimony about seeking or finding comfort? I wrote a possible testimony of someone in a faith community finding comfort through the gospel.

This place brings me comfort by breaking me over and over through the revealing of my sinfulness, but doesn’t stop there. The equal focus is on God’s response to my sinfulness by receiving the punishment for that rebellion on the Cross and restoring me into a relationship with Him forever. And because of that I can endure any hardship in life because I pursue Christ-likeness not a comfortable life, and don’t fear man anymore but God.