A.K.A. Barabbas

S - Mark 15:15 (NAS): "Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified."

O - The Scriptures identify the motives of the Religious Leaders, Pilate and Jesus.  The Leaders are motivated by fear and envy, Pilate by fear and social pressure and Jesus by love (John 14:31). Pilate wondered why Jesus didn't answer him and why the crowd would take up the chant of crucify.  Jesus didn't wonder at all.  He knew that he would not be released and that Barabbas would be. He offered no self-defense and no objection to the exchange. His silence was not a passive acceptance of that which was beyond his control.  Rather, he actually accomplished everything, everything, he and his Father set out to do.  Barabbas was released from his deserved punishment for the same reason I am; the same reason anyone who wishes can be.  The reason is Jesus.  Jesus who is (A.K.A.)the message from heaven; who is life, the friend of sinners and the salvation of the world.

A - I am Barabbas and Jesus is still Jesus.  He is slow to anger and quick to forgive.  I am quick to fail and often slow to apologize and slower to understand.  He willingly bears my burdens (tangible and intangible; earthly and spiritual).  He didn't pay the price to set me free … he paid the price to keep both Barabbas and me free.  He has loved us/me first, and most and refuses to change his mind.  To the degree one cannot be hurt, to that same degree one cannot be loved or love.  Jesus is completely hurt on the cross because he completely loves and therefore may be completely loved.

P - Great God Almighty,

You have set your affection upon us because you love us and won't change your mind.  I praise you for not calling us to amnesty but to adoption.  Today, I want to love you back with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and my neighbor as myself.  I will accept what you have offered me … freedom.  I will use this freedom to follow you, to serve others and to hope that I might be a reason another would believe. Thank you for letting me pray in Jesus' Name.

Steve

Coexistence: A Nice Idea that Doesn't Work

S - Luke 6:31-37 (NAS): ""Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."

O - There is a sharp disconnect between these words of Jesus about life on earth and the institutions or organizations which claim to represent him.  In fact, many of the individuals claiming to be his followers are just the same … and even with this glaring fact, Jesus is still asking only one thing of all who are his followers: get and the keep the beam out of your own eye as you live out these words.  Jesus did not says this for others, even unjustifiably hurt others, to run around and condemn people.  He spoke these words to all people and called all who will to follow him.  He said it and he lived it out loud right to and through his crucifixion and unto his resurrection.  Why are we so quick to excuse ourselves from these very direct instructions about living on earth?  Perhaps the following are some of the major influences:

·         We don't think this will work out well so we don't engage.

·         Religion has taught us that the Father really isn't all that merciful and so we aren't either.

·         We fear/despise being "taken advantage of" more than believing Jesus and insuring a "great reward" in/from heaven.

·         We've been wrongly taught that our status as God's children is primarily about our theological position rather than our actually engaging the words of Jesus.

·         Culture (secular and religious) teaches us that being "right" is more important than anything.  Jesus teaches us that being near him and loving others is the most important.

Whatever other influences should/could be added to this list the conclusion seems to be the same.  Jesus is calling us all out (Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.)  … directly confronting us in our daily lives and saying to all "Follow me" this way (cf. Luke 6:46-49). 

A - The world is willing for us to "coexist" and heaven instructs us to follow Jesus and literally LOVE each other. Loving and coexisting are not the same thing.  The world (secular and religious) at its best wants me to stop hating and Jesus calls me to start loving.  Jesus always starts at love, leads with mercy and then faces the facts.  The world (secular and religious) starts with facts which often become the justification for no mercy and then calls it love.  What am I to do? I am to personally, intentionally live out loud the words of Jesus. Heaven knows I will need help to do this and it stand ready to help every time I engage these words.  Jesus isn't Dr. Phil from heaven offering self-help. He is the friend of sinners and the Savior who offers help! Today, I will engage his words, ask for his help and follow/stay near.

P - Lord who loves and who is love,

Today I have my assignment from you … to love you back and to love my neighbor (anyone and everyone who's not me).  You call me to follow you by treating others the way I want to be treated. To believe, know and live out the mercy which is actually the way the Father is toward all … even the ungrateful and wicked.  Today, I really do want the beam out of my own eye and the light of your presence shining into me.  Lord, I admit I can't get hate out but I can bring love in; I can't get darkness out but I can bring light in; I can't get anger out but I can bring compassion/mercy in. You are love, light, mercy and more.  I throw open my complete self to you and ask, come in and stay.

I ask in Jesus' name,

Steve

Wondering about Him or at Him?

S - John 10:22-30, 36-38 (TLJ): "It was winter, and the time came for the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. Jesus was in the Temple area at Solomon's Porch. The Jewish leaders gathered around him. They Said, 'How long will you make us wonder about you? If are the Messiah, then tell us clearly.' Jesus answered, 'I told you already, but you did not believe. I do miracles in my Father's name. These miracles show who I am. But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give my sheep eternal life. They will never die, and no one can take them out of my hand. My Father is the one who gave them to me, and he is greater than all. No one can steal my sheep out of his hand. The Father and I are one. … I am the one God chose and sent into the world.  If I don't do what my Father does, then don't believe what I say. But if I do what my Father does, you should believe in what I do. You might not believe in me, but you should believe in the things I do. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.'"

O - The God of the Religious Leaders would not heal on the Sabbath, but Jesus' God and Father not only would but did heal on the Sabbath.  The God of the Religious Leaders would only want people who were like themselves, but Jesus' God and Father wants all people. Jesus put an emphasis on what he does so that what he says may be clearly understood and known. The Religious Leaders put their emphasis on conclusions they said were from God and lived contrary to the very things they were saying. Jesus' life and identity was distinguished by his relationship with the Father while the Religious Leaders were identified only by religious observance. Jesus gives eternal life to his sheep while the Religious Leaders refuse life (John 5:39-40) and insist their sheep do the same thing.

A - Jesus worked with his Father and the Religious Leaders worked for a God they made up in their own minds and then tried to find Scriptures to justify their conclusions.  Jesus only did what his Father was doing when his Father was doing it; He only said what his Father was saying when and how his Father was saying it.  His actions and his words are a reflection of his relationship with his Father. Today he is still working with his Father and wants me/us to see what he is doing so that we can believe in him (the person not the concept). The religious were and always are afraid of something but Jesus is not and tells us to not be afraid of anything; and that he is always revealing someone. 

P - Lord who loves and speaks to his sheep,

You love us because you do and because your Father loves us too.  You want us for the same the reasons.  Today I want to love you back and follow and live out loud your words about earth on earth.  Today I want to see what you are doing and do it with you; to hear what you are saying and to grow in relationship with you in the security of your love and my adoption as your child. Thank you for want us to know you and your Father; for wanting us to live in you and to be with you forever. 

Following and listening,

Steve