Heaven's Work Ethic

S - "“"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"” Luke 17:7-10 ESV

O - In this story told by Jesus a very important distinction emerges.  It's a distinction he lived every day and insists his followers do the same.  The distinction? The difference between attempting to do everything one can possibly do and doing everything one is asked or commanded to do. According to the teaching and living of Jesus, the duty of servants is to do what they are commanded to do.  It's not the idea of doing as little as possible but rather acknowledging who is actually in charge. Jesus never worked one day for his Father, only with him (e.g. John 5:19). At the end of his earthly life Jesus did NOT pray 'Father I've done everything I could possibly do.' In fact, a cursory look through the four accounts confirms this reality.  What he did pray was 'I've done everything you gave me to do.'    

A - The world (secular and religious) promotes and labors under the cruel task master of a stewardship which requires one to always do everything they can possibly do. Jesus never lived one day like that and has never asked us to either. He's inviting us to follow and work with him NOT for him. The invitation to work with him is about being together not just getting something done. He outlines the assignments and shows us our part with him. All these years later I've concluded that there is not one thing he asks me to do with him that he can't do better without me :). My duty is to do everything he asks of me … a doing which is greater than getting something done (though things do get done).  It's a duty which allows me/us to be with him, in him, as he desires us to be. The Kingdom of God is relationships not accomplishments (e.g. Matthew 7:21-23). 

P - Lord who doesn't need any help from me,

Thank you for wanting us to be with you in the work you've been doing every day since you made the world. I gratefully acknowledge the duty which is mine and am thrilled to be with you day by day.  I am hoping that I will be able to say at the end of each day "I am an unworthy servant; I have only done what you gave me to do."  Thank you for rescuing me from the cruel task master of the world. 

Happy to be working with you,

Steve   

Good People are NOT Invited

S - “Once again, Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee. A large crowd gathered around him, and he taught them.  As he walked along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at the place for paying taxes, and Jesus said to him, "Follow me!" So he got up and went with Jesus.  Later, Jesus and his followers were having dinner at the Levi's house. Many tax collectors and other sinners had become followers of Jesus, and they were also guests at the dinner.  Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses, Religious Experts, saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. So they asked his followers, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.”” Mark 2 TS

O - How should the twelve feel about Jesus' answer to the question about his dinner companions?  They had been invited to follow Jesus too.  If he is only inviting sinners to follow what does that say about the men who left everything to do just that?  Apparently, he lumps them in with the tax collectors and other notorious sinners of the day. According to Jesus no one is good enough but everyone is bad enough to be invited. "You must obey God's commands better than the Religious Experts and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5 TS   

A -  Jesus is forever the friend of sinners.  It makes the religiously righteous mad and all of heaven happy. He himself is the only righteousness heaven accepts and those who seek to establish their own never really do.  Unlike religion, Jesus never demands perfection, he brings it to everyone who will simply put their confidence in him. "Follow me and I will make you …" is his invitation and the dynamic which is working to this very day. I accept Jesus' assessment and invitation … this sinner is saying yes day by day.  I'll follow and let him do the making!

P -  Friend of sinners and friend of me,

Thank you for always wanting us, not only at our best but particularly at our worst. Am so very grateful to be loved by you only because you love us.  You don't even love us so that we will love you back; but you want us to love you back.  You love us unconditionally.  You love us because you love us! Your invitation to follow YOU (not a plan, promise or principle) is so amazing.  I will follow and welcome all the making that is in your heart to do. 

I do love you back,
Steve

On Earth as it is in Heaven

S - “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:22-24 NASB

O - Jesus is speaking to his Father in the words recorded above.  The timing of their expression is near the end of this exchange and the beginning of his suffering.  His desires, the requests on his heart, can be summarized in single words he used.  Glory, One, Unity, Loved.  All of these are set in the context of relationships.  Relationships with the Father, with the followers and with the world. The result of these realities in the ongoing context of relationship on earth is a universal understanding that Jesus was sent by God in unconditional love; and all those who follow him are to live in unconditional love. The result in the Kingdom will be the "seeing" which follows the believing; no separation of any kind; unbroken togetherness.  Here and here after, the Kingdom of God is relationships!   

A - God's Kingdom is relationships.  Relationships are not the byproduct of his Kingdom, they are the Kingdom.  Regardless of one's theological moorings, surrender relationships and the kingdom is missed (cf. Matthew 25).  The glory of Jesus is not found in the miracles he did but in the intimacy of his relationship with his Father.  Earth wants the focus to be on informational accuracy or miraculous occurrences.  Heaven's focus is relational integrity … One, Unity, Loved, Glory!   “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."” John 13:34-35 NASB

P - Lord Jesus,

I accept the nature and substance of your Kingdom … and say yes to following you and relational integrity over all other factors. I want to live as an answer to your prayer rather than a cause of it.  I will love you back and love my neighbors (7.4 billion) … I will love as you love me unto life in your kingdom here and hereafter.

Steve

The Ultimate Material Witness

S - "I tell you for certain we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves. But none of you will accept what we say. If you don't believe when I talk to you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about heavenly things? John 3 [TS]

O -  Jesus is the completely credible material witness of heaven and of earth. There's no conjecture, educated guesses or secondhand information. Nothing hearsay and no theories.  He's communicating direct firsthand realities. His teaching and living are fully integrated with his experiences of both locales. He himself is the message, the good news, the universal given and sent to the entire world (all 7.4 billion). For God so loved the world he gave Jesus to all.

A -  The question for me is will I believe Jesus about heaven AND earth? Will my living and loving be confidently integrated with his witness? My conclusion is that if I'm not engaging his instruction about earth I'm kidding myself to think I'm actually believing him about heaven.  He is reported to be completely reliable in every way and on every topic. The point for me and for all who believe, who have confidence in him, is to live his witness out loud not just say it out loud.

P -  God of heaven and earth,

Thank you sending Jesus to clarify your person and purposes; for giving him to the entire world and not just the religious world. I admit that I find him to be completely reliable about earth. I will embrace, by my living, his instruction. Whenever differing ideas or opinions arise, I'll choose his every time. I welcome the ongoing transformation of my thinking and living according to him and your kingdom which is so very near.

Amazed,

Steve