Who is Jesus?

Whenever people are extremely challenged by the action(s) of another we will often hear or ask the question, "Who does that person think he/she is?" Such happened to Jesus quite a lot. He challenged what people thought about both God and people. My own thought is that one central way that Jesus challenged other people was by personally taking on too much authority. Here are a couple of examples -- Jesus forgave sins when only God could (and at this point Jesus was just seen as a human); and, he crossed barriers and limits such as hanging out with all the wrong people.

Here is the scene for this morning. Jesus is eating at a Pharisees' house. Now a Pharisee was a well-respected religious leader. And in the middle of the meal "a woman in the city" does a very beautiful act. She brought an alabaster jar full of ointment, wept, washed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair, and anointed them with oil. Now the well-respected religious leader was very troubled about this while Jesus recognized her welcoming love for him. Jesus even announced that her sins were forgiven. So Jesus used her welcoming love to challenge this religious leader (as well as today's religious leaders). Afterwards, the religious leaders asked, "Who is this (Jesus) who even forgives sins?" (Luke 7:49b).

If you want to read this whole story it is in Luke 7:36-50.

Who is Jesus? Well, if nothing else he is the one who has the audacity to say to me, "Hey, John, your sins are forgiven".

Such is true for you as well.

The Day of Epiphany

Epiphany comes form a Greek word that means "to manifest or show" so what this day celebrates is that Jesus, the Son of God, manifested or showed the world God in the flesh. The key biblical story for this is Matthew 2:1-12 for in it those who visited Jesus were non-Israelites acknowledging that Jesus came for all the world (including me ... us). His story goes like this ...

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him,

‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Becuase today celebrates a daily affair that is God's appearance, I will be especially watching for how God will manifest or show God's own self to me today. And it just may be that God's appearance will be such as this, "OK, John, this is what I have for you to do ..." God's appearance may well be in the words of a friend or stranger.

I invite you to look for God's appearance today. God's appearance may be in your heart or in a face.

Going to where I don't want to go ...

But he said to them,

‘I (Jesus) must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also;

for I was sent for this purpose.’

Luke 4:43

Officially, the twelve days of Christmas continues that celebrates the coming of Jesus through January 5, today! As I continue to celebrate his birth I read Luke 4 this morning, and there Jesus voiced his purpose--to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.

For Jesus proclamation was by both loving words and loving, care-filled, deeds.

It was good news that God receives the most unexpected people into his kingdom (the least and last the believing community expects!). So the reference to "other cities".

And ultimately such was Jesus purpose!

The phrase "kingdom of God" means "the place where God rules". For Jesus, these places were those that the religious avoided at all cost. I strive to keep that in mind as I plan my time by asking, "Where is the place I really would rather not go?" and then to go there.

Such may well be your call today as well.

God's axe

Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees;

every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

Luke 3:9

The words above comes from a man named John who was pointing to the coming of Jesus. He was also known as John 'the baptist'.

His message in Luke 3:1-17 focused upon baptism as a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. Going further such was preparing for the coming of Jesus that would change every last thing! For me to better understand what he was thinking about repentance, that literally means to change one's personal direction, it helped me to listen to him. For example, he

• called people to 'bear fruits', that is to act, as repentant people that seek to do as God desires (3:7);
• to realize that just because my parents have a good relationship with God does not mean I have a good relationship with God (3:8-9);
• to be fair and helpdul to other people (3:10-14);
• to know that even when we are 'overloaded' with the good works we perform we are no where near the goodness of Jesus (3:15-17).

I have chosen verse nine above because it is helpful for me to see all of our lives as trimmed by the axe. That is, God uses his 'axe' to help each of us clear out the unloving part of our lives. God doesn't just swing his 'axe' -- we must request such help as we seek to be fully loving. God's axe is our 'natural' conscience that God can sharpen.

Worship God!

Worship God!

(a part of Revelation 19:10)

For me the two words above are the central message of not only Revelation but all of Scripture. Scripture sees the need for worship to be a daily experience.

Historically, this became especially important in Israel's history when their central place of worship, The Temple of Jerusalem (where animal, plant and other sacrifices were given to God), was destroyed in the Babylonian invasion of Israel. Their Temple-less setting reminds me of a conversation I had with a German professor of Christian theology. I asked him why most Christian theologians (thinkers) are from Germany. And to that he said, 'Because through the centuries war destroyed so many local churches that we had to sit at home and think about God'. So, for me, a part of our daily worship is to take time to 'think' about God. Such is reading Scripture, prayer, and asking, 'OK, God, what do you have to say for yourself?'

Another way worship is a daily experience for me is to pay attention for the moments of encountering God each day. Such can be most anything. Sitting at our table and playing Monopoly with our grandchildren. Having a phonecall from our children. Sitting with my wife. Counseling with a couple preparing for marriage. Listening to one who has experienced the death of a loved one. Being in conversation with those who are dying. Or sitting at a bar drinking a cup of coffee and talking with those at the bar.

Worship, for me, is just living for without my worship of God there is nothing.

Our worship time is every day, every moment, yes. Our coming together to worship God is on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM.

See you then ... arlingtonum.org

For me ...

For me, Revelation can be interpreted in various ways. For example, it can be seen as a prediction of the end of time when all that is standing with God will win over all that is opposed to God; and it can be also be seen as an interpretation of the present where good struggles against evil. For me, both of these give me hope that irregardless of what occurs the good will win. And so the writer or Revelation writes no doubt with these themes in mind,

"Here is a call for the endurance of the saints,

those who keep the commandments of God

and holds fast to the faith of Jesus."

Revelation 14:12

In my own words, this verse is as follows ...

Stick with doing good irregardless of what happens to you!

That is, love God, neighbor, enemy, self,

and finally depend upon Jesus' faith (trust) in God to set you right with God!

Just Reflections ...

See, I am making all things new.

Revelations 21:5a

Jesus Christ has made me new in a number of different ways. The first, of course, was marriage. Then there was the birth of our children, grandchildren, the deaths of grandparents, and one of our parents. And then there is simply the passage of time that changes all.

One of the professors I had was Kennon L. Callahan (KLC) who began by writing Twelve Keys to an Effective Church. I recall that these words of Revelations 21:5 were on his lips usually as a final lecture of each of his classes. He was one of the first who voiced to me that strength-based planning was a critical part of being a good leader. As I have reflected upon that theme I see that it fit me well for my parents also influenced me in strength-based living . From the business world, KLC pulled from such people as Peter Drucker and Robert Greenleaf. And from the biblical world he pulled from God's work that focuses upon using the strengths of people not only for the benefit of serving others but to make them new as they learn new ways to use their strengths.

In my more recent experience those who have reinforced this theme are Marcus Buckingham's emphasis to focus on our top five strengths, my EQ-360 experience (that also included realization of my weaknesses as well as working on strengthening one of these), and Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline that both acknowledges a group's resistance to change and calls the leaders of change to be consistent, understanding of all sides, and patient in the change process. (This is a very, very short synopsis of Senge's extensive work).

So my short reflection on the first day of this year is on the many and various ways God has prepared me for 2009.

I invite you to take a bit of time to answer these questions:

How has God been preparing you for 2009?

And, does God's preparing of you convey any messages about what God would like you to focus upon in 2009?