Commands of Christ

All month long, we’ve been focusing on the Commands of Christ. On Sundays, the spotlight has been on repentance, prayer, giving and baptism (spoiler alert…this Sunday is making disciples).

This week in our devotions, we’ve explored a few other commands Jesus gave which won’t be talked about on Sunday. Pastor David shared on being “yoked” with Christ, I shared on forgiveness, Pastor Chris talked reconciliation and Pastor Matt judging.

Let’s be honest, all of those can be really difficult to obey. Well, I have another which is a big ask of Jesus.

Matthew 24:42-44

42“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.43Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Stay Awake

Stay awake! It’s the command Jesus gives here. Pay attention to what is happening around you. Jesus is coming, so don’t miss it!

How do we stay awake? How do we wake up? How do we, as Jesus goes on to say, be the servant who is rewarded when the master returns?

As I pondered this scripture, I thought about a soldier with the responsibility of keeping watch at an outpost. How do they stay awake?

With that question in mind, I did a little research. What are some tricks or tips to staying awake? Nothing was too earth shaking. Drink coffee, walk around, get fresh (cool) air, or have the lights on are all tricks.

A couple were more interesting. For example, chewing triggers your senses, keeping you alert. Another is keeping a set of keys in your hand to wake you up if it drops when you nod off.

Are there tricks to staying alert for Jesus’ return? I think there are. Here are 3 basic tips:

1. Stay connected to God.

The best way to see Jesus is being connected to him. The ways we do this are readily known – pray, read scripture and meditate.

Meditation can sound scary, but it’s an important part of our spiritual disciplines. Think of this more like contemplation. Think and pray on the scripture you read. Then ask what God wants to show you.

Are you connected to God?

2. Be in community…

Other believers in Christ help us see Jesus. They open our eyes to truth we may not otherwise see. At Cross Points Church, we refer to this as commit (connect, commit, create). We want all of our members to commit to one another.

Commit/community is more than just showing up for church on Sunday mornings. Community is deep relationships that come through regularly meeting together – for both study and fun.

Are you in community?

3. …but don’t be isolated.

Here is a danger of being a long time believer in Jesus. Because you know the value of community, you slowly drift away from relationships outside of that group.

When we become isolated from the world around us, we don’t understand the needs they have. These needs are what Jesus calls the “signs of the times”. We can read the signs if we can’t see them.

Are you isolated from the world?

As the title of our sermon series suggests, staying awake isn’t a suggestion. It’s a command or order from Jesus, our master. Are you obeying His command? Are you staying awake?

Matthew 5:38-42

38“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

More than a Moral Code

This short passage of scripture is pulled from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I read a few articles concerning this famous message by Jesus to his followers. As you can imagine, a lot has been written about the Sermon on the Mount, but one thought stuck out.

Thomas Aquinas made a point, which others have agreed with through the centuries. The Sermon on the Mount can easily be stripped of any spirituality. It can reframed as a code to live a good, moral life. It could be called, “Rules to Live a Clean Life”.

Be kind. Be generous – even to people who take from you. Great rules for someone to be a good person.

The Sermon on the Mount is more than “50 Pithy Quotes by Jesus” you share on Facebook. It is tied to the nature of God. The Sermon on the Mount is nothing without the Spirit of God infused within it.

The Sermon on the Mount reminds us to live like God lives.

God is a forgiver of evil.

I don’t understand how God forgives the very worst in humanity. God willingly forgives serial killers, mass murders and rapists. He forgives abusers of children and people who create pornography. He forgives men and women who cheat others out of millions and millions of dollars. God forgives and then goes the extra mile.

I can’t fathom how Jesus knowingly walked toward a horrible death, and in the middle of it, stopped to forgive his accusers. Jesus goes the extra mile and then forgives.

Living the Sermon on the Mount means more than adhering to a moral code. It means living with the Spirit of God infused inside of you. It means being transformed (Romans 12).

It means being like God.

The creation story in Genesis tells us we are created in God’s image. We are like Him. As followers of Jesus, this means we live lives full of His Spirit, doing things we can’t do on our own. We love evil people. We go the extra mile. We treat people like God treats people.

So, picture some people in your head – family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, school mates, enemies. See their faces? Now answer this question…

Are you treating them like God would treat them?

Today, love people – even if their evil. Go the extra mile. Be full of God’s Spirit.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

6Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.15Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

Green Thumbs

Planting and harvesting is one of my favorite word pictures from the bible. You put something into the ground and more of the same thing comes up.

My son Beale has developed a green thumb. This year for Easter, he received a small trowel and several packets of seeds. He promptly cleared space in one of our flower beds and planted his seeds. He waters and checks his little seedlings on a daily basis. Already we are noticing the truth in verse 6 – plant a little and get a lot back.

Beale loves the law of planting and harvesting.

Paul shares on this law here and in Galatians 6. Jesus teaches from it in Luke 19 and Matthew 13. Old Testament authors refer to sowing and reaping in their writing (Psalm 112; Proverbs 11).

The law of planting and harvesting is an important principle to God. If it’s important to God, it’s important to us. We need to incorporate it in every area of our lives – especially finances.

Plant, Harvest, Repeat

In this passage, Paul points out a critical component. God begins the process.

In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources…(vs 10)
Yes, you will be enriched in every way…(vs 11)

God sows in us, so we can reap rewards. Unfortunately, too many people stop there. They experience the grace of God, but they don’t repeat the process. They simply receive the increase and hold it.

God expects us to reinvest – sow back into others.

…and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (vs 10)
…so that you can be generous. (vs 11)

God plants in us, so we can harvest the benefits. Then we can turn around and sow in others. Why? So God can reap glory!

So two good things will result from this ministry of giving — the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. (vs 12)
As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. (vs 13)

It doesn’t end there. When we plant into others, they harvest the blessing and plant back into others!

And they will pray for you with deep affection…(vs 14)

Wow. A few seeds planted. An entire crop harvested.

Thank God for this gift is too wonderful for words! (vs 15)

Today, take stock of your life. Financially, what has God planted in you? How are you to reinvest that into others?

2 Chronicles 7:11-16

11So Solomon finished the Temple of the lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12Then one night the lord appeared to Solomon and said,

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.13At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble

As I pondered what to write about today’s scripture passage, knowing we’ve covered repentance and humility all week, I wondered what to say. The question I kept asking myself was,

How many ways can a person talk about humility?

Is there any more ways to cover being humble? I talked about this dilemma with my wife, mentioned this passage of scripture, and she said,

It always reminds me to be humble.

Which really is the point. It’s not about how many ways we can talk about humility. It’s about how many times we talk about humility. Each time we talk about it, read about it, hear about it, think about it, we are reminded to be humble.

Which isn’t easy.

As the old country song goes,

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble…when you’re perfect in every way!

Humility may be hard, but it’s necessary. We can’t hear the message enough.

Humble yourself. Pray. Repent. Seek God.

We need reminded. We need humility because it’s what God responds to. Humility is was causes him to open His eyes and ears to our needs.

Thank you Lord for reminding me to be humble…again.