Good Morning Friends,
Most people wish to serve God, but unfortunately only in an advisory capacity. Too few are committed to actively be a disciple and disciple others and extending the love of God to places and people where it is needed. Sometimes we are called to serve in places not so pleasant. Most are confused about God’s will in this act of following Jesus. Most of us want the Comfort and Creativity of the Holy Spirit without the Conviction and Compassion of the Holy Spirit. Today’s Gospel scripture would however suggest that the person who is ready to serve is the person who is near the heart of God and is best positioned to make sense of life and its pain. If it all must be about our lives and no one else’s, the experience of life will likely be disappointing. In today’s scripture from the Old Testament, God was watching and sees the rebellious injustice of His people during the day of the prophet Amos and issued His judgment for them to turn their actions back to a place of a heart aligned with God’s love for them. Amos’ passionate indignation painted a painful picture. It was a case of jilted love from the inside out…that is to be contrasted with the challenge of faithful service in the face of adversity that Matthew describes. Thankfully, God is still watching and calling His people today to share a solution, but Are We Listening To What It Means To Be A Disciple and Servant?
Scripture: Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines they imposed. Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was as strong as oaks; I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath. Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. So, I will press you down in your place, just as a cart presses down when it is full of sheaves. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain their strength, nor shall the mighty save their lives; those who handle the bow shall not stand, and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves, nor shall those who ride horses save their lives; and those who are stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the Lord.
Amos 2:6-10, 13-16 (NRSV)
Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:18-22 (NRSV)
Message: In a way, a cross is laid out for every Christian to pick up. The salvation is free, but discipleship could very well cost a person their life. All of Jesus’ disciples paid a dear price. But better that than to lose one’s soul. They were for the most part all in as friends and family in a community of faith. And the whole dynamic of a committed relationship gets right at the heart of today’s passages. The challenge is to love. And on the one hand if we have no strings from our heart tied to others, there are none to be broken, for the pain of lost love cuts deeper and hurts longer and leaves bigger scars than anything else. But on the other hand, to have never loved at all is sadder still. It is better to love and find joy in the daily graces of God. It is better to believe and disciple. It is even better to find God’s appointment in the reality of disappointment. That is the story of Israel. And is a guide for us as well. For when we have tasted the fruits of forgiveness in Jesus Christ, and have been accepted into the family of God, when we claim to be children of God but do not show that in the way we live, we dishonor God. We had better be clear, very clear about what is at stake. God is passionate. God is powerful. God’s love and tender grace is abundant, but we need a flourishing faith to face God and give an account for the life we have been given. Friends, the situation was and is serious enough that the Son of God, was willing to leave heaven and all His security and honor and splendor and become a human being and take on His shoulders our sins. Yes, the passion of Jesus was painful beyond our imagination. The stakes are greater than we imagine. We need to wake up and not avoid the warnings about being lukewarm about God. Even today we are to repent and receive forgiveness and follow Jesus in service. For here we are to realize that in having all our creature comforts satisfied we can miss out on a close relationship with God through acts of service. Friends, Jesus was a homeless poor person who wants us to have our eyes wide open as we seek to follow him. Jesus is being brutally honest here. We are called to lives that will not necessarily be comfortable. Growing older as individuals and as congregation members should bring to light the need to share in the journey with the next generation the love of God we have received. We cannot disciple nor be discipled in isolation. Listen to the still small voice and have faith.
And So, it is not always easy being a follower of Jesus. But it is worth it because of the love given and received. Being a humble communicator of God’s love requires the Holy Spirit to empower not just the words shared but the actions they prompt. And if we are so blessed by God’s grace it can become a great joy to step out in faith with others validating the work of the Holy Spirit in us. The point is that we are nothing without God. The point is that we cannot do it on our own. The point is we have to be all in to demonstrate that others should join in a collective act of faith being doers not just hearers of the Word.
Pray we never get comfortable in our sins. Pray we repent of our sins of selfishness. Pray we become more like Jesus in our relationships. Pray we submit to the will of God and put our collective effort to doing glorious things even if it means some suffering. Pray we lay aside our agenda and are unconcerned with whether we have everything or nothing. Pray we are at the Creator’s disposal and yield to God’s pleasure. Pray we hear the cries of the poor and of the children. Pray our lives witness a covenant of love made on earth and ratified in heaven that we belong to God and that the greatest power in the universe can guide even us.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 