Colossians 3:1-14

Context:  There are a lot of religious rules and tricks to become a better person, but Paul wants none of that for the Colossal church.  These ideas are a bad influence for the church and they are fake.  Paul instead wants the church to dwell on the spiritual matters, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Chapter 3:

Since than you have triumphed the grave with Christ, tune your hearts to higher and deeper ideas.  These are ideas that put Christ at the center seated with God on his right side.  Commit to the ideas of higher aspirations and not on the false worldly stuff. You are dead to these things; Christ has you tucked away.  When Christ comes back in full glory, you will tag along with him because he is your life.

Now, obliterate your relationship with the following bad character habits: porn, adultery, fornication, ungodly relationships and any desire that makes you want to steal or get rich deceptively.  These shortcuts in life are allegiances to false gods.  Because they exist God is going to have to remove them with prejudice.  I understand these things were a big part of your life, but you are new now.  Also remove from your presence any temper issues, unfair tantrums, ill patient acting or nasty words that would make your mother weep.  Do not spread lies to each other because you removed that bad habit and now you are replacing that filthy life with a knowledge of your creator.  In this life there is no political, ethnic or religious, economical or societal barriers, but Christ is everything and in everyone.

Alternatively, as you are children of the God who loves immensely, try on your new outfits of patience, mindful words, selfless actions, soft spoken natures and humble reflections.  Put up with your brothers and sisters, carrying their burdens and ready to forgive their sins in a moment's notice.  The Lord forgives therefore you should be ready to.  All in all, every action, thought and deed should be wrapped up in a desire to love others.  Love is the glue that makes us stick together.

Colossians 1:24-2:5

Context:  Where does our energy, power and completeness come from?  It does not come from human tradition, religious rules or new age movements.  It comes from Christ alone.  Paul wanted the church of Colossae not to be deceived by the growing movements around them that were teaching new stuff, but to fully trust in Christ.

Colossians 1:24-2:5

Let it be known that I am proud that I get to suffer for you my brothers and sisters.  There is a lot of tragedy on this Earth for following Christ and I am taking my share the same way Christ took his.  His body is the church and I am bound to serve it till death because that is what God has put as my purpose in life.  My main mission: to share with you the Word of God in all its bulk.  It was dormant and subtle in the past, but now it is a gift ready for the taking.  God desires the Word to be your discovery and fortune...which is Jesus Christ living inside of you and the anticipation that he reigns over all.

We share his greatness, keeping our church educated and wise so that the end result is sophisticated Christians who lack nothing in Christ's gifts.  I will sweat, bleed and toil with every energy Christ gives me to accomplish this goal.

And I am fighting hard for you and for those at Laodicea.  Though none of you have actually seen me, my aim is to lift up your down trodden spirits to the very core, while bringing us together over a foundation of love.  This will give you the full reward which is understanding this new revelation in life--the revelation of Christ.  In him is all the information and understanding you will ever need to be the person you were ever meant to be.  So don't be fooled by the smooth talk of professors teaching different philosophies.  Even though I am not here to fight every battle I am with you in a spiritual sense.  I cannot wait to see how your training in Christ makes you stronger believers.

1 John 1

1 John 1:1-10

Dear Church,

Let me take you back to the beginning.  This is when I heard with my own ears, saw with my own eyes and my hands touched the one who gives life with His words.  I have seen this and now I want to share it passionately and declare my commitment to this never ending life.  It came from Father God and given to us.  Now I am giving it to you so you can be part of our society of God's redeemed children.  We are redeemed children of our father God and our brother Jesus, His son.  We share these truths with passion to include you in the ecstatic joy of knowing.

Here is the big bullet point:  God is completely perfect and flawless, not a single defect on him.  If we pretend that we are buddy buddy with him, but acting like a hot mess of sin than your loyalty is built on a lie.  But, you can still walk in the flawless and clean lifestyle through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  It is His offering that removes your constant imperfections.

You can screw this up and live a delusion by saying that you are "good enough" and "satisfactory" towards God or you confess to a Father who is ready and willing to forgive, has the power to wipe out sins and give us a clean slate.  Give up trying to prove and proclaim that you are squeaky clean in front of God.  That is like calling him a liar.

Psalm 138

With 100% of my life I will sing your praises
Before all lesser beings I will raise up your fame
I will bow down toward your house
Your name will be held in high esteem
Because you never fail to love me
And you have never left my side
Your word is held in honor
Your popularity sky rockets
I say your name and you are there
I am a stronger person by how you treat me
When every authority on this Earth
Hears what you have done they will also
Be speechless.
They will sing your praises. "He is so stunning and majestic."
He is high above us all, but he looks upon the little guy
He keeps his distance from the arrogant.
As I navigate these troubling days
you keep me alive and well.
You block my enemies' attempts
at being wrathful.
Your powerful hand makes me safe.
The Lord will hold me up and protect me
Because his love never runs dry.
Don't leave me hanging Lord

Hating Your Family The Way Jesus Would (Luke 14:25-26)

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-26)

Did the title get your attention? It is quite deceiving because this article does not deal with the problem of hate. This article deals with the challenge of Jesus' context and how it relates with modern day discipleship.

Jesus addresses his followers and tells them that they must hate their family, spouse, children and themselves in order to be a true follower of Christ. That seems kind of harsh and modern day Bible teachers will interpret that as saying we need to put those relationships as second priority to a relationship with Jesus. This brings up the second challenge...how do we make this relevant to the American cross bearer?

Back in New Testament times family was the influence of your life, the direction of your destiny and the way your thoughts were impacted. Mom, dad, brother and sister were the main deciding factors of how you lived. Today...family reliance and impact is much lesser. Because of the way culture is positioned today's youth have family impact on a much lesser scale. We have internet, tv, teachers, friends, school and role models to worry about. In fact, some teens might be willing to take Jesus on his offer to hate their parents. But the purpose of Jesus' "hate thy family" qualifier was meant to prepare, rattle and convict his would-be followers into taking the next step. How can it still have that impact if so many growing young adults find it mandatory to leave their family and declare freedom from them?

Perhaps we are looking at the wrong "brother," "sister," and "mother." When Jesus told his followers that they must hate their families in order to follow him he was literally saying, "remove your culture's grip on your decision making process in order to follow me." The follower would have to deeply consider not following the family business, choosing to marry or living close to the family as custom dictated.  That's why it was so difficult.

We have similar pressures that tell us what to do and how to live in culture. The "brother" I believe we need to hate is the voice that tells us to tolerate everyone no matter what the consequence, fit in with others, don't speak out to be more liked, follow your dream as an end goal, keep God to yourself to not make waves, leave people alone, treat all lifestyles as equally good, accept yourself. This is the "family" that shapes our lives and gets in the way of following Christ.

If Jesus had to speak to today's culture would he really have to tell us to move out of our parent's house and not get attached to our siblings to spend life with him? Or would he tell us to hate the culture, customs, suburban pressures, cheap love slogans, false expectations, priorities on money that are shaping our destiny and the politics of being a first world citizen. Discipleship does not stop till we love like Jesus and if we are honest with ourselves our world cringes at that.

So I ask you, what is interfering with Jesus controlling your future? How can you hate it?

John 3:22-35

John Officially Retires Leadership

Context: John's whole ministry was to present Jesus as the almighty light. The mission was completed when the people started going to Jesus for their needs. John is ready to retire his leadership for Jesus' to takeover.

John 3:22-35

Jesus and his band of loyal followers took a daytrip to the serene areas of the Judean countryside. They set up camp and started baptizing.

John was also doing his rounds at Aenon, near Salim where the water was plentiful for baptizing. He was not put in jail yet. Duh.

Suddenly two members of John's entourage began to share heated words about baptism and you-know-who.
They immediately invaded John's space, "Teacher, that man on the other side of the Jordan. You know the one you devoted your life to; he is baptizing and taking lots of your clients."

John was not fazed, "A man can get only what Heaven wants to give him. As I said before, I am not the chosen one, but I am his faithful messenger."

John told a story to help solidify the point, The blushing bride belongs with the groom.  The good friend of the groom gets to attend the wedding, but his true source of giddiness is waiting and watching for the groom to scoop up his lawful bride. That is my purpose in the story, to wait for the one and be excited about his reign. The story is upon us. Now is the time that I fade into the background and he step out into the limelight.

The chosen one will come from Heaven and be ruler of everything. The flesh bound human is just an earth dwelling human and cannot be much more than that. Therefore the heavenly one is above the others.

The chosen one is going to say it like it is. He has the credentials. Unfortunately people are going to give him the cold shoulder. The few that do accept it are acknowledging that God is telling the truth. This one that God sent speaks for God. The Spirit is endlessly bountiful in this area.

They are Father and son and God loves the son. He gave him access to everything. If you believe in this son you will get to live forever, but if you throw away God's son and deem him unimportant you will be on God's bad side.

John 5:19-38

Jesus justifies his testimony and purpose on this Earth. Using logic that he is mimicking his father, Jesus paints a picture of his ministry and purpose. But even if the Pharisees and lawmakers did not believe him Jesus does not need their approval.







John 15: 19-38
Jesus stated this response to his persecutors,  "I am telling you that the son is not acting on his own, but doing exactly as he sees his Father doing. My Father loves me and shares everything. He is prepared to show even greater works that will drop your jaw. My Father can even make dead people fully alive. The son can also raise the dead in anyone he chooses.  The father has judgement power, but he is tagging in the son to exercise this authority. This is so that you guys can show the same respect to the son as you show the father. Moreover, if you are giving sass to the son you are hating on the father who employed him.

If you are picking up what I am putting down and truly holding onto the one whom God sent you will live for eternity. He will not be called eternally dead by God, but will be marked as an eternal being. The major event has come, the dead are listening to my golden words and choosing life. My Father is full of life and has given the son the powers of life. Because I am the Son of Man, I have authority to give life and take it away.

Don't look so astonished. The grave is opening to hear my voice and they are choosing to live again. Those who have lived rightly will rise like a Phoenix,  those who veer off this good path will only rise up to be put back into eternal prison. I can do nothing for myself. I call these plays as I see them being done. My final verdict is fair because I am not in this for my own gain, but to give props to him who employed me.

If I am telling stories about myself then I could be making stuff up just to mess with you. But there is another who shares all my stories and his stories are telling the truth.

John made his business to spread my fame all over this land and you heard him. I don't need a human to spread my fame to know myself, but mainly for your rescue. Just remember that John spoke with a fiery passion for me and you guys were basking in that warmth.

My other testimony holds much more street cred than John's story. My mission of salvation and my works to save speak volumes of my purpose here on this Earth. And even the Father has given me the thumbs up and spoken approval of my being here. The problem is that you guys never heard it and the words of God fall apart inside you like cheap knock off toys. All because you won't take my word as true.