It’s Mine!

Acts 4:32-35

What parent hasn’t told their child in a firm, authoritative voice, “You need to share with your brother or sister!”? And conversely, what parent hasn’t heard their child respond in a defiant, angry voice, “It’s mine!”?

 Sharing doesn’t come easy for many of us. In fact, the old adage, “The one who dies with the most toys wins”, would seem to apply to America as a whole.

For the most part though, the first century church in Jerusalem didn’t have a problem with sharing. They pooled their resources so that everybody’s needs were met. Some even went to the point of selling their property or possessions and turning the proceeds over to the apostles.

There’s a familiar verse in Psalm 50 that states, ^“For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” This reminds us that God owns

everything. He is the creator and sustainer of all that was and is and will be. But is that all there is to it?

The context of Psalm 50 is not that God owns everything, but that His people are more interested in looking good by making showy displays of religious righteousness, rather than getting things right in their relationship with God. It’s the same complaint that Jesus had with the religious leaders of his day. And if we’re honest, the same issue continues today.

Therefore, you and I need to answer these questions. Am I the lord of my life, or is Christ the Lord of my life? How am I using the resources that God has given me; my time, talent and treasure? Am I helping to meet the needs of those less fortunate? Or am I in the competition to see who has the most toys?

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind… And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them.           NIV

 The first century church has set an example for us to follow. The resources that God has given to us are intended to build His Kingdom; to meet the needs of others; to share God’s grace. Think of the impact we could have if we were all “one in heart and mind”.

If you're not moving Forward, You're going Backwards

Nehemiah 9:32-38

 

Football coaches say stuff like this all the time. This mantra seems to be ingrained into them as they push their players to become better by continually improving. Urban Meyer was recently quoted as saying, “That’s my job – to push”.

 

Leading up to today’s passage, the Levites recounted how God had been faithful to the Hebrews over the centuries. He was always with them and never let them down. However, with all that the Living God did for them, the Israelites were constantly rebelling. They were as consistently inconsistent as God was consistently faithful.

 

Verse 33 says, “In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly”. Recognizing this, they made yet another promise to God to be faithful to Him.

 

Does that sound familiar to you? It does to me. There have been so many times in my life when I told God, “I’m never going to do that again”, only to turn around and do it again – not just once but over and over. What is it about human nature that does that? More importantly, what can we do to counteract it?

 

In Celebrate Recovery (a Christian twelve-step program at UALC), everyone is encouraged to have a sponsor and/or an accountability partner. That person is there to help push you to improve. But pride keeps us isolated and thinking, “I can do this. I don’t need anyone else”. But we do need others because we can’t change on our own.

 

“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed”.            James 5:16

 

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  Galatians 6:2

 

“See to it brothers and sisters that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God, but encourage one another daily so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”             Hebrews 3:12-13

 

God is faithful. He is always with us. But we need someone to push us; to hold us accountable. A coach who will push us to be the best that we can be; to grow in our faith; to move us forward towards, and not go backwards from, our Lord Jesus.

 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah%209%3A32-38&version=NIV;TLB

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Neh.9.32-Neh.9.38

 

1 John 3:16-20

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)

Yesterday we learned about how much God loved us when He created the earth with everything that is in it and gave it to us.  Today's text is also about God's love, the love God had for us when He gave us His only Son as a sacrifice for sin.  Jesus gave up His life so that we could keep ours.  

That is powerful stuff.  That is powerful love too.  Is there someone you would die for?  I can honestly say yes to that question, but most likely it will never happen, I will never have to prove it to anyone.  But the text for today doesn't let me off the hook that easily.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

There are many ways to exhibit love; many ways to live our faith and share our lives and love.  Our love has to be more than words, or "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1).  We have to put our love into action by sharing of ourselves, our possessions, by helping someone who needs a hand, by being Jesus to our neighbor.  This is love in action.

Read the 1 John 3:16-20 text at Biblegateway.com

What Breaks Your Heart? Matthew 12:1-21

Reading today’s passage Jesus words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” strike me. So often we go through life, “sacrificing” for Jesus. We sacrifice our Sunday’s by going to church. We sacrifice our pleasures, by following the Ten Commandments, all the time not understanding that Jesus desires mercy from us. Mercy for others is true sacrifice. This reminded me of a poem I once wrote. I hope you can relate.


As I drive down the road, focused on my own load,
there's a family I simply pass by.
Broken down they are stranded; they come empty handed
Was I the answer, yet gave no reply?

Out in the school yard, kids trying real hard
to fit in, but what do I see?
They're young and neglected, always rejected
Will my heart break or neglect sympathy

With my hands and my feet, I walk away from lost sheep.
Lost in myself, I walk by and just stare.
I praise You on Sunday, yet forget You on Monday
When there's a world in deep need of Your care.

Blinded by judgment, my mind is absorbent
Jaded opinions I form from TV.
I must admit my transgression, start my confession
And change what I call reality.

Does my heart break for the lowly, the sick who die slowly?
Am I sad for the child who is blind?
Do I hide light in the dark? Has my salt lost its spark?
Do I still take the time to be kind?

Although these words were for me, I hope we can all see how God is calling us to have mercy on those around us who are in need.

Read today’s passage at Biblegateway Matthew 12:1-21