All of You

“Prost!” we cheered, hoisting our mugs that Oktoberfest evening in Munich. It was the German version of its counterpart toasts around the world—“Cheers!” “Salute!” “Santé!” With that we clunked our mugs in unison (real mugs don’t clink), binding us together for a fun time of pretzels, hops, people and song.

In a far different place and time, gathering friends also lifted a cup. “Drink from it, all of you,” Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”¹ He spoke of a true and lasting oneness, the universal bond of all who would rest their soul in Him. Still today, we celebrate “communion,” a gathering together of believers to participate in Him who unites us to Himself. But does Jesus’ church really worship as one, or have we let worldly disputes separate “all of you” into smaller subsets of “some of us”? It’s a rhetorical question; I think we know the answer. And gathering as a people divided is to commune “in an unworthy manner,” warns Paul; to do so is “sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.”² Peace is paramount to God.

So, what do we do? Certainly finger-pointing, hand-wringing and towel-throwing get us nowhere. I think a friend of mine, Michael Young, has an answer. Senior pastor of a largely African-American congregation, Michael convenes open town-hall meetings at his church, inviting community leaders with different vantage points—clergy, police, elected officials, business people—to share their thoughts and to listen to the collective hearts and voices of all gathered there. The purpose is not to assert one opinion over others, but to meet deeper needs: of hearing and being heard, of understanding and being understood, of airing perceptions and addressing misperceptions, of looking up from that which divides us and embracing the aspirations we all share in common—the desires of the soul only the Son of God can meet.

Oneness takes work. It calls us to humility, wisdom, perseverance and faith, for “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against ... powers of this dark world and ... spiritual forces of evil.”³ My friend has chosen to look up to Christ who unites us and stand with Him against the enemy who wishes only to divide and destroy us. His resolve silently begs the question of us, “What about all of you?”

Father, I’m far too willing to be one with you but divided from my neighbor. Give me the humility, patience and desire to unite with my brothers and sisters in Christ against any enemy who would separate us. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christ in me is peace.

Read today’s Scripture in Matthew 26:26-30.

¹ Matthew 26:27, 28
² 1 Corinthians 11:18, 27
³ Ephesians 6:12

Situational Ethics

A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on [Jesus’] head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
(Matthew 26:7-9)

* * * * *

Game show host: Welcome, Paul, to our game show, “Situational Ethics.” Are you ready to play?
Paul: Sure, Alex! I can’t wait! (Hi, Mom!)
Host: OK! Here we go! You’ve received a generous donation of perfume equal to a year’s wages. Do you A) sell it and give the money to the poor, or B) dump it out on someone’s head?
Paul [laughing]: Oh my goodness, Alex, that’s an easy one! Why, we feed the poor, of course!
[LOUD BUZZER!]
Host: I’m sorry, Paul. The right thing to do in this case was to dump the perfume out on someone’s head. But thanks for playing “Situational Ethics”! Johnny, do we have anything for our contestant?

Johnny: Yes, we do, Alex! Paul, just for playing with us today, we’re giving you a New Testament! And that’s not all! Your whole family will be able to enjoy our game, because we’re also giving you our play-at-home edition of “Situational Ethics"!

* * * * *

In today’s Bible passage, Matthew 26:6-13, it may just be that both Jesus and the disciples were thinking of the same Old Testament verse, Deuteronomy 15:11. After all, Jesus paraphrased its first sentence, “There will always be poor people in the land,” and perhaps his followers were thinking about its conclusion, “Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”

Certainly the law leads us in the ways that are good and right, for the law itself is good and right. In fact, all of the 613 Old Testament commands culminate into two: love God, and love others. Yet when we approach the law self-righteously and apply it judgmentally, we deafen ourselves to the Spirit’s voice and blind ourselves to His moving in and around us.

On several occasions, Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father doing and that He said just what the Father told Him to say. And I think that, in today’s passage, the woman with the expensive perfume was likewise doing what the Spirit was leading her to do. She probably cared for the poor as much as the disciples did, but in the moment, she was worshipping her Lord and, though she didn’t know it at the time, she was also serving Him by preparing Him for burial.

Like her, we do best to follow the Spirit, for He will never lead us against the law, but always in the ways that are good and right—the ways of love for God and love for people. And as He lives in us, we cease to look at the law in the hypothetical, rather we live it in perfect power, love and freedom—regardless of our situation—for the Spirit has written it on our hearts. Ours is to listen, hear and obey.

Father, send your Spirit to lead me in your paths today, that I would say what you would have me say and do what you would have me do—all in love and truth. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 5:14-30 The Parable of the Talents

The gifts we have been blessed with are immeasurable! Splendid mountains and oceans, indescribable sunsets and starlit nights, sunshine, birds, butterflies, and fireflies, waterfalls, and fishing. Closer to our hearts and to varying degrees, we are all offered health, love, peace, family, and the ability to express our beliefs and faith. Still deeper within each one of us, God has strategically placed unique gifts-talents he urges us to use for good.

Matthew writes "The Parable of the Talents" as a lesson for us. A reminder of what God expects. No matter how large or small the gift we feel we've been given is, there is a purpose for it and an expectation.

In this gospel reading, the master went away (as God did) and entrusted his property to his servants(as God did). He gave the three of them "talents" according to their ability (as God has). He returned with expectations (as God will) that his servants had done something with the talents they'd been given, that would increase his wealth (God's heavenly kingdom perhaps)? How are we using our talents? Are we burying them for safe keeping as the third servant did, or investing what we have in His name, with the greater picture in mind?

Not me, Lord! - Matthew 26:17-35

The reading for today is rich with lessons of denial, a place where I find myself all too often.  For years I denied that I needed Jesus in my life.  I denied that He wanted to live in my heart.  How could He?  I knew myself, I knew what my heart was truly like - but then again, so did Jesus.

Once I got over myself and discovered there was a much better way to live, really live, my heart softened.  Jesus did that.  Often when reading from the Bible, a line, a phrase or a word will stand out on the page.  In this lesson the words "Surely not I, Lord?" were high-lighted with a heavenly boldness.  How many times have I said the same, proudly boasting - "I would never do that!"

Matthew 26:21-22 (NIV) 
 And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."
 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"


How many of us still live in the denial that what we do, say, or believe doesn't really matter?  We do matter and Jesus wants us to know that we matter so much to Him.  For today, that is just what I need to hear and hold in my heart.  Blessings to each reader today.  May God reveal himself to you in a great big way.  Share if you will, what that would look like for you.



Read the entire text for today at Biblegateway.