Sticks and stones

Click here to read John 7 and 8.

In these chapters, the crowds are pretty riled. Jesus is avoiding Judea because people want to kill him until it's time for the Feast of the Tabernacles, a joyous time. He travels in secret to the city and faces the crowd. In Chapter 7, you can see how different parts of the crowd struggle to deal with Jesus and his message. And at the end of the chapter, the men sent to arrest Jesus by the Pharisees return without him because "No man ever spoke the way this man does." And chapter 8 begins with the story of the adulterous woman, and the question I always puzzle over: what was Jesus writing in the dirt? I don't think it matters much, but inquiring minds want to know. Anyway, Jesus continues the conversation with the crowds until he reached that point. Have you ever been there? You earnestly desire to explain what appears to be the unexplainable. They won't step one step closer but you've reached the end of your argument...the gap remains.

I've been there. And there are several issues that can end at a gap that is impossible to cross.
The Pharisees want to know who Christ is, but they don't want to believe his claims without more proof: more than his deeds, more than prophets and witnesses, more than his teaching, more than his knowledge, more than his promise, more than his demonstrated character...more.

And Christ...what else can he say or do? Nothing. Only the children of His Father will understand. His accusers, children of Satan, will never cross that gap. And when Jesus refused to change his story in the face of their attack, they called him a Samaritan and demon-possessed. Have you ever been there? Ensnared in an argument you can't escape from? These men resorted to names and stones when they reached the limit. And the limit: Jesus' claim to be God. I Am Who I Am.

This argument reminds me of the sheep who know the shepherd's voice. They aren't fooled, tricked away from him because they know him. And if these men were truly sons of Abraham, they would recognize the Messiah. Abraham was a friend of God. His children would recognize Jesus. These men know about Abraham, but they aren't his true children. We may know about God or Jesus, and not be His true children.

John 8
I Am Who I Am
48The Jews then said, "That clinches it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!"
49-51Jesus said, "I'm not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to look death in the face."

52-53At this point the Jews said, "Now we know you're crazy. Abraham died. The prophets died. And you show up saying, 'If you practice what I'm telling you, you'll never have to face death, not even a taste.' Are you greater than Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you think you are!"

54-56Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your 'father'—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered."

57The Jews said, "You're not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?"

58"Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything."

59That did it—pushed them over the edge. They picked up rocks to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away, getting out of the Temple.

The Big Time

So you know how you plug along on projects, just being faithful, and sometimes you don't see results? It happens. And then sometimes, you're so surprised at what the hard work of a small group of women can turn up. Actually, God did the heavy lifting. I'm sure of that.

But...it was still some kinda cool to watch this video of Staci Wallace being interviewed on KTHV about the event we're having next week (please come. Tickets are $20 and every bit of what we raise goes to support Marketplace Connection and we've all enjoyed some really great things thanks to this ministry. We want to do more. Please come. I have tickets!!)

And I'm such a small part of this effort that I'm usually just swept along, but when the website flashes on that screen...I built it. Sure, someone with any kind of knowledge could take it and make it hot and someday I hope they will come along and make it into something amazing...but for now, I built it. And that feels good. At first, I was as creeped out as the first time someone far away recognized me from the blog because I realized at that point...someone else is actually reading what you write. Oh, man, that can't be good!

Father, thank you for building this group of women, each with amazing skills and a heart for service...and me. You are producing things in my life through this group that I would never have expected. Thank you for your plans, for already being in the event next week, and in whatever you have in store for us beyond that. Help us find the women you have in place and reach our community for you.

Make like a tree and leave

Click here to read John 6.

This is the chapter where Jesus feeds the 5,000 men (up to an estimated 20,000 when the "rest of the story" is added in). This is the chapter where this crowd is following Jesus to hear his teachings, he feeds them, sends the Twelve (who become The Twelve here) out in a boat to escape the crowds, where he calms the storm, walks on the water, and teached the crowd about the Bread of Life that comes from heaven.

And the crowd goes "Huh?" And they get angry. They don't understand so they begin to grumble.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who
can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus
said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to
where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The
words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.Yet there are some of
you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them
did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told
you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled
him."

From this time many of his
disciples turned back and no longer followed
him.

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the
Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

The man just fed a crowd of thousands through amazing circumstances. And they had been following him to hear his teachings. And just like that, it got a little hard, and they were so outta there. Except for the Twelve, all but one who thought they would die for Jesus. Peter said it best. "Where else can we go? You are the real deal. We believe what you say." Again, I'm reminded of how much I like Peter. He was such a major mess-up sometimes, but when it comes right down to it, he got it right. Even when it isn't easy, even when you don't understand, even when it's not what you want to hear...where else can we go? Lord, you have the words of eternal life.

When good things happen to so-so people

Click here to read John 5.

This is one of those times when I read something that I'm sure I've read many times before and just don't ever remember thinking about.

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now
there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called
Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number
of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was
there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there
and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,
"Do you want to get well?"

"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

So there was a pool and when the waters were stirred (perhaps by an angel...different translation), people were healed, but this man could never make it first into the water. Along comes Jesus. He asks a simple question: Do you want to get well?

The answer seems simple...yes. Maybe then you tack on " and if you could help me into the water, I'll get right on that" or maybe even a "what's it to you, stranger?" This man has no idea who Jesus is. And I think it says a lot about him that his answer is an excuse. "Well, I would but other people take my place so I can't be." He's been here a long time. He's run out of plans to get into the water first. He's out of creative ideas. He has excuses. And the most important thing he's missing...faith.

In most of the miracles I remember, people are healed after they show evidence of faith. They touch a hem or a father pleads for a son or a sister for her brother or men lower a friend through the roof...these are extreme episodes of the kind of faith that leads to healing.

This man, he was in the right place at the right time, gave an unsatisfactory (to me) answer, and he was healed. Why? One reason I can think of is to show that Jesus' power is His own. It has nothing to do with my faith. This man did not even know who Jesus was until Jesus tracked him down again, and then he didn't hesitate to inform on Jesus.

Then there's the idea of divine timing. When I read this, for some reason, I was reading it like a story. And in my head, I'm thinking, "No, not him. Come on, Jesus, he's just going to get you into trouble. And he doesn't deserve your help because he doesn't even know who you are. If you skip him, then maybe they won't persecute you." I always want a happy ending, even when I know how the story turns out.

And then there's that whole "deserve your help" part of the equation. I can see myself in that man by the pool. And not just before, when Jesus called me to Him, but today, when I pray for things to change in my life, and Jesus says, "Sure, no problem. Here's all you gotta do...pick up your mat and walk." And I launch into my list of reasons why it isn't fair that I have to carry my own mat or someone owes me a better mat or why I think it would just be better for me to drive or any list of reasons why I know better, why Jesus' direction isn't going to work for me. Unlike the man, I stay paralyzed, faith and all.

It's a good story. But it hits a little close to home when I actually pay attention.

Balancing Act...one night only!

Next Marketplace Connection event:

Staci Wallace's "Balancing Act: Finding Success at Work and Home."

May 28, Grace Church, 7:00 p.m., $20

Staci Wallace is one of today's leading communicators and voices, motivating individuals around the nation to move from success to significance. As an author, speaker and trainer, Staci has a unique ability to coach individuals to a life of balanced success in the areas of finances, fitness, faith and family. By empowering their lives and helping them find life balance, Staci is then able to move them beyond personal success to global significance.

To find out more, visit http://www.staciwallace.com/ or http://www.marketplaceconnectionarkansas.com/

Pick up your tickets now! Come on. I'll be there. And bring a co-worker...that's what we're here for!

More about Marketplace Connection:

Marketplace Connection is a nondenominational Christian ministry formed to serve and connect women in the workplace. To do so, the ministry is supported by area churches and businesses committed to encouraging Christian growth and ministry in the workplace, a mission field for each working woman.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

Desperate faith

Image from www.bibleplaces.com.

This weekend I was going through notes in my Bible, looking for inspiration for whatever it is that I want to study next. I ran across my notes from John, that I have never posted here. I do that. I get these great ideas and then...they just slip away. So, I'm going back to those notes while I search around for something new.

Click here to read John 4.

This is the chapter where we meet the Samaritan woman at the well. And if I had posted this in a timely fashion, we would have been able to contrast her with Nicodemus. I didn't, so in a nutshell...Nicodemus was a religious man, well-educated. He wanted to do the right thing, and he knew that he was missing something so he sought Jesus and they had the "born again" conversation and Nicodemus struggled with the concept. In this chapter, Jesus travels through Samaria and stops to rest. The Samaritan woman, nameless in all this, meets him at the well.

And in this meeting, Jesus shows us all how to speak to people. He ignored the "rules" like Jews don't speak to Samaritans, a man like Jesus would never speak to a Samaritan woman, and this particular woman...there were a lot of people who wouldn't speak to her or want to spend any time near her at the well. Jesus talked to her, forced her to look at her own life, and then told her that the coming Messiah that they were all looking for...He had arrived. And this woman clearly wanted more.

From the Message translation:
28-30The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, "Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?" And they went out to see for themselves.

39-42Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman's witness: "He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!" They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, "We're no longer taking this on your say-so. We've heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He's the Savior of the world!"

She spread the word and because of this, the town believed. One unlikely woman to make an impact. Maybe she was the thirstiest, the one who needed the Messiah the most desperately. Maybe her history made her seek the Messiah. I think it's interesting that Jesus didn't have to work very hard here. Even in his fatigue, he was ready to do the Father's will, to speak to the one who need Him.

To me, witnessing is daunting. Of course you have to say the right words to the right people at the right time. And Jesus did that, but it was so simple. He didn't perform any mighty dazzling acts, but spoke the truth that the followers of Christ cling to, the hope of an abundant life, even in the face of serious failure here. Only God can work the conversion. And this is true in our own witness. We say what we can and God does the rest.

And at the end of this story is one of the "signs" John includes to illustrate who Jesus is and His power.

46-48Now he was back in Cana of Galilee, the place where he made the water into wine. Meanwhile in Capernaum, there was a certain official from the king's court whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked that he come down and heal his son, who was on the brink of death. Jesus put him off: "Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe."

49But the court official wouldn't be put off. "Come down! It's life or death for my son."

50-51Jesus simply replied, "Go home. Your son lives." The man believed the bare word Jesus spoke and headed home. On his way back, his servants intercepted him and announced, "Your son lives!"

This man had another kind of desperate faith. He'd reached the end of his rope and feared that his son would die. He believed enough to travel to find Jesus to ask him for help. Jesus knew that faith couldn't rely on signs and wonders and said so to the people watching him, and the man refused to give up. In the Message, Jesus has five words: Go home. Your son lives.

I'm not sure what I would have done in this man's place. He believed. He trusted Jesus and he knew his son would heal. I'm not sure I'm there yet. I'd sometimes still like to have the signs and wonders, you know? But that's not what this is all about. Remember the theme of this book? Believing is seeing. To move from desperate faith to deliberate faith, I have to know who Jesus is. This man believed Jesus was who he said he was and that he would do what he said he would do. And so did the woman at the well. They led households and villages to believe and we don't know their names. Someday we will.

Fearless? Not so much

I went to the Marketplace Connection lunch today and it was good. Really good. If you consider blinking back the emotion so you don't drip in your pizza good. And I sorta do. Sometimes you just need to be forced to think about things, you know? It turns out...apparently I live a more fear-y life than I should. I probably could have told you that before the lunch, but I don't really like to think about it too much because I know that as a Christian, I should have a fear-free life. And I've mostly conquered some biggies (the economy, threat of global nuclear melt down, impending swine flu doom...shrug. I can't do much about those.) but the little fears, the ones that have to do with my own view of me (what my next failure will be, never measuring up), trip me up every day. And I make a little progress and then...somehow...wind up further behind than before.
F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N!

Thank God that God never gives up on me. He may be pretty frustrated too, but I can't blame Him. You'd be frustrated with me too if you heard all the same-old tired conversation that goes on in my head, mainly about my faults and failures and doubts. Sheesh. I think I'd rather see myself the way other people see me than be stuck with my view on the matter, and the opinion of the world is nothing compared to what God thinks.

Still, there's only one thing to be done. Start again. It happens this way. I try too much and get tired and take my eyes off what's important. Focus. I have to focus on God. He'll do the rest.


Galatians 3
2-4Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

Lunch at Larry's time again!

OK, so I'm having technical difficulties getting the beloved poster to load and I've reached the end of my patience rope with all things computer-related today.

Here are the details for the locals:

Next Marketplace Connection, "Being Fearless" with local t.v. personality Sheryl Lackey.

At Larry's on Hwy 10 at noon on Thursday, May 7. Buy your buffet, fill a plate, and join us in the par-tay room.

Come and join us if you're in the neighborhood! It's a no-pressure pizza lunch with some really nice ladies...and me! What could be better?