February 8, 2012
I have another Matthew moment from our Bible Study tonight. In Matthew 20:20-28 we get to hear the mother of Zebedee’s sons ask Jesus if her sons James and John could sit one on the right hand and one on the left hand in His kingdom.
Perhaps we see a mother who wants her sons to have positions of power in the earthly kingdom that they still believe Jesus will create. But is it her ambition or theirs? Jesus tries to warn them that they will have to “drink from His cup” because they are His disciples but makes no promise to give a position that only God can grant. Now needless to say this band of disciple brothers were jealous or perhaps outraged that James and John would seek this high ranking position. Jesus addresses this disciple rilvary by letting the disciples know that they are to have on their minds how they might serve rather than looking for a position they could be served in.
I wonder just how many disciples of Jesus Christ today are looking for positions of importance in which they can garner the praise and sit in the seat that will get them served? It is always a struggle to be the servants servant but that is exactly what Jesus calls us to do. We must set aside our own will that leads us to the desire to be recognized and work on doing the will of Jesus Christ because it is what He calls us to do. It is a hard thing for us in our humanity to not seek praise for what we do but it is our role as Christians to do just that. Do what God through Jesus Christ calls us to do in a way that is humble and self sacrificing. God will see us and He will reward us with rewards that will be so much better than any plaque or certificate that man can create.
As Christians we do work for Christ because we love Him, want to give Him glory and honor and see His kingdom grow.
Have a blessed day, Randy
Tags: ambition, bible study, cup, God, grace, humble, Jesus, Matthew 20, methodist church, spirit
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February 7, 2012
In our Bible Study for this Wednesday we will be reviewing Matthew Chapter 20. Jesus tells the parable about workers getting the same pay (1 denarius) for the work they have done. Some of these workers went to work early in the morning, some in the middle of the day and some late in the day. In the parable they all receive the same pay. Jesus is telling His disciples that no matter what time in our life we come to a saving knowledge of Him we will all receive the same reward. That reward of course is our salvation and life eternal in Heaven with Him. The reward however does go further than that. Those of us who come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ early in our lives are blessed with a new outlook that can make our lives much better and can give us the opportunity to witness and share with many more people.
Jesus also was addressing the Jewish belief system which was saying that their favored nation status was being taken and given to all who believed in Him. We who come to this saving knowledge of Jesus Christ become children of God without following the letter of the law. Jesus teaches us that we are to love God and to love our neighbors as the most important guidelines we can follow. He even calls them two new commandments. Very important for us and for the new disciples. Jesus gives us all favored nation status as His children.
A learning for many in churches today would be that no matter how long we have been followers of Jesus Christ we are to be accepting of and care for those who are new believers. We need to remember that our status in God is just the same as the new believer. Our blessings in this life are that we have the opportunity to be known as people who love, care for and support each other no matter how long we have known our Savior. We are to be known as people who reach out to the world and exclude no one.
God’s Peace and Blessings to each and everyone,
Randy Branch
Tags: bridesmaids, church, Common, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, Lectionary, meditation, methodist, readings, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, study, united
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February 6, 2012
Tags: America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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February 2, 2012
I had to leave the Fellowship Hall and got a glimpse of the sun peaking through the clouds. I walked out into the parking lot and was treated to a beautiful sunset view. I took the picture with my Iphone and it is a little blurry but what a beautiful picture it turned out to be.
Our Bible Study was on the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 19. Tommy Day covered the material for me because we were out of town last week and he needed another night to finish covering it. Tommy did a very good job and brought out some very good points. One of them was from verses 16-22. The rich young man came to him and asked the question “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Here was a man who had wealth and followed all the commandments but was still searching for the one thing he could do to gain eternal life. When Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
How often do we grieve over our gift to God? Is our gift given with a heart that is glad to give? Are we sad over the things we could have had if we didn’t give?
Jesus call us to share and gives us a guideline, the tithe, one tenth of all that you have coming into your household. That guideline is the minimum not the maximum because we are called to give our tithes and our offerings. So the tithe is to be given as if it truly does belong to God and we consider other gifts to be given to the needy. The rich young man must have been grieved because Jesus told him to give the money to the poor. His place in society would say that the poor were untouchables and he would have taken the suggestion better if he were told to sell and give it to whom he chose such as relatives or friends. Jesus did not give him that choice because He knew that the man would selfishly give to those who would be able to give back to him.
Could Jesus’s point be that our gift is to be given with a heart that says we give it with no strings attached. That the place we worship is to do what it has been charged to do with whatever money is given. Most mainline denominations have extensive aid organizations that do very well with helping others in ways we as individuals could never afford to do. An example is the United Methodist Church’s UMCOR organization. The United Methodist Committee On Relief as an organization is supported in it’s entirety by the Church and its giving. Any gift given to UMCOR then is 100 percent applied to the designated need. Some disasters such as Haiti, Japan, the Tsunamis and Hurricane relief are examples of the massive aid effort helped by UMCOR.
Any gift given should be given with no strings attached and by a heart that is glad to help others. Is your heart really in your tithe? Do you go above and beyond because your heart says to share? Does your heart reflect the Holy Spirit into the world as Jesus calls you too?
God gives us beautiful sunsets and beautiful hearts. Take the time to see them both.
Randy
Tags: America, Bible, church, Common, ethics, fellowship hall, gospel of matthew, integrity, iphone, matthew chapter, methodist, Revised, Spiritual growth, study, sunset view, tithe, united
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January 30, 2012
Tags: America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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January 25, 2012
Last night I watched the State of the Union Address by President Obama. It really got me to thinking but not necessarily about the things he was talking about. It was a state of the union and it was his view of how things were going with the United States. What he has gotten done and what he hopes to achieve.
It made me think about Jesus and His ministry. About what He has gotten done and what He hopes to achieve. We sometimes look to the leaders of our country to help us with our lives. We have faith in them because of what they tell us. Which is so often what we want to hear. Jesus told us so much in His short three-year ministry. Much of it words that we really didn’t want to hear. Words, however, that we needed to hear. Words that would heal us and help us through our lives if we would just hear them. I believe that if we would just listen to the words of Jesus we would hear the solutions to many of our problems today. That’s interesting isn’t it. Someone 2000 years ago could tell us about ourselves and how to solve our problems today.
Wouldn’t it be a great thing if our politicians listened to the words of the Savior of the world and used those words to help solve the problems of the world. Wouldn’t it be a great thing if we elected people who had compassion and genuinely cared about humanity and were not so interested in their own careers and selfish agendas. Now I am not saying that all politicians are bad but I am saying that there are many who are misled.
As Christians we are to be led by the one we believe is the Son of God. He will not mislead you. Try Him out as the one who can help solve those problems you need help with. I believe He can and will if you will depend upon Him.
Pastor Randy
Tags: Christ, help, Jesus, Obama, President, problems, State, understand, Union
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January 23, 2012
In one of our Bible Study times in Matthew 18 we heard Peter ask the question “How many times must he forgive his brother who has sinned against him, 7 times? Jesus tells Peter not 7 times but 77 times. In other words forgiveness is so important that we cannot put a number or limit on our forgiveness. If we never learn anything else from Jesus’s teachings we must learn that there is no limit to our love for our neighbor and no limit on our forgiveness.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks we ever can face is our unwillingness to forget those harmful things done to us that we are supposed to forgive people for. It is imperative for us as Christians to always remember that forgiveness and forgetting go hand in hand. You see the blood of Jesus Christ covers each one of us as believers and it means that God not only forgives us of our sins but forgets those sins as well. He can no longer see those sins because of the precious gift of Jesus Christ blood be poured out upon this earth.
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done. We also ask that we are forgiven as those who have sinned and we ask to be forgiven as much as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. This prayer and the premise it sets for us is so important for our lives and the peace that God promises us.
How often do you pray the Lord’s Prayer with unforgiveness and hurt in your heart? Can you forgive and forget? They are two inseparable words and promises. Practice these two words and life will get much better.
Have a blessed day while remembering that you are forgiven,
Randy
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January 23, 2012
Tags: America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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January 22, 2012
In our Bible Study on Wednesday nights we went over the transfiguration on the mount at the beginning of Matthew 17. In all the wonderful things we saw there, there was a message from Peter. Peter looked at Jesus as he stood with the Prophet Elijah and the Law Giver Moses. These two men were so important to all Jewish people for their past, present and future. Here was the Messiah with heroes from the past and all Peter wanted to do was build some tents. When he should have been watching in awestruck wonder he wanted to get busy and do a good deed for some very important saints. When Peter should have been worshiping his Lord He was wanting to do some work to support them.
Now wanting to work for the mission is not a bad thing but it is often what we think of instead of just spending time in worship. Our faith is exampled in what we do but even more so in how we worship, praise and live our lives. We cannot be faithful in what we do if we are not growing through our study, meditation, prayer and understanding of His way. Being busy in God’s work is important but is not all that He wants from us. Giving Him our hearts, minds and physical capabilities are all important. Focus on Him and His way and He will live within you and guide you. He will lead you into the time for worship and the time for work.
God’s peace and blessings,
Randy
Tags: hearts minds, law giver, meditation prayer, physical capabilities, prophet elijah, work god
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January 16, 2012
Tags: America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 