Category: Devotional

Words

Jerry Wirtley

“Either consider the tree good and its fruit good, or consider the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. A tree is known by its fruit. Children of snakes! How can you speak good things while you are evil? What fills the heart comes out of the mouth. Good people bring out good things from their good treasure. But evil people bring out evil things from their evil treasure. I tell you that people will have to answer on Judgment Day for every useless word they speak. By your words you will be either judged innocent or condemned as guilty.” (Matthew 12:33-37, CEB)

A thing is either good or it is evil. It is not both.

We will all answer on judgment day for the things we have said. As the above text says we will answer for every useless word we speak.

Are the words you say uplifting?

Do your words tear people down?

You will be judged guilty or innocent on your words.

Speak love. And live love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Convinced

Jerry Wirtley

My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and are able to teach each other. But I’ve written to you in a sort of daring way, partly to remind you of what you already know. I’m writing to you in this way because of the grace that was given to me by God. It helps me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I’m working as a priest of God’s gospel so that the offering of the Gentiles can be acceptable and made holy by the Holy Spirit. So in Christ Jesus I brag about things that have to do with God. I don’t dare speak about anything except what Christ has done through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles. He did it by what I’ve said and what I’ve done, by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. So I’ve completed the circuit of preaching Christ’s gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. In this way, I have a goal to preach the gospel where they haven’t heard of Christ yet, so that I won’t be building on someone else’s foundation. Instead, as it’s written, Those who hadn’t been told about him will see, and those who hadn’t heard will understand. (Romans 15:14-21, CEB)

Paul is convinced the people he has never met are full of goodness, full of knowledge, and are able to teach one another.

Does this mean only the people of Rome that belonged to the gathering to which Paul wrote this letter? That is a simple yes, and no. Paul didn’t know all of the people he was writing to in Rome. He probably knew of them and about the gathering and therefore he assumed (I wonder if Paul knew what happened when you do that? 😉 ) that the people were good, full of knowledge, and able to instruct each other. And that same assumption goes for you.

We are all good, knowledgeable, and able to help others learn about the love of God.

So go into your world and Love Out Loud!

Loving People. Loving God.

immoral

Jerry Wirtley

So then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to keep living the way you already are and even do better in how you live and please God—just as you learned from us. You know the instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to him. This means that you stay away from sexual immorality and learn how to control your own body in a pure and respectable way. Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges like the Gentiles who don’t know God. No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue. The Lord punishes people for all these things, as we told you before and sternly warned you. God didn’t call us to be immoral but to be dedicated to him. Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. You don’t need us to write about loving your brothers and sisters because God has already taught you to love each other. In fact, you are doing loving deeds for all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. Now we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do so even more. Aim to live quietly, mind your own business, and earn your own living, just as I told you. That way you’ll behave appropriately toward outsiders, and you won’t be in need. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, CEB)

What is immoral? M-W.com defines immoral as “not Moral”. Thanks for that. Really?

So it does give a broader definition of “conflicting with generally or traditionally held moral principles.” Which again doesn’t really say what is immoral it merely tells us what it means. How do we know what we shouldn’t do now today? Because what was immoral when 1 Thessalonians was written may not be immoral today.

There are still nuggets of wisdom in here, “Don’t be controlled by your sexual urges” and “No one should mistreat or take advantage of their brother or sister in this issue” and “God’s will is that your lives are dedicated to God”.

Sexual immorality is not homosexuality. We should also not hold our siblings down because they see things differently than we do and have sexual urges that are different than ours. God wants God’s will to be the focus of our lives and not how our sisters and brothers are not living up. Maybe if we focus on our own lives and strive to be who God is leading us to be we will love the world rather than judge the world.

Focus on your own life and share grace and mercy and love with everyone around you, not judging what they are doing, but loving them and reminding them they are loved by God.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Fruit

Jerry Wirtley

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea announcing, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!” He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said: The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.” John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River came to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John. He said to them, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire. I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” (Matthew 3:1-12, CEB)

You will know a tree by its fruit.

I remember when I was baptized a friend’s father asked if I believed that Jesus was Lord and Son of God and I said yes. He said good otherwise you just got dunked in water. Now for those of you who are Lutheran and think I was baptized as an infant, I was not. Even though I am a Lutheran pastor, I was baptized a Baptist when I was 17. It was a cleansing in the water and the sign of a life changed. The fruit was different from this guy.

So how do we see fruit differently from people, because even after I was dunked, people thought it didn’t take because I didn’t fit their mold for what a good fruit is.

The mold to fit in is not of any human, but God’s.

We can not make humans happy, we must strive to follow where God is leading.

Live your life so that God’s grace and mercy flow through you to the world around you.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Who are you?

Jerry Wirtley

This is John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” John confessed (he didn’t deny but confessed), “I’m not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” John said, “I’m not.” “Are you the prophet?” John answered, “No.” They asked, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied, “I am a voice crying out in the wilderness, Make the Lord’s path straight, just as the prophet Isaiah said.” Those sent by the Pharisees asked, “Why do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered, “I baptize with water. Someone greater stands among you, whom you don’t recognize. He comes after me, but I’m not worthy to untie his sandal straps.” This encounter took place across the Jordan in Bethany where John was baptizing. (John 1:19-28, CEB)

Who are you?

Have you ever been asked this question? And your answer could change depending on who is asking the question. However, there is one answer to this question that will work every time.

John told those sent by the Pharisees he was not the Messiah, he was not a prophet, he was not Elijah, he was a voice crying out in the wilderness, Make the Lord’s path straight.

Aren’t we all, “a voice crying out in the wilderness, Make the Lord’s path straight?”

And better yet the answer I was thinking of above was Child of God.

Who are you? You are a child of God.

Go and love the world.

Loving People. Loving God.

His-tory

Jerry Wirtley

Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country. For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness. God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance. This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years. “After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. The Israelites requested a king, so God gave them Saul, Kish’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he served as their king for forty years. After God removed him, he raised up David to be their king. God testified concerning him, ‘I have found David, Jesse’s son, a man who shares my desires. Whatever my will is, he will do.’ From this man’s descendants, God brought to Israel a savior, Jesus, just as he promised. Before Jesus’ appearance, John proclaimed to all the Israelites a baptism to show they were changing their hearts and lives. As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the one you think I am, but he is coming after me. I’m not worthy to loosen his sandals.’ (Acts 13:16-25, CEB)

History is important. The lineages and passages like the one above are important for us to know because they are the history of the people of God. Our people. We are the people of God and this history is our history.

Paul told those gathered the history of Jesus. This is our history and helps us know who and whose we are.

We are all a part of a rich understanding that goes back thousands of years.

As we approach Christmas and work through the waiting for Jesus’ return, let us remember where we come from and whose we are.

Love out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

12

Jerry Wirtley

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James, Alphaeus’ son; Simon the zealot; and Judas, James’ son— all were united in their devotion to prayer, along with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. During this time, the family of believers was a company of about one hundred twenty persons. Peter stood among them and said, “Brothers and sisters, the scripture that the Holy Spirit announced beforehand through David had to be fulfilled. This was the scripture concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. This happened even though he was one of us and received a share of this ministry.” “Therefore, we must select one of those who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken from us. This person must become along with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they nominated two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. They prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s deepest thoughts and desires. Show us clearly which one you have chosen from among these two to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” When they cast lots, the lot fell on Matthias. He was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:12-17, 21-26, CEB)

12 is a biblical number. When I taught confirmation I told the students if I ask for a numerical answer, good guesses are always 3, 7, 12, or a multiple of 12.

But I also have to say I have always wondered about this text. Why did the one to replace Judas have to be someone who was with them from the beginning? The other 11 were not really great representatives. I mean read the gospels and see how many times they messed up and who was there at the cross? When Jesus got arrested they scattered because they knew they were next.

So of course the replacement for Judas has to be one who was there from the beginning to share what they saw.

Yet we share the good news of Jesus through our lives and none of us were there when Jesus chose the 12.

We are all witnesses to the love God has for the world.

We are all givers of grace and mercy to a world that needs to know they are loved and accepted as they are.

We are the ones who Love Out Loud.

So continue sharing the good news and shining light.

Loving People. Loving God.

Pass Away

Jerry Wirtley

“Then if somebody says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Christ,’ or ‘He’s over here,’ don’t believe it. False christs and false prophets will appear, and they will offer great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. Look, I’ve told you ahead of time. So if they say to you, ‘Look, he’s in the desert,’ don’t go out. And if they say, ‘Look, he’s in the rooms deep inside the house,’ don’t believe it. Just as the lightning flashes from the east to the west, so it will be with the coming of the Human One. The vultures gather wherever there’s a dead body. “Now immediately after the suffering of that time the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then the sign of the Human One will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One coming in the heavenly clouds with power and great splendor. He will send his angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the earth, from one end of the sky to the other. “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that the Human One is near, at the door. I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. (Matthew 24:23-35, CEB)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.

What does that mean?

Well this whole passage is about the end of time, and how we aren’t supposed to get caught up in when and where Jesus is coming back. It is more about us living here in this time to show the world the love God has for all of creation. Because the word of God will not pass away. The promises we have spoken to us will stand firm forever. Heaven and earth will be done away with, which is actually in God’s word of the Bible, in Revelation, God says Heaven and Earth will be done away with and a new heaven and new earth will be created and God will descend to be with God’s people. (Revelation 21).

What all of this means is we need to love the world around us and live today, and not worry about tomorrow.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?!

Jerry Wirtley

What more can I say? I would run out of time if I told you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith they conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, realized promises, shut the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped from the edge of the sword, found strength in weakness, were mighty in war, and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection. But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. They were stoned to death, they were cut in two, and they died by being murdered with swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. The world didn’t deserve them. They wandered around in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. (Hebrews 11:32-40, CEB)

This is the end of the Faith chapter in Hebrews. There are so many in the Bible we look to as pillars of faith. Many were mistreated during their lives. Many died horrible deaths.

Did you see the list above:
Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection.
But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. 
They were stoned to death,
they were cut in two,
and they died by being murdered with swords.
They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. 

Stoned to death, cut in two(!), murdered with swords, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. We are not far from the pillars of our faith. The writer of Hebrews continues, “The world didn’t deserve them.” Just as sometimes I wonder if the world deserves the love of God, and then I am reminded that God loves me and I do not deserve that.

Know in this life you will be mistreated and oppressed and come up needing. You are in good company. Continue to love the world, to show grace and mercy.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Sin

Jerry Wirtley

So what are we going to say? Should we continue sinning so grace will multiply? Absolutely not! All of us died to sin. How can we still live in it? Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life. If we were united together in a death like his, we will also be united together in a resurrection like his. This is what we know: the person that we used to be was crucified with him in order to get rid of the corpse that had been controlled by sin. That way we wouldn’t be slaves to sin anymore, because a person who has died has been freed from sin’s power. But if we died with Christ, we have faith that we will also live with him. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. He died to sin once and for all with his death, but he lives for God with his life. In the same way, you also should consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:1-11, CEB)

Should we continue to sin so grace will abound? That’s not how this works.

Yes if we sin, God’s grace will cover it and make us new, but we do not sin more so we get more grace. Since we have been united with Christ our life should be shining the light of love into the world and we should be staying away from sin.

But we need to know what sin is. Is sin a list of rules we have to follow? Is sin living not living in the fullness of our relationships? I have a pastor friend who defined sin to confirmation classes as the degradation of relationships. Meaning anything that causes a relationship to fail or falter is sin. So not a list of things to not do and sin for me maybe different than it is for you.

We should show love to the world. The love that God shows to each of us every day. That even though we are sinful and turn away from God, God still loves us. We need to show that love to the world.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.