Tag: Love Out Loud

build each other up

Jerry Wirtley

But you, dear friends, remember the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the end time scoffers will come living according to their own ungodly desires.” These people create divisions. Since they don’t have the Spirit, they are worldly. But you, dear friends: build each other up on the foundation of your most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep each other in the love of God, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will give you eternal life. Have mercy on those who doubt. Save some by snatching them from the fire. Fearing God, have mercy on some, hating even the clothing contaminated by their sinful urges. To the one who is able to protect you from falling, and to present you blameless and rejoicing before his glorious presence, to the only God our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, belong glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, now and forever. Amen. (Jude 17-25, CEB)

We need to build each other up on the basis of our most holy faith.

We need to pray for each other in the Spirit.

We need to keep each other in the love of God.

We need to wait for mercy from Jesus.

We need to uphold those who question or doubt.

We need to help all understand the love God has for them.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

regularly

Jerry Wirtley

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. They would come together regularly at Solomon’s Porch. No one from outside the church dared to join them, even though the people spoke highly of them. Indeed, more and more believers in the Lord, large numbers of both men and women, were added to the church. As a result, they would even bring the sick out into the main streets and lay them on cots and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow could fall on some of them as he passed by. Even large numbers of persons from towns around Jerusalem would gather, bringing the sick and those harassed by unclean spirits. Everyone was healed. (Acts 5:12-16, CEB)

The apostles would gather regularly. And as believers grew in number more and more would bring those needing healing to the place where the apostles were and everyone was healed.

Do you gather regularly with other believers?

Do you make the space and time to be in the presence of those who follow Jesus?

We need this. Not just for ourselves, but for the community.

Our gathering as believers is Loving Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

What should we do?

Jerry Wirtley

In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler over Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God’s word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. This is just as it was written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, A voice crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight and the rough places made smooth. All humanity will see God’s salvation.” Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “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.” The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?” He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and 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.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people. (Luke 3:1-18, CEB)

What should we do?

If you have two shirts give one of them to someone who doesn’t have one.

Collect no more than you are told to collect.

Don’t cheat or harass anyone.

What should we do?

Treat all people with love and respect, as we would want to be treated.

Love unconditionally and share grace and mercy.

What should we do?

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Hastening

Jerry Wirtley

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be? You must live holy and godly lives, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. Because of that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found by him in peace—pure and faultless. Consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation, just as our dear friend and brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some of his remarks are hard to understand, and people who are ignorant and whose faith is weak twist them to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been warned in advance, be on guard so that you aren’t led off course into the error of sinful people, and lose your own safe position. Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him belongs glory now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:11-18, CEB)

We must live holy and godly lives, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. What does that mean, and how do we do that?

We must live holy and godly lives. Our lives should be lived in such a way we can always be in the presence of God, free from sin and evil. That should be easy, right? I mean I only sin once every half second or so.

But we also need to be waiting for the coming of Christ. How are we waiting? Not very patiently most of us. But are we also doing that second part, hastening the coming of Christ? Well to be hastening the coming of Christ we need to know what hastening means. I have a general understanding that it implies moving quickly. I looked it up. M-W.com says:

intransitive verb
: to move or act quickly
She hastened up the stairs.
transitive verb
1: to encourage to move or act quickly : to urge on
hastened her to the door A. J. Cronin
2: to cause to happen more quickly : ACCELERATE
His death was hastened by alcoholism.
hasten the coming of a new order D. W. Brogan

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hastening

So the best definition for us is the second under transitive verb, to cause to happen more quickly. So as we wait we are supposed to also make Christ’s coming to happen more quickly. How are you doing that?

We can do that by actually loving God and loving our neighbors. By sharing grace and mercy in everything we do. We can hasten the coming of Christ by Loving Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Slow

Jerry Wirtley

My dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both letters to stir up your sincere understanding with a reminder. I want you to recall what the holy prophets foretold as well as what the Lord and savior commanded through your apostles. Most important, know this: in the last days scoffers will come, jeering, living by their own cravings, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? After all, nothing has changed—not since the beginning of creation, nor even since the ancestors died.” But they fail to notice that, by God’s word, heaven and earth were formed long ago out of water and by means of water. And it was through these that the world of that time was flooded and destroyed. But by the same word, heaven and earth are now held in reserve for fire, kept for the Judgment Day and destruction of ungodly people. Don’t let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a dreadful noise, the elements will be consumed by fire, and the earth and all the works done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:1-10, CEB)

I remember in seminary this was one of the verses I and 2 other classmates in an advanced Greek class used to figure out what year would be the end of the world, the return of Christ. Now I do not remember the actual year and it was all in jest. But don’t we all really want to know when, and how much longer we have to wait.

This translation says, “Don’t let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day.” The one we used way back in 2007 said, “to the Lord the blink of an eye is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a blink of the eye.” So one day or the blink of an eye is a thousand years. God is way more patient than any of us.

So when will Christ return? We do not know. But the letter continues, “The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives.” God is patient towards all of creation, not wanting any to perish. And God is patient.

Maybe Christ will return when we all get it. When we all understand the love of God and actually love neighbor and love God. Maybe?

So do your part, Love Out Loud.

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.

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.