Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked, “What is truth?” When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him. John 18:37- 38
We have become accustomed to hearing conflicting versions of every event that occurs. MSNBC, CNN, FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC, BBC. By the time we listen to a few of the versions we have no real assurance that we're any closer to the truth of the matter.
Because, really...if all seven stations told the truth...wouldn't the story be the same?
So, Pilate found himself confused. He'd been listening to the "talking heads" of his day and he didn't know what to believe. Jesus actually did him a huge favor. Jesus said "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice". Even then, Pilate was uncertain. His response was "what is truth?" He was so jaundiced by the history of lies bombarding him, from all directions, that he couldn't recognize truth when it was standing in front of him.
And, I'm sure, Pilate wasn't a bad man. He was a victim of bad information. Even so, he was still lost. His unwillingness to convict Jesus was not based on his certainty of the truth. It was based on his uncertainty about the lies.
On this Good Friday...the TRUTH is standing in front of us in the form of Jesus. He is speaking truth to us in the Gospel of John, chapters 14-17. Can you hear Him? Are you listening? If you belong to the truth...you do.
If, however, you subscribe to any other outlet for you information...join Pilate in your confusion and hope for the best.
Live boldly out there today...
April 14, 2017
April 10, 2017
Strangers Among Us
"If an immigrant resides among you and wishes to keep the Passover
to the Lord, that one also will keep it according to its regulations and its
customary practices. There will be one set of regulations for both of you, for
the immigrant and for the native of the land". Numbers 9:14
* * * * * * * * *
Scripture refers to immigrants seventy five times. Many of these references tell us explicitly how we are to treat foreigners among us. "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" cannot be found. Neither can the term "Illegal Immigrant". In fact, today's text makes this issue crystal clear; "There will be one set of regulations for both of you, for the immigrant and for the native of the land".
I can identify only one caveat: The phrase, "If an immigrant resides among you and wishes to keep the Passover", seems to suggest all that is required is the immigrant desires to be faithful to our established laws and values.
Why is our treatment of immigrants important?
You see...Jesus, Himself was an immigrant; a traveler in a foreign land. It is true that when we view Jesus we view somebody entirely unlike ourselves. If we begin rejecting other people based upon their differences, there is no possibility that we will ever accept Jesus. So, learning to welcome the strangers around us is the test-bed for learning how to invite Jesus into our lives. The former does not guarantee the later but...the latter demands the former.
And, in Matthew 25, Jesus reveals how He will judge us when He returns. He says “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left".
Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me".
Then, of course, He will say to those on His left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels". For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me".
The righteous will respond with some confusion. They will ask "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
God is not pleased when we divide His children into groups of "us and them". Only our sinful ego allows that to happen. And, we will eventually pay for our bad behavior. I don't have a solution for our national immigration issues. I only know this; If I meet an Hispanic looking gentleman named Jesus (Hay-soos), I'd better treat him like I'd treat JESUS.
And, if we all do this, I wonder what impact it will have on our national policy.
Live boldly out there today...
* * * * * * * * *
Scripture refers to immigrants seventy five times. Many of these references tell us explicitly how we are to treat foreigners among us. "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" cannot be found. Neither can the term "Illegal Immigrant". In fact, today's text makes this issue crystal clear; "There will be one set of regulations for both of you, for the immigrant and for the native of the land".
I can identify only one caveat: The phrase, "If an immigrant resides among you and wishes to keep the Passover", seems to suggest all that is required is the immigrant desires to be faithful to our established laws and values.
Why is our treatment of immigrants important?
You see...Jesus, Himself was an immigrant; a traveler in a foreign land. It is true that when we view Jesus we view somebody entirely unlike ourselves. If we begin rejecting other people based upon their differences, there is no possibility that we will ever accept Jesus. So, learning to welcome the strangers around us is the test-bed for learning how to invite Jesus into our lives. The former does not guarantee the later but...the latter demands the former.
And, in Matthew 25, Jesus reveals how He will judge us when He returns. He says “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left".
Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me".
Then, of course, He will say to those on His left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels". For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me".
The righteous will respond with some confusion. They will ask "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
God is not pleased when we divide His children into groups of "us and them". Only our sinful ego allows that to happen. And, we will eventually pay for our bad behavior. I don't have a solution for our national immigration issues. I only know this; If I meet an Hispanic looking gentleman named Jesus (Hay-soos), I'd better treat him like I'd treat JESUS.
And, if we all do this, I wonder what impact it will have on our national policy.
Live boldly out there today...
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