Hola Homies and Homets,
I hope the weekend is treating you well. I am looking forward to worship tomorrow morning fo' sure! How is the study going for you? What new things are you learning about Jesus? Is your relationship with Him going deeper...I am praying so!!
Summary...
I am going to break this reading down into 3 parts...Shining for Christ, Anger and Lust.
Jesus says, in verse 15 with a bit of sarcasm, that no one lights up a lamp and then covers it up! Imagine being at home with your family, and somebody says...it is dark in here turn on that light and then 5 seconds later goes back over to the light and covers it up! Wouldn't you look at that person in your family and ask them what they have been smoking? Jesus is calling us to live out lives that shine for His glory. In verse 16 He says to let our good deeds shine out brightly for all to see to the praise of our Heavenly Father! The problem today in the world is we have way to many "weird" Christians. The same way you would look at someone who asks for light and then turns right around and covers up the light they just lit, is the same way the world often looks at Christians. Sometimes we are so ashamed of our faith, we refuse to shine our lights for Jesus, and because of that we become useless to Him! The world asks...if this Jesus guy is so awesome why are you so ashamed of Him? Jesus tells us here in this passage that shining is our purpose in this life...we are to shine for Him!!!
This passage where Jesus talks about anger is a tough one for sure! In this chapter we often hear Jesus say...You have heard the law of Moses says, but I say...and I found out that Jesus was not changing the law or even raising the stakes. He was merely reflecting God's heart for those laws in the first place. Jesus tells us that we can murder in our hearts and in words and it is just as wrong as actual physical murder! How many times have you thought someone was an idiot? Yet Jesus tells us that is just as wrong as committing murder. One of the things Jesus points out in this text that I think we struggle with as Christ followers is mending problems with other believers. Jesus tells us to NOT approach God in worship if we know someone has a "beef" with us. Jesus tells us to work it out, settle it and then come to God in worship! We often go to God first, tell Him how wrong the other person is. We then make ourselves feel better, and never address the issue with the person! Christ says to go to the person first, fix it, and the get your worship on!
Lust. How dangerous it can be. I remember hearing the adultery commandment and then thinking that is one I will never have to worry about...and then along comes Jesus! Jesus says, if you ever think something lustful you've committed adultery! But then he encourages us to do the extreme...if your eye causes you to sin gauge it out, or your hand causes you to sin cut it off! That is hard core no doubt! I love how Jesus says...even if it's your good eye or even if it's your good hand! Jesus was so radical! Now did He mean to actually cut off your hand or really take out your eye...no! Why? Because you can still lust with no eyes, or with no hands. Again Jesus was talking about something deeper. Christ is saying man if you can't hop on that computer without looking at porn, than smash that thing in a million pieces! Or if you can'tt stop sleeping with her, you need to break up with her. Jesus calls us to be radical as He was! Are you?
Questions...
Which of the 3 topics discussed do you struggle with most and why?
How well of a job do you do at sharing your faith with others?
Are you willing to be "radical" for Jesus?
Imagine yourself as one of the 12 disciples...what are some things that would be running through your head as you hear Jesus teaching all this for the first time?
Instead of me praying and ending today's blog, I would like to ask you to pray for our community, specifically asking Jesus to change all of our hearts for His glory. The results are in for the "live" recording nights for the Jr. and Sr. high, and I thought it was cool that both groups voted "God of this City" in the set list. So as you pray for fusion, remember that, and ask to be a part of greater things!! I am excited to see what Jesus is going to do in and through our community of faith, fusion! have an awesome night and I look forward to worshipping with you guys tomorrow!
tom
