johnmarkharris.net

a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “ Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

God can do anything… but he won’t. Jesus never refused to heal anyone, but he did usually point out their faith. The man who needed healing knew that Jesus COULD heal him, only that it was a matter of God’s will. It’s never a matter of what God COULD do for you, only what is in his will. We also know that even as a bad parent only wants what’s best for their child (Matt 7), so too, God’s will is always what’s best for us. Come to Jesus with this kind of attitude… “Lord, if you will, you can…” then if he doesn’t do it, you know it’s not what’s best… if he does, he gets the credit (either way). Follow him, trust him…

This is probably the favorite of verse of those who don’t like the church…

Judge not lest ye be judged

But Jesus’ point was not to simply “not judge ever,” but to do so realizing. He always takes a closer, deeper, more intimate view of YOU than the one you are trying to knock down a peg.

Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. (the Message)

As believers, we are supposed to be discerning, and we are supposed to hold other believers to account, but not with a critical spirit. We are called to make judgments (based on God’s word) to help fellow believers (in love) become more Christlike. Our judgment is not for the outside world, but for those in the church (cf. 1Cor 5)

Shorter: Just don’t be a jerk 🙂

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

If a man washes a dish, but his wife doesn’t see it, did it ever happen? Why we do things matters. When we pray, when we give, when we serve… it’s only natural to seek affirmation “you’re doing a good job…” and there’s nothing wrong with that, just be sure you do those things whether or not those encouragements are spoken. Don’t think you’re prayers are better because you say the right words, or the right people hear them, God hears your heart. Give because of what God’s given to you… Jesus. Love (serve) others because of God’s love. That’s not easy… God knows every single thing you do, when you don’t get an “atta boy” he remembers. One day, he will say “remember back when you cared for this person in my name and no one said ‘good job?’ well, well done good and faithful servant.” I’d rather have God notice than people anyway. 🙂

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Just like yesterday’s reading, Jesus calls the faithful to follow him…

• Peter
• Andrew
• James
• John
• Philip
• Bartholomew
• Matthew
• Thomas
• James
• Simon (the zealot)
• Judas (James’ boy)
• Judas (the bad one)

What’s interesting is to compare these two lists, they’re in a bit of a different order (Andrew is by his brother Peter, Simon was placed before Thaddeus, and Thaddeus is called by his other name “Judas” with the other Judas).

Peter is always first, and Judas is always last, and I think that says something about who they were, but I think the fact that the order does change tells us they are not “ranked,” they all followed Jesus.

I do like how Luke describes the last Judas “who became a traitor.” It’s not that he was always evil, but he became that, Judas made the choice. Obviously Jesus knew the end from the beginning, yet Judas really did follow Jesus. There came a point in his life when he was presented with a choice, will I follow Jesus or will I go my own way. Is my faith real or was I just “playing church?” Peter faced the same choice after he denied Jesus 3 times. Peter went out and wept bitterly, Judas wen’t out and gave up.

Don’t stop following Jesus. Go back up the mountain. You get to determine how you end up when you don’t give up!