Constance Hastings

Many Rooms

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:55:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He makes us think and grapple until we spin around

and see things differently.

Disclaimer: I’m going to the edge in this one, only using the “voice” that challenges Jesus. Here’s a suggestion. Listen as I read this on the Substack link (or follow along as I read it.) Sometimes the spoken word carries more meaning than only what is in print. Let me know what you think.

Dear Jesus, you said this was ok, so here it is. Ask anything in your name, and you’ll do it. Right? Cool. So here’s what I’m asking: explain this one. “No one can come to the Father except through me.” You really mean this? Or did you mean this like it sounds? ’Cause it hits cold, callous, rough, like you really don’t care who gets left out, shutting the door on folks who don’t fit the criteria. God is love, so the Bible says, but this doesn’t sound all that loving. Couldn’t you rephrase it and leave out words like “no one” or “except”? Why this barbed-wire language in the mix? That’s the kind of thing that makes people bounce, pushing people away. If you do that, I have to ask myself if I want to be counted in the polls as one of your team.

Now, I’ll give this much to you; you start smooth. “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me,” you say. I really need that right now. I need to know that somebody’s steering this thing, that you’ve got this, even if the road ahead is all fog. You even promise you’ve got a place for me to stay that you are getting ready, like a heavenly Airbnb. Making my reservation now! That’s the god I need. Make my life secure and safe and give me an eternity of good times from there. I can roll with that.

You even said in your Dad’s place there was lots of space, many rooms. That’d be great, too. And the way you call God “Abba,” like “Dad,” “Pops,” “My Old Man” — that’s intimate. That’s love-level closeness. It’s your special word for him, a tenderness, intimacy in love as well as a playfulness. When you’ve been with someone for a long time, the way you say their name or what you call them says a lot. You and your Father are not just close but fused. Like you say, “Just believe, I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” One knows the other like oneself. Or one is the other. Or something like that.

But back to the question. Now, don’t blame me for asking. It’s clear your own crew was confused too, not all on the same page as you either. Thomas was mystified by the way you said they should know where you were going and how to get there. Phillip also didn’t get it when you said they should know the Father and have seen him. These guys were your inner circle and still couldn’t track what you were saying. But this holiday Passover meal wasn’t going according to code for them. I can relate. You don’t play along with our expectations either. You want us to think and grapple with your words, until we spin around and see things differently.

Then you drop: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Funny, you don’t give a blueprint, a rulebook, a checklist. Just you. You start with “I am…” Are you saying then you want to get into us like you and your Father are one together? If that’s the “way”, it could mean a road or path to take, but also a practice, a period of learning, or maybe walking together on that path. So you’re saying the “way” isn’t a map? It’s a relationship? A walk? A whole lifestyle? Like we move with you, learn with you, walk the road step by step?

A path can take you someplace, but paths don’t teleport you. You’ve got to walk it. Who would do that except for the reason of going somewhere important, a destination that was intentional or would give meaning to the way? Some place that matters, has significance, some truth to reach for, a revelation of God that provides some purpose. Purpose based in this kind of truth gives life meaning, and life is worth living when there’s meaning in it. So starting with you, that is, believing or trusting you, brings us closer in knowing you and your Father, not as one added to the other, but as in knowing you is to know God. Wow. I need a moment here.

But please, what about everybody else? What about the “no ones”? Even if I choose you as way, truth, and life, don’t you care about those who haven’t? You’d think the one whose birth was in a barn because there was “no room in the inn” would make a place for everyone in your Father’s big house. What chance do they have otherwise if you insist on “except through me”?

You’ve known how this was from your own time here. “But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him.” ( John 12:37 ) Nothing’s changed. Still, you keep putting the invite out. “Anyone who believes in me…” Believes you, trusts you, betting their life on you—that’s huge. “…will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

So is that the point? Not just “believe,” but do? Do the same, like following you into the hard stuff, the cross stuff, or helping others find the Father stuff? Is that what this is about, as much about those who do believe as those who don’t? Are you saying, “If you’re with me, then act like me”? Keep putting your message out there of forgiveness, mercy, grace, that is, the whole truth about what God wants and will do for anyone?

You promise anything asked for in your name, you’ll do. Because it’s not about us, but because it brings glory to the Father. Yeah, it’s all about you and your Father. It’s not a wishlist prayer; it’s a mission prayer. It’s a work, a message, a purpose blessed because it is asked in God’s will—thy will be done.

And God’s will?

That through your way, truth, and life everybody gets a shot at knowing God and stepping into those rooms you prepared for them.

So bottom line? In other words, you want “no one” left out.

You weren’t trying to shut people out.

You were trying to make sure no one gets left behind.

John 14:1-14

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Risky Business

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:23:47 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Some interpretations make God small, a spiritual dispenser of bulletproof vests, a vending machine for safety gear.

Sometimes it feels smarter to stay behind locked doors, minding your own business. The United States is on track for a record setting year of mass shootings. Still, you heard about that guy who killed eight kids, his own kids age 1-12 no less, and you start thinking, “Man… if family isn’t safe, who is?” Be careful out there. Trust feels like a luxury nobody can afford. And please, don’t give me a trite, “God will take care of you” bumper-sticker line. I’m not here for that.

Understood. And granted there are sweet parables on sheep and safety within the flock designed to comfort the soul looking for a shepherd to provide and protect. It harkens back to the old psalm, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” ( Psalm 23 ) Cute. Comforting. Makes you want to breathe deep and pretend the world’s not on fire. The Good Shepherd has got this.

Lions, Tigers and Bears…And Robbers

But hold up. Now, read this carefully. It’s true; pastoral portrayals calm, sooth, comfort. The soft-focus shepherd stuff calms your nerves, quiets the panic in your throat. But right next to that? There’s the thieves, killers, predators: the “lions, tigers, and bears, oh my” of real life, what threatens the good life. Jesus promises within his sheepfold, he is the gate and those who enter through it will be protected, saved from that which will steal and kill and destroy, the one who keeps the wolves out. Back then, folks knew sheep needed someone watching the door, keeping the flock safe from whatever was lurking in the dark, keeping them secure and separate from danger.

And honestly? A Good Shepherd sounds real good right now.

It’s a nice thought, and nice thoughts are fine, sorely needed now in the noise, negativity and fear loudly playing in the background. These sheep are dear to the shepherd, and at the sound of his voice, they come to him. What a sweet picture : Jesus has his flock all around, a baby lamb in his arms, and if you look closely, you’ll find even the infamous black sheep is included among them. So nice…but listen.

Here’s the twist — the part folks skip because it messes with the cozy picture.

The Conundrum

“He calls his own sheep by name…” They are familiar and loved and each special to the shepherd. Sweet. Safe. Known.

“…and leads them out.” What? Out? If the sheepfold the safe spot, why steer them into that mess, that danger?

But then they’d miss out on those green pastures. If they stay locked in, they risk giving up on the good grass, the real nourishment. The sheep and shepherd take the chance, sticking close where they can hear the Good Shepherd’s voice, gathered together as he leads and goes ahead of them.

To be blunt, this isn’t saying literally to forget precautions, go out in the world, and God will protect you from it. Such an interpretation makes God small, a spiritual dispenser of bulletproof vests. God’s not a vending machine for safety gear. God’s purposes are greater than only the immediate concerns of the day.

Treacherous Travel

To walk through the Good Shepherd’s gate means stepping into that “valley of the shadow of death.” Following him is risky. It never was wholly safe; his life was the epitome of taking on risk. He wouldn’t play it cool with safe messages that pandered to religious hierarchy. He chose disciples with zero clout, no influence to aid his cause. He hung with the wrong crowd: Romans, tax collectors, hustlers, despised Samaritans, women of all kinds. He touched the sick people most avoided. He literally tossed over the tables holding the Temple commerce.

He took risks, big risks, in getting people to green pastures.

Being called by name by the Good Shepherd is to follow him not in safe, comfortable living. You get led but to places where the world is irreligious and dangerous, places everybody else avoids. Name your spot: homeless camps, shelters for mentally disturbed teenagers, recovery rooms for the addicted, porn studios, motels that house the sexually trafficked, where shadowy valleys are dark alleys, anyplace that makes you cringe and draw back, clutch your bag and cross the street.

That’s where Jesus goes, leads the flock, all for the love of God. Because that’s where the hurting are. It’s risky, and he knows it better than any of us.

Yeah, eventually the wolves got the Good Shepherd. He risked it all to meet people where they were, even to the point of death. But that death? That was the gate, the door, the entry into a life that restores the lost to a new kind of living, an abundant life now with purpose beyond oneself.

It swings wide for those who hear his call to follow him, not into the sheepfold though, but on paths that lead out and into the hearts of those who need a Good Shepherd. It’s not a call to hide in the sheepfold. It’s deeper than just “stay safe.”

It’s a call to step out into the world, into the mess, into the lives of people who need a shepherd with purpose, with courage, with love that actually costs something.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

John 10:1-10

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here .

For those who have read The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away , please leave a review and help spread some "Jesus Trouble!" Click Here .

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When God-Empty Becomes God-Emptied

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:14:43 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Humans are good at getting the facts straight

while getting the meaning wrong

We can’t help but lock into what we think we know. The news hits us with worst-case scenarios as real possibilities, and our brains run wild from there. Positive spins are floated, yet they don’t land because they don’t match how life usually goes, how the world is understood. How can you make choices when your steps feel like slogging through murky mud?

No matter how strong or shaky your faith is, regardless of one’s measure of belief, it’s inevitably going to happen and you hit that moment. When God is needed the most, God seems farthest away. When there’s nothing left to grasp, the heavens seem dark, the sky pitch black. All rations or scraps of faith you had are shredded, and at best, any hope possible is dim, barely a flicker. So where’s God in all that?

Dreams Dashed

These two folks were walking out of Jerusalem, a city that had been wild for three straight days, like a roller coaster powered by death and broken dreams. Jesus, the one many called Messiah, was dead. Crucified-dead. Gone.

Then some women claimed angels no less had told them he was alive. Others discovered the tomb was empty. It as the kind of news that made your throat tighten and choke with sos over what had happened. Part grief, part fear that if you even considered or let yourself believe anything good again, it’ll get smashed to pieces, splintered once more. How much could a person take? Every breath feels risky, dangerous.

Hope Lingers On

Out of nowhere, a stranger meets them on the road who seemed to have missed the headlines. But that wasn’t the wild part. He entered right into the conversation. “Wasn’t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?” With that, he reminded them of the familiar passages that supported the events of the Jesus’ life, breaking down the ancient Hebrew writings.

The record still gives its witness. “ Many were amazed when they saw him—beaten and bloodied , so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person… He was whipped…led as a lamb to the slaughter … he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death.” (Isaiah 52:14; 53:5,7-8) All of it matched the stuff Jesus went through.

But also the parts about rising again, stepping into eternal authority, ruling forever. Stuff they should’ve known but couldn’t see through the fog of heartbreak.

“…You will find rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.” ( Daniel 12:13 ) Furthermore, “…I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end.” ( Daniel 7:13-14 )

Say it again: his life would not end.

Seen This One Before

With that to settle into their souls, it was time to rest. The two travelers invited the stranger to stay the night with them. As they sat down to a simple meal, he led them through an all-so-familiar ritual: he took some bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them.

Boom. They knew. They’d seen Jesus do that exact move before.

There was the time Jesus had fed 5000 persons with just five loaves of bread and two fish . Those same actions: taking, blessing, breaking and giving. Then again, the last time the disciples had seen him alive, he celebrated the Passover meal but told them the bread and the cup were his body and blood. They remembered how just like now he took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them in remembrance of his life and sacrifice. (Luke 22:19)

No flashy miracles, no big stage. Just simple, everyday actions that somehow carried the weight of heaven. It had been while eating a meal Jesus taught them who he was and what his life meant. And it was known in the everyday, commonplace ways of living and sharing life.

The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

And just like that, he’s gone. But also… not gone. Jesus wasn’t there, but then, he always was there. They now recognized Jesus was with them the whole time, just in a very different, strange way. The eternal slipped into their present, an ordinary moment, and they could see, now understand it. God in the ordinary had become extraordinary. “Their eyes were opened.”

Empty of God

When you hit that place where you feel, could almost swear, that God ghosted you, absolutely abandoned you, your thoughts tell you there is no god. You carry this heavy nothingness that leaves you empty. Humans are good at getting the facts straight while getting the meaning wrong.

God Emptied into Life

Instead, God shows up like that unknown stranger, not loud, not flashy. It’s someone who listens to your confusion, your bewildering pain, your “I don’t get it,” and then slowly reminds you of hope. Not new hope, but the old kind, the promised kind from the ages, the kind woven into the everyday stuff of life and familiar points of living. And somehow, in that quiet, God pours God’s divine self into your tired heart while you’re just walking the regular roads of your life, into strangely warmed hearts traveling pedestrian roads.

You meet God not in the escape, but in the journey.

Luke 24:13-35

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here .

For those who have read The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away ,

please leave a review and help spread some "Jesus Trouble!" Click Here .

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Holy Doubt

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:15:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Faith must be linked with doubt to become belief.

Could it be that faith is not actually a fully convinced, blindly confident mindset? What if faith isn’t walking around 100% sure all the time? Could it be that real faith actually needs a little doubt in the mix, like “maybe not” sitting right next to the “maybe so”? What if faith and doubt aren’t enemies but two sides of the same coin?

Locked Minds, Locked Souls

Picture this: The Twelve are hiding out, door locked tight. The women had told them they’d been to the tomb, but Jesus’ body was gone. Instead, Mary Magdalene ran and came running in with, “I have seen the Lord!” ( John 20:18 )

But let’s be real, the guys weren’t buying it. Mary had a past, had once been possessed by demons, so the story goes. Doubt made sense. After the trauma of three days ago, it’d be easy to think she had relapsed into her old sickness, seeing what was not really there. Yeah, doubt was rational.

Made sense… until it didn’t. Rational except when the door of it was blown off. Because that locked door? Didn’t mean a thing. Jesus in the flesh was among them like locks are optional. “Peace be with you,” he said, showing them the scars, healed, but still real. ( John 20:19-21 )

Something nobody had ever seen before. Something no logic or rational proof could explain. Death tried it, but life hit back harder. His demise by brutal execution was now secondary to this new life that reversed death and its finality.

Doubt and Faith Collide

“Joy” doesn’t even cover what they felt. They were hunkered down, scared for their lives, and suddenly Jesus is standing there. Certainly, they were thrilled to see Jesus alive again. But if they had actually believed he’d rise like he said, die and return alive by the third day, they wouldn’t have been shocked out of their minds. Instead, their doubt had slammed head-on into their faith.

They weren’t alone. Thomas, one of the original twelve, wasn’t even there that night. When told Jesus was alive, he wouldn’t buy it. Furthermore, he wouldn’t accept just an appearance but declared he had to actually touch Jesus’ wounded hands and sword-pierced side to believe it had happened. No ghost was going to change his mind.

Jesus delivered eight days later. Appearing to the disciples, this time including Thomas. Jesus greeted them like before, “Peace be with you.”

Peace: don’t be afraid or freak out.

Peace: this is bigger than anything you or the world has ever known.

Peace: prepare to have all your assumptions, expectations, your whole worldview flip. Peace: lean in, accept what I have done.

“Peace be with you.”

Concede to Both

He invited Thomas to touch him literally in his points of pain. Jesus knew that’s where Thomas’ doubt lived, in the pain, in the questions, in the part of him that needed something real to hold onto. It’s where so many others’ questions have had to pause, sort out in mind and soul if this could be. You can’t accept resurrection without accepting death first. One won’t have significance without the other. They’re linked. Faith without doubt is just pretending. Faith linked with doubt becomes belief. Own them both.

Thomas finally gets it and blurts out, “My Lord and my God!” He’s the first one to say out loud who Jesus really is, not just a Savior with a ticket to heaven, but the One who rules over everything life throws at us, even when we’re wrestling with our own uncertainty, our doubt.

The Better Blessing

Jesus tells Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me.” But then he drops the real gem:

“Blessed are the ones who believe without seeing.”

Blessed are the ones who don’t get miracles on demand.

Blessed are the ones who don’t get visions or voices or proof.

Blessed are the ones who build faith while holding doubt in the other hand.

That kind of belief? That’s a miracle all by itself.

Jesus blesses everyone, from Thomas all the way to now, who manages to believe without firsthand experience. People who don’t treat doubt as the enemy but as part of the journey, who live with doubt and still find a way to believe. But there are those who perhaps have even more of a blessing than a physical revelation.

To those who did not know him then and even more so to all the world that will come later, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Blessed are those who have not had the benefit of miracles and heavenly revelation. Miracles help some, but those who “come to believe” without them very likely have the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of a faith that has acknowledged doubt.

Where Faith Really Lives

Faith grows in the space where we don’t know how God does what God does. It stretches us, fill us, changes us.

But it usually starts with honest doubt because honest doubt is what leads to honest belief. Faith isn’t a switch you flip; it’s a journey you walk, step by step, a journey where we come to believe, learn how to believe, as we go.

John 20:19-29

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here.

For those who have read The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away , please leave a review and help spread some "Jesus Trouble!" Click Here.

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Dark Morning of Wonder

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:30:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: No god does this sort of thing. Wonder.

How do you get out of bed in the morning when the day, the world is still shrouded in darkness? Pictures of bodies who have known slaughter that accompanies war haunt the horizon. When divisive voices shout across aisles, hope is mocked. Courts don’t feel fair. Storms blow across the country ready to devastate lives in less than a minute. Love is only a memory. So yeah, how are you supposed to stand up when grief, anger, and that tight, anxious fear are sitting heavy in your soul? Why even open your eyes when all you see just slices pain through whatever little faith you got left?

Gather Your People

Somehow, they did. Moving through an emotional fog which they knew would never disappear, the eleven disciples gathered, or rather they cowered, afraid for their lives, paralyzed shock. But even in that fog, they stuck together. Each had been called out of ordinary lives to be by this man who saw something in them. If only in collective memory, they huddled up because being together was the only way to hold on to the pieces of him they still had.

Likewise, the women followers did the same. Sabbath rest had ended, but no one slept. Their minds were stuck on that Friday—blood, screams, the way he died. The burial was rushed; no time to honor and anoint him one more time in death, no time for that last act of love. With slim faith and less hope, they made their way to the tomb where they had seen him laid. If the Roman guards kept them away or if the huge stone blocking it proved immovable, at least they tried. Because trying was better than sitting at home feeling like they’d abandoned him completely.

Let the Inexplicable Be Said

In the dim morning light, they may not have trusted at first what they saw. The heavy boulder which had sealed his burial tomb was off to the side. Inside there was nothing, no body, no indication of entombment. Their thoughts confused, minds spinning. No explanation makes sense.

That huge stone? Rolled out of the way.

Inside?

No body.

No signs of a rushed grave robbery.

Just…nothing.

Into their consciousness appeared two men whose clothing was beyond white, clean, light coming from them, not just shining on them. The women know instantly: this is not regular. This is otherworldly. They drop to their knees.

Now, when his story seemed over, once again, these women had a message just as amazing, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and that he would rise again the third day?”” In triumph, the angels/messengers shining with celestial light had returned. The story the women thought was over? God just flipped the script.

Step Back to Remember

Get some perspective with what’s going on. It had happened before. Late one night more than thirty years ago, another messenger showed up in the dark and entered human awareness. Different crew that time: shepherds. Broke, overlooked, just doing their job for people who had all the power, who controlled their lives. “For unto you is born this day…a Savior,” the sheep keepers were told. ( Luke 2:11 )

Both the shepherds and the women were told the same thing: God is controlling this, sees it, is in this. Their message was greater than anything the shepherds or women could’ve dreamed up. The promised Messiah had come. And now, what the Messiah had promised has now come true. The worst of all fear has been defeated. Death holds no sting. Death still happens, but it doesn’t get the last word anymore. ( I Corinthians 15:55 )

As the shepherds ran to Bethlehem to find the baby lying in a manger, the women rushed to find the disciples. And how did people respond? The good news both carried was not altogether believed. Those whom the shepherds told “wondered” at their story. (Luke 2:18) Mary Magdalene and the other women were dismissed as speaking nonsense. Only one disciple was brave enough to try to find out for himself.

Be Amazed

Peter, the disciple who had denied he even knew Jesus before the sun rose of the day of the crucifixion, ran to the tomb. If true, is it good news for him or just a reminder of how badly he messed up?

He gets to the tomb. No body. Just the burial cloths lying there. He’s stunned, caught between disbelief and wonder. He’s not shouting, not preaching, for once not suddenly full of answers. In short, Peter didn’t know what to think or feel.

Why does Jesus’ good news, the announcement of his birth as well as his resurrection, come first to those who are not considered the ones-in-the-know, the ones who rate, the movers and shakers, influencers of world and culture, good people who do the right things? If knowing Jesus is knowing God, why doesn’t God tell first those who could do something about it and aid in its dissemination?

But Jesus had already laid it out: “God blesses those…who realize their need for him, those who mourn, those who are gentle and lowly, those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, those who are merciful, those whose hearts are pure, those who work for peace, those who are persecuted because they live for God.” ( Matthew 5:3-10 ) He describes those who are perceived as poor, wounded and powerless as blessed, bringing joy to God. In other words—the people the world calls weak, broken, or irrelevant. Those are the ones most ready to hear a message that flips everything. Who more so would receive and accept a message based in reversal, a turning around not necessarily of fortune but from a self-centered desire based in autonomy to an acceptance of a life based in love of God and neighbor?

Reverse What You’ve Known

So how does God seal the deal? By going straight at the one thing nobody can beat: death. Jesus doesn’t just talk about life. He walks into death and then walks back out. The worst the world can do. He takes it. And then he gets up again.

That means the story doesn’t end where we thought it did.

The cross wasn’t the last chapter.

The grave wasn’t the final word.

So again, this Easter, same questions, different year: How do you get out of bed when the whole day feels like it’s wrapped in darkness? How do you stand up when grief is sitting heavy in your bones, in your soul? Why should you open your eyes to a pain that shouts an absence of hope?

Like Peter, do you want to believe but are not yet certain what Jesus’ death and resurrection might mean for you? You know your own mess. You feel the weight of the world. Can you move forward into this day despite your own miserable faults, feeling that heaviness, and still dare to walk?

Choose to Fully Wonder

Try this: Don’t rush past the weirdness of it all. Sit in the wonder. Wonder how God did such an unbelievable, implausible thing. God came here. In the flesh. No god does this sort of thing. Be surprised that God knows who needs this good news, the poor who see no hope, dead ends, in their future and those who live poorly by what the world has done to them and by what they do to others. They’re not that different from shepherds or women regulated to lives of servitude or the Peters who never seem to get it right. No god chooses them as the first ones to hear the headline. No god does this sort of thing. No other god takes on the ugliest part of human life, the inevitability of death, in body, heart, and spirit, and flips it.

But Jesus does.

He dies.

He rises.

He says, “This isn’t over. Not like you think.”

No god that is except God in Jesus, risen from the dead!

Christ is Risen. Christ is Risen Indeed.

Luke 24:1-12

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here .

For those who have read The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away ,

please leave a review and help spread some "Jesus Trouble!" Click Here .

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The Deepest Part of Hell

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:56:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He wasn’t betrayed by just one guy.

It had been a long week, only five days into it. Crowds were everywhere, buzzing, talking, pointing. If you hadn’t heard about Jesus before, this week you couldn’t dodge his name if you tried. Before Jesus even hit the city limits, people were lining the road like it was some VIP red carpet, tossing their coats down and yelling, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” Expectations were sky-high. Too bad he wasn’t there to play the part they wanted.

The First Betrayal

By Thursday, everybody was stretched thin, Jesus, The Twelve, all of them. He’d already blown up the Temple scene earlier in the week, flipping tables and kicking out those shady merchants hustling people on Passover prices. He healed people right there in the chaos and then went toe-to-toe with the lead priests over the attention he was getting, where he thought he got the right to do what he was doing. He even told them straight up prostitutes had a better shot at heaven before they did. Calling them hypocrites, he charged, “For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn him into twice the son of hell as you yourselves are.” ( Matthew 23:15 ) With too much popularity and too many attacks on the powers-that-be, Jesus wasn’t making friends in high places. Sooner or later, someone was going to put a stop to this. In this case, more than one.

Judas Iscariot, yeah, that Judas, has lived in infamy as the betrayer of Jesus. Sizing up the situation, he knew the religious leaders not only wanted this so-called Messiah quiet, but even more so, permanently out of their way. Judas only had to seize the moment. Jesus basically handed it to him. Over the Passover meal, Jesus said, “One of you will betray me... Hurry. Do it now.” ( John 13:21-27 ) Jesus let on he knew what Judas would do. From there, it was only a matter of hours before he would identify Jesus as the one a full battalion of Roman soldiers and Temple guards should arrest and take away.

The Shattered Rock

But Judas wasn’t the only traitor. Peter, loud, loyal, always talking big, swore he’d die before he’d abandon Jesus. As he had been clear to Judas, Jesus was just as forthright with Peter. “The truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Before sunrise, while the kangaroo court assembled by the high priests were condemning him, Peter refused to say he was a disciple of Jesus.

Was Peter denying he had followed Jesus? Or denying the version of Jesus he wanted him to be?

The Unholy Alliance

Pilate, a Roman governor, was tasked with keeping Jerusalem and the Jews under control. The system allowed for them to have their religion as long as the Rome kept the power. Ultimately, though the religious authorities wanted Jesus dead, they could not execute on their own. While that morning Peter along with the rest of the disciples abandoned him, Jesus was dragged in front of Pilate by the leading priests on charges he claimed to be King of the Jews, indicating he would overthrow the Roman government. Pilate was caught in the middle. He can’t ignore such a charge, but he had a handle on what these Temple tetrarchs were scheming. Looking for a way out, he urged Jesus to make a defense, but he wouldn’t talk. The Jews had been looking for a Messiah, but they didn’t want this Messiah. So they did what they could to do away with him. Thus, the priests, those set apart among the chosen people, turned on him.

Meanwhile, Pilate tried to wiggle out of it. He offers them a carrot. For the holy day, the Romans would release a Jewish prisoner. Figuring he could make them choose the lesser of two evils, Pilate offered the crowd either Jesus or the notorious criminal Barabbas. The priests work the crowd to call for Barabbas’ release. Pilate can’t see what Jesus could have done that would be so bad for them, but the crowd, some of whom had likely cheered in the parade earlier in the week, roared for more. “Crucify him!” While Pilate didn’t get it, he wasn’t about to lose his job over it. In an act of bloody mercy, Pilate commanded that Jesus be flogged with a lead-tipped whip. It would speed up the death. With that, Pilate ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.

Torture and mockery follow. More beatings, a crown of thorns, nailed through flesh and bone, Jesus is crucified, a death designed to be slow, suffocating as lungs collapse and blood flows. Bone‑deep agony.

The Weaker Faithful

The only loyal witnesses to his demise were the women, his supporters, the ones he’d lifted up and honored, now rendered as impotent as he. They stood watching, distraught and detached at the same time, unable to give him the comfort they’d always given before, now when he needed it most.

Even then, he looked out for his mother, fulfilling the command to honor ones’ parents. “Woman,” he calls her, not by her name but by that with which all females can hear his love and be known as Daughter. “He is your son.” Together, the only disciple present at his execution and Mary, will share their grief and live beyond it. “She is your mother.”

Even dying, he was building family out of broken hearts.

Last Acts

He cried, “I thirst.” They gave him soured wine. “It is finished,” he gasps as he gives up his spirit, his final act of service. The King of the Jews has taken the cup of bitter wine ; his speared body releases its blood and water. Final life oozes out. He dies, abandoned in the will of God to take death upon himself, death that separates, rejects, leaves him alone with all that the worst of the world could do. Two secret disciples, two who would not publicly declare allegiance to him, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, quickly bury him in a nearby tomb so as to not violate the law, especially with Passover beginning that night.

The Real Question

So who betrayed Jesus? Judas, sure. But also Peter. The priests. The crowd. The political system. The disciples who ghosted him. Even the women who loved him but couldn’t help him. Each had a part.

And the deepest cut of all, most heart wrenching, the silence of God. God, the very part of himself that had set this in motion since the first animal sacrifice in that garden. To be covered in such shame that you can’t stand yourself is how he died. It was shame that was not of his own doing, but a shame Jesus accepted for himself isolating one from love of God and love of neighbor. In this then, Jesus knew the deepest part of hell which he wanted no one to ever know, a hell he stepped into so no one else would have to.

But what about the ones who shrug it off, who don’t care what his death meant?

Maybe that is his final betrayal.

John 18:1-19:42

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Do As I Have Done to You

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:28:37 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His kind of love isn’t safe. It’s not polite. It’s not about power. It’s dangerous, intimate, counter-cultural, an act of shared leveling power among all.

Letting someone get close like this? That’s terrifying. I’d rather tuck away all the parts that people could ridicule, the stuff that makes people look at you sideways. Least of all, I’d never want someone seeing all that mess who’s way better than me, cleaner than me, holier than me. Why does God have to come so close?

It was time. Three years back, he’d told his mother it wasn’t time. Then he turned water into wine like it was nothing, and that kicked off everything that led to this moment. (John 2:1-11) Now his hour had come, the clock hit zero.

Slave Labor

If there was anything his friends might expect from Jesus, it would be the uncharacteristic, unanticipated, illogical, the exact opposite of what anybody expected. And he did it again. He removed his outer garment, wrapped a towel around his waist like some house servant, poured water into a basin, and starts washing their feet. Their Lord, Teacher, Rabbi, Master, dressed as a servant or slave, down on the floor, touching the dirt stuck deep in the cracks of their busted, calloused feet.

The water was cool and comforting, his hands massaging, steady and gentle, the towel warm. Stooped low, moving on his knees, he went from one to one, knowing how inadequate they were, disillusioned even, for what would be coming. None was skipped over.

Even to his betrayers, both Judas and Peter, Jesus extended this service. Peter is the only one who protests, but let’s be real; they were all uncomfortable.

Naked Love

It’s hard letting people see the ugly parts of you, exposing the stuff that stinks, the warts, bunions, fungus embedded in the nails. And it’s even harder when the one seeing it is someone you look up to, someone you worship. Such humility can mess with your head. Makes you wonder if you ever really knew them. Worse yet, it makes you worry they see right through you, maybe better than you see yourself. You don’t want their goodness getting mixed up with your grime, the secret knowledge of ourselves.

Lower Than Dirt

Letting someone wash your feet flips the whole power structure upside down, upends structures of hierarchy. It’s threatening. The one kneeling is lower than the one being served. If someone of superior status chooses to kneel, become a servant to others, it’s an act of relinquishing power. And giving up power means opening yourself up—being vulnerable, letting change, an exchange of one’s will for transformation to happen. Change? That’s dangerous.

But a Higher Love

Jesus gets all of this. He finishes, puts his robe back on, stands up as Teacher and Lord again, and tells them straight. “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”

He breaks it down: no servant is above the master, and no one gets to act like they’re too good to serve somebody else. Everybody’s supposed to look out for everybody. Nobody gets left out. Nobody gets labeled too dirty, too broken, too unworthy.

In itself, permitting exposure and vulnerability can open a person to hurt, abuse. Only in an atmosphere of trust should it be accepted. Jesus gives them one more command to make the first one possible: “So I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”

As I have loved, you should love. His kind of love isn’t safe. It’s not polite. It’s not about power. It’s dangerous, intimate, counter-cultural, an act of shared leveling power among all.

For when you humbly serve the ones at the bottom, you start to understand how deeply God loves you. In giving is also receiving.

A greater example was yet to come. Jesus wasn’t done showing them. Laying down his robe was just the warm‑up. Jesus knew it. His kind of love would have him lay down his life.

His hour had come.

John 13: 1-17, 31-35

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Along for the Ride

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:32:13 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: People have to see that real power he carried, the kind people always twist, before they’ll ever understand what he was really about.

Man, this is why you never you never really blew up. Rolling into town on a donkey like you’re headlining a circus? Your haters must’ve been clowning you nonstop. Don Quixote probably looked at you and said, “Yeah, that’s the vibe.”

Jesus, you weren’t just delusional. You were in a whole different galaxy. Let the crowd hype you up if they want. They’ll figure out real quick where this road ends. Don’t expect applause when it gets real. Folks switch up faster than a skater doing a spin on ice.

Resigned Acceptance

Jesus had been on a decided path, locked in, for weeks. The old scrolls say he “ set his face ” toward Jerusalem, meaning he wasn’t backing down, wasn’t drifting, wasn’t hesitating. And on that road? He dropped his most classic material: Good Samaritan , Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son . People got healed, body and soul, inside and out. Folks started tagging along thinking they were joining the next big movement.

That day, he led his disciples in the familiar manner of rabbi and his followers, walking ahead as they followed, stepping in his very footprints. Anticipation was simmering.

Not far from Jerusalem Jesus gives instructions as if he already knew the script. He sends two of The Twelve to grab an unbroken colt from a village. If questioned, the reply is to be, “The Lord needs it.” All happened without challenge, no drama, no questions.

His mood shifted. Whereas before Jesus pushed through crowds like he owned the street, now he’s quiet, almost surrendered, submissive. Three years ago, his resistance had been strong. “ My time has not yet come, ” he’d protested. Today? He’s done arguing. He’s walking straight into whatever’s waiting. No turning back. God’s plan was rolling. Thy will would be done.

Stage of Irony

The Twelve are hyped, ready for what’s ahead. They throw their coats on the donkey like it’s a royal saddle. The crowd catches their energy and carpet the road with their own clothing. From the top of the Mount of Olives, heading toward the city, people are shouting, singing, losing their minds over the miracles they’ve seen.

Convinced by Jesus’ deeds, people whose lives were changed beyond what any could have hoped, they call him King. They swear peace is right around the corner. They nearly tasted the promise.

You’re right though to ridicule it, this parody, a caricature of royal processions, notorious Roman victory parades. This triumphal entry displayed a jittery donkey, not a battle-strong stallion. Their “hero” had never called up an army or plotted a coup against the regime. The people thought they’d only be saved by military rebellion and nationalism. Jesus had told them to turn the other cheek and love their enemy. Instead, he’s being promoted as the general they always wanted, everything he was not.

Destiny

No matter. No point trying to fix their expectations now. They weren’t going to get it. Only by watching a different kind of power, the kind nobody understands at first, would they figure out what he was about, realize his purpose. Let them have their parade, story twisted and misdirected as it was.

Meanwhile, the religious leaders are sweating bullets. Pharisees shouted for him to shut up the crowd. Sure, they’re scared Rome might crack down, but Jesus wouldn’t be the only recipient of its force. They’re scared of losing their own status. Shaking ground would only sink them all. Funny thing is, Rome doesn’t even show up. (Luke 19:39)

Jesus sees past them. His time had come, and history would center, pivot, even be measured by his life. Should mortals be short sighted, the design of God would not. People might not understand him for what he was, yet in their confused shouting they still hit on truth. King of their hearts, Prince of Peace in their souls, Jesus’ reign reached into heaven.

Granted, this procession was a sham, a joke. But destiny doesn’t care about optics. The world has to respond in some way.

The whole city was electric, buzzing. “Who is this?” they asked. The crowds replied, “Jesus, Prophet from Nazareth.”

No matter. He just rode on. Let the moment be what it was. He went along for the ride.

Matthew 21:1-11

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For Crying Out Loud

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:27:47 GMT

Jesus had power, no doubt. While his healing powers convinced some he was the Son of God, Jesus’ power also created, even in his best of friends, wild expectations. Belief seemed like you should have God on speed dial and life was supposed to go smooth, no drama, no pain.

Sure, with God in my pocket, I should get all I want.

Sure, with God in my pocket, I should get all I want. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Shouldn’t that mean he will take care of me, keep the bad stuff away and bring on the good life? What’s a God for if not to take care of my problems?

People treat God like a vending machine—press a button, get what you want.

When God Waits

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were good friends with Jesus. Both sisters had hosted Jesus and his disciples in their home . Mary had sat at his feet when he taught and had anointed him with perfume to show her devotion. When their brother Lazarus fell ill, they sent for Jesus. Why not? They knew his power, they believed in his miracles, they knew he loved his friend Lazarus. Healing him should’ve been light work. Certainly, they would call upon him to heal. But for reasons not understood even to the disciples, he waits two days.

When he finally decides to go, the disciples ask with good reason if it’s a good idea now. Not too long ago some religious leaders were ready to kill him. Jesus hits them with one of those deep, cryptic lines about walking in daylight versus stumbling in the dark. Classic Jesus: answering the question behind the question, not the one you asked.

When’s an answer not an answer? When Jesus’ mind runs ahead of the question…

Jesus assures them Lazarus is only sleeping, and “his sickness will not end in death.” All right, all the more reason not to make the trip. Yet, let’s note here that no less than five times the point is made that Lazarus is sick. When something gets repeated that much, it’s a big neon sign. PAY ATTENTION. This is important. Lazarus is not just sick, he’s really sick.

No, Jesus says, it’s for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this…This will give you another opportunity to believe in me.

See, this is where God stands on a sacred slippery slope. Maybe we’re not supposed to ask this, but it sure looks like poor Laz is being knocked out so Jesus gets the good press. Narcissistic at the expense of another’s life? It’s uncomfortable, messy.

Therein is the tension. While it will be a sign of his divinity, it will be dearly misunderstood.

Grief Matters, Hits Hard

By the time Jesus shows up, Lazarus has been dead four days. Four. Mary and Martha both hit him with the same line: “Lord, if you had been here, he wouldn’t have died.” That’s grief talking, but also low‑key blame.

Martha even adds, “God will give you whatever you ask.” Why do you treat us like this, let these things happen?”

Is this faith, a confidence in who Jesus is despite what she can or cannot see at the moment? Or is it manipulation? Is she trying to push Jesus into doing what she wants?

“Thy will be done,” is not implied when she says, “Lord, if you had been here…” It sounded more like, “Lord, here’s the problem, and here’s what you need to do.” Apparently, her belief causes her to think God is best served in an advisory capacity.

Yeah, people love giving God instructions.

Jesus consoles her telling her to rely on her faith, “Your brother will rise again.” But her pain will not be moved. “When everyone else rises,” she responds, heartache mixed with pained derision.

Give the poor girl a break. Dumping a deep theological discourse on her at this time is not helpful. She’s hurting. She wants her brother back.

Jesus won’t let up. “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.” Assuring her of eternal life and how believers never perish may be holy words when pulled out later but face it. Beautiful words don’t erase the empty chair at the table, that her brother is dead, gone from her. In short, belief doesn’t necessarily change what we live, what will be next to slam into our lives.

Martha clings to the one thing she can still believe: Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the one sent from God. Whatever that means in the days ahead, she cannot express. But she holds on anyway.

Martha does what she can. She runs to get her sister Mary saying Jesus wants to see her, though the text never says he did. Maybe it can be assumed he did ask for Mary. But this was a big event, Lazarus’ death, and there were people close to Jesus, listening to his every word. Is Martha putting words in Jesus’ mouth? Is she pulling in her sister for backup and triangulating with the sister who sat at his feet listening to him teach? Implied is, “Sister, you talk to him.”

For Crying Out Loud

Mary shows up, falls apart, repeats the same line, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Seeing her sobbing, the mourners’ cries, he breaks. “Jesus wept.”

Known as the shortest verse in the Bible, people read that as grief. Two sisters are lost due to their brother’s death. All three of them very were close to Jesus. It is a nice picture of Jesus crying over his friend’s death. Why? Because it makes Jesus like the rest of humanity. If Jesus cries over a good friend dying, then he’ll sympathize with human grief. When you see his humanity on a level like ours, God seems to understand our lives better.

However, a more accurate translation of the original Greek language says he was angry, frustrated, deeply upset, maybe indignant. Sometimes tears come from heartbreak.

Sometimes they come from being so mad you can’t even talk. Was he mad at how everyone only wants miracles when it benefits them? The Son of God knew the full range of emotions just as any human.

Wait! Grief we get. We’ve been there. Some say anger is a stage of grief. What’s going on here? Was Jesus upset at himself because he waited all that time, didn’t get there to heal his friend as he had healed so many others?

The sisters, disciples, and the crowd all had the same thought: if he could heal so many people ( Matthew 4:23 ), then why didn’t he keep Lazarus from dying in the first place?

Why did Jesus wait two more days until Lazarus was dead? Remember: in Jewish tradition the soul hangs around the body for three days. By day four, Lazarus wasn’t “mostly dead.” He was dead dead, his soul having departed this world. Jesus didn’t just miss the window—he blew past it. He had plenty of reason to cry.

Still, the story ends well. Jesus calls Lazarus out of the grave; call it new birth or new life, and all is good. The big miracle happens. Now we don’t have to cry. Right?

Or is it? To understand this miracle is to understand what was being asked of Jesus and to understand why he raised Lazarus from the dead. Why Jesus was so upset was how people want answers to prayers and miracles to fix their problems that make them feel good, do the sensational and satisfy the spectators looking for a show. Miracles aren’t magic tricks. They’re signs pointing to who Jesus is.

“Let him go.” Having called out loud and having released Lazarus not just from grave clothes, Jesus called out that Lazarus now was free to live a new kind of life, one which was purposed beyond itself, its needs and desires. It’s bigger than survival, comfort, or getting your way. It’s a glory revealing who Jesus was as Son of God. It is a new and eternal kind of life.

And notice: Jesus didn’t roll the stone away. He didn’t unwrap Lazarus. People do.

New life always involves community.

The Aftermath

A lot of people believed after this major miracle of Jesus, major not only for Lazarus and his sisters, but also in how it foreshadowed what Jesus would accomplish by his own life. From now on though, the Jewish religious leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. ( John 11:53 ) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+11%3A53&version=NIV

Raising Lazarus wasn’t just about Lazarus. Jesus stared into his own grave, knowing what was coming.

Jesus wept.

John 11:1-45

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Cheap Charity/Second Sight

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:42:13 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus has to be read with a second sight, a reading beyond what you’ve seen before.

Right now, we all would like a big dose of cheap charity, some real bargain-bin blessings. Inflation, devastating storms and fires every week, another war that likely won’t end, cancer affecting every family, politics looking like a bad reality show. We’re all like, God, make this mess go away. Bless us with the easy life. Amen.

And like that blind dude, fix what I need. Fix me, fix my people, fix everything. Amen again. Oh yeah, don’t let us lose a dime or make us go through another economic recession. That cost’s too high. Amen and Amen.

Sorry, but here’s the real talk. God’s not handing out quick fixes like that, not the way we want, nor on our timeline. So yeah, deal with it. Take responsibility for what’s in your control. Back the folks who have the means and power to make those changes. If it’s your passion, chase it. Be proactive in your own health. Cut off the stuff that’s toxic or straight-up wrong. Make lifestyle changes. Adjust people.

Land of the Free

So, Who are you to tell me how to live? You don’t walk in my shoes. You know, this is supposed to be the land of the free. I’m free to do what I want. Just stay out of it. Mind your business.

If only it worked like that. If only we could shrug and ignore everybody whining, blaming the world, blaming God. But life isn’t a solo gig. Picture one of those mobiles hanging over a baby crib — all those little pieces dangling off one string. You touch one, the whole thing shakes. That’s us. Everything we do hits somebody else eventually. Take another look and see how both the good and bad, the positive and negative ripple out. So yeah, we’ve got to learn to see with a second set of eyes — not just what’s right in front of us, but what’s underneath it. It’s second sight.

Same with Jesus stories. The Trouble with Jesus has to be read with that second sight, a reading beyond what you’ve seen before.

On the surface, it’s the same formula every time: somebody sick, disciples saying something inane, Pharisees mad because it’s the Sabbath again, Jesus heals anyway. Boom — another believer. It’s like a Miracle Hallmark Channel. Same plot, different day, but hey, it sells. Why complicate the story line with anything more? Move to the next chapter. Start the story again.

No, go back. Look again. Then flip ahead. Then go back again.

These writers always have layers — talking about what just happened, hinting at what’s coming next. Like in the next chapter, Jesus starts talking about sheep. He says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep and they know me.” ( John 10:14 ) If so, what did Jesus already know about that blind man? And what did the man learn about him?

Cheap Charity

As said before, it happened as it often did. Jesus’ crew rolls up on this blind guy. They’re surrounded by sick people all the time, so the disciples start playing the blame game. “Who messed up? Him or his parents?” Jesus shuts that down. “Nobody sinned. This is for God’s glory.” ( Honestly, kinda sounds like a rough deal. Thanks a lot for that one, God! ) Jesus comments there’s not much time left in the day to work, and claims he is “the light of the world.”

With those thoughts spinning in everyone’s head, Jesus spits in the dirt, makes mud, smears it on the guy’s eyes, and tells him to go wash in a nearby pool. Boom. The man comes back seeing. Praise God! Story over, all should be well.

Blindsight

Not so. For the love of God, everybody loses their minds. First, some of his own neighbors don’t seem to recognize him now that he can see. Then, the Pharisees have their turn at him, grilling him over what happened and getting all bent out of shape whining about it being the Sabbath. He’s been blind ever since he was born, and the religious bureaucrats quibble among themselves if a healing (like that kind of thing happens everyday) is appropriate on a holy day. Then these Temple officials drag in his parents who do their best to stay out of the issue all but disowning their own son. When that doesn’t work, they drag him back a second time for another interrogation.

Now maybe he can see, but he certainly didn’t see what was coming next. The legal mongers want the man to say Jesus is a sinner. He won’t bite but sticks to the facts. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” Refusing to give them what they want, he insists, “If this man were not born from God, he couldn’t do it.” Bam! He gets the boot and is thrown out of the synagogue. This glory ride for God is going nowhere good fast.

Second Sight

But Jesus? He doesn’t lose track of his people. He knows his sheep. The good shepherd finds the man and starts a conversation. And here’s the wild part — the guy had never actually seen Jesus before. He was healed of a lifetime of blindness, but Jesus wasn’t present when the healed man came back from the pool. Jesus talks with him, but the man doesn’t recognize him.

Jesus reveals who he is, the Son of God. And the man finally sees everything — physically and spiritually. With that recognition, believing, now fully seeing, the man worships Jesus, his Shepherd, and knows him for who he is. The one who brought the light of sight to him is the Light of the World.

"I have come to give sight to the blind

and to show those who think they see that they are blind."

John 9:1-41

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Well of Truth

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:24:38 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His conversations don’t stay on the surface, sometimes pulling you deeper than you want to go. He drags you into the deep end before you even realize you’re swimming.

He spotted her coming up from the village. Though they’d never crossed paths, Jesus already knew her scars, her hustle, her grind. Her story? A rough ride — dodging judgment, dodging pain, doing what you do to keep breathing even when playing clean isn’t always on the table. You play the hand you get; it was what it was. She’d wished for a cleaner deal, but life dealt her dirt. The streets don’t hand out fresh starts. Judge her as you will. She was used to it. The process made her tough, brilliant, sharp — the kind of sharp that, in a different world, would’ve made her a real powerhouse. She soaked it up, wore it like armor — edgy, tough, a survivor who could’ve run the game in another day.

Jesus, be kind to her. For the way you treat her is how we will understand you. And let’s be real. People, men in particular, have twisted the Bible into rules that keep women quiet and boxed in, told to put up and shut up. Is your kingdom the same trap?

A Command Prompt

Jesus offered her what she needed. “Give me a drink.” For too long she’d been the one who was robbed, robbed of her virtue, her dignity, her value as a human being. His words were expressed as an imperative, a familiar tone she knew too well. Men barking orders, taking from her, stripping her of everything. But this time, it hits different. He’s not demanding. He’s asking like he actually wants something from her, not off her. Like she has the say, the choice.

And what he’s asking for? It’s not water. It’s something deeper — something inside her she barely knows how to reach. But she’s not about to let some stranger get too close, close enough to manipulate her, so she throws up the usual walls:

“You’re a Jew. I’m a Samaritan. Why you even talking to me?”

Centuries of beef, hate, and religious drama, she wears it like armor. But deep down, she knows: he’s handing her a choice she never had.

Behind it though was his request. Jesus was asking something of her and allowing her the choice to refuse, a power she rarely, if ever, had. Of course, she would use it to deflect the conversation on one hand and to keep him engaged with her at the same time.

Discourse 101

Jesus doesn’t bite. He asks again for what he wants, but he turns it around. “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” Water that fills you up for real. His request isn’t for himself, but for him to give to her.

She tries to keep it street smart, the practicality of life, ropes, buckets, and depth of the well, when obviously he has no supplies to draw water. Then again, where are you going to get better water than what had been there for ages, all the way back to their common ancestor, Jacob? Had this man been in the noon heat too long?

He explains his offering: this well water can’t satisfy thirst for long, but the water I give removes thirst. It’s a spring inside you — life that doesn’t quit.

She’s beat. Beat from hauling water, beat from the mockery, beat from being looked down on. She’ll take what they all want, something to make their lives easier. “Give me that water! I wouldn’t have to come here to haul it. I won’t have this daily grind, strain of labor upon me. I won’t have to face those who look down upon me and mock me.”

Risked Condemnation: The Part She Didn’t Wanna Spill

She slipped, dropped more than she meant. Jesus calls her out, “Go get your husband.” Quickly she snaps back, “I don’t have a husband.” Jesus lays it bare. She’s had five husbands, and the man she’s with now is not her husband. No shame, just truth. This conversation is going deeper than the well in front of them, and she’s not sure she wants to take this plunge.

She panics, switches gears fast. Handle him as you’ve handled men before. Give him something that doesn’t contradict his point but makes him feel good. Keep it smooth. Don’t mess it up. “Sir, you must be a prophet.” A prophet knows things about God and apparently about her. Stick with the God part. Classic dodge: talk theology so you don’t have to talk about yourself. She picks up on the proper place of worship, Jerusalem for the Jews, or on this mountain, Gerizim, for the Samaritans? They each have their reasons grounded in God’s revelations to their ancestors. What do you say, dear prophet?

But Jesus won’t play that game either. God’s not confined to places like mountains or cities. “God is spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” To her, his answer is not an answer, so she falls back on the big hope for all of them, the Messiah who will explain everything, break it all down.

She’s close enough now for him to tell her. Jesus hits her with, “I am the Messiah.”

Interestingly, right at that moment, Jesus’ disciples show up surprised to find him talking with a woman out in the open and a Samaritan at that. They're concerned that Jesus hadn’t eaten for a while. He had asked the woman, “Give me a drink.” Now he was satiated with nothing. “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” He could only be fed, energized in body and soul, when the people listen and believe.

Jesus is full — not from food, but from the work he’s doing. From people actually listening.

Her whole life flips from one conversation. She realizes she has choices — real ones — about who she is and who God says she is. Not what people said. Not what life forced on her.

She runs back to the village, and the same folks who used to judge her now see something different. They listen. Then they go to Jesus themselves and say, “Yeah… now we believe. Not just because of what she said, but because we heard him too.”

A life changed by a short conversation is the life that tells the world. Truth he had given to her, a truth that demonstrated she had choices in life, a choice of who she was in the sight of God above all that had happened to her or had been said of her. That Truth revealed not only her real self but also who God was, understanding, accepting, and wanting a fuller, better, dignified life for her.

The Grace in Truth: The Real Cup

“Please give me a drink.” He asked her for a drink, but what he really offered was living water. And one day he’d drink a different cup — not water, but blood — the one that would quench the world’s thirst for good, for healing, for truth.

That’s his Truth.

John 4:5-42

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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24 Words

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:36:03 GMT

Maybe if he had said that you gotta change your life and priorities without losing yourself, it’d make more sense. Maybe if he had said you find God by keeping the commandments, attending the festivals, and making the sacrifices, it’d be easier to swallow. Maybe if he had used fancy theological or philosophical words about digging deep inside yourself to find your best, it’d sound inspiring.

The Trouble with Jesus: He wouldn’t water his message into how people wanted to hear it.

It was a dark night after Jesus had stirred up mad trouble, a perfect time to lay low. The big shots were still heated about his tirade in the Temple . A whip cracked, tables flipped, cash flew, and animals scattered. Setting new standards for righteous anger, he wasn’t playing. “Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Hours later, when the crowds had been hushed and the money-makers thought Jesus was out of the game for now, a shadow slid into the disciples’ camp. By power and status, he was from the other side. No respectable Pharisee would be caught in the light of day with this troublemaker, but under the obscurity afforded by darkness, Nicodemus slid in.

Used to respect and power, Nicodemus tried to play it cool, but you can tell he’s nervous. He called Jesus Teacher and props up his miracles as proof God’s got his back. Or maybe he’s just trying to get close, level with this man of immense mystery.

Jesus doesn’t buy it. Immediately, pointedly, he declared that to see or be a part of God’s kingdom, “you must be born again.” Spiritually dense, Nicodemus asked if an old man can go back into his mother’s womb and be born again. Irrational thinking is not what he expected.

To be fair, maybe it was just the way Jesus said it. Maybe if he had said that you gotta change your life and priorities without losing yourself, it’d make more sense. Maybe if he had said you find God by keeping the commandments, attending the festivals, and making the sacrifices, it’d be easier to swallow. Maybe if he had used fancy theological or philosophical words about digging deep inside yourself to find your best, it’d sound inspiring.

The Trouble with Jesus: He wouldn’t water his message into how people wanted to hear it.

“You must be born again.”

Born Again

Like a newborn baby starting fresh, your soul needs a clean slate, washed by living in God’s Spirit, so the soul needs to be wiped cleaned, washed in water, if you will, by life lived out in the Spirit of God. That Spirit is known by knowing one who showed how deep God’s love runs. It’s for those whose souls come to believe that Love can flip their lives and destiny in this life and afterwards. In just 24 words or so, Jesus clarifies this Love.

By the Love of God

“God loved the world so much…” In a perfect place, back in the garden, an animal had to die to cover the first couple’s nakedness. Only by a death would a man and a woman know the extent of their Creator’s Love. They had wanted to be more, to be like God, and they believed a lie. “Eat this and you will not die.” (Genesis 3:1-4) The trouble it brought could only be halted with such a Love so big nothing would be beyond its reach into the world.

“God loved the world so much God gave…” It took the biggest sacrifice ever, Love that gave and gave all it could. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends,” he said. (John 15:13)

Costly? Yes. It meant a surrender that shatters all concept of a love that serves itself. “I came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) It’s a love that gives without caring what it gets back, how it is helped or promoted, or one’s life is made better. Total Love, no holds barred.

“God loved the world so much that God gave his only Son…” One can’t know Love without knowing its Lover . So Love came to show how Love is done. “As the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down my life…” (John 10:15) God knew what this Love would cost, and the only way to fix the world’s mess and trouble was for God’s Son to face it head-on.

“God loved the world so much that God gave his only Son that whoever believes in him…” “Come and see,” he said. (John 1:39) Watch me, observe me, draw closer, get nearer to what I do and who I am. Don’t just take someone else’s word. Get close enough, and I’ll flip your world and change everything you thought you were or could be. In me, you’ll know God and believe, in me you will have faith in what I can do, and in me you will trust as you walk in my path.

“God loved the world so much that God gave his only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish…” Yes, what you’ve been chasing, I want for you too. You will not die! That inner sense of self you call your soul is infinite, and the trouble you’ve lived will not rob you of your innermost, intimate part of you that only God sees and of which you barely understand. What the first couple reached for is yours now, but not by a lie. It is a gift from the life I give to you.

“God loved the world so much that God gave his only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) You see, you will not die; you will live — starting now. I came so you can have life, full and rich, and have it abundantly, satisfying with the essentials of all that life is and needs. Even more, this life will carry you beyond this world’s trouble into a better existence forever with me.

God Loves. God Gives.

God gave God’s self in human form, lived, died, and came back to flip the script on trouble by reversing where trouble ends into what God and every created person wants, not death but life that fulfills Love.

John 3:1-17

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

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The Devil You Know

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:45:01 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: a classic story of hero against antagonist. God’s beloved Son battled the total antithesis of who he was in a kind of hell.

Oh man, Son of Man, You really don’t know how to grease the wheel do you? Just can’t give what needs to be let go, and still get what you’re aiming for all along, can you? No, you lock horns with the best of them, literally drawing lines in the sand. Sure, you won this round, but after what happened to your best man, you should have known what would be coming for you.

It had been forty days. No food, no friends, just him with his thoughts, prayers, trying to sort out what had happened. His mind resembled the desert in which he’d spent these days, empty except for a dry wind that blew through. He gave meaning to retreat, get away and wrestle with what was stirring in the deepest parts of who you are and what it meant.

The Bulldozer Prophet: Prepare the Road

John seemed to be way ahead of him in that arena. Both men were now about 30 years old, cousins by relation. Both had heard their mothers’ stories of their births, foretold by angels, how they were conceived in reversals of natural order. John took on the role of prophet, calling people to repent, reverse the natural tendencies of their lives. He kept using the words of Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make the path straight.” John (called The Baptist) definitely was expecting a new thing, declaring a baptism that would happen with a power that burns, a power of holiness in God’s Spirit.

Jesus had to convince John to baptize him. JTB thought it should be the other way around. Jesus is going by the book here, wanting to be right, to fulfill or be filled with this power.

It happens. As John was bringing him up from the water, something like a dove landed upon him. A voice said, “ This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased .” Whether this revelation was only known to Jesus or evident to the crowd around them could be argued, but it’s of no consequence. The human part of the “Word made flesh” was meeting his divine destiny. He was compelled to know what that would be. That’s what drove him to the desert.

Better the Devil You Know

Forty days then with nothing but struggle. You’d think he could just settle it in his mind and go from there. It wasn’t going to be like that. To settle it with certainty, he had to prove it, test it, show himself and all in the heavenly realms who he was and who he wasn’t.

All heroes have an antagonist, one who pushes hard against the best parts of who you are and what your purpose is. Fitting then, God’s beloved Son would meet the total antithesis of who he was before he even got out of that hot place, a kind of hell. Not surprisingly, the great tempter appears.

Desert Dueling

By this time, it had been forty days since he had eaten. An obvious weakness, it’s an easy play for his enemy. “Son of God? Change this stone into bread!” But as one schooled in the ancient Scriptures, Jesus retorts, “ People need more than bread for their life .” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Ok, then, his adversary makes it personal. The vision gets larger. Show him a life-ending that doesn’t mean sacrifice and pain. Jump off the highest point of the Temple itself, and let the angels hold you from the fall. You’ll have the people in the palm of your hand, and you don’t have to end your life with a cross full of trouble.

Except Jesus knows what his enemy wants, to try to beat him now before they get to the place where this adversary will lose. With implied threat, Jesus comes back, “ Do not test the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

Then go for the glory. Showing him the whole world in a vision, his nemesis makes his deal. Just worship me, make me your God, and it’s yours. But it’s an easy turn down; Jesus rejects it all with a basic commandment, “ Worship the Lord your God and serve only him .” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

Every hero has an antagonist who embodies trouble, and the two will meet more than once. Ultimately, the devil backed down this time. Our hero has not fallen, but having been to hell and back, he is wounded sorely enough for angels came to care for him. Even so, the victory was made in not succumbing to the wisdom of the world, an offer to grasp power at any price, even if it was not pure.

Instead, Jesus battled for the will of God, the life of the poor in spirit, the meek and lowly, the pure in heart peacemakers who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10)

The devil didn’t win this one but still struck the final blow. John was arrested. The fight was on. Jesus began to preach. (Matthew 4:12-17) He used John's own words: (Matthew 3:2)

Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:1-11

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here .

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The Ashes of Our Lives

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 13:14:49 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Treasures most dear to God are the ashes of our lives.

Funny how religions have these strange dramas. Some wail and beat chests, some interrupt the day kneeling in a certain direction, others smear their faces with burnt leaves, all making a spectacle of themselves in flaunting how good and holy they’re supposed to be. But take an inside peak into their palaces of piety, and you don’t have to be a deity to know it’s all a sham. Give it up, please, or at least stay home and out of sight.

Yeah, that’s what Jesus said, too. He wasn’t in favor of ostentatious displays and public relation ploys to show how righteous one was. He even recommended praying in a closet alone, away and out of sight. What’s more, he got crazy about it saying don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. (Try doing that for a little mental workout.) And if you decide to donate to a good cause, keep it between you and God. (Maybe the IRS should know, but that’s on your conscience, not mine.)

You mention the shams of religion. God knows there’s a multitude out there who has benefited from it. Celebrities and politicians get a lot of mileage there. Preachers have become rock stars and are experts at whipping up a congregation to Amens and hands raised. You’d think you were at last week’s Superbowl. Face it, it’s often a good show. That’s what we live for, right?

Take a Private Position

So why was Jesus so adamant about keeping the disciplines of faith under cover? “Give your gifts in secret…pray to your Father secretly…fast, comb your hair, wash your face.” If God is the only one who knows about it, then only you and God know what it’s for.

So, what is it for? Reducing your tax liability, getting on the good side of God, losing weight? How come people are supposed to do this, and what do these Wednesday ashes prove?

Not to deny these things won’t happen, but it’s really about You, You alone as well as You collectively. It’s a time of deliberation about what is important, where your dependencies lie, what needs to be relinquished to God. It’s more than sacrificing chocolate until the Easter basket has a big brown bunny in it. Ultimately, it’s the right to oneself giving way to sacrifice. That sacrifice could lead to reward, not the good life we all desire, but good in what life should be.

A World View or World Vision?

How’s your lifestyle these days? If you live in this present time in the United States of America, even if you live on the streets, you’ve got it pretty good compared to third world countries when it comes to a measure of wealth and basic health. While inflation has taken a bite out of what’s affordable, other parts of the world don’t have a tenth of what we have stored in our closets. Our lifestyles, health, needs take precedent over the rest of the world, and too bad for them.

Need a specific suggestion? Take those chocolate bunny ears you’re ready to bite off. Look into where much of our chocolate comes from. Follow the money. Modern day slavery utilizes very young children, some stolen or sold into servitude, to harvest cocoa beans. Yep. What is a treat for our children is born of tragedy for others.

But we treat people in this country not much differently. Let’s take one issue of which we’re vaguely aware and agree it should be addressed: homelessness. As the graphic below shows, the causes of homelessness are many and complicated. Agencies that serve the homeless are up against all of this. Not one societal effort alone will solve it.

Denial: Not a River in Egypt

Overwhelmed? Makes giving up chocolate for Lent look easy. Yet, pretending it’s not your problem and just driving by that guy with a cardboard sign asking for help isn’t right either. Handouts might get someone through the night, but even those who are not very street smart know giving cash is a ticket to cheap drugs. Want to love your neighbor? Run into that secret prayer closet and ask for direction.

(Couple of things lacking in the graphic: those who are immigrants at our border or refugees running from war and oppression they didn’t cause. Spend some more time on your knees with that one.)

Where’s that leave us with God? Honestly, do you really think God cares if you give up some kind of food for six and a half weeks? None of it would make a substantial difference in reducing child labor, helping the homeless, or bettering your relationship with your neighbor, let alone with God.

What does get to God is how we expect the world to revolve around us. To examine these issues, to make or advocate for change in our lives and community that upholds justice and love of neighbor is what God desires. When you focus on what is beyond your own little realm and take notice of the brutal reality of another’s world, the challenge is clear. It’ll mean a measure of self-denial, attention to the have-nots, and acceptance that it will cost you in time, money, resources, all treasures stored up on earth. The old ways become ashes, given up and sacrificed for the purposes of heaven.

God does take notice of how you give, pray, and fast. For when we make choices viewed as treasure stored in heaven, we are blessed because our world is changed.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Flash

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:30:38 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He doesn’t give answers that calm and satisfy; instead, he leads to new heights and levels.

I had a late night. Maybe not the latest kind of night. Some nights never end. Still, I’m tired, and I get tired of this kind of thing, putting God in the clouds with dead people appearing out of nowhere. Not to mention lighting up Jesus in the middle of it. Transfiguration you call it. Put a big term on it and call it glory. Give it a rest, please.

Let’s say this as lovingly as one can. (In other words, some frustration has to be swallowed for this to come out right.) Last weekend the nation and beyond watched what is billed as the biggest night of football and maybe America. Anyone driving down a street saw in windows that weird light emanating from big screens. You won’t find anything else this year with more hype and spin . But tell a story about a revelation of God, and you get tired?

Sorry. Accept my apology please. It’s just that so many want a big show, a few feel good moments in song and commercials, spectacular halftimes, and hard-fought competition. There’s nothing bad in any of that, but still, when it’s over, does it get you through the next day, week, life? Has it helped enrich and sustain your relationships? In the long run, is the world getting better because of it?

You see, what happened that day was more than a show of the spectacular. Only a few best friends got to experience it. Peter, James, and John were brought along for a trek up a mountain. Once they reached the top, it wasn’t panoramic views that held them in awe. Something both strange and wonderful happened to Jesus as he prayed.

Faith with Doubt Built In

Six days earlier. Six days to think it over. Six days to sit with what he’d said. Six days with good news and bad news to swirl in their heads, and no real way to reconcile one with the other. It was another crisis in understanding.

Jesus does this all the time. He drops out these crumbs, and his disciples can only wait for what’s next. Out of the clear blue, he had asked them what people were saying about him, and then he’d turned the question back on them, “ Who do you say I am? ”

Next, he’s saying he’d be killed in Jerusalem and then rise on the third day. What could you possibly say back to both your worst fear and the most inconceivable thought ever? When Peter tried to reset him back to his right mind, Jesus basically called him a devil.

Then comes the challenge: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” What was this, a suicide mission?

Promise follows: “I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see me, the Son of Man, coming in my Kingdom.” Some relief that is, supposedly.

For six days that’s what they had, day and night, back and forth in their heads. Suddenly, he wasn’t the man they had known and followed.

Where was he going with this? Or rather, where were they going with him?

“You are seeing things merely from a human point of view and not from God’s.”

New Heights, New Sight

He must have sensed their questions and quandary. Characteristically, he does not give answers that calm and satisfy. Big questions should never be masked. Instead, he leads them to new heights and levels. This time, it literally is up a mountain.

Peter, James and John were the first disciples he’d called to come be with him. While they watched, a vision happened, or maybe it was their vision that was altered. A fierce, blazing light came over Jesus, a light that didn’t seem like it was shining on him, but rather coming from him such that, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white.”

Next, they realize Jesus isn’t alone. Two figures join him, two who are recognized as the most influential and revered prophets God had ever produced, Moses and Elijah. A conversation was taking place between them. It seems Jesus wasn’t there to experience this vision but rather to play a part in it. These prophets weren’t just talking to him, bringing him a message, but talking with him. Note the present tense. What was before is now with what is present. All of God’s plan seemed complete.

Glory Upon Glory

Finally, glory comes upon glory. A cloud, no, a bright, overpowering cloud comes over them. A voice from the cloud, an unmistakable thought, maybe even knowledge beyond thought, speaks. “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him. Listen to him.” Holy terror freezes the three; their faces hide and hit the dirt. They knew they were as good as dead.

In a Flash

Peter, James and John were very sleepy, maybe even in a spiritual trance. Coming out of it, Peter wanted it never to end. But it had, gone in the same flash in which it had come. He wants to build some kind of shrine for each of them. Honestly, Peter didn’t know exactly what he was saying, except that he was afraid of the power displayed as well as afraid it would not last.

Jesus touches them. “Don’t be afraid,” they hear him say. It was over, gone as fast as it came. Gone in the same flash in which it had come. Down the mountain they went. No one speaks of this until a long time later.

Any who have ever had a mountaintop experience will tell you, it’s nothing that can be planned, arranged, or scheduled. Spiritual encounters come out of the blue, filled with insights, revelations not previously perceived but somehow needed and relevant to a moment or period of life. And they never last. If anything, they serve as touchstones reminding of the source of that power, power greater than oneself in God who was, is and always will be.

Can’t Stay in the Clouds

As Jesus’ humanity fell away, Jesus changed into something they may have sensed, even struggled to believe about him. He became not just the Son of Man, but the Son of God.

Yet, that’s not the most significant part of the mountaintop. The path always leads down again to where the ground is level, the road of living and journey before you. The experience never gives all the answers complete and packaged up for reference. Still, it does gives direction.

All these three men had was a glimpse, a short-lived moment. It flashes out as does the sun rising over the horizon taking away breath and raising fervent desire it would stay just there. It does, but only for the time it takes to realize its full luminance, then mellows into the morning and day. It’s not gone, but not seen in the same way.

This moment was just that glimpse, a flash of clear vision into God’s vision or point of view. It overcomes the common, everyday plodding through life. When Jesus is seen or realized in a new light, it floods the mind and soul. Love is known in clearer, fuller ways.

Listen to him, the Voice had said. Listen to the words of Jesus, learn from him, get totally behind him, and in the low days and high mountains of life, follow him. Learn for yourself who Jesus is.

Follow that flash of light given to you.

Matthew 16:13-28 Matthew 17:1-9

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Of Light and Law

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:14:57 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Sometimes he brought things together that might not be a good idea.

Some things just won’t mix or at least shouldn’t: water and oil, light and dark, ammonia and bleach. One will rise above the other, cancel the other out, or react dangerously to anyone around. Throwing salt into a mix could either add flavor or kill off where it landed. Sometimes, Jesus brought things together that might not be a good idea.

Look at his famous sermon on a mountainside. Yeah, it’s a sermon, even if it wasn’t in a “worship center” like a church or the synagogues with which he’d be more familiar. Mix it up. Take God out the door. Make the ordinary into more than you usually think.

Salt of the Earth

To say someone is salt of the earth is supposed to be a compliment, like here’s someone you can trust, depend on for doing the right thing. Interestingly, salt or sodium chloride , besides being a good add to your french fries, also is central to the production of many chemicals making it most effective with other elements in industrial processes.

On the other hand, salt can corrode metal, destroy vegetation, not to mention sting miserably if poured into an open wound.

So Jesus, what you saying here? Is being a salty soul a good thing or not?

Like most things, that might depend on how it is used. Know how there are fish who live in either fresh or salt water? Pay attention to your environment and what it does to you. But there’s more.

Light of the World

Oh God, look around here. Angels we ain’t. You know, most of us can’t afford to be professional god-doers like you and your crew. We’ve got to make it through each day and somehow eat, sleep, raise our kids and stay under the radar of anything that might take this away. Higher grocery prices are all we can stand. Now, you’re telling us we’re like light, something like a fairy princess with magic dust so we can feel better about the life we’ve been dealt? That’s a true phony crutch if ever there was one.

He knows. He had just told them . They grieve, they are oppressed, too much wrong has come into their lives to take away whatever good morsels they can make of it. They try to love their neighbors, be peacemakers, be good people. He called them “blessed.”

It doesn’t feel like it. That reward is too far off. Give me something that’s now.

That’s the point. He won’t separate it out. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is seen best from the darkest recesses at the opposite end. When the night sky is only shadow, the lights from a city on a mountain enlighten, reach out to those who walk toward it.

To be the light of the world, however, comes not from individual sources but is a call and reflection of the vision, purpose and hope needed to make it out of that dark tunnel. If it is covered up, its burn will dim to a flicker and smolder until it goes out. Jesus says keep it high on a lamp stand and give God gratitude for its being there.

Law Fulfillment

Now, he really mixes it up. Jesus gives this line that he’s come to fulfill the Law.

Wonderful. Just hold that bar high and show us what we’re not. Don’t religious leaders do enough of that? Set impossible standards and then beat us up for it.

Wait. What did you say? “But I warn you—unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!” Well, that won’t make you friends in high places, but what do you mean obey God better than the Pharisees? They’re on our case about every single step we take on Sabbath days. You want us to do more of that kind of thing?

Or are you trying to mix law in with salt and light?

You’re right. Wait. Start where it came from. Moses said, Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Deuteronomy 6:5 , Leviticus 19:18

When law is enforced but there’s no love, it’s as caustic as corroding salt, a slow chemical reaction that eats away and destroys the spirit. Law becomes an avenue of judgement creating a cover for light that is hidden, eventually smothered. In Jesus’ eyes, the Pharisees were promoters of religion gone wrong.

Jesus saw law as window into the heart of God, not an invention of righteousness but divine revelation. To do away with and abolish law is to declare God has changed—or worse. Were God to do that, God also may not be trusted in any promises he gave either, as in those Blessings of which Jesus began this sermon. In short, to break a commandment is not just breaking an arbitrary rule but denies the essence of God in reordering the world.

To be the light of the world is to glow love. It’s not fairy dust. It’s connecting with God and others in that love. Law is not meant to control, but to raise up as oil sits on top of water. And it’s real, not hidden away, but known by salty good deeds motivated by love of God and neighbor.

Light shines like a bright city on a mountainside at night. The Kingdom of Heaven, where the boundaries and expectations before God are based in Love, is not so far off after all.

Matthew 5:13-20

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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And May It Be

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:51:20 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His words lead from the trouble in life.

Thank you, Jesus, for your wonderful way of helping those who suffer swallow their lot and sing the old song, “ When we all get to heaven… ” If that’s how God blesses people, who needs God in the first place? Your blessings speak of a cursed life. We don’t need a God like that.

Here’s betting there’s even more in this from which you’d prefer to walk away. Certainly no one would ever want to be poor or “poor in spirit” as Jesus names it. And yeah, we know that we’re going to lose people sooner or later. But being in grief and mourning is a tough way to get close to God. Oppressed people “hunger and thirst for justice [righteousness]”. Why can’t God just make the world right to begin with?

In short, to get along in this world, virtues of meek humility, mercy and kindness, starry-eyed idealists, calls for peace, and non-violent resistance belong in the land of the lame. People praise these qualities at funerals, but life requires characteristics that get the job done and ethics get muddied in the process. Step all over whoever you have to and hope you’re never the one to get squashed.

Jesus, what really doesn’t make sense is how you say this on your first big stage. Here you are speaking from a first-century arena, on a mountain with your main guys in front and crowds filling in behind. Son of Man, people are seeing you and thinking this is like Moses bringing down the Big Ten from God’s mountain. They want to know again what God is going to do for them as a nation and in their own lives. And all you have are these platitudes?

Reframe It

Let’s address this up front. Jesus is not saying that you’ve got to be in a bad place so as to be blessed, feel God has your back and is doing something in your life. And sorry to say, old Moses, but Jesus isn’t rehashing the thought that if someone is good enough, as in perfectly keeping all those laws, God’s goodness is all yours.

He’s also not closing his eyes to what he sees right in front of him. Hard circumstances never let up for these people. He’d just been on a preaching tour, and people with every kind of illness known, physical, mental, spiritual had flocked to him for healing. ( Matthew 4:23-24 ) His words lead from the trouble in their lives . And radical words they are.

Provocative Teaching

“Blessed are…” Jesus’ repetition of this phrase introduces what’d never been heard before. Not that he says all your problems are going to go away immediately. Most of his blessings lead into the future tense. But this new thought for these who suffered was how God has not forgotten you, God cares, and God is making a new way for you in the world.

Great, and how many times have people been through the worst thing possible and then hear, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.” Your big Sermon on the Mount must be the originator of how people cry volumes of what’s so wrong and shameful today, but it all comes to nothing. Jesus, these people need action NOW.

Exactly, and Jesus brings it, though not recognized as much today. In that time, the spoken word for people contained a kind of power. Today, we’re shrewd enough not to believe everything you hear (or read). But then, seeing one speaking with authority from God, his words were potent. Just by the saying of it, a new reality was created.

His words were not just a hope or even a prayer. His words were blessing. To know one is blessed, not in some future when “we all get to heaven” promise, but NOW changes one’s perspective, identity, purpose. Those who mourn realize comfort, those who seek justice live into it, the meek raise up to meet life as it comes. People find in Jesus’ words a reversal of how they are known by God. No longer are they to be pitied and victimized. They live in God’s blessing.

And What Difference Will That Make?

Note this: Jesus begins and ends these blessings with a reference to the Kingdom of Heaven. This isn’t the one people sing about until they get there. No, this is a reordering of the world.

Will there still be those who are poor in spirit, who are sad, simple folk who seem to not have influence as the world prefers it? Will those who try to be generous with others even in their mistakes be taken advantage of? Will the peacemakers forever be challenged by conflict? Will those who live in ways that reflect faith and the fortitude still be severely challenged for it? Here’s another bet you can make all that will happen.

Bet on it but be prepared to risk big loss. For in this reordering known as the Kingdom of Heaven is an unspoken challenge. Want blessing? Be that blessing. Side with the poor to see that poverty and hopelessness are eradicated. Get alongside those who grieve and let them know they’re not alone. Walk with the meek and become like them. Work for justice so the world will know a righteousness that is available to all. Imitate the merciful. Honor the pure in heart and their wisdom. Proclaim peace as not absence of conflict but as shalom , reconciliation with God and neighbor.

No where in this homily does Jesus deliver any “thou shalt or shalt nots.” His listing of virtues recognized by God as worthy of blessing are not commandments on which blessing depends. Yet, undergirding them lies the greatest gift of blessing there can be: the undeserved grace by which these reversals and reordering rest. For this, Jesus invites those who receive him and his words to, “Rejoice and Be Glad!”

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Matthew 5:1-12

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

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Narrative Control

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 19:23:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Don't ignore the context of his narrative.

It’s a story for the books, maybe a movie (ok, yeah, that’s been done already), but who really does this sort of thing? You’ve got to be really desperate to just take off, leave your job and family, and literally get behind a guy who says get on board with him, and he’ll show you how to fish for people. Think about it. People can stink worse than fish. I don’t know. What did they think they were getting into?

There’s the narrative, and then there’s the context of that narrative. The writer here gives our 21 ^st century a simple sketch which screamed to the 1st century readers to pay close attention. They’d lived in this context and had the necessary background knowledge to fill in the story. Should the writer have been more specific, this message may have been banned and burned before its distribution. Remember, ruling powers control the narrative and won’t allow that which makes them look less than the shine on their crowns. Sound familiar?

Resistance

Jesus’ dear friend and cousin, John the Baptist, had been arrested. Again, this writer doesn’t give details. People knew that JTB had tangled with Herod Antipas, the regional ruler, over his involvement with his brother’s wife. Herod thought putting him in lockup would quiet everything.

Instead, Jesus heads right into Galilee and takes up John’s message verbatim. “Turn from your sins and turn to God because the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Herod would know exactly what Jesus was saying to him.

Taking up JTB’s mantle gave Jesus the guise of religious reformer. As such, he needed to surround himself with student followers who would be trainees to take his teachings into other regions and call people to reverse their lives and turn toward goodness as known in God. On the surface, that looks lame enough. Nothing unusual about these Jewish self-called rabbi/teachers preaching throughout the land. As long as they didn’t criticize either the Romans or the religious leaders, they were tolerated.

Yet, note where Jesus walks. Galilee, specifically the Sea of Galilee, Herod’s district, many, many miles away from the religious center of Jerusalem. Our writer pulls from an ancient prophet to not only describe the area, but possibly to portend what’s simmering there. “People…sat in darkness…in the land where death casts its shadow.” A light is coming, according to this prophet, and will shine there. Darkness will leave driven out by that Light. But what’s driven away doesn’t go without a fight.

Jesus finds who he’s looking for. People in this land must do what they can to get by. Estimates are that 70-90% were in real poverty: bad water, food insecurity, and the debilitating diseases that result. You hope the day will bring enough to get you through to the next, nothing more. When Jesus interrupts, pull in your gut.

It had been beaten in them from both the synagogue and life circumstances that they weren’t anything of worth, meant to be noticed or considered special. Beyond what little these watermen could bring home on a good catch, no one would have given them any kind of recognition. That’s how the world was made; some got it all, the rest got what’s left over.

Now Jesus leans in. Two brothers, Simon and Andrew hear, “Come, be my disciples. I will show you how to fish for people.” Two others are farther up the coast line, sitting in a boat with their father. Jesus repeats his invitation. All of them release the nets that tied them to their wretched lives.

Surely, these guys had some sense in their heads other than just getting out of a miserable job. What possibly could they have seen or heard from Jesus to just abandon their lives and get behind such a silly idea of fishing for people? Have to admit, this is the biggest stretch you’ve dumped here so far.

Fair enough. But with those words, Simon (later known as Peter), Andrew, James, and John were granted a reversal greater than a boat-load full of fish. They were chosen for a new kind of life with a leader who would reverse their status and make them into what they never could be, men who spoke words from God that changed lives. No longer would they be considered the losers, the bottom-feeders, the ones lower than underdogs. So immediately, they dropped their lines and followed Jesus.

But what was life changing good news for them meant trouble for those who always looked down upon them, those of status and power.

Revolution

To understand what Jesus was calling them to do, you can’t ignore the changing political, economic, and social scene.

When Caesar Augustus died, Tiberius became ruler of Rome. Herod Antipas knew what side of the bread the butter needed to be, so he built a new city on the Sea of Galilee and smartly named it, Tiberius. He had big plans for this new urban center, specifically the fishing industry. Doing what despots do, he saw to it that all fishing was controlled by the Romans. Taxes bit into everybody’s profits by requiring fishing permits, a sales tax on the product and its processing, and even enforcing toll taxes on its transport.

Don’t think this revenue was funneled back for the promotion and benefit of the people who did the hard work. Keeping these Jews marginalized and poor held the lid on them, so Rome was happy with that. Government infrastructure got a great boost from the project with building good roads and fantastic palaces. All in all, Herod had a good thing going here.

In the eyes of Rome, it’s what you do when there are dissonant voices against your reign. In reality, Herod’s agenda only heated the simmer against Rome. Add in the oppression against the fishing industry, and you easily could find people who were ready to make a stand. All they needed was a leader.

So are you saying Jesus really recruited these guys to a call to arms, so to speak? They thought they were signing into God’s army to overthrow the Romans and get their lives back? That’s not the usual narrative.

Again, there’s the narrative, and then there’s the context of that narrative. People pull the details that enhance their own platforms. These men did not have a real clue as to the specifics of the plan. If they had, would they have gotten behind Jesus and the movement he was starting?

Who knows, but it does explain why for the next three years they seemed to be mistaken as to where this mission was leading. They had learned from their own history as God’s chosen people only by a mighty warrior could invaders be turned away. The ancient writings had said a Messiah was promised. More than ever, the people wanted that time to be now, and Jesus’ message made him a good candidate.

Radicalization

What gets wrapped in this story is the change Jesus would preach. Radical change, certainly, but not change brought about as before. Time and again, he tangled with the religious authorities who more often than not cow-towed to the political rule. What infuriated him was how they leveraged God to oppress the people as much as the Romans did with their heavy taxing.

But instead of raising an army and storming the Roman centers of power, Jesus preached loving neighbor and enemy, turning the other cheek, walking an extra mile . In doing so, the prisoner would be released, the blind will see, and the oppressed freed from what chains them .

Such a movement would effect change, change greater than any charismatic leader, governmental edicts or religious laws could bring. Inherent in it is revolution that ascends above what no protest, demonstration, march, or rally could ever accomplish.

Fishing for people involves a radicalization which reverses one’s relationships so as to honor God and care for others. By this, the rancor and divisions between people would lower, maybe even be removed, and bring about the Kingdom of Heaven.

What’s that look like? Watch where they go from there: “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee teaching…preaching everywhere the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease.”

Narrative that is good twenty centuries later. The context continues.

Matthew 4:12-23

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings Ask for it wherever you buy your books, or just Click Here .

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What Led Before Informs What's Next

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 23:02:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is aimed at a collective redirection of humankind.

Another tough one. Why can’t we just skip over it and go to the end where all looks like it’s leading to a good place? No, Jesus, you dump on us that which doesn’t seem like anything until we get a peek at what’s underneath. That’s why we stand off on the side, find it hard to trust what you say, who you are, if you’re real. Yeah, make it easy on yourself, let us slide by this one with our eyes shut.

No. Not giving in on that. Sure, it’d be easier for both of us but not the best thing. Only when we struggle do we get stronger, know at least an essence of the truth in it. That’s what you really want even if it’s the hard truth.

But if it helps both of us to ease into it, let’s start in the middle, settle alongside it, and feel where it may lead. To fully grasp it though, understand what led before informs what’s next.

Day Two: What Do You Want?

Start with this: funny in a way how it happened. But since John’s long finger had kept pointing to Jesus, it’s really no surprise. John, still over the top about what he’d just realized, declares, “Look! The Lamb of God!” Maybe they were between having enough of this weirdo wearing itchy camel hair, eating locust and honey and yet seeing some of what John saw, but two of John’s own disciples take off behind Jesus.

Jesus likely sensed their redirection. Sometimes students of learned teachers would walk in the very footprints of the teachers from which they wished to learn. People along the road may have looked from Jesus to what was behind him. Just to make it easy on everyone, he looks around and speaks.

Pay attention now. These are the first recorded words in this record written by a disciple who would be one of Jesus’ closest friends and followers. What he says may very well define the relationship from there on out.

“What do you want?” Spoken words that questioned their purpose in being behind him. Or was it more? What are you looking for, seeking to find? What are your needs in the core of your being? What stirs your soul enough to get in line with One who is like no other you’ve ever known? What are your expectations as you start to follow me?

These two couldn’t give an answer really. Who knows what anyone really wants except that something is missing, not in place, has a hole growing inside that the world can’t fill. Their only answer is the most simple, most futile, and most right one they can give.

“Rabbi, where are you staying?” Rabbi. Teacher, they call him. Their answer with a question reveals more than a request for the location of Jesus’ tent. They want to be with him, close to him, to stay with him. Who knows, to become like him? For now though, it fits. Teach us who you are, what you know of God, what you know of us.

“Come and see,” he replies. I’ll show you where I stay, how I live, who I am. See me and you’ll know me, understand more than past references in ancient writings.

Again, understand what led before informs what’s next, where this new Teacher will lead those who follow.

Back to Day One: Like No One You’d Ever Seen

John, the one that did all that shouting in the desert, somehow had gotten followers, a kind of first-century social platform, who took him seriously despite his weirdness. He was known for two things. He proclaimed the people needed to repent, that is reverse their lives toward good, so as to prepare for the One who was coming and sent from God. For those who accepted his message, John would baptize them. Thus, he’s known as John the Baptist (JTB).

Now, to be clear, baptism wasn’t a new thing that JTB made up on his own. Baptism with water was a familiar Jewish practice. This explains why people were receptive to it.

Which brings it to the place where what it was, now it wasn’t. What was that, what led before informs what's next? When John saw Jesus coming toward him, JTB declares, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Now most folks assume JTB and Jesus had seen each other before. After all, their mothers were related so somewhere in the last 30 years they’d probably been thrown together at family affairs. However, John almost can’t get out of his own way on this particular day. Twice he says, “I didn’t know he was the one.” But what he now knows changes everything. What led before will inform what's next.

As John gazed upon Jesus, a dove-like form of the Holy Spirit came upon him. With new eyes, JTB realizes that Jesus was the One for whom people were to prepare. Hinting at the full identity of Jesus, John practically gushes that Jesus is far greater than himself because “he existed long before I did.”

Interestingly though, this particular passage never says that John baptized Jesus with water. An omission by the writer? Maybe, but deliberately so. From this point, baptism by water as an act of turning toward God takes second place, maybe even drops away. What is significant in this new baptism is the coming of the Holy Spirit.

So what’s that supposed to mean, this ‘coming of the Holy Spirit’?

That kind of questioning is where your feet are going to get wet in preparation for that deep dive you’ve been avoiding. But since you asked….

Whereas the Jews knew of the Holy Spirit and their ancient writings had referenced the Spirit of God, this kind of presence of God wasn’t around or available consistently. Yet now, as the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, there was a power and a purpose which would pull upon and move him. Once fulfilled in Jesus, this same Spirit would be in the lives of those receptive to him. (Luke 24:49)

That much is the easy part, uh, easier at least than what led to John’s identification of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Grapple with what John had called Jesus. “There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

So what’s the problem with that? JTB calls Jesus the Lamb of God. As in the nursery rhyme, Mary had a Little Lamb , geez but that is so cute, (it’s awful really).

It gets murky here, especially for animal rights activists. Sheep and lambs are dumb animals, and they have this herd instinct that follow whoever calls them. “Everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.” However, Jesus was famous for his debating skills, and he didn’t exactly fall in with the crowd.

Fall back on the old story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son in obedience to God. (Genesis 22) At first you’d think it foreshadowed the Temple rituals of sacrificing lambs as sin offerings. But Abraham’s sacrifice was not because he’s done something against God or another person, but because he wanted to do whatever God asked of him, even if it took all the faith he could muster. But before the worst could happen, God provided a ram instead to sacrifice. In other words, God made another way. There was no lamb.

Then there was the story of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt as slaves . (Exodus 12) God said put the blood of a perfect lamb on doorposts, so when the angel of death came, it would know to “Passover” that house. Still, the lamb’s blood was not because anyone was out of favor with God, but rather a sign of God’s protective measure to shield the people from this last deadly plague that finally bought their freedom from Pharaoh.

Well then, listen to the Torah, the Law, and the prescribed Day of Atonement . On this holy day, Jews are asked to spend time in repentance. But no blood sacrifice is made on this day. A goat ritualistically carried away the sins of the people. From thus comes the understanding of scapegoat. Still, there’s no lamb.

Which leaves one last reference from which JTB could have pulled in order to see Jesus as Lamb of God. The ancient prophet’s writings of Isaiah speak of God’s servant as a lamb led to slaughter who makes it possible for many to be counted as righteous for he will bear all their sins . (Isaiah 53) The glitch though is now John declares this Lamb of God of which he speaks “takes away the sin (not sins) of the world.”

John’s role grows from that of the Baptizer to one of Witness. By presenting Jesus as Lamb of God in a new and now greater way, an understanding of what God is about to do becomes more than was ever understood before. Individual souls must come to understandings of who they are in relationship to God certainly.

The Trouble with Jesus is aimed at a collective redirection of humankind. This Lamb of God would become like no One the world had ever seen. John’s witness summarized its impact for now the Lamb is no less than the Son of God.

Lamb of God, Son of God, Rabbi/Teacher.

Dwell and abide with me and you’ll see with more than human eyes.

It didn’t take long. Before that second day was out, one of them, Andrew, ran to find his brother, Simon, the disciple whom Jesus would rename as Peter, meaning Rock.

“We have found the Messiah.” What led before informs what’s next.

John 1:29-42

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Prepare to Pivot

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:32:44 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

Reversals are necessary. Position for change greater than simple New Year resolutions.

Here we are, the first full week of a new year, and do we ever need one. Sure, much has happened that we didn’t see coming, but we’re almost too familiar with that now. The thing is, are we willing to accept, buy into, focus on what that means? Will we have influence, impact, or at least be open to any newness of life in the coming months? Or again, will we passively accept what has been without resolution to change?

Resolution? Don’t you know what happens to resolutions made this time of the year? Before the month is out most of them are shelved. What’ve you got here? Another article on how to make and keep New Year’s Resolutions? Sorry, I read them all for twenty-plus years, and the best I’ve come away with is not to make New Year’s Resolutions. Give me more, or I’m canceling out of this one.

Can’t blame you. Quitter’s Day is a thing. And you’re right, the futility of the sentiment is pretty real. Honestly though, you’re going to get a Yes answer and No answer. Hang in here.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

If you can’t take the high road on this, at least concede this much: we all have that in our lives we’d like to change. Sometimes it’s a big matter: divisions in our society (racial, political, religious, etc.) Other times it’s a cause: poverty, immigration, climate change, equal access to good education. Relationships can be improved, both personal and professional. Health is always a big one this time of the year, losing weight being primary. But then there’s the one that is out of sight, intuitive, intrinsic, psychological, existential. Divide it up however you like. But something is nudging that a change is needed, and ultimately, it starts with the individual. It’s nothing new either.

Our old friend JTB was into this kind of thing. Out in the wilderness (take that as literal or metaphoric), he declared a change was coming. What people had hoped for was about to be revealed. John the Baptist’s primary message had been to prepare for it, well, in this case, the Messiah.

Business as usual wouldn’t work here. Repentance was necessary… Wait a minute. Is this going to be one of those, “Sinners, you’re going to burn!” ploys? Cause if it is, my thumb is on the home button.

Geeze, don’t be so sensitive, protective, fearful or whatever it is that makes you want to run. Layer on what you will without hearing this out, but you’re walking away from a chance to at least examine what you may be missing.

Start at the Beginning

Yes, repent, John the Baptist had said. You know you need it. Why do you think people make those yearly resolutions, devise vision boards around them, go to support groups, even counseling? Some kind of alteration, adjustment, amendment in how life is approached and worked out is needed. At its core is an admittance that something is not right in oneself and an unburdening of negative clutter is needed. Acknowledging that need and the regret that one has in being in these situations is repentance. It’s Step One, Part A: admit to the unmanageable parts of your life. All those in recovery learn this first.

So JTB was way ahead of the psychological gurus of today on this one. Yet, he knew more is needed. Part B: you’re powerless to do this on your own. Sometimes that’s what’s missing in those resolutions. People think all they need is willpower. If that were true, WW (a.k.a. Weight Watchers) would have gone out of business a long time ago. Add Step Two: a Power greater than ourselves is needed to restore the sanity in it all.

For JTB, that meant baptism. (Roll of eyes; here it comes.) Ok, granted, now you have images of river dunking or at least a big tub. Well, some just sprinkle a few droplets, but the effect is the same. Hold on though and see where John was going with this.

He did it the old-fashioned way, with water right out of the Jordan River. Yet, he conceded there would be a greater way, what he called a new baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. Knew it! Sooner or later, you want us fried.

No doubt it’s tough to take but hear this: we all have that which needs to burn through the soul, a repentance, a willingness to admit life on our terms is not working. Still, the reversal required can’t be done on our own. That’s the Power greater than ourselves, the Holy Spirit. But watch; there’s more.

Enter John’s friend and cousin, Jesus right out of Nazareth, just one step removed from that wilderness they’re in. Jesus gets in line with the others. Likely, only John realized there was more to this than even he knew. John had muttered something about not being worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals.

Prepare to Pivot

If there’s going to be a change in your personal position and perspectives, you’re going to have to get in that line. That is, you need to position yourself for whatever difference you want to achieve. And you have to be open to however that comes to you.

The record states, “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened...” The heavens were opened? Yes, split open, an explosive tearing apart, not just a peak into the scene, but a spilling out of cosmic proportions. Certainly emphatic yet containing a limitation. The record does not say it blew the place apart. The indication is only Jesus saw it and heard these words of affirmation, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him.” In other words, it was all for just him to know and live into.

The bigger point is in how change happens in life. A willingness is necessary to reverse one’s perspectives, practices, lifestyle, even beliefs because you can tell it’s just not working. That’s repentance. And it cannot be done alone or even with the help of those who want something better for you. Life must be positioned for change, for a “baptism” that acknowledges it needs to be turned over to the One who wants to call you Beloved.

Whether it’s by an immersion in the waters of the Jordan River, or a cry of the heart to God, the heavens still open in answer. It’s not a mere resolution to try and be better, but personal conversion that turns hope for now and in the future into reality through the work of the Holy Spirit.

We’re going to need it. Look what happened to Jesus. Following this epiphany of who he was, where did he head next?

Into the wilderness to meet his own demon.

Happy New Year.

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Search Lights

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:30:53 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Religion tells people how to find God.

Magi tell another side of the story.

Now, wasn’t that so sweet. Baby Jesus is born in a stable with sweet hay in a manger bed. Shepherds kneel before him, angels sing, a star shines above, and three kings bring gifts.

Well, that’s done for another year. Let’s eat some more, party a little, return the gifts we don’t like, and buy more of what we don’t need. Then we’ll close out another year of dodging flu virus variants while keeping an eye out for God-only-knows what’s next going to throw you under a bus and move on to normal, however that’s going to look, in 2026. Ho, Ho, Ho, let’s just go.

Ok, if that’s the way you want it. While you’re peering into hell as you numb your body, mind, and soul, you also might want to check out the distance you need to go to reach heaven.

It’s a slow journey, not one that’s knocked off in a night and a day. And to make the climb, watch out for what will pull you down and back. You’re right. Careful people, just be careful.

No Traveling Mercies Here

First, don’t collapse what was Christmas down to a few hours or one pretty vignette. In a lot of ways, the story sucked. But they got through it. Joseph and Mary found a house in Bethlehem to live in instead of a barn. Things quieted down after the shepherds left. No angels had awakened them in the middle of the night for a long time. Nearly two years had passed; they had settled into their kind of new normal with their toddler boy child.

If anyone had noticed though, there were some strange things happening in mysterious places unfamiliar to the simple folk in first-century Palestine. In Jerusalem, the first indication was when out of the desert came some strange figures. Their dress, customs, language gave them away in an instant. However, these were not traders with exotic goods to exchange. They wanted information, answers to questions that got attention in circles of government and religion. You’re right; these two don’t mix well, never have, never will. Careful, stand back. A combination like this can get dangerous.

Starry, Starry Nights

The caravan consisted of what in the Greek language are called Magi. (And for the record, no one is saying there were just three wise men. Again, be careful, don’t read into the story what’s not there or has been added by tradition, made into poetry and song.) Yet, wise they were thought to be, scholars and observers of the celestial bodies above, the closest to being scientists for that age in time. Their acute observations had a mystical side as well, but one akin to those who seek in creation’s beauty the Creator behind it.

They had narrowed it down. The stars spoke to them. A new king had been born to the Jews according to what they’d discerned by this new star they had been following. Their purpose was to pay homage, to worship him. Certainly, everyone in Jerusalem and the surrounding country knew this good news.

When Good News is Bad News

Except, no one did. Again, be careful. Don’t assume everyone else knows what you know or that what you know is going to be welcome news. Likely, their queries were met with blank stares and heads shaking. These wise men didn’t seem that smart after all. And especially not smart when you consider who would not welcome this news the most. Enter government and religion, and wait for a long fuse to be lit.

A King? And a King of the Jews? Where’d that leave King Herod, the Roman tetrarch who ruled with an iron, sick fist? Herod ranked among the most narcistic and paranoid of all leaders, so obsessed with keeping power he even had three of his sons murdered so as to destroy a plot against his throne. Any, any hint, whiff, intimation that he’d be overthrown had to be squashed. No, this “sign”, even a story told by the stars, was not good news.

Then again, isn’t this what the people had been praying for? A king, a Messiah, to deliver them from this kind of oppression was their hope. One problem though, the religious hierarchy had no clue about it. Now if God was on the move, if the ancient prophecies were coming true, if a king no less than the great King David, their warrior and uniter of the nation, was on the horizon, wouldn’t God have sent his Temple lieutenants the message? Certainly not to these heathen foreigners who knew nothing of the Torah and how hard a job it had been to keep the people together in faith and festivals.

In the end, such news was taken by both as a threat, not because Herod or the priests believed it was real, but if others believed it, it could threaten their political and religious grip on power, wealth, and control of the people. They needed to get to the bottom and be rid of it fast.

An Unholy Alliance

The teachers of the law informed Herod that the prophecy stated the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Herod knew how to handle this. Feign interest, mislead these not-wise men, act like he also wants to bring the child-king his devotion. First though, he needs a bit of information.

They fall for it. Telling Herod, they assumed the child was born approximately two years ago because that is when the star appeared. Herod sends them off asking they inform him once they have located the child. What Herod didn’t count on was a power higher than himself.

Tread Lightly

The Magi continue their journey, and the star goes before them, straight to Bethlehem and right to the child. The waiting, watching, hoping, believing they were right in this long quest finds its destination. But be wary. Answer this question: did the Magi find their King, or was the star a search light looking for followers of the King?

In gratitude, they open their store of treasure and present gifts, gifts lavish and rich and fit for a king. Certainly, gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh are known to be immensely expensive. Yet, be careful in the realization and impact of their giving. Each gift carried its own significance for what this child would be. Gold was for a king, frankincense was for priestly worship, and myrrh meant his demise as it was used as an embalming spice. In brief, this kingly priest was going to die.

Worst Nightmare

God’s lieutenant, an angel again, appears in dreams warning these kings who worshipped the King not to go back to Herod and ordering Joseph to take the family to Egypt as refugees to wait it out until they could be safe from the villain Herod. When Herod realized he had been beaten in his own game, he retaliated. Evil found its target in the slaughter of all baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem.

The birth of Christ is not a happy little story ending in “no crying he makes.” This tale can’t be wrapped up, opened, and put away in a matter of a few days. Time hangs over it, and to be fully understood, wholly celebrated, clearly realized, it needs to be taken as a journey. Be careful. Give it at least a full twelve days, until January 6. You’ve heard that song?

To Be Blunt:

Now is not the time to take down the tree and put away the lights. So what if they have been up since before Halloween? Consider the early need for holiday spirit as a call to begin a journey. Don’t make it a short stroll either. You have to be careful that half-truths aren’t swallowed, and false details don’t give wrong impressions. You also will meet those who would destroy your hope and belief with negativity and apathy. Sad, bad things happen even at Christmas, and not just in 2025.

When light shines in darkness, there still will be those who don’t welcome its brightness for what it reveals. Most of the world thinks religion is meant to tell people how to find God. No wonder it doesn’t ring true for most. Magi tell the other side of the story. God comes to find us in quiet, unseen or unexpected ways like babies born to two ordinary people, a proclamation of good news given to marginalized people of the night, foreign entities who see celestial movements as divine search lights with cosmic relevance.

Epiphany: Wise ones aren’t seekers. Wise ones are found ones who follow.

Matthew 2:1-18

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Wrong time for Christmas

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:11:17 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His birth shows God’s plan is

not to fix everything that is wrong in the world,

but to meet all the wrong in the world with Love.

Forget it. Christmas never delivers what it should. Again. Inflation presses on, wars that never should have been have global effects, mass shootings occur every week, there's an ugliness in our nation that's unsettling. Not including our personal fights and family dysfunction. Oh, but shoppers charge their cards and dull the senses with commercialism. Your tra-la-la-la-las just aren’t going to sing anything good about this Christmas.

If this helps, God knows. God knows it’s a big date on the calendar for us. When daylight lessens, the holiday lights help remind us that life is not as dark as we perceive. Excited children and special holiday recipes give us something to anticipate. Gift giving, especially to those who have less, reminds us that generosity is a gift in itself. All is as if God planned for us to have this wonderful time of the year.

Oh, right. Please, please tell. What’s so wonderful about Christmas for us this year or any other for that matter?

God knows. God knows what you think Christmas is supposed to be. The thing is, God’s Christmas wasn’t all jingle bells and elves on a shelf either.

An Alternative Christmas

Take a good hard look at the story, and maybe you can relate. The world was expecting, waiting, trying in its own way to prepare for him. The ancient writings promised time and again he would come. The priests tried to make the people straighten up and act holy for his entrance. Various sects armed themselves to battle for him. They were more than ready for his coming. But stockings hung on a mantle need someone to fill them, and we all know stories of sleighs full of toys and chimney drops won’t do the job.

God knows and God knows how we think things should be. The problem is, God doesn’t always work like we think God should. God had other plans. So what do we get?

The emperor, Caesar Augustus, needed to fund some projects to support his regime. Tax time! Go to those you can oppress and drain them dry. That will keep those insurgents quiet for a while. Every family was ordered to go back to their ancestral homes to be counted and fleeced.

Now there was this guy, Joseph, who was in a miserable quandary. Several months earlier he found out his fiancé was pregnant—and he wasn’t the proud father. He could have dumped her, no one would blame him, but that would have brought a different kind of guilt with it. Jewish law stated women found pregnant before marriage should be stoned . (Deuteronomy 22:23-24) He must have cared deeply for her, for he decided to go ahead with the marriage. There also was a story about an angel who assured him all was good , so with only an insane kind of faith, he packs up the girl, Mary, and heads out on a three-day journey to Bethlehem despite her due date being not far off. The Romans didn’t give a Christmas fig about that sort of thing.

No telling how hard that trip must have been on her, but their luck ran out faster than reindeer fly. Upon arrival, apparently with crowds that more than rivaled last minute shoppers on December 24, they find there is no place to stay. Even her condition did not yield the mercy of a bed. When you’re tired beyond your last ounce of strength, you take what you can get, a hole-in-the-wall cave of a stable just so you can lie down and don’t have to take one more step. And that’s where it happened.

Christmas All Wrong

Christmas happened when a baby boy was born to two destitute parents in a barn. The record doesn’t tell it, but you know what it likely meant. Fatigue and filth and only faith to push back fear. One song gets it right: no crib for a bed. With only ragged strips of cloth to securely wrap him, Mary laid her baby in a feeding trough.

Christmas happened, and you can bet it wasn’t a silent night. Not long afterwards, a herd of shepherds came barging in, and you can add to that bet they weren’t wearing masks. These men were people of the night, the ones who lived outside on the margins of life in service to the better-off. They came with a story as fantastic and phantastical as Mary and Joseph each had known. Angels, an army of angels no less, had brought them news that the Messiah Savior was born in Bethlehem, in a manger wrapped in strips of cloth. They had run to see it for themselves and now couldn’t contain their joyous praise to God. Telling everyone, the shepherds’ tale left people astonished. That doesn’t mean the shepherds were believed, just that some may have found their tale incredulous.

Christmas Comes to the Wrong People

Christmas happened, and it happened in every way it shouldn’t. Like a blanket of heavy snow, oppression, poverty, marginalized characters populate the story. Those who should have been in the know did not get an invitation to the party. Yet, when the story was all wrong, that’s when in the form of a baby God showed up. And what do you get with a baby?

Christmas happened, and it still happens. Our Christmas story this year once again is not the Christmas we want. We sit in this messy middle, wait for life to be some kind of normal, pray that the insanity on the streets all the way to political houses stop, that peace on earth would begin in our homes. But that’s not Christmas. We never get what we really want for Christmas. That’s what we think God should do for us, and almost always, God never does.

In a real way though, this is likely the closest to God’s Christmas we may ever know. If we are still as church mice on Christmas Night, we just might see a strange sight through the frosted windowpanes of our souls. God shows up, not how we want, not bringing us all we want. God’s plan is not to fix everything that is wrong in the world, but to meet all the wrong in the world with Love. Just as a baby, despite a birth that is all wrong, is held and received in Love. So whereas God shows up in the most unexpected forms, God shows up in the very form that the world needs most.

That is, when it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up.

Christmas happens. Look for God’s love in the most unexpected, all-wrong, no good kind of places in your life. For in that space, God will show up.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill to all.”

Luke 2:1-20

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Joseph, A Woke Man

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:11:30 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is how scandal reverses itself by the scandal in his own life.

Now, listen Jesus, all families have those things that are better kept in the background. Yours is one of them. That’s good. You know what it’s like. But really, given how you want to be known as a good guy, wouldn’t it be better if you just drew the curtain over some things? Your trouble is you let the dirty laundry show right at the start. It doesn’t make you a stellar example of who you want us to be.

Scandal on the Homefront

True, his birth wasn’t the sweetness of Christmas carols and candy canes. Actually, the trouble you speak of started way before he was born. Even in his ancestral tree , there were scoundrels and rascals, cheaters, and even women (Lord have mercy!) who were not as pure as the driven snow. What’s more, three of those women weren’t even Jewish but despised Gentiles. You’ve heard that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?

A Dad’s Dilemma

What’s more, you’ve got to feel for Joseph in this story. Some say he was an older man, others feel he was young, maybe naïve somewhat. Anyway, he’d entered into a marriage contract (no Hallmark romance here) with the family of Mary. In that culture, young women still in puberty were promised to men whose family had basically given gifts and money in exchange for her becoming his wife. The usual practice was for vows to be exchanged, but she would remain with her family while the groom made provisions of a home and job to support them. Only when that was completed, the two would live together and only then begin sexual relations.

So when Joseph found out that his fiancé was pregnant, for more than one reason this did not go over well. Like all of us, he thought the worst. According to the ancient law, Mary would be deemed an adulterer having broken the marriage promises. But besides the apparent betrayal, Mary’s life was in jeopardy.

Jewish law stipulated if a woman was found to have had sexual relations with someone other than her fiancé, both she and the man were to be stoned to death . Whoever the presumed man was might have been overlooked here; double standards are nothing new. At any rate, if Joseph as the wronged man made a big deal over this and called for a public trial, Mary could die an awful death.

What we do know of Joseph though is that he was a righteous and just man, one whose life reflected the best of those whom God deemed the chosen people. He couldn’t in all good faith enter into a relationship that had violated the sacredness of marriage, but in the deep compassion of his heart, he couldn’t set in motion that which would end the life of another. What’s a man supposed to do, for goodness’ sake and the sake of all that is good?

Joseph is smart even in his woundedness. He decides to break the engagement quietly. Maybe he thought he’d just return the bride’s price, come up with some excuse that he’s changed his mind, let her family send her away to have the baby. Not the best outcome of what he may have hoped for his life and hers, but at least Mary would be spared the worst.

Dreamlike Decision

Likely from emotional exhaustion, having made the decision, Joseph falls into a deep, deep sleep. But the mind never rests, playing out the struggles of the day in dreams that reveal the questions, weighing the answers. While in a dream, the answer that Joseph may have wanted and for which he may have wished permission comes with more than he could have imagined on his own.

An angel, angel of the Lord no less, speaks to Joseph in this dream state. First words say exactly what Joseph needs to hear, “Don’t be afraid.” While it could sound consoling, these words also invoke worst fears. This isn’t going to be easy, you are going to require strength to live into that which most people avoid. But don’t back away from it just because it looks scary.

Complete the betrothal vows with Mary and bring her into your home as your wife. But what about…? Now this is going to get really interesting. The angel explains why and what Joseph should do.

The child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, not by human conception. In other words, this birth is going to be no less than a miracle. Nothing in this gets explained that should make sense as the world is known to operate, but that which sits in the mystery of God. Joseph, the angel was saying, embrace Mary, this child, and ultimately this mystery.

There’s more. The child will be a boy whom you are to name Jesus. Though this was a common name early in the first century, it spoke to the hoped-for promise for which the people were watching. The name Jesus means, The Lord Saves. To be saved from Roman oppression was certainly the hope and desire of the Jews. Yet, the angel says it’s for more than that.

Born for Trouble

“He will save his people from their sins.” You spoke of trouble earlier. Yes, Jesus’ birth was surrounded with a lot that shouldn’t have been. But herein may have been the biggest trouble of his life. He came to save people, pull them from and out of what they lived in and who they are. Not that all come willingly for reversals of life choices and lifestyles.

Yet in that saving, reversing of who and where they sit in life would be lives transformed into more and better than they thought they could ever be. Saving, salvation is not just from the worst of our selves, but so we can become the best of ourselves.

The greater miracle in this story is more than a baby conceived by the intervention of God or how persons would redirect their lives to live for purpose beyond themselves. For this to happen, the greater miracle was in the prophecy of which the angel reminded Joseph.

“He will be called Emmanuel, which means God is with us.” Not God out there distant, uncaring, remotely watching but unhearing of human cries for help. Not God somewhere in the skies or heavens sitting on some celestial throne. Not God in some holy place like a mountain or a dedicated worship center above a decorated altar. Not God who only cares for “good” people and sneers at forgotten lowlifes. Not that kind of God at all.

God with us, Emmanuel comes and resides among those whose generational backgrounds are storied with wrong turns and wronged people. God with us is the God who works through circumstances that are less than ideal. God with us moves in ways unexpected, miraculous, mysterious, the never-saw-that-coming events. This God with us is the God of not the best time but Kairos time, when timely opportune moments burst forth just as God designs.

Silent Man of the Silent Night

In all of this, Joseph is quiet. When the angel spoke to Mary, she had some questions . Not Joseph. No where do we have any words recorded which he spoke. But if not for his faith and faithfulness, Mary and her baby would not have survived. Only by his action do we have this story which began as trouble for Jesus and his family and was lived into the world.

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded.”

Matthew 1:18-25

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Suffering Doubt

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:28:39 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: To be Savior is not to be rescuer from all that is wrong in the world.

Why does God allow so much suffering? We’re looking at a political landscape like this country has never seen before, inflation robs us of hard-earned money, and a war eats into all sense of peace. So where is God in all that? Well, here’s a clue. Even when your best friend and supporter needed help, Jesus, you looked the other way. People know tragedy every day, including holidays. So much for all that “Joy to the World.” For all the love you talk about, we doubt if you really care.

From the Seat of Doubt

Doubt not only questions but gets the hand ready to turn the knob, determined to walk and slam that door shut. Claims of good news and abundant life look as real as reindeer on the rooftop. To accept that God wants the best life for us when the worst in life smacks you in the face is close to unbelievable.

Unbelievable is right. It doesn’t take modern thought, science and worldviews to come to that conclusion. Jesus knew the struggle even before his own story was complete. And he knew it from one of his oldest, closest friends, the one whose destiny was to prepare the way for his coming.

The Big Question

JTB had been Jesus’ greatest advocate. His message of repentance, that is, turning from and reversing one’s life in the direction of God, had garnered many who offered themselves to be lowered and raised in river water. For this, John the Baptist had a great following as preacher and prophet in his own right.

Though John the Baptist was being compared to, and some thought he actually was the prophet Elijah, there was a bottom to his belief as well. A life preaching in the desert wasn’t so much trouble for him as being in the pit of Herod’s jail. Arrested and knowing his life was at the mercy of a sick governor, John had to ask himself if this life of God and following a Messianic figure was worth it. Or rather, John had to have an answer to help with Jesus’ question, “ Do you believe this? ”

John sent his followers to ask the big question, “Are you really the Messiah?” Are you more than a preacher and prophet like me? Are you more than one sent by God but one who is God and with God, the Son of God? Or should we keep looking for someone else?

Face it, John’s question was not an isolated one. When we’ve done our best for God, when life is not as planned, when any measures of security cave beneath you, when fairness and justice melt like snowflakes over fire, we, like John the Baptist, wrestle with the same doubt, asking what kind of God is out there in the suffering we meet.

Note that John did not ask to be set free and saved from this weak and paranoid tetrarch who would end his life. Jesus likewise did not offer to call on angelic warriors to bust him out of Herod’s prison.

Even from his cell, John heard what Jesus had been doing. Messages and miracles fought trouble with hope, and when one sees hope fulfilled, the hopeless ask if this could be real. There’s no guarantee an easy road will be attached if you listen to his, “ Come and See . Follow Me. I’ll make you fishers of men (people) or more than you ever thought you’d be.” When you’re one of those who gets slammed for doing what he asks, you’ve got to confront this trouble maker for the answer that will determine your soul. Are you for real?

Good News/Bad News

No record reports that Jesus wept in this scenario, but maybe he could have. His connection with John went back to the womb when their mothers had communed with each other about no less than angelic revelations. In John’s arms, he had been raised from baptismal water to hear divine affirmation, “ This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The declaration led both of them to realizing what their destinies’ design would be.

Jesus faced the trouble he brought with one who was supposed to share his good news. Still, what kind of good news can you give to the guy who would die by the hand of an evil kind of troublemaker, an extension of your own antithesis. Dear Jesus, will you weep now?

Sometimes all doubt needs is to be reminded of what it already knows, has seen, and has heard. It’s truth not cloaked in high thoughts or mystical sayings. It simply affirms what is. “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen,” Jesus says. “The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised from the dead.”

Yes, John, he’s saying. Lives are changed, and trouble is reversed. I have seen and touched and spoken away that which attacks the body to get to the soul. But this is not the only miracle or the best miracle I have brought to this hurting, troubled world. “Good News is being preached to the poor.”

The greatest reversal, the greatest miracle is a life that is turned from its inward trouble, needs, desires, and purposes to one that is turned to God and God in me. “ I am the way, the truth and the life ,” he told those closest to him on the night before he met his final trouble. “The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Then, likely knowing they always needed more, he adds. “ Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do . ”

Still, underlying his answer to John were the words that Jesus did not say. “Good news to the poor,” had been promised long ago by the prophet Isaiah. Jesus understood that John would also remember the second part, the part that Jesus left out, how “ captives will be released, and prisoners will be freed .” That was the bad news. It wouldn’t happen for John.

Trouble Reversed

Jesus knew that John was like everyone else. When push comes to shove, when trouble must be acknowledged and accepted that it will do its worst, you must have something on which to hold. You need a way to not only cope but get through to the bitter end and beyond.

You turn to and lean in to that promise stated and reminded from its source, “You will not die.” I will reverse it all by what I show you in myself. Trouble must be faced, and doubt silenced by not only resurrection and reversal in lives lived but revealed in the one who asked the question, “Do you believe this?” Jesus would have to die a personal, physical death and reverse it in himself for anyone to answer in the affirmative.

Gently then, Jesus’ last message and word to John the Baptist is, “God blesses those who are not offended by me.” Both he and John had known offense. The religious hierarchy did not afford them any status of position or education. They did not preach solely in the sacred places of synagogue or Temple, but along rivers and deserts, in homes and on hillsides.

Their followers included a rough band of men and women, some of questionable repute. Even so, people loved both John the Baptist and Jesus for the hope they realized through forgiveness in the kingdom of God, a place where they were not oppressed by legalism or monetary greed. The hope these two preachers/prophets gave lay not in political or military power, but in grace and love for even the most low and poor and those who would serve the childlike and the losers with all they had.

A Hard Ending

Not only in his life and preaching did John the Baptist prepare the way for his Messiah. Like the prophets before him, his death would also be his message.

So John died, executed by an evil man. Jesus, you did nothing to stop it. Bad things still happen to good people, and God doesn’t stop them. To be blunt, there is no good answer for people when the unthinkable happens. If we are not to believe in a God who makes life on earth all perfect, happy scenes of holiday lights and delighted children around decorated trees, what are we to believe?

Doubt struggles between the God we want and the Son of God who came asking, “Do you believe this?” The Trouble with Jesus is that to be Savior is not to be rescuer from all that is wrong in the world.

Please, Jesus, in all your goodness, you lived with us, knew our trouble, and promised so much in your life. Can this really be true, are you the Messiah, the one who will take away the worst of myself as well as what I love best about myself and make me new, born again you call it? Will you help me believe in you so I can believe in more than myself?

For this, John the Baptist prepared the way.

Matthew 11:2-11

This blog entry is a portion of The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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The Sand Man

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 17:38:37 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is found in the uninhabitable, forbidding, empty regions of life where God speaks to the soul.

So the big day is only a few weeks away, and like every other year, JTB shows up shouting his usual tune. Let it be said, it doesn’t sound like a holiday song. Listen, man, or Son of Man as you call yourself, you are such a novice at this sort of thing. For Christmas’ sake, what were you thinking using that weirdo JTB, a guy who worked out of a limestone desert, as your advance team?
Now remember this: the poor guy couldn’t help himself. Yeah, John the Baptist was a little strange, weird even, dressing in itchy camel hair, eating grasshoppers flavored with honey. He, for the most part, lived in the wilderness, the kind of place where when nothing good is around you, God shows up. In the uninhabitable, forbidding, empty regions of life, God speaks to the soul. To John the Baptist, a message had been given there. He was sent to proclaim it.

Maybe so, but no matter, this guy is just plain no fun, no HO HO HOs out of him. First thing he says is to turn from all your negative stuff and go to God. New habits are supposed to be for January 1. Then it’s, “The end is near.” He shouts about heaven. Hey, we’re just trying to get through until the end of this year. That’s near enough.

Right. Life is uncertain. So prepare for it. Keep your eyes wide open for what might still happen. Put away what sinks you into despair and hopelessness. Allow God to wash over you in expectation of new understanding even in this too-long season when upheaval is the new normal.

Prepare New Roads in Yourself

“Prepare!” JTB called to them echoing an ancient prophet, “Make the roads straight and smooth!” It was the call to get ready. When great rulers and sovereigns were traveling, the people would clear out the rocks and fill in the potholes that not only made a ride easier but also travel faster.

People were looking for someone to come, and this someone they’d been waiting for a long time. From all over the region and into the desert wilderness they came, hoping the wait would not be long now.

John proclaimed prepare in yourself that which will lead to something better. See ahead the beauty, justice, truth and dawns with a new day.

Again, nice. Take the old message, (you say they had heard this before in their ancient writings?), and reframe it, make it mean more, something new to wrap their heads around. That’s good for you, Son of Man. You can build on that kind of thing. If only JTB stopped there. No, your friend (distant cousin? that makes sense), really stretches it out from there.

The people, allowing new perspectives in themselves, submitted to be baptized in the Jordan River. Live in straight, smooth roads of life. Forgiveness and acceptance by God rest in that cleansing with a sense of rebirth, revitalization. It’s ongoing work.

Around rivers life is within the water and along the shore. Rivers provide hydration, a cooling of the bodily core after arid heat has burned your skin, and a soothing flow of current to massage the physical frame. By immersion in water and rising from it comes that sense of renewal, a cleansing from what life and choices have laid on you.

Snakes in the Sand

Hovering nearby were those who had a lot to lose from John’s message. Oh, they looked like the good guys, priests and assistants in the Temple. They even get in line with everyone to get baptized. “Brood of snakes!” he hisses.

No one likes to be called out as scheming traitor in their first meeting. JTB probably couldn’t help himself. His attack challenges their position of piety, showcasing their falseness. These leaders taught that descendants from Abraham gave them a kind of immunity above the rest of the world in the sight of God. JTB won’t have it. He spits judgement with words of damnation for those who don’t live up to reversing focus on oneself to that of God and others.

Sorry, desert-dweller, but if you keep up with this talk of “the ax of God” and “never-ending fire,” well, don’t say you weren’t warned. Somebody’s going to be gunning for you. So much for all this Good News you’re supposed to be shouting about. Geez, guy, the holidays are coming, so lighten up!

John the Baptist won’t back down. He tells it like it is. Someone is coming, and you know what, I’m not worthy to even bow to him as a servant. In other words, if you are threatened by me and this message, if your phony positions won’t stand up in the face of this declaration, if I scare you in the least, then here’s your bad news. Someone is coming after me who’s going to really upset this scene and who will reveal you for what you are not.

Transformed in the Fire

John the Baptist had a good idea it would be really something. Even so, he wasn’t taking credit for it. Whew, that’s humility. He knew his limitations. To baptize with water was his thing. But from this coming one would be a baptism with the Holy Spirit? What the heck does that mean?

Good Question. (Don’t you love it when people answer like that. Usually, it means their mind is spinning.) To be fair, it’s not an easy answer. As with most spiritual encounters, you have to experience it to even start to understand it, and yet the mystery of it will remain. The short answer though lies in the life of the one to come, the one for whom this preparation, reversal, and renewal is meant.

Prepare for it.

Matthew 3:1-12

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The Time Beyond Time

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 21:34:10 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his call to be prepared to act, all in God’s own time.

Hey, Reason for the Season, you brought it on right from the start. Get Ready! Watch! Be prepared because the Big Day is coming! If that’s how you announce yourself still after 2000 years, no wonder the holiday begins with daylight savings time and a halftime show called Thanksgiving. Sure, life goes on as usual, but hovering over us is how time is getting shorter, and we need to start as soon as possible. So lights go up even earlier than last year while Amazon trucks are already making deliveries three times a day. With this building stress, tell us dear Jesus, why would we ever call you Prince of Peace?

Only God Knows

Well, then don’t. Don’t jump ahead to what’s to come. In fact, Jesus said he doesn’t know himself when it’s going to happen. But more important, don’t condense one thing into another. Yes, it’s smart to be ready for the biggest day of the year, but right now Jesus is talking about the biggest day in time. You’ve got December 25 on your calendar. God doesn’t own one.

God’s Time

This is one of those things that might very well hurt your head but take two of your favorite OTC and go with it. Mortals experience time chronologically, like from the nanosecond to millennia. God’s got another sense of time which is kairos . So when Jesus said no one knows the day or hour, he was speaking of kairos, God’s time.

Kairos happens when God enters at the most fitting opportunity. Thus, only God knows when that might be. Jesus had been talking about the end of time when as the Son of Humanity he would bring together all creation into this sense of time and God’s presence. However, that’s not the only occurrence of kairos.

Of Floods, Fields, and Flour

Jesus gave a few examples. Most of his listeners were familiar with the Great Flood and Noah. The story goes that most people were just living life as usual, and when the flood hit, they got carried off in the waters. Another story has two men in a field, and one also was taken away. Same with two women grinding flour at a mill. Those taken away weren’t ready for God’s time, that is, how God enters lives with his kind of kairos.

Better Watch Out…

He knows if you’ve been bad or good….You know the song. The Big Guy is on the way and looking for the naughty and the nice. Now, let’s make this clear: God/Jesus is no Santa Claus. (Why people ever teach their kids this kind of thing is meant for another blog site.)

Still, Jesus says, “Be prepared…” Be prepared for God’s time of kairos, when God shows up in those fitting moments of life. He compares it to the watchfulness a homeowner has against burglars. You never know. So keep your eyes wide open.

A Kairos Break-in

You never know; just be prepared to see it when it comes. Miss it and it’ll be like being swept away with flood waters. You won’t get to see what God can do and is doing in special times, moments, and movements.

Be prepared to act, to do the right thing. Darnella Frazier bravely videoed George Floyd as a police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck ultimately causing his death. That recording spoke deeply into American consciousness of racism and its abuses.

Be prepared to give and give sacrificially. Rich celebrities get recognized for giving millions to various causes. For the likes of them, it’s the drop in the bucket. Jesus recognized the woman who while what she gave was small, her giving was all she had.

Be prepared to love, even your enemy. Ever hear that you don’t have to like someone to love them? That’s love at a distance and probably doesn’t really go that far. Love is close up and messy sometimes . Do it because Jesus said to.

Be prepared to lose your life. That might mean your life and breath. Or, what you live or breathe for. Either way, all of life is turned over and reversed for what God intends.

The Trouble with Jesus is his call to be prepared to act, all in God’s own time.

“Be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Matthew 24:36-44

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Does God Need Our Thanks?

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:16:01 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He doesn’t want to save us from dreaded circumstances...

Whoa, baby, don’t you know what week this is? For centuries, no, a couple of millennia at least, people have taken time, even created festivals and holidays, just for the purpose of giving thanks to their Creator God and those who are much appreciated in this life we have. Your question implies that thanking God is not important or necessary. Where are you going with this?

Ok, true, the ancient holy writings overflow with thanksgiving to God for all kinds of things: the created world and heavens, our very existence, good harvest, health, prosperity, victory in battle, family, etc. It is natural then to join with the chorus in word and song to express appreciation for all good things of life.

But there were some, nine specifically, who didn’t do it. And did Jesus ever take notice of it.

Shameful Stigma

He was just entering a village when ten lepers, standing away at a good distance, cried out to him. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Mercy certainly was what they needed. Leprosy was strictly regulated by Jewish law. Besides being a dreadful, life-altering physical disease, it carried much shame. Persons so afflicted were required to shout, “Unclean!” to any who approached. Heavy judgement hung over those suffering from it based on the thinking that persons had brought it upon themselves due to wrong living. Besides no cure being available in the first century world, the social isolation it brought on was devastating to all familial and social relationships. Thus, enormous stigma surrounded this disease, and for a large part, it was considered a death sentence.

Community of the Diseased

Also interesting, this story confirms what helped so many to survive throughout the centuries. Disease can be a great leveler. Persons of varying social status, wealth, age, race and gender would form a kind of colony, leaning on each other for survival of their common misery. This particular group of men, mostly Jewish, had among them a Samaritan. Simply put, Jews hated Samaritans for all the religious, ethnic, racial prejudices people can drag up. But in this little tribe, there was no discrimination when all shared a commonality of scabs, sores, and numbness in the extremities.

Jesus Looked at Them.

Get that? He looked at them, that is, he saw them as they were, ten men who dearly needed the mercy for which they cried, mercy to restore them not only from physical affliction but also from the loneliness, the separateness, the rejection that kept them apart from others who could love, work, and worship together.

The great compassion for which Jesus was known was put into play before anyone could even tell. “Go show yourselves to the priests,” he told them. The law required they had to be certified as “clean” to be approved as cured and cured so that they could return to their lives. As they were on their way, the leprosy disappeared. Miraculously, scales fell, skin was full and firm, fingers and toes tingled in sensation. Who wouldn’t run off in joy and excitement?

No Thanks to You

Maybe that was it, they were just overwhelmed, swept up with what was happening? Maybe they just plain forgot. Perhaps it was carelessness from having not been trained as children to say thank you when someone does something nice for you. Or it very well could be they were just plain ungrateful. All of this is hard to believe given what they’d had and of which now were cured. But for whatever reason, nine of the ten never gave Jesus so much as a “Yea, God” for how they’d been cured and ran off.

Except, One Did

Of all of them, the one who stopped was the Samaritan, the despised one, the enemy of the Jews. His dreaded skin disease was gone, but he would still know the prejudice and outright hatred for being who he was and to whom he was born. That aspect of his life would not change regardless of any approval by a priest that he was now “clean.” He’d never be accepted by them, maybe more so because of what he had shared with them. That circumstance would never change.

Still, he was the only one who turned back, praising God for this much desired change in his life. Even more so, he worshiped, falling face down at Jesus’ feet for what he had received. Jesus notes: “Does only this foreigner return to give God glory?”

Surely, it was a rhetorical question. Jesus didn’t come for those who required just a fixing of their circumstance. That wasn’t his mission. Yet, when you think about it, isn’t that what happens when people express their thanks? They celebrate their happiness in what is good around them: the created world and heavens, one’s very existence, good harvest, health, prosperity, victory in battle, family, etc. If the situation is good, they give thanks. When life is not good, they still search for the silver lining in the cloud, taking a could-have-been-worse attitude. It’s their state of affairs for which they show appreciation.

Only this foreigner returned. A foreigner this time, but in other places it was a tax collector , a desperate father (Mark 9:14-27), or a frantic mother . No matter what their circumstance or nationality, these models of faith understood best what Jesus had done for them.

Sometimes people know they’ve been cured, but outcasts know real healing.

Jesus told the man, “Stand up and go.” Stand, he said, rise up to the full stature of who you are in God’s purpose. Go, move forward into life with that purpose. “Your faith has made you well.” Your faith, that is, your belief in your Healer who looked at him not as an outsider, as the other, as one shunned more due to his heritage than his health. Faith made the difference. It made him whole, brought to him a full restoration that would not only deliver him from illness and isolation but that would reconcile and restore him to God.

Divine Fixer

Giving thanks frequently is limited to only what one has now. True, being thankful for the blessings we know does keep us in connection with God’s love. But remember, God doesn’t need our thanks. Based in circumstance, too often God is called upon to be the Divine Fixer. After it is granted, people tend to run off. That’s what Jesus saw in the nine who were cured but didn’t return to thank him.

Gratitude is deepest in those who have had lives reversed, who no longer see themselves as defined by others but as God sees them. Gratitude becomes boundless in who one will become through God’s love and grace. God’s greatest desire is our gratitude for the life that is wholly healed and saved by Jesus.

For that, let us give our thanks to God.

Luke 17:11-19

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Kingmakers

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:37:40 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Never did he attempt to be a leader, king, messiah who used force, oppression, military and political power and control.

They say a tragic hero is basically a good guy who is defeated and dies due to some kind of tragic flaw . Well Jesus, your downfall came because you just didn’t know how to play the game. You challenged your own leaders, and you wouldn’t give the Romans the answers they wanted. The biggest laugh was what they nailed on your cross, “King of the Jews.” What a joke that was on all you tried to do and those losers who followed your efforts. Son of God, you’re as sorry as any of them.

Tragic Ending

Considering what Jesus set out to do, the scene is catastrophic. As convicted criminal, his walk of shame dead ends in The Place of the Skull, known by its Hebrew name of Golgotha. Executioners make short work of driving nails through his body into a cross. He gets center stage one final time, hanging right between two criminals.

Those who had a stomach for this kind of thing just watched. The select Jewish leaders who orchestrated his demise laughed derisively as Roman soldiers added their own mockery. All of it was summed up in that sign, “King of the Jews.”

What Kind of King

Certainly not like what history and fantasy tales would lead you to believe. No army ever rallied around him. Unlike the Judean King Herod and many others, he never lived in a palace or had a palatial lifestyle. His supporters were not persons of influence or power. His position on money was “ sell all you have, give to the poor ,” (Luke 18:22) not that which encouraged accumulation of wealth and possessions. He promoted those we call Losers, the poor, sick, foreigners, women and children. As King, of the Jews or anyone else, that day was the culmination of all his failed positions.

Real Irony

Some said soldiers gambled for his clothes. Hanging naked in from of them, they made a game of what little he had in life. They offered sour wine, toasting him with bitterness, for by numbing his pain they also extended his agony. The faction of leaders who had orchestrated his trial now derided his situation, shaming him for not saving himself as he was claimed to have done for others. The crowd that had cried for his crucifixion now watched, not joining the derision but giving witness to its effect. You could say it was the original No Kings Protest. Certainly, no one was getting behind this kind of King of the Jews.

Joining with his detractors is one of the men hanging next to him. His words have been echoed with that which many have used to challenge God.

Prove it. Prove you are the Messiah. Make yourself your own miracle by saving yourself. And make that miracle save us as well. Be our Hero-King.

The Kingmaker

If there is a worst kind of horror to this scene, it is how it happened despite and after Jesus had done the unthinkable. From his place of torment, he prayed that God would forgive them. Forgive the one who hammered the nails, forgive the leaders who feared being robbed of their control of the people, forgive the soldiers, government officials, all those caught up in political and social structures who could not see another kind of world order. Forgive, he said, don’t count this against any of them, for they don’t know what they are doing.

They didn’t know except that one did. Denouncing his partner in crime, the other thief asked of Jesus the one thing that only forgiveness could bring. “Remember me,” he said, “when you come into your Kingdom.” A convict becomes a kingmaker. He acknowledged Jesus for who he was and what he had prepared for those who would call him King.

The Trouble with Jesus was never did he attempt to be a leader, king, messiah who used force, oppression, military and political power and control . Yet, if you’re looking for one who commanded rule in beliefs, values, and heart like no other across the empires, globe and millennia, whose name does not die in dusty books, you’ll find a king. His demise may look otherwise on the surface, but beyond it are the Kingmakers.

“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:33-43

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Apocalyptic Stance

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:30:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His words speak into the history of every generation, of which every generation coming after must learn again.

The world is coming to its end. Thanks for letting us know, God of Doom. Think we can’t see it for ourselves? Politics in the United States reveal how unhappy people are. Look to the skies (or the Weather Channel) to get all the climatological drama you need. Not enough? We’ve seen how one war can disrupt the whole world. Jesus, don’t think your warnings of insurrections, earthquakes, famines, disease sound fresh anymore. The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Forewarned is Forearmed

True, in both Jesus’ lifetime and every generation since. Begin with a look at what brought this dire response from Jesus. In less than a couples of days, Jesus will know his personal end. Meanwhile the Big Twelve are walking around the Jewish Temple like they’re on a cultural tour. They admire its beautiful stonework and art. Chins are straight up, and mouths open wide in their wows. To be fair, it was impressive.

Herod the Great, ruler by dictate of Rome and also of Jewish heritage, had extensive improvements made to the Second Temple first erected about 516 BC/BCE as a monument to himself. Shall we say this isn’t the first or last time political figures have used the religion of the people to honor themselves? Huge stones formed its foundation and walls, speaking to its solidity and permanence. This edifice was meant to last.

Jesus brings the bad news. “The time is coming when…not one stone will be left on top of another.” By now, the disciples have a sense that change is coming. To their credit, they swallow their initial admiration. They ask when and will there be any warning signs.

World Ending Scenarios

Here it comes. You’ve named the specifics already; by and large, it’s catastrophic . That means sudden great damage or suffering producing large-scale alteration in state or life. Your favorite news app gives you the picture. History tells us it happens in every generation. That’s important for Jesus’ message here. The Trouble with Jesus is his words speak into the history of every generation, of which every generation coming after must learn again.

Forty years after this stroll through the great halls of the Temple, what Jesus predicted came to be. A Jewish revolt in 70 AD/CE brought the might of the Romans to Jerusalem with characteristic death and destruction. They leveled and burned the Temple , this holy symbol of Judaism and the seat of God.

Not only that, but Jesus also foretold of great persecution for those who followed his teachings. Even family would betray them. Some would die, and “everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me.” Whatever is thought to exhibit security and provide protection will crumble like rocks into stones. The catastrophic would be realized on multiple fronts.

So, When Will the World End?

If these life altering events happened on such large scale, why has the world already not breathed its last? Or why hasn’t God in Jesus come to end it all before now? Or is this what Jesus is really saying here?

Yes: the world won’t last. No: Jesus was being specific more or less when these words of his were recorded. The writer Luke wrote them sometime between 80 and 90 AD/CE. Put this in perspective of those for whom it was written. They’d seen that video multiple times. Not really, but they were as familiar with the Temple’s destruction as we are about falling towers in NYC more than 20 years ago. These first readers identified with the story from firsthand experience. Their reading of it then was not as predictive prophesy but as affirmation that Jesus knew beforehand what would be coming and had warned them.

Warned them and gave them a message. All lives, on personal or grand scale, know loss with its challenges, destruction, even death. Some of it is of our own making, and some are natural calamities. Nowhere here does Jesus indicate it is “sent” from God. Just expect it because with life you’ve got the good and the not-so-good, never-saw-it-coming, wouldn’t-wish-it-on-anyone events. Your world has come to an end.

Not All is Lost

Interestingly, Jesus also speaks here of the other side of trials and calamities. Life goes on. If anything, that’s the quiet promise here. Life goes on as God intends. Life goes on because in the midst of change there is a new way of living, a new way of seeing what God can bring out of the worst to make ready for what’s better and what will bless.

Now, he does give adamant warning against false prophets, those who mislead and deceive, who concoct and devise to gain control, who support those with ill-gained power. (Oh, you’ve heard some political spin recently? Once the shutdown noise is over, plan on it resurfacing on other platforms.) Be shrewd. There is only one Messiah in this story.

Instead, Jesus wants your voice to be that which delivers this promise of God. He makes another promise of his own. “Don’t worry (big one there) on how to answer [opponents], for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none will be able to reply.”

Now while Jesus does say some will be killed, he also says, “not a hair of your head will perish.” How’s that? People meet their demise everyday due to neglect, lack of education, injustice, oppression and other means that are not natural. Fact of life. Yet, to say “not a hair” is to say how nothing about you will be forgotten or left unknown to God, even in death, because God never means you or the world to end that way.

It's Not Over Until It’s Over

Jesus’ closest friends would need his words to sustain them when their world came to an end right before their eyes. Apocalypse is a sign pointing to what is known only to God. Never ending is that hope.

Stay the course. Stay true. Stay firm. Jesus isn’t about monumental structures or human forms of kingdoms, government, leadership. Persevere through whatever may be ending in apocalypse because from that is a new beginning. Faith brings a new day, the age of God which is a world without end. Stand ready for that.

“By standing firm, you will win your souls.”

Luke 21:5-19

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Till Death Do Us Part

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:52:49 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He doesn’t make death sound like a big family reunion.

Jesus, we see this all the time. Every election is like this. Candidates are trying to take each other down. Political ads shout ridiculous attacks that clearly are like throwing Jello at a wall and waiting to see what might stick. Your antagonists do the same pushing people’s buttons. This time it involved the afterlife and marriage. We have to ask though, what you know about these things? Tell us, for we need to get a handle on this ourselves.

What Happens When You Die?

Ahem, so you want an answer in 1500 words or less? Will these eleven verses be sufficient? Nah, but here’s some clues to follow.

First, there’s two thoughts. One is you die and you’re dead. The other is you die but something else goes on. Nothing new here. In fact, the former was what the guys believed who that day were trying to trap Jesus when they asked one of those ridiculous questions.

They were some of the Sadducees, religious leaders who are believed to have authority over the Temple. That’s important because a few days earlier Jesus had an angry fit and threw out some moneychangers with a whip no less.

He didn’t make these guys look good in the process. No surprise, they weren’t looking for just a friendly debate. It’s no effort to see their subterfuge was meant to bring him down.

Give Jesus credit. He didn’t crudely laugh in their faces or call them out. But any good Jew could see through it. The Sadducees didn’t believe in any kind of afterlife. They based their thoughts only on the Torah, the first five book of the Hebrew scriptures. No where in these writings is there an indication of life after death or what others called resurrection.

Those “others” were another group of religious leaders, the Pharisees, who believed resurrection meant that life goes on for those who are believers in God. Jesus, by the way, was in agreement with them on this tenet of religion. Not that all the Pharisees were happy with Jesus either, but the two weren’t at odds on this at least.

Until Death Do Us Part

Now this is what will make you dizzy. The Sadducees posed a hypothetical example. Suppose a man died and had no children. According to the dictates of the Torah, his widow would become the wife of the man’s brother and have a child by him. (Deuteronomy 25:5-6) They considered this as a way for his name not to die out. Thus, even if death was final, persons would live on, so to speak, by the progeny produced for them. But in their example, the widow is married to each of seven brothers, all of them dying with no offspring. Their question: “whose wife will she be in the resurrection?”

Shake your head over this one if you feel Jesus was wasting his time with these guys. However, they were not as empty-headed as they look. The answer they considered accurate was she wouldn’t be the wife of any of the brothers because there is no afterlife, no resurrection. Oh yeah, they knew ahead of time where Jesus stood on questions about what happens when you die. Thinking he would disagree and confirm she would be “married” in the afterlife, they could toss him out of the Temple as roughly as he had done.

What’s It Like When We Die?

Now this assumes life goes on in some respect. Here a distinction has to be made. There’s the afterlife, where the sense of soul continues. Then there’s resurrection, not just a spiritual existence, but being in the presence of God. Jesus clarifies it’s not like anything known in this life.

As for marriage, Jesus affirms the institution is only for those living this side of death. Life with God is on another level, being raised from death above what ever is known of life on earth. It’s both a new life and a new kind of life. There is no marriage as there is no death. It’s behind the traditional marriage vow “until death do us part.”

The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t make death sound like a big family reunion but being fully with God. Whatever kind of love a person has known in relationship, particularly the highest form of human relationship in marriage, will be transformed by the full experience of God’s love beyond what can be known in the here and now.

So That Means…

Jesus doubled down on these two-bit lawyer-wanna-be pretenders. They had used the sacred writings of their people to put Jesus in his place. He returns the shot with one of his own.

“As to whether the dead will be raised…,” he throws back at them for that’s their real problem with him. He references Moses, the great leader and prophet, who had an experience of God in a burning bush . (Exodus 3:1-6) The patriarchal fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were long dead. But Moses stated the Lord was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the present tense.

Jesus concludes, “He is the God of the living, not the dead. They are all alive to him.” Alive to God, in God’s presence, full existence in resurrected form.

So you silenced them with their own weapons. They didn’t dare ask any more questions. Guess you walked out of that Temple feeling pretty good about it all.

Likely about as good as you can knowing behind you are those who would soon see you dead. After all, if there is no resurrection, once dead he’d be gone forever. He was the one they wanted silenced.

Luke 20:27-38

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Forget the Good People

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:48:36 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Good people are not much use to him.

Jesus, we’ve noticed. Time after time, you unloaded on those who set the example of what the Law required. What was worse, you buddied up with those of questionable repute. You’d think if you’d really wanted to change the world, you’d garner influence from those who ran things. Usual common sense just isn’t your forte.

Jesus didn’t tell stories or preach so good people can be good people. The Trouble with Jesus is good people are not much use to him.

The Holy and the Scumbag

Take the story known as the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Pharisees were the gatekeepers of the Law, the over 600 dictates in the ancient texts. They policed the people to keep them in line with how things should go. Granted, they had a big role in negotiating a livable existence with the Romans occupiers. If the people were to practice their lifestyles and rituals, the synagogues and Temple had to be secure. Just another example of go along to get along. It may have made sense in the long run. Some say it was vital for the Jews to keep the over 600 laws dictated in the ancient texts, for if all of them kept it for 24 hours, the Messiah would come and release them from this political oppression they endured. Pharisees were needed to hold the bar high.

Jesus doesn’t buy into their kind of goodness. He describes a scene that likely the people had seen or known by the snotty attitudes these priests often had. A Pharisee is in the Temple praying. Praying by himself no less. He positions himself away from the people because they aren’t like him. They don’t keep the fine points of the Law like tithing even the amount of spice they are given or not taking too many steps on the Sabbath day. He’s a good man after all. He fasts twice a week, he doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t commit adultery. He reminds God in his prayer how he “doesn’t sin.” All of this is fact. So he thanks God he’s not like everyone else. God doesn’t have to worry about this one.

In a more remote part of the Temple, another man prays who “dared not even lift his eyes to heaven.” He’s a tax collector, a Jew who works for the Romans. Not only that, while they did the dirty work of the regime, they also profited beyond the taxing by taking extra money from the people for themselves. These wealthy traitors supported the oppression of the people, for certainly none of the tax benefited them. Suffice it to say, they were an easy target if you needed to point out a sinner.

Jesus contrasts the two characters, for while the first prayer celebrated himself, the second prayer of the tax collector was of such remorse he “beat his chest in sorrow.” He didn’t make excuses about how he was raised or had a family to support or fell in with the wrong crowd. He only asks for mercy upon himself, a sinner, one who is separated from both God and others.

Build Up with a Put Down

Now if you’d admit it, everyone gets to the top by stepping on others, right? In the spiritual realm, this story exposes how comparison with others is really an element of pride. Jesus doesn’t lift a scale for people to determine how good they are, especially by looking at what others do. But don’t people connect with that kind of thinking? A ladder to climb upon is all they’re looking for.

That might not be so egregious except how it keeps distance with God as far apart as the Pharisee stayed from the tax collector. In a deeper way, it also keeps God out of one’s business. How much more pride can you have?

The Moral Inventory

Regardless, this sinner didn’t need an accusation from a Pharisee. He saw in himself how much of a sinner he was. You can’t fall lower than that. Step Four in recovery groups requires a “ searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves .” Such honest effort looks in the mirror at the ugliness of who we are on our own. No excuses or denial allowed. Take that to God.

Beyond these two characters, others are significant in the telling of this story. Jesus is speaking to “some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else.” It’s not hard to guess who they were, those religious spies who often stood on the perimeter as Jesus taught. They were there to collect data and spin how this popular self-called rabbi/teacher was up to no good. Or not the goodness they thought was enough to please God. If good people were of no use to Jesus, then neither were they.

Even so, why can’t Jesus leave it at that? Just show two extreme characters in their spiritual states and just tell people to beware of being like either of them. Both sides would appreciate being able to take away something for themselves with their dignity intact. Except that’s just another way of leaving them in their pride. Jesus, why do you do this, shoot surgical knives into the soul and take away what makes the heart beat?

Reversed Goodness

Jesus takes the side of the tax collector: “I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humbled will be honored.” His messages upend what’s thought to be appropriate with a spin of reversal.

When you’ve done all you can for God, don’t dare touch the glory.

Your goodness doesn’t even come close to what God wants of you.

Jesus wants that reversal, that beating of the chest to be what you haven’t been, not for your own sake or pride. Recognize there is nothing about yourself that can save you from yourself, who you are, what’s at the deepest center of your soul. Moral justification leaves no room for God.

Only an honest, broken heart is a heart that God can move and move into with love, mercy and grace.

Now that is good.

Luke 18:9-14

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Saved in a Sycamore

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:44:15 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: what he did for one he wants from all.

This one is not so bad, especially with all the mud slinging we’re seeing now with a government shut down. Your dealing with a big-time corrupt government official gives us hope. You literally call him out of hiding, and he’s reformed. Not only that, he pays back what he’s stolen from the people. Jesus, if you can do that with the likes of these creeps, there might be something to this movement of yours.

Don’t you wish it was so easy. Beware. Close to the center of this story is money. That’s where it gets personal. The Trouble with Jesus is what he did for one he wants from all. This isn’t one of those fix-the-other-guy and leave me alone stories. Watch what happens here.

A First Century Bernie Madoff

Zacchaeus was a tax collector, but not just a mere tax collector. In ponzi-scheme fashion, he was the overseer of the ones who did the dirty work, the tax collectors that pressured the people for the revenue that only supported the Romans. The money was then funneled into infrastructure projects like palaces, not anything that would benefit the people.

Worse yet, these tax collectors who worked for him also lined their own pockets by extorting extra cash from the people. Zacchaeus, of course, got a share of their cut, and his wealth was considerable. In short, he was a traitor and taker of people’s hard work, and he was despised by everyone.

Lacking Real Stature

Zacchaeus also was a small man, too short to see above the crowd that gathered as Jesus was entering the town of Jericho. Though wealthy, apparently he couldn’t even buy a good seat that day. People were not going to give up whatever they could hold back from this despicable collaborator with the Romans, even their place in the crowd.

Familiar with getting around whatever stood in his way, Zacchaeus beat them at their game once again. He climbed a sycamore tree to get the best vantage point to see the great teacher whom some claimed was the Messiah.

He may have thought he was safe as he sat in this tree, above the crowds that would have stepped on him given the chance. No one would see him there, and he could smugly tell himself that he had gotten the best seat in the house, one which raised this short man above all the others.

Come On Down!

In spite of that, he was not out of Jesus’ sight line, this hero who was said to be man/God. As God sees all, Jesus looked up and once again did the unthinkable. He called out to this hated sinner by name. “Zacchaeus!...Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.”

Jesus exposed Zacchaeus to the crowd, but his purpose was different from what they expected. Jesus called to him asking for his honor and hospitality. He made Zacchaeus worthy of his company, certainly not what the people or religious leaders would have done.

For all the accumulated wealth Zacchaeus had at his disposal, there was something lacking in him that his great barns of riches could not bring. This short man, isolated from love, was selected by the Son of God for relationship. Jesus knew his name, where to find him, and the deepest need in his soul, a need to be loved even in his sin. In his excitement and joy, this little man was like a child, and Jesus stirred in him that child-like faith by which a soul enters the kingdom of heaven.

A change is evoked in Zacchaeus, a reversal of all that he is and all that he thought important to who he was and what he thought he had to have. None of that meant anything now. Instead, he lives into the true meaning of his name invoking purity and innocence .

Without being asked to do so, Zacchaeus declares, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much.”

His promise is one that will restore in great measure what he has taken from others. But more significantly, it will be a source of God’s provision for those in need, his true neighbors.

Real Riches

To whom much has been given, much will be required. (Luke 12:48) It took quite a sum from Zacchaeus. Even so, in the kingdom of God this little man now was truly rich, had his treasure in heaven. Thus, not only is the plight of the poor rectified, but those who do not even realize their lostness have a radical reversal of purpose.

The change in Zacchaeus brings a message that moves beyond the attitude, “you can’t take it with you.” If one is to have treasure in heaven, investment in the kingdom for one’s neighbor, the poor, has to begin now. For those who think life’s fulfillment is to eat, drink and be merry , (Luke 12:19-21) it’s a message that can be hard to swallow.

Jesus’ message challenged the belief that if you gave, there wouldn’t be anything left for you. People sometimes fear if you give to others, you lose. Instead, he reversed it to, “ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. ” (Luke 6:38) Buy into God’s will and participate in this reversal where God’s blessings are immeasurable and meant for all to share.

With this unanticipated reversal and outpouring of blessing, Jesus declares, “Salvation has come to this home today….And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and to save those like him who are lost.”

Luke 19:1-10

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THE BLACK EYE OF FAITH

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:54:47 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He plays with our common assumptions about God to shock us into a faith that won’t let go.

Jesus, you tell these stories so we’ll get a better idea of what God is like. Like that Father who waits and watches for his wayward son to come home. Or there’s the Friend who is awakened in the middle of the night by a neighbor wanting bread. Then there is the one about the Master who hires workers at different times of the day and pays them all the same wage. All of them take some unpacking, but we get what you’re doing.

But this one? An unjust judge who won’t listen to a poor widow until she wears him out? God is like this? And we’re to come out saying that sometimes you must not give up when you ask God for something? You sound like he’s too busy for what’s important in our lives and will only do something when he gets around to it. Sorry to be so critical of your Father, but this one spells NOT FAIR!

God is Great, God is Good…

Listen, Jesus told this story to his disciples. He knew what they thought God should be, like always on their side. First point of adjustment needed. Next, it would be only days from then they would enter into Jerusalem for the last time together. Their faith would be stretched beyond belief. Jesus knew they needed to understand some things most people don’t want to look into hard. So put away those childlike thoughts that come with prayers for children.

The story begs the question, if God is good, then why….? Why do people suffer, bad things happen to good people, evil in the forms of oppression and war never seems to end? A good God would take care of all that it would seem. If not, what does that tell you about your God.

The judge in the story fits that mold. “Godless” is how Jesus describes him. He openly declares that he’s not afraid of God and cares not a whit for humanity. Jewish law specifically warns against exploitation of widows, orphans, even foreigners,

Exodus 22: 21-22 "You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way... You must not exploit a widow or an orphan."

But this creep is above law that is not of his own making.

Jesus tells his guys this story so they would understand the need for constant, persistent prayer. That’s easily seen in this poor widow who comes up against this judge who operates with impunity. When he won’t hear her case, she appeals with constant pestering. She becomes a pain in his you-know-what. Finally, he relents, gives her justice. You may read she drives him crazy, but a better wording is her badgering gives him a black eye. She successfully makes her case a problem for him and gets what's right for her.

How Much More…

Ok, this is the kind of story that gets under the skin. So Jesus is saying you’ve got to pray forever for what you need, and eventually God will comes through because if he doesn’t, it’s going to make him look bad. Who needs a God like that?

Remember, this story is made to stretch faith which requires consideration from another side. Not long before this, Jesus had thrown out this thought. If children were to ask their father for a fish, no father likely would give them a snake instead. Thus, if human, fallible parents know to give good things to their kids, how much more would God then give to those who pray for their needs. (Luke 11:11-13)

Take from that to keep on praying. If evil judges relent to persistent widows, how much more will your good God hear your needs and quickly answer.

Is that supposed to make you feel better about your God?

If making you feel better about your God is what Jesus came to do, let’s remember what God would be doing in Jesus within the next couple of days as he headed into Jerusalem for his trial. It wouldn’t be pretty. And feel-good stories about the divine are downright lame when realistically looking at what’s going on in the world.

Reverse Your Assumption

So you came at this thinking the judge is God? Where’d you get that idea? Yeah, that’s right, you’ve heard this thing about God as judge sitting on a celestial throne ready to say who’s good, who’s bad, who gets in and who stays out. For a blessed moment, would you please scrap that?

Here’s a little secret: Jesus is playing with you. He knows what you think about God and what you want from God. And he’s here to tell you what God really is like and what God really wants to do.

So do some head spinning and look at it like this. The widow is calling for justice. Who is most concerned about justice (remember those widows, orphans, foreigners, that sort of thing)? God considers that true justice. It’s written in the law , for goodness’ sake.

Deuteronomy 16:19-20 "You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

Justice is God’s passion.

Here’s a thought. In this story, this widow is the real representation of God. Sit with what that means. In all, God won’t let up on calling for justice and will go at it until it is achieved.

Then what’s with the judge? The forces that lack any smidgen of compassion, who don’t care in the least for those with little to no resources for any kind of life that affirms and brings dignity. These are the powerful, the godless who have great contempt for anyone not like them.

Prayer may at times seem ineffective, nearly useless, only a wisp of hope for what could never be. But God says No to all that. God isn’t going to give up on the pursuit of justice, so neither should prayers. Even against the biggest and bad-est, the corrupt and the superpowers, God is going after them aiming to deliver a black eye driven by faith.

Pray without Ceasing

Now you can take this as your bowing head and closing your eyes if you want. Even so, we all know “thoughts and prayers” are often expressed as sentiment and soon forgotten. As in the story, earnest prayer brings an urgency to the need. After the Amen though, it needs more.

How much more? More as in hands and feet and voices. More as in unrelenting in the call for justice. More for supreme efforts not only in changing laws, not only adherence to the law, but in changing hearts and minds. More as in full recognition of God-ordained morals to devise a culture that affirms the least, the last, the lost whom Jesus healed and loved, the child-like losers .

Jesus threw out a challenge as he ended his story, “how many will I find who have faith?” Good question for the one going up against the worst evil and injustice. Or was it a prayer of his own?

Prayer is not a whispered wish. It's more.

Luke 18:1-8

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Ridiculous Faith

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 19:46:31 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He teaches by taking our questions and giving answers we didn’t see coming.

So Jesus, this is what it comes down to. You (that is, God) make all kinds of promises. You’ve got to do that because if you didn’t, I mean, who’d get on board or behind you? To be fair, you don’t promise the good life as much as getting through life. In the end, you say there is no end. You talk about it like it’s a big party. Nice to think it’d be that way.

And to get through this life, you ask for this thing called faith. How is that just wishful hope for something to hang on to, even if it’s not real? Oh, you’re good at telling us how much a person has to have. Mustard-seed size, you say. That kind of example may have worked in your day, but if you are going to take me down this exercise of improbability, give it to me in some way I can wrap my head around it.

You Need More Faith

Exercise is certainly where Jesus is going with this. It all started when his inner circle, The Twelve, asked him how to get more faith. Apparently, they had some but were looking for a super-size load. People get this kind of line all the time, like, “you wouldn’t have so much stress or anxiety in your life if you only had more faith.”

Baloney. Ok, that’s not biblical or in the passage, but in effect, that’s what Jesus’ response amounted to. He gives this example of a mustard seed and compares it to faith. Today we don’t find them out on the highways and byways of life but open your pantry for goodness’ sake. Seeds aren’t the tiniest things around, but they’re small enough,1-2 millimeters maybe. In your soup pot, they’d disappear fast. Yet they add distinct flavor to your dish. Not much needed, but big impact.

Is it the size of the seed then that matters, or rather does the potency within that seed open up new ways of tasting your pot of soup? The mustard seed seasons the soup. Good tasting soup is relished as it fills the stomach. Beyond diminished hunger, it brings satisfaction and enjoyment. There’s power in the seed, and the next time you make your soup, you’ll use it again. In all, the size of the seed is not significant but the spice it adds is.

Exercise Your Faith Then

Jesus’ next words continue to be way out there. He said if you had faith like a mustard seed, then you could take a tree, uproot it, and plant it in the sea. What would be the point in that?

Faith is given such that the impossible, sometimes what seems at first glance even ridiculous, can be made real. Inherent in it is you’ve got to use it to make things happen. Faith is not a matter of quantity, but quality, the kind of bet-your-life-on-it in moving forward.

Planting trees in the middle of bodies of water ranks with higher levels of the ridiculous. Jesus was teaching that’s the power of potent faith. What seems like it’d never happen, does.

When people are so lost they are looking up at bottom, they still find a love that accepts them unconditionally. While the world rejects you, Jesus sees in you something you might not have ever seen in yourself. When doubt tells you there’s no way, faith transforms it into a new way.

Faith requires watchful, eyes-wide-open, be prepared to be surprised by God. Again, no promises are given life that will turn out as you thought. But it is impactful, making the world into what is beyond the imagination, like dropping tiny seeds into a soup pot or letting them fall by the roadside to grow into huge bushes. You won’t know it until you taste or see it. When you do, you’ll know it was empowered by a seed of faith.

Serve, Not Served

Jesus, this quality over quantity thing might work. Even so, in the day to day we need some support to hold us. Yet again, speaking of the ridiculous, you compare your people to servants who never get thanked for their service. What’s with this? Everyone needs to know they are appreciated in some respect. So you tell us faith alone should be sufficient but we never get so much of a thanks for the effort? Why not?

All of this comes down to the same thing. Exercise faith, work it into the very being of your mindset and soul. Let it become a part of you, inseparable from who you are as your heart and lungs. Watch it work. See the power it has in your world and in God’s.

Granted, people are behavioral and often operate based on reward and consequences. However, if faith becomes so integral to who you are, all you do follows that. Whatever you do, however you work your life, will come from there.

We all know what it looks like. Could you imagine thanking the fish for swimming in the ocean or birds for flying in the air? They were made for that, no thanks to them. In the same way, people who exercise faith live in expectation of what God does. Not that they were made that way, but rather that’s how they live as a natural expression of their faith.

Jesus himself said he, “ did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. ” For the faith-filled, service is just what they do. Sounds ridiculous but that’s how it’s done. If you serve for the sake of at least being thanked, who is being served?

The disciples asked how to increase their faith. Jesus answered on how faith is worked. Only a little is needed but is powerful to make transformations in expectations of what we do and what God does.

Luke 17: 5-10

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Watch Your Blind Spot

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 03:03:46 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He warns how self-centered intentional blindness contributes to pain and agony, forming chasms of eternal separation.

J esus, from all you say, you’re the one who is supposed to be the Savior. If you really want that job, then that’s fine with us. Go ahead and make the world a better place and fill your heavenly realms with singing saints if that’s your thing. But what’s the deal here on dumping the problems of this world in our lap? We do the best we can, and some of us do well. Why are we the ones who have to fix things and be the answer to all kinds of problems? If you are God, then do it yourself.

Not saying that God couldn’t do it, but if God did, let’s just say things might not be to your liking. Jesus pinpointed the problem plenty of times. If this story leaves you feeling like you’ve got sand in your pants, you might want to listen up.

Picture This

Nowhere does Jesus say accumulation of wealth is the problem. Jesus illustrated with a story of a rich man and Lazarus. The rich man’s life was summed in one word, luxury. You know what that looks like. Sprawling mansions with fancy pools and garages (modern-day barns) with more square footage than some high school stadiums. His clothes-closet outlay cost more than a small college tuition. An army of employees was necessary to manage his estate. Opulence was just a mere fact of life. But for all we know, he’d been smart and ambitious and now had a life where he could enjoy the fruit of his labor. All of this in itself is not the problem.

However, not far from the rich man’s door lay Lazarus, a sad, poor beggar who hoped for the garbage thrown out after the rich guy’s daily feasts. So sick was he that dogs would lick his open sores; whether that was because Lazarus couldn’t fight them off or it was his only source of sympathetic touch doesn’t really matter. Some say dog saliva has healing properties. But mercifully, Lazarus died, and angels carried him to rest in Abraham’s bosom.

The rich dude also passed away. Financial status never changes the final outcome. But the afterlife for this guy wasn’t a golden chariot through pearly gates. His soul landed in Hades, the place of the dead. Otherwise known as hell, it’s the antithesis of all the rich man had known during his lifetime. Accumulated earthly wealth could not buy him relief from the anguish of eternal regret.

But beyond the chasm separating heaven and hell, he saw poor Lazarus at peace and restored from the agonies of his life. The rich man pleads for some pity, begging Abraham for just a small thing, like the scraps Lazarus lived on for much of his life. “Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.” He now understood how much Lazarus had lacked in basic needs. The roles were reversed; the rich man was not asking for a good deal, just something to relieve his torment in a small measure.

So What’s This?

A guy goes to hell so there is some kind of balance between the very rich and the very poor. You never said that this rich guy ever did anything to this Lazarus dude. He could have kicked him away from his gate. Panhandlers don’t make for good curb appeal you know. Apparently, the rich guy let him and his mutts stay where he could get some good foot traffic of likewise well-heeled buddies who might throw him a coin or two. Give the rich guy some credit for having a bit of tolerance.

Tolerance? Or maybe the reason the authorities were not called to arrest Lazarus for vagrancy was because he wasn’t on the rich guy’s radar. It’s called inattentional blindness , that is, not having the capacity to see something right in front of you because too many other things compete for your attention. You’ve heard of people getting hurt while walking because they were reading their texts. Same thing. What’s more, it can lead to tragic outcomes. The rich guy didn’t do anything to Lazarus because he didn’t have it in him to notice or really see how poor people live. Such attitudes grow into blind spots.

But Jesus Saw Him.

Interestingly, while the rich man is not named in the story, the poor man is. As a matter of fact, Lazarus is the only character in any of Jesus’ stories who is given a name. Jesus not only saw him and his situation; Jesus knew him by name. Lazarus means “God is my help.” So it was that the angels rescued him.

Just as pointedly, the rich man remains anonymous. He could be any one. His wealth again wasn’t the issue though other than he certainly had the means to help Lazarus and with more than table scraps. Poverty is not God-created. You want God to fix the problems of the world? First take care of the ones that humans cause.

So did the rich guy go to hell because God sent him there? Or did he land in hell, a place of eternal separation, because he lived a life that built walls around himself and dug this chasm, this gulf, in which he finds himself? Sit there for a while.

You Get What You Give

He calls out to Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, for help to relieve his agony. Abraham’s reply is not kind. He reminds the rich guy he had neglected to care for Lazarus. But more so, it would not be possible anyway. Fates are sealed, and one cannot change how one has lived or extended help to one another. What’s done is done.

Finally, the rich man has compassion, at least for his own people. He wants Lazarus to go to his five brothers and give fair warning of what their fate could also be. Strangely, he’s still the one who wants to be in control, getting Lazarus to do his bidding as if he’s a slave to this guy’s needs.

Abraham reminds him these warnings already are in the ancient prophetic writings. Widows and orphans are to be treated with fairness. Foreigners are to be given food, clothing and shown brotherly love. ( Deuteronomy 10:17-19) Do the right thing. Love mercy and love God. ( Micah 6:8) The rich guy evidently didn’t think these directives applied to him. He knows his brothers and others like him need more persuasion, like someone returning from the dead.

The pull of control and wanting life on your own terms can be as strong as a titanium lock and as hard to break. Such is the hold of wealth on the soul. It can hide what really needs your attention and intervention in what is wrong in the world. Abraham’s (and Jesus’) reply though has a double meaning for the trouble it spells. “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.”

The Trouble with Jesus: He warns how self-centered intentional blindness contributes to pain and agony, forming chasms of eternal separation.

Luke 16:19-31

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Business Smarts

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:23:27 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He will use whatever he can, even stories from the shady side of life, to get people to understand what God desires for the world.

Jesus, so much about you is contradictory. You set high moral standards in loving others and God, and still seem to favor people who live in the dirt, lost ones you call them. You teach we should help these people that no one else wants, while you tell the rich to divest of all they’ve got for those who haven’t anything. Wouldn’t that leave everyone in the same sinking boat? You tell us to hate those closest to us in favor for complete devotion to God. All of this is like shooting surgical knives into the soul and taking away what makes the heart beat.

Not so. Yes, adjustments are required. Jesus asks for a reorganization of priorities. His story of the shrewd manager comes from another direction. True, at first reading, it may not seem to meet the mold of the high and holy. But it does get your attention.

Ripping Off the Boss

A rich man (who else, right?) finds out his manager had been stealing from him. The boss tells him to get his final account together because he’s going to get canned. With that prospect, the manager does some quick thinking. Physical labor was not a recourse, nor did he relish begging, so he had to get creative.

Now, here’s the clever thing. He calls in his boss’ debtors. One owed eight hundred gallons of olive oil. The manager reduced it to half that amount. Another owed a thousand bushels of wheat. That bill was reduced to eight hundred.

When the rich man hears about it, he actually admired what the guy did. Jesus’ commentary surprisingly is likewise; “And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are.”

Workplace Corruption

So Jesus thinks this arrangement, actually cheating his boss even more, is a good idea? Seems like Jesus is getting a little shady here. And why would the rich boss think he was so clever and smart for doing so?

Try coming at this story from another perspective. Yes, the guy was a cheat and a thief. His business practices were not on the up and up. Today, the IRS would be all over it. At any rate, he did get caught, and he’s getting fired because of it. It’s the consequence for his choice.

Jesus doesn’t come down on him for being a bad person. In this guy’s world, he’s only there to get the best deal for himself. He doesn’t have the capacity to think anybody else would have done differently. His sociopathic tendency can’t conceive it; moral empathy isn’t in his wheelhouse. He just does what’s smart in his own situation.

What the shrewd manager realized, albeit not how most people come to this understanding, is he needed some friends and really fast. He needed them to be on his side, to take care of him, ones who’d be loyal to him because he had sided with them in their need. So he did that for which he’d soon be able to call in his favors. He made friends. Now Jesus says he seems to have figured it out better than “the godly” people. It’s another slam. Are you getting this now?

Christ, but you are good at this. So the manager was the original “make friends and influence people” proponent. Wealth in the end is temporary, whether earned honestly or not. It’s not going to last, even if you die with boats and boatloads of it. But relationships, friendships are better than piles of gold. Your people, the ones with whom you’ve shared and shared life, the ones who will have your back because they know you’ve had theirs, will last.

Precisely. “Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends.” That point has already been made. But take note of how far it will go. “In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.” God takes note on how we live. And if relationships with people are vital, even more so is one’s relationship with God. Money is a big bad distraction from that.

“You cannot serve both God and money.”

God wants your focus, devotion, love above all else. For Jesus, money, wealth, possessions were illustrative of how that does or does not happen. He knew the hold it had on his listeners as much as it does on people today. Teaching like this speaks where people live.

Time and time again, Jesus preached and taught about this topic. He paired a story about a lost sheep with a lost coin. Losing livestock is one thing, but everyone can relate to losing money. Contractors know the risk in investments. “Count the cost,” he said . Dishonest employees who cook the books are a big business worry. People have strong opinions about it.

Make the Connection

“Unless your are faithful in small matters, you won’t be faithful in large ones.”

If people were as concerned about their relationships with God and neighbor as they were about their bank accounts and financial portfolios…? Answer that one on your own.

Luke 16:1-13

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An Unsatisfied God

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 20:56:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He tells stories that make God look desperately unsatisfied, always on the prowl for more.

Now ain’t this sweet. Jesus, you always are good for stories that make us go, “Awww, how nice.” They’re good for little kids with furry lambs and sweet pictures to hang on the nursery wall. To your credit, they also relate to how we live. We know what it’s like to go frantically searching for keys or phones, and when they turn up, we say, “Oh, thank god!” Yeah, this kind of thing gets you out of many a hole with your detractors. Nice work there, Good Shepherd.

Oh, you noticed? Every so often, and increasingly more often than not, the religious leaders had been showing up whenever an assembly of people gathered around to hear him speak. As much as what Jesus said, who he said it to brought an undercurrent of criticism. This time it was about “those” kinds of people who seemed to drop in when he spoke.

You’ve heard the phrase, “known by the company you keep?” Your mother didn’t make it up to steer you away from the wrong crowd. These teachers of religious law complained that as one who taught about God, Jesus shouldn’t be so familiar with “notorious sinners.”

Specifically, Jesus was known to have even shared meals with them. As your mother may have pointed out, people might think you are just like them. Or worse yet, they might influence you in negative ways, damage your brand. That old excuse how you’ll be an encouragement to them on changing their ways didn’t hold in the first century either.

True to form, Jesus answers with stories that speak both ways, to those “holy” gatekeepers as well as the low-lifes who follow him on the fringes.

What Kind of God…?

On the surface, it looks like Jesus talks about the familiar, in this case, the panic we know when something important goes missing. Step back a bit though and notice these stories of a Lost Sheep and Lost Coin are not so much about what’s nowhere to be found as much as about the one out there searching for it. And if you don’t mind taking a small interpretive leap, that seeker is God.

Here again, Jesus lands an insult. The seeking characters in these two stories are not well-favored among the upper echelon. One is a shepherd, the kind of laborer who gets the dirty jobs, like trash hauling or chicken house cleaning. Sheep are dirty and dumb, and you’ve got to be with them day and night if you want to get any kind of meager profit from your work.

The other is a woman, a person who had better keep whatever wealth she has accrued in her lifetime secured right into her apparel. Some think this coin was part of her dowry, and women would sew them into their headdresses for security. Women lived their lives not far removed in status from the filth the shepherds knew. God is of this kind? Yeah, sit with that.

Desperate Seeker

To identify God like this does reveal what’s important, integral to God. Persons who don’t have much keep close what’s essential to them. Ever see a homeless person with a grocery cart of belongings? They don’t have much, but what they do have, they don’t want to lose. This shepherd and woman knew great loss when that sheep wandered away and that coin rolled off into nowhere. No question they would do all they could to get back what was lost. No question God would do the same.

To retrieve the lost sheep, the shepherd had to accept major risk. While he gathered the rest of the flock safely in the sheepfold, he needed to go off in the “wilderness” in search of the lost one. Besides the time and energy it took, he also was making himself vulnerable to the very predators that could have carried off the missing sheep. Out there in the middle of nowhere, he faced the fact his efforts might not be successful.

Likewise, the woman has an immense search ahead of her. She sweeps every corner of her house hoping this small coin holding the value of as much as a day’s wages would turn up. If it’s gone forever, so is a measure of her very life.

Still, the shepherd had ninety-nine other sheep and the woman had nine other coins. All was not lost. Why not just let it go? Except they wouldn’t accept losing anything. God doesn’t either.

Heaven’s Joy

Admit it. People like these stories because they have happy endings. The shepherd finds the sheep and carries it home on his shoulders where it’s not going to get a chance to run off again. The woman finds her lost coin. Both are so happy about retrieving what was lost they share the good news with friends and neighbors who rejoice with her. In other words, their friends are as happy for these seekers as if they were in the same place having lost and then found what was valuable and gone missing.

However, note one detail here. It makes so much sense that it’s easy to overlook. But God doesn’t. In order to find the coin, the woman lights a lamp. How else are you going to find something in a dark house? Light is necessary to the seeker and must illuminate and reach into dark places. To be found, that which is not clearly seen must be made visible.

Why Find the Lost?

Jesus’ stories, though simplistic enough to stand as cute children’s lessons, probe into those dark places. Do the math. One out of ninety-nine, or one out of ten equals one to ten percent. While it may look like the loss is relatively small, to the shepherd and the woman it is not. Like any loss you may ever feel, their losses resulted in an incompleteness. The flock was supposed to number one hundred; the dowry was made up of ten coins. Missing any of it made the whole only broken.

Actively searching restores that brokenness. The broken, those who are lost, now found bring completeness to the whole. Thus, “there is joy in heaven when even one sinner repents.”

Interestingly, in Jesus’ stories the sheep and the coin are mere passive details. The lost sheep does not express regret, and the lost coin doesn’t say, “I’m sorry.” Emphasis rather is in the rejoicing, and by extension, who rejoices with God. Repentance by the lost ones is in another story .

To be clear, there are those who know they are lost, and there are those who don’t know how lost they are. Lost ones know they can’t be restored on their own. The reversals in living and restoration as valued souls desired and loved by God has to happen by God finding them and taking them home.

But those who don’t know they’re lost, don’t/won’t see it that way. Return to “the company you keep.” Sure, Jesus ate with shady characters, those who didn’t stay in the sheepfold. How else would they ever know him if he didn’t introduce himself, meet them in the places where they lived?

Notice as well, these persons of questionable morals came back with him to his place, the hills and homes in which he taught and willingly received everyone. Effectively, Jesus brought them with him into his kind of fold. He gave to them a value that outweighed a small silver coin. So who is still missing?

Oh yeah, the ones who won’t sit in his kind of mixed company, who maintain strict boundaries in the sheepfold and keep those who are different separate. And so, God’s desire for wholeness stays broken.

The Trouble with Jesus is he tells stories that make God look desperately unsatisfied, always on the prowl for more, regardless of whether they’re lost or don’t know how lost they are. God’s joy in heaven and on earth will not be not complete until all of them are found.

Luke 15:1-10

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Banquet Seating

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 01:53:50 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He made a life lesson on humility into a blessed honor.

Jesus, you are the perfect example of the observation, “ When you are invited to a dinner, you are either a guest or you are part of a menu. ” (Guy Verhofstadt) Everybody is always watching you, sizing you up, holding their breath to see what you might do next. You look like you’re there to eat as much as you’re there to preach.

Such an observation demonstrates how much you can learn about people, even Jesus. Yes, many times Jesus was present at a meal. He apparently enjoyed eating and the company a good meal gathered. And interesting things happened during those events. Mary and Martha liked to have him over , (Luke 10:38-42) though apparently Martha did most of the work. He actually invited himself for dinner at the homes of “notorious sinners” like the tax collector Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-10) He threw his own party when he fed 5000-plus people (John 6:1-21) on just a couple of fish and barley rolls. Don’t forget either how he provided good wine for a wedding feast . (John 2:1-11) Even the last night he spent with his disciples, he hosted the Seder meal for Passover . (John 13:1-17, 31-35)

Over many meals, Jesus also taught life lessons in story form, parables in which people could see themselves and learn about the character of God. Inherent in settings like this is not only good eating, but the filling of the soul.

Sabbath Work

It must have been early in the evening, the Sabbath day having concluded with the reading of the ancient holy writings and interpretations by religious leaders. Jesus was the invited guest of a Pharisee. Everyone had an eye on Jesus because in the house was a man clearly ill with a disease that swelled his extremities. What would Jesus do about it?

He’d been through this before when challenged in a synagogue about healing a woman there . (Luke 13:10-17) Strangely, some considered that healing on this day set aside by God for rest was breaking a commandment. Never mind that healing, often instantaneously, would be a miracle, something that only God could do. Typically, these uncaring religious leaders had no comment, and Jesus healed the poor guy with just a touch. He then pointed out, in matters of dire necessity like if your ox falls in a ditch, you do what you have to do. He implies, would not a human being deserve as much? Again, he silenced them by exposing their uncaring attitudes. (Luke14:1-6)

Messiah Man, we get it. You show compassion over compliance to the letter of the Law. Sure, you walk a fine line with these guys, hounding you like some tabloid trying to get video to trip you up, finish you off. You don’t walk away from that. Sometimes though, don’t you think it’d be wise to just excuse yourself, make yourself scarce until they calm down?

Jesus knew like any good teacher that the more frequently you teach a lesson backed with diverse examples, the better the chance it might get through to the slow-learners of humanity. He pressed on right into the oppressive social mores of the day. Some days nothing is hands-off sacred.

Who Decides Where a Guest Should Sit for Dinner?

These people were not only there to eat well but to promote themselves. You know, don’t pass up any good opportunity to network and pitch your business plan and political objectives. Evidently, it was all too obvious that day by how people scrambled and jockeyed to get the best seat near the head table.

Two thousand years and not much has changed. Even etiquette queen Emily Post advised seating according to rank . You’ll know where you stand when told where you’ll sit according to this protocol perspective. Expect Jesus to follow this format? The guy who twists one of the Big Ten Commandments to advantage sick people? Yeah, right.

None of this snobbery gets past him. Jesus tells them, Whoa! Not good. It’s a set up for embarrassment and being socially demoted. Ultimately, the host has the final say where people land. Should he decide someone else deserves more rank, you’ll get booted closer to the door. Instead, start with a seat more like at the foot of the table, and when the host insists on moving you up, you’ll get noticed. Now that’s a better way to work a room.

How To Decide Who to Invite to a Dinner Party

More basic to Jesus’ cause though is who gets the big invite. Jesus addresses the host next, the Pharisee leader who threw this big party. Realize what bad manners Jesus’ speech entailed as he lectured the guy on how to host a crowd. With a nod to those like the guy he just healed, Jesus challenged the guest list. More likely they looked like the kind of party Emily Post was known to have, all poured from the same mold, impeccably dressed and bejeweled, ones who never knew a day of hunger in their lives. From this crowd a return invitation for the guy giving the shindig was more likely.

Jesus’ kind of party instead was made up of those who just couldn’t repay the favor, the poor, sick, deformed, blind. Who more would appreciate a good meal and favored attention from the host? Jesus’s story was meant to sit at the table, be one in humanity together. Whereas the rest of the world might not find elevated esteem in being among those who sat at the bottom of the ladder, this kind of host would find notice instead by God. That sort of payback was eternal.

Why Good Manners Are Important

Really Jesus? Next you’re going to tell us which fork to use with which serving? Don’t bother. It’s clear this little life lesson is one you always fall back on. Take care of those who don’t have the advantages, privileges, resources that make life easier. It’s the love your neighbor thing. Fine. You can let up on this one.

Glad you got that much. Just to point out though, in this little life lesson Jesus is emphatic in telling it. Sure, most of the time he preaches to a crowd, and it’s easy to assume he means it for the other guy. But this time, it’s all about YOU, You as in the second person singular. That’s right, he’s speaking right into your face just so don’t miss what he’s saying.

The other thing you need to get in your head and deep into your heart is that by serving others, Jesus expects your giving to be genuine and generous. Don’t try to fake it. Make it part of your daily lifestyle. Take a good hard look at your relationships. Do all your friends look like you, come from the same place, get together for dinners, parties, banquets and leave out anyone who’s not as vanilla as you? Think if you just volunteer once in a while at a shelter or drop off groceries at a food bank you’ve done your part, and God is good with it?

Does your mind more often think about what’s in it for you than what you’ve got to give to others? Getting on board with Jesus requires reversal of that mindset, an adoption of a new attitude. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, page 148)

The benefit/blessing is that as Jesus noted the seating arrangement at this dinner he attended, so does God. As it is, social practices are important because they highlight what God hopes humanity will achieve for each other through what Jesus taught in not-so-little life lessons. God wants to return the favor.

“The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”

Luke 14:1,7-14

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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A Cost Benefit Analysis

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:09:19 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His scandalous rhetoric doesn’t permit a domestication of lifestyle covered with a veneer of religion.

Come over here, Jesus. It’s ok to be a little contradictory once in a while, but this is the kind of talk that will crash your site. Telling people to hate their families and even their own lives to get behind you? No more love everybody like you love yourself? Besides the risk of looking like a charismatic cult leader, people are going to drop you faster than hot grease. Sometimes you’ve got to give a little to get a little, but with this talk you’re headed to a big fat zero.

So you say dial it down? It’s happened already. People have read this as just Middle Eastern hyperbole, exaggerated language to emphasize the point. Jesus used it plenty. That will let you instead read/hear it as love your family a little less than God, or love in proportion to the love you have for God. Perhaps just prefer God over family is more palatable. Take out the emotion and turn it into a loyalty statement. Better?

Beware. Don’t miss how just before Jesus said this, he’d stopped in his tracks and turned around to face the crowds following him.

Crowd Control

For some time now, Jesus had been on his way to Jerusalem. Throngs of people were behind him on the road, likely all kinds, the wealthy as well as the impoverished. They had their reasons, but you can’t ignore the fact that somewhere between his teachings which they heard like nowhere else and the impossible healings that came straight out of heaven, he was a success.

The general feeling was Jerusalem was going to be the place where Jesus would take over, change was coming, the best was yet to be with him in charge. Who wouldn’t get behind that? In turning around, facing the crowd instead of forging ahead, Jesus’ words took on an emphasis that gave challenge to what was coming.

Hate your family, even your own life, Jesus says. It was enough to make most persons catch their breath, but his next words were excessive. “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Forget the auras painted around church crosses you see today. These people only saw crosses stained in blood and torture. Stare at that for a few moments.

Up front, Jesus was telling them to prioritize their values. The harshness of his words to renounce what you’ve held dear in life feels wrong. Cross carrying, suffering for Jesus’ cause, is that what’s up ahead? Did they not realize where this kind of leader would lead them to?

Jesus slashed through his success quota with this kind of statement. Clearly, morphisms crafted to sustain his popularity wasn’t in his game. His call to let go of anything that holds back in following him though has a balm. To hang on to your family as much as your possessions makes your kin no more than your stuff. The quality of your love then hangs in the balance. Are they really just your trophies, a well-shot portrait of what you want people to see? So much for family values.

Count the Cost

Actually, Jesus was being fair even as what he said was radical. Two stories he tells present an interesting analogy. One involved the construction of a tower while another presented consideration of a military campaign. Both the builder and the king begin by sitting down. Sit, stop, calculate your expenses. If you don’t have enough financing or well-armed forces, your efforts risk failure, shame, catastrophe.

To continue on this journey to Jerusalem would be a calculated risk, maybe even the price of one’s own life. Jesus wanted them to give informed consent, not blind obedience based in misplaced enthusiasm. Only with that realization would they be able to finish, to not just follow, but follow through.

In all, Jesus’ warning was not only for them. Rather, he wanted them to live into the passion he had for God and the primacy it meant. On a personal level though, he was preaching to himself. Modeling behavior can be limited. He needed to be the real thing both for them and for himself.

“No one can be my disciple without giving up everything for me.”

Can’t get any clearer than that: everything. Only in the relinquishing of whatever entanglements life-chains place on you is it possible to get behind Jesus. True, it’s extreme, not just a weekend hobby. How far does it reach? Possessions can be downsized, greed rejected, overabundance shunned, but this may mean being dependent on the hospitality, generosity of others for basic needs. Relationships may require the “talk” that defines where your values take you. Doors shut in your face hurt. Political views, power structures, privileged living require a discarding so as to align with faith dependent on the movement of God to bring change, to save the world.

Too much? One last thing: exchange one’s identity for that of Jesus. No personality types, personal preferences, ambitions, dreams, even concepts of self including sexuality get an excused pass. Yeah, he meant everything. There’s your heavy cross.

Scandal

The Trouble with Jesus is his scandalous rhetoric doesn’t permit a domestication of lifestyle covered with a veneer of religion. There’s no “what’s in it for me” in this kind of cost benefit calculation, no column for it on your spreadsheet. Jesus doesn’t need, indeed won’t even risk weak and timid backers on this road. They’d never survive, certainly wouldn’t be an asset.

But cross carrying isn’t total loss. Jesus invested his life in a cross so his followers could follow through it. While the final tally may show heavy debits, the bottom line more than balances the account. He bought into those who come with him with promise of a full, abundant new life.

Can you afford otherwise?

Luke 14:25-33

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Busted Drama

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:00:01 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He brings upheaval into how the world works,

even when it hurts his own cause.

Oh, Jesus, you have this way about you. There’s that thing where you can’t look the other way, even when it’s for your own good. Noooo, you have to make a scene, stir up drama getting everyone all excited on both sides of aisle. Sorry, but you sometimes bring all this trouble on your own.

Very true. Read it like a drama with stage directions left out. It plays very well.

The Stage

While religious leaders had real problems with this “Teacher” who was less than diplomatic in the system, they were smart enough to know that “you keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Shrewdly, they set him up to fail. Their goal? Let him sink himself right in front of people. This Teacher who had said he did not come to do away with the Law would have to live within it, and if they could find a way to show he was a violator, well then, all the better.

The scene is set: Jesus is teaching in the synagogue. He takes center front stage. All eyes turned on him. He stood with authority, not of his own, but of someone invited to speak by the leader, the ruler of the synagogue. He was given his chance to trip himself up.

Act One

Drama is written by taking the familiar and charging it with the unexpected. In the gathering is a woman described as so bent over she could not fully straighten herself, and she had been this way for eighteen years. But what is not said yet fully understood by the first readers of Luke’s Gospel, is Jesus cannot see her sitting in the congregation. No, this seating was reserved only for men, with those of most prominent status and power sitting in the front.

Where were the women? In the back but outside the main seating area, behind a screen, probably a lattice. They were not easily seen, nor could they see clearly or probably even hear well what was being preached. The screen helped to maintain a caste system, and women, along with others who were sick or mentally challenged, were segregated. They were among those who regularly, monthly were unclean.

Act Two

That’s when Jesus does the unforgivable. He calls and recognizes her above the important guys in the front. Mistake number one: in speaking to her, he connotes that she is a person of worth. Mistake number two: in order to speak to her, either he had to move behind the screen to where she was, or she had to come into this place reserved only for the men. Once born into this system, you stayed in this system. There was no such thing as upward mobility. Jesus’ actions challenged it, not a good idea.

Mistake number three: He says, “Woman, you are healed of your sickness,” and then lays his hands on her. In that culture, touching the ill risked contamination. He not only connected with her physical illness but also connected to this evil spirit that had robbed her of her health and her life. The sense of contagion was not just physical, but spiritual. Jesus was really crossing some lines on this one.

So what happens next? She’s healed and can stand up straight. So what’s so wrong with that? Her status is changed; she’s not unclean. Beware. If that happens, maybe the whole system is going to be changed; maybe this synagogue is going to look a lot different soon. And they were right because of what happened next. She praised God. A woman was speaking out loud and loudly in a religious assembly. One who had no rights over the better part of her life was speaking in this place reserved for only men and only the most powerful among them.

Act Three

What ensues next in this drama is an exchange between the ruler of the synagogue and Jesus. In a way it is reminiscent of the dialogue Jesus had with the devil when He was tempted after fasting forty days in the desert. (Luke 4:1-13) Both the ruler and the devil lean on Scriptures to make their point, and Jesus’ answer demonstrates how much they get wrong in their use of God’s Word.

The ruler accuses Jesus of breaking Sabbath law, but to whom does he direct his charges? To the people, not to Jesus. Jesus was standing right there. Why not confront Him face to face? It’s triangulation, a tactic that those who cannot stand on their own use to sustain themselves when their support is weak. This ruler felt the full pressure of the conflict that was going on here. If Jesus could heal, and they had just seen his power to do so, and could heal a woman, one who was not just on the bottom of the social system but one who was so low she couldn’t even look up physically, emotionally or spiritually from the bottom, and could heal a woman on the Sabbath, a confrontation to the ruler’s leadership, and could heal a woman on the Sabbath upsetting the very configuration of the synagogue, this ruler was going to lose and lose big.

The synagogue leader was indignant because this conflict was centered in control and power. Jesus was breaking Sabbath by breaking perceptions of what the social and religious structure of the world should be, wreaking and crumbling the caste system of the entire religious culture. His actions fractured and shattered a bondage which kept her and those like her pressed and beaten down all their lives. All the men in the synagogue benefited from this system at the expense of women and any others who had been suffering for years without any possibility even to ask for relief.

Jesus showed them the function of Hebrew law never was intended to oppress people. Instead, as the central story of Exodus declares, it is about setting them free for praise and service to God and neighbor. No wonder the people rejoiced at all the glorious things Jesus did. But after this incident, Jesus never taught again in a synagogue. He “shamed his enemies,” done with them and their systems for good.

The Epilogue

Well, Son of God, we like where you’re going with this. This is something we can get behind even as we’re not all that ready to fully fall in step and follow, as you call it. Glad you got the heck out of there. Now, just set your tent in your own place, and we’ll call it yours. See then what these Jews do when all these people they trample on go another way.

Sorry. That’s not the plan. He will not walk away from those he loves. Abandonment is not in his rule book. Jesus won’t be run off by these small-time tetrarchs. He’s headed to the Temple in Jerusalem. He knows it’s the site of his worst trouble. He’s ready for it.

Luke 13:10-17

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Truth Burns

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 19:38:18 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: As Prince of Peace he makes political divisions look tame.

You know what, Jesus? This makes you certified dangerous. So you’re going to bring fire, division and family dysfunction? Like we need your divine help on this one. Incendiary talk won’t get you votes on making our world better. More like, arrested and put away for good. Yeah, you ask for it.

Fiery Talk

Yes, he said it. Sure, it’s got a contradictory spin from what we usually hear about who Jesus is, all nice and sweet, pretty talk about love and peace. But no, he wasn’t just having a bad day when he said all this. More like he was looking reality in the face.

Now take into account he only said this at first to his inner tribe, the Twelve. If anyone needed to know where all this was going, they did. That terrible baptism he spoke of was for him. Before all was over, excruciating suffering and a bloody death would be his fate. He’s at a point where he wished it was just over.

But take this thought with you, too. Fire brings down and destroys, but its heat melts and separates elements, the pure from the impure. Fire brings clarity. The Twelve are going to need that clarity, a sight undimmed by what would fog and hide the truth. And sometimes, truth burns.

Does Jesus bring Peace or Division?

Well, on this day Jesus doesn’t seem to be much in favor of peace, that is the kind where all is calm and all is bright. He’s ready to burn down the whole system, break apart what seems most important. You’d think he was a family man, but the way he talks, families should be split up and thrown out with the ashes. After all, he had already said as much to his own mother and brothers. (Mark 3:20-35)

Things haven’t changed much. Families can’t gather for old fashioned holidays because of opposing views on immigration, diversity , abortion positions, favored political parties. This nowhere approaches the traditional problems of personalities clashing over dysfunctional family dynamics. For Jesus, the bigger issues centered on his message.

Disclaimer here: Jesus was not into political movements. Sure, he knew what the Romans did to his own people with unfair taxes, corruption reaching down into the Jewish temple and priests. He didn’t like how both governmental and religious powers oppressed God’s people. Yet, never did he set himself up as a leader who would do something about it. His frustrations came out of a deeper caldron.

Present Times

At this point, Jesus speaks openly to the constant crowd mere steps away. He’s direct, absolutely mean to them: “You hypocrites!” he accuses them. They’re so good at interpreting signs of weather change, but they can’t/won’t grasp what’s happening in the world right before them.

A Moral Dissonance

That clarifying fire that exposes truth? Jesus’s life is the catalyst. His teachings, stories, the challenges he makes pit what you’ve always thought against what you’re being asked to do. Like that one about The Good Samaritan. Think it’s about helping the needy? (Luke 10:25-37)

He busts open myths of power, success, financial achievements which only promote a counterfeit peace. Those who would gain by it, don’t like what he has to say. This Prince of Peace makes political divisions look tame.

Jesus makes you choose. Choices always have consequences. Moral accommodations don’t fit with his brand, and his kind of peace doesn’t come cheaply. It shouts trouble and will cost your soul.

Luke 12:49-56

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The Shape of Hope

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 22:18:16 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he both brings and requires reversals.

Jesus. We need help. No, make that, you need help. Whatever. You spin this talk about treasure in heaven and then getting robbed. About being the revered master and then acting like you’re the slave. Come on here. Say what you mean and quit making it so hard for us to get it.

It’s been said what you have to work for, means more. Tighten your belt and prepare to go at it.

The Promise

First off, Jesus says don’t get all upset and anxious about what’s coming. God loves it when there’s the chance to give what amounts to the best heaven can bestow. Pull it all together, and it’s what is called the Kingdom. Not in a nationalistic sense, but as in all the goodness of God gathered and activated in the world.

You see, generosity in overabundance is the goal of God. See though how this comes about. Jesus says the dreaded words, “Sell what you have…” Yes, that smacks right up against the better forms of capitalism and slams into what’s next. “…and give to those in need.” But it’s not to usher in socialism. Rather, the giver gets the best in benefit.

Jesus here is asking for complete trust and confidence in the future. Relinquish what you think brings security. The promise is this exchange of what we think is best and right instead for what God wants and whom God loves best. Freedom comes with that.

Fear and anxiety have no power in this place. Instead, there’s a joy yet to be experienced. Treasure like this can’t be stolen or destroyed.

The Anticipation

So get ready for it. Jesus tells it as in the story of servants waiting for the master to come home. This time though it’s a big deal for he’s coming from a wedding feast, a joyous celebration of united love by friends and family. The servants especially want to have the estate shining its best. There’s one detail though which they can’t control.

No one knows when the master is going to show up. This master doesn’t operate like the rest of the world just because it’s always been done that way. His servants then are required to be diligent even as they wait with no clue as to his expected arrival.

Now why not send word when he’s on the way? Why keep the drama and tension ongoing? What’s this guy think he’s accomplishing by being so secretive?

Secretive? Or is there another expectation here? While waiting and watching for his arrival, these servants are not idle. They keep the place going at the same time they’re making it shine. Yet, it happens by the characteristic the master exemplifies most, in the unexpected. Anticipation is foremost even as the means and hows are not known. All day and night the servants have that which keeps everyone going. They have hope which drives that to which they look forward.

The Real Surprise

Sure enough, the master arrives when he is good and ready, not any time sooner than those who’ve been predicting he might. But there’s more.

You’d think when he got there the servants would be scurrying around to see he’s fed and rested from his travels. Not so. Instead, he makes them sit at his own table, puts on an apron, and serves his people a fine meal. Roles are reversed. His expected arrival becomes an unexpected favor for those who have waited faithfully in service to him. Hope beyond hope becomes a blessing beyond expectancy.

Ready or Regret

Nice thoughts here, Oh Master Jesus. But why this talk of waiting for who-knows-what or working hard for what you turn upside down anyway? Why not just make all the good stuff your promise come to be? Keeping us in the dark about your movements, coming, going or at the table keep us spinning and not knowing what’s up. What’s the point?

Go back to the start of this. Sell all you’ve got. What’s that going to make you do? Reevaluate your priorities? Look at the world from a different perspective? Maybe think differently about the effects of poverty, advantages and privilege, building solidarity with those not necessarily like you? Divesting of your stuff and helping out the less fortunate isn’t a one and done deal. It’s process, change, development, all of which we know doesn’t happen overnight. You grow into it and make a better world, this Kingdom of God that will build, your security.

Otherwise, what’s left to life? All you might ever own and achieve is open to thievery, disaster, betrayal. Put your hope in that and risk eternal regret. Each is accountable only to how one chooses. In brief, where your hope is shapes what you live for.

“Wherever your treasure is, there you heart and thoughts will also be.”

Luke 12:32-40

Footnote

Jesus didn’t just tell stories about role reversals, masters acting as a servant. He lived it. Read more here: Do as I Have Done to You

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The Accounting

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:58:41 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he talks too much about your money.

Jesus, get real. Money is what makes the world go round. But your talk about it doesn’t grease the axis. Come on. What the heck is wrong with having a good portfolio and your stuff? If someone works hard and has success, why not have it all? You want people to go live in hill huts or something? After all, God made us behavioral creatures. We live for our rewards, but you say this is all wrong? Troubled man, you certainly are.

It’s not the accumulation of wealth that’s the problem. You’re right though, Jesus had a lot to say about money. In some places he talks about it more than prayer. In the end, that being this blog and your life, it would pay for you to listen up.

Briefly, the Rich Fool Story

There’s this guy who wanted Jesus to resolve a dispute with his brother over their family inheritance. Whereas Jesus didn’t give him a decision, he does answer with a principle. “Watch out. Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have.” He follows with an example of a rich man whose vast financial success necessitated building bigger barns to hold all the crops his farms had produced. The rich dude planned to hoard all for himself and to, “Eat, drink, and be merry!” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night you will die.”

Financial Analysis

God might call him a Fool, but face it, this guy had good business acumen. He’d built a thriving enterprise and achieved high yields. His barns couldn’t hold all the crops produced. It made sense to build bigger barns. He’d be saving for his future, and his golden years would reap the fruit of his labor. Hard work and wise investments are smart. Right?

A Reckoning with Reality

Fool often carries the meaning of stupidity, but there’s a deeper issue in this guy. He doesn’t think it through, as in he was thoughtless about the end result, that is, his life. Interestingly, he congratulates himself with this bright idea and addresses himself as “Soul.” Then the very night he made the decision to proceed with his plan, he died.

God’s Currency

Too bad for him, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Still, was there a flaw in his proposal? Not that there was any indication he ever did anything illegal or shady. But consider this: in essence his plan was to hoard his harvest.

Not that he had a hoarding disorder. In fact, some forms of hoarding are viewed as adaptive behaviors and are triggered by the need to feel safer and less stressed as a barrier in a perceived possible emergency. Think toilet paper and the start of the pandemic. We all felt the concern in some form or another.

In the rich guy’s case though the effect of his hoarding was not to contribute to the food supply. Hold back on the supply, and basic economics tells you the price is going to take a hike. Thus, he was hoarding not just to have it, but to have more. (Need it be mentioned how evident this is on the price of eggs…) So the rich get richer.

And the poor…go hungry. In Gaza and around the world . Back to what Jesus said to the brother upset over the division of his father’s estate. “Real life is not measured by how much we own.” God’s currency works on a different scale.

True Security

The Powerball jackpot lottery at the time of this writing is over $364 million. Stop right there. Sure, you can’t help but think what you’d do with that kind of money, but don’t. Understand the reason you even consider it is because you think it’d buy so much happiness and security. Jesus refutes that thinking here. It won’t last or do you any good when all is said and done.

The rich fool’s Soul ended the very night he came up with this scheme. God is a God of relationship. Love God with all you’ve got and your Neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27-28) Neither God nor Neighbor was included in his scheme. Not even gratitude for his blessings was expressed. Leave it to your imagination as to how this was explained.

Return to the man that prompted this story. Jesus refused to be the judge or arbitrator as to his complaint against his brother on how to settle their father’s estate. Jewish law decided that, and Jesus didn’t have the inclination to get involved.

However, he did address the man’s greed for more. God’s final rhetorical question to the rich man was, “Who will get it all?” His heirs. See what wealth produces? Fractured families who fight over it. Love of brother kind of gets forgotten in the dispute. Not investing heavily in God and others leads to this dissension, and the outcome is rarely good.

Jesus cautions the brother and any who will listen, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Luke 12:13-21

Footnote

Maybe Jesus had so much to say about attitudes toward money and accumulating wealth because of how its desire impacted him. When the religious leaders had enough of his kind of trouble, they ramped up their plan to kill him. Ironically, the priests utilized greed to trap him.

All it took was thirty pieces of silver.

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Asking for a Friend

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 19:29:18 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he teaches God answers prayers

by not always giving us what we ask.

Before you get into the how-to-do-it, we’ve got to ask first, why should we? Really, for all the people who say, “God answered my prayer!”, there are a zillion more who could say they got nothing. Jesus, why bother with it? If God really made us, then God should know what we need and take care of it without all this falling on your knees and begging. It all comes down to baseless hope and hassle.

Yes, it is based in hope. Face this as well. When there’s no hope, prayer seems like the best thing going even when it is the last. True Story: our former President, then Delaware Senator Joe Biden, said to the effect that if you want to get rid of prayer in public schools, eliminate all tests. (Think about it; students look at the exam questions and say/think/maybe pray, “God, help me!”) And if there is at least one prayer people rely one, it’s the Lord’s Prayer.

Why is the Lord’s Prayer so Powerful?

The Lord’s Prayer is the kind of prayer people go to when they don’t know what to pray. Most know it from the 16th century English version, “Our Father, who art in heaven…” While people today don’t talk in thees and thous (except for authentic renditions of Shakespearean plays, “Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”), it still works on the level that these are words that we don’t get in front of. They speak on their own what needs to be said to the God to whom it is addressed. It holds a steadiness, a regularity when the world is falling apart, when there’s nothing we can do except that we need to do something. So we pray.

Why did Jesus Give us the Lord’s Prayer?

The short answer to that is Jesus gave it in response to a disciple’s request. They had seen him do it, often out on his own. Clearly it gave him release from burden and strength to take on the next. But his closest friends were also Jewish. Prescribed prayers in the synagogue were common. That’s what they understood, and had even seen Jesus’ advance man, John the Baptist, teach his team how to pray. It follows Jesus’ guys wanted some of the same.

Yeah,…it was for them but also for anybody else who in whatever way wants to catch on to what Jesus got out of prayer. Interestingly, in this recording, the short version is taught. On another day, Jesus fleshed it out in the middle of a bigger teaching . (Matthew 6:6-13) But here we get the gist of what’s important. Memorize it as you will, yet understand it is how you come to God in prayer, this one or your own extemporized cry of the soul, which Jesus was really trying to teach.

So, How do I Approach God to Pray?

First word, Father. It drives the whole thing. Relationship is what God wants out of prayers and how God wants it understood. God and you have this thing going. You two need to talk. What follows is a structure to this particular prayer, but each part is a prayer unto itself. Talk over with God where you are in it.

· Your name be honored. God has let you in. So give God credit where it’s due.

· Your Kingdom come. This world is messed up which is why you’re probably in this position anyway. You acknowledge God has a better plan, and you’d welcome it.

· Give us food every day. Otherwise known as a petition, tell God what you need. We’re talking basics here, not this week’s Powerball lottery win. Food, gas, money for this month’s bills still count.

· Forgive us our sins. We mess up. And we mess up with both God and everyone else. We get hurt and separated in the mess. We’re more than just sorry. Plan to reverse and change how you do things

· As we forgive those who sin against us. We need to be liberated from grudges, hatred against those who’ve hurt us. Otherwise, we’re still controlled by them. Help us, God.

· And don’t let us give into temptations. God, we’re weak, frail, it’s hard to do the next right thing. Keep us strong.

Nice, but there’s more. Jesus tells this interesting story about a guy who goes banging on his friend’s door in the middle of the night. He actually thinks his friend will drag himself out of bed and give him some bread for another guy that popped in unexpectedly for a visit. Jesus says that even if it’s majorly inconvenient, the woke friend (sorry about that) will get up and give this annoyance personified what he requests.

So how’s this an example of prayer? First, these guys are friends. There’s the relationship part. One of them has a need. Sure, he’s asking for some bread, but really what he wants is help in doing the right thing. His other buddy is going to be hungry in the morning, and he wants to do right by him.

Some say because the guy kept knocking on the door it translates into persistence in prayer. Ok, sometimes we have to pray more than once for something (like those zillion prayers you mentioned.) Yet think about it. This guy waking up his friend apparently didn’t think twice about doing it. He actually believed his friend would give him what he needed. So pray like that. Believe God will answer your prayer even if you have to keep bringing it up.

Ask and you’ll get it. Look for it and you’ll find it. Knock repeatedly and the door will open. Jesus promises an answer. Don’t give up. Just expect it to happen.

Yeah, right, not buying it here. How many people have prayed for all kinds of things only to see cancer take people away, war ravage one’s homeland, violence, hunger, disease, natural disasters take away all joy from life. Get real and face up to this bogus promise of yours.

If what you want God to be in this relationship is Divine Fixer, yeah, you’re going to be on the losing end of that stick. Prayer is not some manipulative button by which you can control God and the world, even when it looks like it’s for the best.

But, as Jesus goes on the explain, God does answer prayers, and again, it’s like the relationship of parent to child. No loving father is going to give his kid what’s not for the child’s best interest. Every parent has to say no sometimes, and every parent has offered the kid something else. Often that something else is even more satisfying to the kid than what he or she was whining about. Not that no one has ever whined to God.

Altogether now: Yeah, right .

So here’s the point. If we humans, flawed as we are, know what’s good for our kids about whom we care and love, God as heavenly Father knows that and how to give us “much more.” God will figure out and give to us what we really need, what will really heal, what is better and seen through God’s eyes when we cannot even see into the next hour, day or how to make it through the rest of our lives.

God answers prayers and promises to stick with us when we pray. It’s happens in the greatest gift, the giving of God’s self through the Holy Spirit. That’s much more than we even know how to pray.

Luke 11:1-13

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Two Sides of Every Story

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:33:29 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t take just one side.

Jesus, on this one we have to give it to you. You didn’t send Mary back to the kitchen just because she was a woman. You affirmed her right to stay with the guys because, like you said, she chose what was best for her and you wouldn’t take that away. Yeah, this fits in with how things should be. No problem here.

Well, thanks, but not so fast. If you are assuming this is some kind of feminist liberation call, you’re two steps behind and five miles ahead. Jesus didn’t go around saying that kind of thing. At best, this vignette is a tiny foretaste of the equality women would achieve, how women have the right to learn directly from Jesus as any man. But it was no call to protest the cultural expectation of the first century. Other questions have to be resolved instead.

The Fairness Question

Clarification is needed here. Martha was the one who extended the dinner invitation to Jesus. In that day, men were supposed to do it. No mention is made of a man in this household, not even her brother Lazarus about whom we know from other stories. Martha, possibly a widow, took on that role. She was independent enough and likely financially stable so she could throw a dinner party for her honored guest. To be fair to her, you have to recognize this background and how she pushed some boundaries.

Still, the question she raises concerns all the work it takes to pull it off. No surprise the men are sitting around. Martha is exhausted from the physical labor as well as the worry and stress of the effort. She needed all hands on deck, meaning female hands, while her sister Mary sat attentively taking in Jesus’ teaching and not contributing one single bit to the meal. You can just about see the steam rising from Martha’s head at the sight of this adorable picture. What’s fair about all that? Not much from Martha’s perspective or most people who might be in the same situation.

Responsibility for Self

Now, if you have a problem with someone, the responsible thing would be to address it, right? Martha is the head of that house, the one with the power. Even if she wasn’t so frustrated, she still should take care of it. Unfortunately, she goes about it the wrong way. She triangulates.

Admit it. We all do it. Instead of confronting the person with whom we have an issue, we take it elsewhere, asking other people to do the job. Understandably, Martha was very tired, and maybe she just didn’t want the battle on her own. Possibly she also was a little jealous that Mary had found acceptance from Jesus in a way that Martha hadn’t felt she achieved and wanted some of his attention for herself. Evidently, Martha sensed she was losing that power with which she ran her house, so she turned to the one with ultimate power.

“Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” Don’t you care about what I’m trying to do for you here? Somebody has to get this food to the table. It won’t happen on its own. Make her get off her backside and get behind what’s going on here. Show some justice!

To Serve and To Seek

Jesus doesn’t bite but than again, he’s gentle in how he affirms both sisters. “My dear Martha,” he says, “You are so upset over all these details!” He recognizes Martha’s frustration in what she’s trying to do for him. She’s beyond worry now, distracted, not able to get things done as they should be. Not that the dinner wasn’t important, but Jesus speaks to what the dinner has done to Martha making her distressed and frazzled. Jesus doesn’t want anything done for him to do that to others.

“There is really only one thing worth being concerned about.” Jesus extends to both sisters. “Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her.” Only one thing is necessary, fundamental to where both of the women are.

Just as Martha acted outside the cultural expectations for women, so had Mary. To sit at the Teacher’s feet as he taught was to act as a disciple. Both women were radicals for their time. What their actions and positions afforded was a place for both. For Mary to sit close to Jesus may have raised some eyebrows. Jesus allowed her to do so because he saw beyond her gender and met the needs of her soul in doing so.

Likewise, by affirming Martha in her emotional upset, Jesus met her most pressing need. Her service was not discounted nor made into more than it was. All she needed was support in her efforts and recognition that they were in response to this same thing Mary sought.

Both women acted out of a dedicated love for their Master and Messiah, their Lord. Jesus doesn’t elevate learning from him over serving for him. One thing is necessary, learning and absorbing into oneself who Jesus is, which in turn gives service full meaning. Each without the other is less than it should be. Look at two sides of the story to know it fully.

Luke 10: 38-42

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How to Twist Your Enemy

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 17:27:07 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He consistently pushes up against the expected parameters of love.

Ok, Jesus, we get where you stand on most things, and we kind of like it. You give everybody a fair chance. You want better for us. You walk a fine line with those ideas, but you’ll probably get away with some of it. This might not be so bad.

You need to understand though your preaching, teaching, whatever you want to call it, just doesn’t seem to fly in the real world. Nobody likes being told what to do or how to live their lives. You need to come at this in a different way. Otherwise, we’re closing down this site.

They’re right. Sometimes, it’s better to let people figure it out for themselves, do the spiritual wrestling in their own thoughts or when they meet later in private gatherings. They then can take it or leave it, but for those who do get it, it lasts.

His stories knock around in the soul with his aim of reversing, redirecting. twisting what one has been taught to believe. That’s as dangerous as you can make it, and where Jesus’ trouble ultimately lies. Like with this one, The Good Samaritan .

This man, brilliant in religious law, was shrewd in his question. “Teacher,” he addresses Jesus, “What must I do to receive eternal life?” Those around him knew they were in for a really interesting exchange. Clearly, it was a test. The threat was underplayed but noticeable.

All good cross examination should have the opportunity for clarity. Jesus throws it back to him. “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” Ok, counselor, let’s start on common ground. We’re both Jews. What would any good Jew tell you about it?

The lawyer is succinct and goes straight to the Torah with no problem. “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18)

A perfect answer gets the perfect response: “Right!” The Great Commandment still holds weight with the Teacher. “Do this and you will live.”

Isn’t that what the lawyer wanted to hear? Likely not, for he pressed on, asking a question that not only would define terms for his legalistic mindset but also reveal his own issues in relationship: “And who is my neighbor?”

In asking the question, the lawyer asked for something that cut the law down to a manageable size rather than seeming generalities. Doing so also would set up the real test for Jesus in the questioning. If Jesus responded as if he knew better than the lawyer, he was playing with fire, threatening those who would have him removed quickly. His answer had to be one that would give the lawyer a pause, something to consider that was beyond the standard examination of the religious leaders. Jesus needed to be able to walk away for the time being and leave them not knowing what hit them.

Rather than giving him a law book answer, Jesus astutely changes tactics. He tells a story, a classic parable with the unique quality of teaching a lesson on life while also reversing the very thing the lawyer is attempting, testing Jesus with his own a test of character.

Jesus’ response draws in his audience. “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.”

Who is my neighbor? This isn’t anyone I know, just a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. What’s my responsibility to him? The moral question is posed. The key detail in the situation Jesus gives is the victim is Jewish. He’s one of us, he comes from the same heritage and faith we do. He’s going to need help and need it soon. Who is my neighbor? He is.

Jesus continues the story, and it doesn’t look good for his audience. A priest and a Levite who worked as a Temple assistant come by on the same road. Both clearly see the man, beaten and bleeding, lying there. But as it is, his brothers pass by on the other side.

It’s understandable, and all those hearing this story knew why. Stopping to help could open themselves to the same danger this guy had experienced. What’s more, it would have been more than messy. With all his injuries that put him near death, the man’s body had been crushed, smashed into a bloody pulp.

Therein lies the problem; exposure and contact with blood would make any who touched him ceremonially unclean by their own ritualistic law. Whatever sense of pity they may have felt, their positions made it difficult for them to intervene and help. So they walked around the poor soul on the other side of the road. “Love your neighbor” was just not their call.

Jesus, is that it? You going to leave this guy who’d been mugged to a deadly fate that is ignored, no help in sight? Is loving my neighbor to mean stick together in your own pack and just take care of your own? You sound just like they do. Who needs this! Life really is a crap shoot, and even Messiahs don’t roll the dice to help a guy out.

Jesus gives them what they want, an ending that ends well, but it’s an ending that slams everyone there, regardless of rank, prominence or class.

The man gets the help he needs and from an unlikely source, a Samaritan who dresses his wounds, takes him to an inn to recover, and pays the innkeeper extra for his care with a promise of more the next time the Samaritan came through that area again. He does the right thing and cares for his neighbor as God would have any who follow his law do so.

Good for him! And good for you, Jesus! You both passed that test and put that law-loving solicitor in his place. We get what you’re doing here. You’re letting the fat guys know what we think of their rules, and God’s will still gets done. Hey, we can go with this kind of thing. Give us more.

More? Get this. It’s Jesus’ turn now to ask a question, a follow-up to “who is my neighbor?” And in doing so, he throws the lawyer’s question 180 degrees in another direction.

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Who is my neighbor gets a turn-around, a reversal of the original question. And in Jesus’ kind of question Neighbor no longer means the one who is in need.

The crowd was stunned. These people were all Jews, and Jews hated Samaritans for all the racial, ethnic and religious reasons the human race can dig up to separate one from another. In other words, what slammed Jesus’ listeners was their despised enemy was really the one acting neighborly and thus whom then they should love if they were to obey God’s commandment.

It was another way of saying what Jesus had instructed in that Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5: 43-45 , “You have heard the law of Moses said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.”

The lawyer is forced to answer Jesus’ question. It’s a question that doesn’t allow for an ending that makes them feel good about what happened. They realize Jesus is calling them to love those whom they don’t want to love, the ones they have been taught to despise and hate for generations. Their enemy is now their neighbor, and if they are to follow the law, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, if they are to receive eternal life, they have to reverse and change all their relationships.

The lawyer replies with the “correct” answer, the one that will get him out of this test he started. “The one who showed him mercy.” The loathed Samaritan was the neighbor to the one in need.

Jesus holds the lawyer to the fire. If he wants eternal life, Jesus says, “Yes, now go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37

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The Snake in the Dust

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:36:24 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His message requires acceptance or rejection.

I t’s been another one of those weeks. We used to say all hell broke loose, but now it seems hell just hangs around and has taken up residence. People are fighting, accusing, demanding their own way. Consensus is a forgotten concept. You just can’t get away from it.

Well, some do. They’d rather turn from the media reports and those places where people demand attention. There is a segment which does not follow the news alerts, who just don’t care to know what’s going on in politics, who’d just as soon tune in to dance parties than listen to analysts dissect what’s going on. Apathy plays better for them than reactive protests. They are either numb from it all, or they haven’t learned to care.

So hell burns, and no one is there to put out the fire.

Burning Issues

Won’t say any of that isn’t true. The hot buttons of today, war, inflation, abortion, guns, hearings on what some call an attempt to overthrow democracy, are like lit flames of oil floating over an ocean of political and social unrest and dissatisfaction. Shouted out or shut down, it’s a bad, sad world out there. No wonder that a Google search for “Where is God?” produces billions of hits. .

Jesus saw it, and some would say even saw it coming. “The harvest is large…” he said. That Google search proves people are searching for more than an internet website, people wanting answers to big questions hoping there’s another way, some way to be in this world and live. So he gathered seventy or so of his followers and sent them to bring an answer to grasp and possibly change things, maybe not those issues but how people approach each other about them. Achieving that kind of reversal would be the bigger resolution.

Bless the Mess

Really, Jesus’ instructions to his team were not all that revolutionary for the time and culture. Basically, it was go into persons’ houses and declare “Peace.” The Jews understood it as Shalom, a customary greeting and farewell. Whereas on the surface it may appear like an attempt to dispel tension and conflict, a blessing of wholeness and goodwill was its real intention. At its core was an assurance that between the two parties is acknowledgement of a sacred worthiness centered in God and the basis by which the relationship should function.

Eyes Wide Open

Sounds pretty idealistic, but Jesus also was a realist, actually downright pragmatic. “I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.” Not all would welcome an offer of peace, some instead being absolutely ugly to them. Jesus prepares his messengers to expect rejection and be ready to move fast if necessary. Travel light, only with whatever clothes are worn on backs and pockets empty. That’s good reasoning because having nothing means nothing can be taken from them, so they won’t be set up as targets. Depend on others for immediate needs and from that know who true friends are. Extended blessing should expect hospitality in return.

Hospitable Living

In welcoming places, heal the sick. Exchange met needs with needs met in places most needed. In affirmation of life, the message would be heard more clearly and accepted.

“The Kingdom of God is near!”

To accept the message is to accept Jesus. In other words, this is the way God would have the world work, learning and living in dynamics that view each one and other as deserving hospitality, that is basic needs served, respect offered, and finding ways to lift each one to a better life. Jesus’ life brought “Love your neighbor” and by sending out messengers empowered and authorized to do as he did.

It’s Not Up to You

Again, realistically not everyone is on board with Jesus’ purpose and message. Even here though Jesus refuses to allow knee-jerk responses, only allowing an announcement of wiping dust from feet (which would not be there if the hospitable act of washing feet had been offered.) “ Love your enemy ,” he said. (Luke 5:44) Stay on message: “The Kingdom of God is near.” Any deserving consequence is to be left to God. To reject the message is to reject Jesus. Just leave and go find another place that will respond to the message.

Graphic Illustrations

Jesus’ approach worked. The messengers returned with stories of healing persons of demonic possession by the power of Jesus’ name. Jesus throws out this imagery in response, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightening.” Then he said something about walking among snakes and scorpions without being harmed.

Jesus, tossing Satan out of heaven is one thing. Telling people they can walk on snakes and deadly spiders is another. If you think people are going to buy into this, just watch the dust rise from feet on that one!

Ok, so Jesus likes the hyperbole. In that culture it was a technique to get people to realize the big picture point. After all, they didn’t have videos in that day, so people needed to use their imaginations a bit more.

So what’s the point? Satan is the enemy of God, and Satan is going down (however you like to picture that.) The source of the enemy is evil. Think about what that looks like to you. War? Mass shootings? Injustice? Oppressive laws? Evil inherently is venomous, deadly.

So is cynicism, distrust, hatred. Jesus’ offers another way that doesn’t turn callously away from the wrongs of the world, nor does it spew reactivity blaring over equally loud opposing voices that offer no solution but animosity toward one another.

“Peace to you,” he said. Jesus heals and pushes back against evil with a power it can’t understand or rise above. Live in Jesus’ shalom and know that heaven knows your name.

With shalom, you need not question, Where is God? God is near.

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

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Break My Soul

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:16:07 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he requires commitment that shocks and angers people.

As if we needed any other example of how you’re so dangerous, this one may seal the deal. You don’t pull any punches either, telling any who would follow you that there’s no place to settle, call home, rest and restore one’s self. “Let the dead bury the dead,” you callously say to another who feels the need to give tribute to a loved one. Just saying goodbye to family when leaving to join with you is not permitted. Blind allegiance to a leader is the first sign of a cult, an ideology, totalitarian brain washing and overthrow. You’re speaking it now. Thanks for the warning.

You Won’t Break My Soul

In his mind, this was the point of no return. Jesus had “set his face,” that is he determined and was resolute to move on and head into Jerusalem. He knew he’d face resistance from his own followers as well as threats to his life from the opposition. An easy road just for himself it wouldn’t be. But those who surrounded him didn’t help with his cause. Yet nothing would he allow to turn him from his single-minded purpose even with the ugliness he knew was on his horizon.

Release the Anger

Not long in coming was it either. They were headed into a Samaritan town, a place where racial and religious tension brewed. When village leaders learned of his destination, they wanted no part of this Jewish leader some claimed as Messiah. Added to it was how two of his closest lieutenants, James and John, wanted to call down celestial fire to show these detractors what they had coming. Jesus blew J&J off. When you’re headed into a fight, be smart enough to pick the right battles. They moved onto another town.

Look for a New Foundation

Evidently there were those who wanted to join up. Specifically, three guys asked to enlist. At the time, the prospect of a leader who’d turn the fortune of the oppressed Jews looked promising. Get in on the action and thus the glory, right? But Jesus gave them another thought.

This journey had an ending that would not come back again that way. This was for good. For all it’s harshness, Jesus was doing them a favor in realistically managing expectations. By the time all was said and done, this world would see what they’d never known before.

Yeah, here’s the problem. You expect us to drop everything all for you. You serious? Who’d do such a thing and for what? Get real, oh Son of Man or God or whatever you think you are!

True, his requests of them/maybe us are shocking. Like, forget you’ve ever had some kind of life, people who’ve given you the best of themselves or depend on you in great degree? Sounds like it. But go back to what he said.

Follow me when I have no place to lay my own head? Know that to get behind my work is to no longer count on the comforts you’ve been led to believe you deserve. That may come down to thinking you’ve got all the right ideas or even the right to yourself. I’m saying your life will be centered in my life and not your own.

Let the dead bury the dead. Walk away from that which sucks life out of you. Sometimes it can be those who make demands that would not recognize what you are made to be. Block that number; don’t take that call. Instead proclaim my message which will be fulfilled in this journey to Jerusalem and meeting my destiny on a cross.

Saying goodbye to family should be the least that one who is sacrificing self and security might have. Not so. Don’t position yourself next to those emotional ties that could draw you away and back off from what I’m doing.

My New Salvation

“Anyone who puts hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” That is, any who would follow Jesus has to stay fixed on the mission at hand. Otherwise, the furrow in the soil is likely to veer off, become crocked and steer away losing valuable resources and purpose. In short, “ No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the othe r. ”

Even so, another understanding of what Jesus was asking is significant. He had “set his face” toward Jerusalem. Nothing could deter him from doing what he had come to do. To permit his supporters any less resolve could weaken his own. He needed only the most committed to go with him.

You won’t break my soul.

Luke 9:51-62

(With an appreciative nod to Beyoncé, “ Break My Soul ”)

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Confessions in a Name

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 20:22:12 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he comes between

what controls us and who we are made to be.

What is your name?

Jesus, That’s such a loaded question. We are many. Our source is confusion. We inhabit the shadow side of the soul, where screams originate and pull one into thoughtless emotion. You see us beyond the edge of division and know evidence of our movement in tortured, violent impulses that seek to inflict itself on the unwary and innocent. Hate to us is only the veneer of our energy. Instilling fear is our best defense. We rob identity and blur the lines of self. To ask our name is ludicrous.

He had barely set foot on the shore when Jesus was met by this man. Today we would see a picture of one totally sick in mind and body. Deranged as he was, he lived in the depths of a cemetery for the dead had no power over him. His nakedness kept those who would restrain him at a distance. When any dared to chain him, the restraints broke away fueled by a power that made adrenaline look tame. Unlike the townspeople who would run, Jesus asked, “What is your name?”

Though he had verbalized the question, they’d already spoken, Spirit to spirit. Falling at his feet, this otherworldly voice had begged to be left alone, for Jesus not to return upon itself the agony others knew from it. It knew he could do it, for they recognized him as, “Son of the Most High God.”

In One, Many

Language is tricky. It can read in the singular but contain a plurality. Such was in the man’s reply. “Legion.” Many conflicting voices vied for manipulation telling him what to do to the point he didn’t know who he really was. Mobbed by the trauma of his madness, he was lost to himself.

But it fit. A legion in the Roman military denoted several thousand armed soldiers and the power they wield in conquering battles. For the first century reader, the sense was of an occupying brutal force specializing in oppression. Such was that which replied to Jesus’ question.

Legion. It begs for itself, but who is talking? The man may not be able to separate himself from the illness, mental and spiritual conflicts in his mind, body and soul. Yet, in asking his name, Jesus was pushing into these places, separating his self, his identity from these other toxic, dysfunctional, unholy powers that would take over, kill and destroy him. In speaking his name and confusion, he allowed Jesus to touch his torment and begin to heal.

Negotiated Deal

Like superpowers bargaining at the tables for ceasefire, Jesus permitted these forces which controlled the man to leave under their own recognizance. They now would inhabit a herd of pigs, a fitting place for the Jews considered pigs to be unclean, untouchable. Yet, as when lethal weapons are traded on the street, in the wrong hands they can be as deadly as ever. In other words, Jesus knew the pigs would be a perfect receptacle.

Not surprisingly, the pigs madly rushed down a steep hillside into a lake where they drowned. No one else would ever have to suffer their cruelty for they could not exist without something to possess. Thus, not only was the man healed, but no others would be trapped by this evil again.

Still, Not All is Good

Word gets out from the local pig herders what has transpired. People come to see for themselves and find the man with Jesus, clean, dressed and in his right mind. You’d think this was a good thing, right?

It’s hard to understand, but sometimes when an alcoholic quits drinking, the family doesn’t like it. Probably they are not able to adjust because they don’t know the person anymore. For too long they had only known the disease and had lost the relative. Likewise, the town had only known the man as one possessed and didn’t recognize who this guy was anymore.

It was scary. If Jesus could make this kind of change in the likes of this guy, what might he do to them? The Legion had left one thing behind. Fear. So they asked Jesus to find his boat and leave, go into the same lake as the pigs.

Jesus understood. Yet, even as the man begged to go and become a follower of Jesus, his healer asks that he not do so. Now whole in person before God and his neighbors, he needed to be restored to the life he was meant to live. By both his daily existence and this story of liberation, he would model the transformative power Jesus can have over the forces that control and possess us in life.

Luke 8:26-39

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The Big G

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:21:48 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: If what he said was easy, would it mean anything,

have real significance?

You know what the problem is. Jesus, you lived a good life, you helped people, loved even the worst of them. You didn’t preach from some high hill and then walk away. You lived the kind of life we do. That’s huge. But when you talk about yourself, your Father, and now this Spirit, it’s like you’re trying to push our brains through a sieve. What in all of heaven and the world are you doing to us? Don’t make it so complicated and miserably hard!

True. What Jesus said about himself, where he came from, and for what reasons can make you feel like you’ve got no chance of getting anywhere near something in which to believe. Yet, if it was easy, would it mean anything, have any real significance?

It’s been said, what you believe you become. If your god is a small g, you will be as well.

You owe it to yourself to grapple with these huge concepts and find in them whatever it is that you can become. And to be all you can become, it takes effort, not a simple “Five Easy Ways to Find Yourself.” Guess that’s why Jesus said, “Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.”

Gemstone Theology

Think of it like this: There’s God (Father/Creator/Sender) and Jesus (Son/Savior/Lover/Sent) and Spirit (Holy/Guide/Comforter/Send-Forth). Granted that’s plenty to take in but get the picture. They are diverse in roles and characteristics. They also know each other intimately. Again, from Jesus, “All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever is received from me.”

Maybe this can help. A cut jewel has several facets. You can view it from the various sides and the reflection it makes, but all contribute to its inner brilliance. However you come to God, understanding beyond one single consideration is required. Known as the Trinity, it is God with a Big G.

Communal

You said Jesus is a strain to the brain? Here’s more: All three talk to each other. But not like three people having a dialogue. Embedded in them is a flow, each into the other, definitely not singular but as one, a whole.

Ok, rest your head a minute. Put it all under the heading of Relationship. Again, from Jesus, “[The Spirit] will not be presenting its own ideas…bringing me glory by revealing whatever is received from me.” They get each other because they are each other.

It fits though. Jesus affirmed the Greatest Commandment is to “ Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And Love your neighbor as yourself. ” God with a Big G is the highest form of relationship and is known by Love. Relationship with neighbor (and enemy) is likewise.

The So What

Remember how Jesus said there was so much more, but we couldn’t quite get it. Admittedly, as human beings we are finite. Comparatively speaking, the greatest minds cannot conceptualize all there is of Big G. In deference to our limitations, we only get so much for now.

But that’s still ok. Because what you believe you become. This Big G God wants to know and be known. That’s relationship. Relationships press in on all parts of who you are. As with all kinds, whether marriage, parenting, family and deep friendships, change and growth are required. You can’t truly love and stay the same. Self-centered individualism will not stretch and grow who you are.

Big G God; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, Guide; however you come to God and neighbor in love will transform you into a better, bigger version of yourself.

Jesus said the Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth.

Believe this and so you shall become.

John 16:12-15

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Soul Lover

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 09:30:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he wants to be a Lover in the fullest sense a soul could know.

So your man, Philip, pointed out what they needed and what the rest of us have to have. They were so messed in their minds with all this talk that last night. You just kept talking and talking and talking, and it was impossible to figure out where you were going with it. Talk of leaving and not really leaving, sending a Helper of sorts. Just get over it and show us what would really close this deal. Show us your Father, as you say. Give us God, for heaven’s sake!

There they were on that last night, and his best friends still had nearly no clue. To be fair, they were under pressure watching all they thought they were going to do fall apart. Their leader kept saying he was going away and had been acting weird like when he washed their feet. When life takes one of these abrupt turns you don’t see coming, how can you expect any sane person to think clearly? This wasn’t supposed to be!

Yet, step back, and Phillip’s demand is no different from what people think, from what they want today. Jesus feels it now as much as then. In short, Philip leads the crowd that would keep God way off in some unreachable heaven and put Jesus in the role of nice guy who called on his “Father” and pointed the way.

God Revealed

“Don’t you even know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you?” His frustration wasn’t to the point of despair, but close. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” Get it? Jesus is God. God is Jesus. He said it as plain as you can make it. And he repeated it. “Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”

Sit with that. Sit with these twelve followers. Sit with yourself, not what you think makes sense or what you’ve been told. Sit. Jesus is God. God is Jesus. God/Jesus in human flesh was right there with them. What does that tell you about God?

Let it break through the cracks in your soul. God is not some stand-offish superpower that just lets the universe wind up or down as it will. God became a part of life, the kind of life we know in the moment. That’s what Jesus had been trying to show them, that’s what all the miracles were about. God came to get down in the good and bad of life, to know the joys, the grief and all the stuff in between, and most of all to let those of us who still are clueless know we are not alone in it.

What’s more, Jesus invites those who would live as his representatives to carry on what he did, to feed, to heal, to advocate for justice with the same mercy we all lean on, to love your neighbor as yourself. Just ask for what Jesus would want, for “thy will be done” as his ancient prayer requests, and he promises to be behind it.

If You Love Me, Obey My Commandments.

Dear Jesus, if I may. IF? That’s another one of those loaded words on both our parts. IF can mean something that’s conditional, or whenever, or even though, or whether (or not). “If I may,” is a way of asking, “Allow me”. Somehow, I don’t think you’re asking permission in saying this. You’re putting out two things, love and rules.

Commandments sound like they are orders. Do this or else. Prefacing it with Love shows it doesn’t have to come off that way. Jesus always offers choice, not insisting on it, not forcing someone into it. Think of it like this though: when there is Love, the relationship becomes a meeting of purpose, value, direction. This isn’t mere admiration or affection. This is a union. Jesus offers that choice.

New Truth

You don’t give promises here that life will be grand if we do. But you do promise a Counselor/Advocate whom you call Holy Spirit. And you say that Spirit will lead into truth. Oh good, just what we need. Another proclamation of supposed facts coming from a holy spin doctor with slick marketing, fear-based fake news, and interference from both internal sources and a foreign state. You say the world doesn’t recognize this Spirit. Oh, but we do. We’ve seen this thing before. Happens all the time.

Again. Step back. Don’t even think this is “truth” out there as seen on the internet, cable tv, social media platforms, podcasts, and blogs (please allow one exception with that last one.) This truth comes from Jesus’ own Spirit. When Love is mutual, this Spirit is internal, something beyond conscience, really the essence of the soul. That’s the kind of truth of which Jesus speaks. Not an esoterical, philosophical, universe-beyond-me kind of thing, but instead a truth of one’s core self revealed in oneness with God/Jesus/Spirit.

Love Powered

Those gathered around him that last night heard Jesus say this, but they were feeling abandoned. Without his presence daily before them, how could they carry on? Grief was beginning to settle in even now, and loss would consume them despite what the last three years had been in following him.

Grief needs to be met with an understanding that purpose in living continues and expands beyond what can be seen in the moment. Jesus understood. He met their lostness with an assurance that they would not be alone. Because of their Love for him, God would provide this Counselor, Advocate, a continuation in Spirit of who they knew Jesus to be as God. Not an absence of Jesus among them, but an extended understanding of his presence among them and for any who choose to follow.

Their Counselor would teach them, clarify for them what they had learned from Jesus. Beyond the teaching though, they would be reminded of even more, their understanding deepened by the extent of Jesus’ Love in life, in dying, and in living again. All is made possible by the power of that Love desired for and given by the fullness of God as Creator, Lover, and Spirit.

John 14:8-17, 25-27

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Minds Open

Wed, 28 May 2025 20:48:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he left his job undone,

and he did it on purpose.

Jesus, we’re tired of this. We just don’t get it. If you had stuck around for maybe a few more years, two thousand years later the world might not be in the mess it is. Homicides and mass shootings every week. Anxiety infects everyone. Trust is a forgotten virtue. Politics should come with an R rating for the mental violence it inflicts. For all the advances in medicine, people just get sicker. Wars never end. But no, you wish us the best with your “blessing” and then float on up to your heaven. For all you claim to care about the world, your final exit was no more than abandonment.

Pain speaks. Not just from the body and mind, but more so from the soul. Where is God in all of this? Why doesn’t God do something about this? We’ve heard that God met humanity in the person of the Son of God, yet what good did that do? There’s no sight of him around here now, and like we said, the world just keeps spiraling down. Is this the kind of God that shows up once in a while, looking away while the story keeps repeating itself? The way Jesus’ story ends, for all the talk of resurrection, it’s clear he left the job undone.

The Kick Off

You might think so, but first review what Jesus accomplished while he was in this world. It’s seen best through the eyes of those who knew him.

For three years, his closest friends had followed him around Galilee and Judea, a designated crew that had expected Jesus to take over soon. With this Messiah, the world would change. Except it didn’t. They were misdirected in their thinking despite what they witnessed. They had seen crowds throng around to hear him speak like none other they had ever heard before. Healings were amazing to be sure, but the way he could command storms to quiet , multiply a small amount of food into feasts (Matthew 14:13-21), and even bring people back from the dead (John 11:1-44) had scared and shocked them. They saw in him authority and power like none other. But those three years were nothing like the last forty days.

They knew they were privileged to be a part of this, but it almost seemed to end that one week when they went from the middle of cheering crowds to hiding from murderous mobs. Their world turned upside down, but then, it kept rolling, just like the rock in front of his grave. Nothing could hold him back, not even death. Now, as Jesus stood in miraculous flesh in front of them, for once not one of them blurted out something dumb as they all were known to do. They knew a strange joy and wonder. Strange mostly because they still couldn’t explain it.

The Strategy

Jesus understood. They’d no idea what they were getting into when he had recruited them for his purposes. Some say they weren’t the brightest bulbs on the street. The only attribute which spoke most for them was they were teachable. Now, it would be made clear, yes, in what he told them but also in how they were now able to understand it. He helped them look back so as to connect with what was ahead.

As Jesus spoke of the ancient Hebrew prophets, he extended a line between what was part of their heritage into what they had seen from him. Moses had changed water into blood (Exodus 4:) whereas Jesus changed water into wine , wine which became his blood. (John 2:1-11) Moses fed the multitude in the dessert with manna; Jesus fed the multitude with bread and fish. Whereas Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea, Jesus walked upon the waters of Lake Galilee in the middle of a storm . (Matthew 14:22-33) God had promised a prophet like Moses ; Jesus was that and more.

Showing them what was so easy to miss in the moment, Jesus referred them to a prophet whose writing read now with double meaning. The giving of one’s back to those who beat, whipped, mocked, and spit in his face was echoed in Jesus’ suffering . (Isaiah 50:6) It continued with being led as a lamb to slaughter, taken from prison to trial to execution. Though he was fully innocent, he died a criminal’s death but was buried in a rich man’s grave. In all of this, he took on the sins of the world, that is, all who would act and live in separation from God and neighbor. (Isaiah 53:5-12) Centuries before he lived, Jesus’ life had been portrayed.

They had known these ancient passages well but now saw them in the light of what those three days of horror had fulfilled. Each one now had a new story, understanding, interpretation, discernment about this Jesus-the-Christ, Messiah. All God asked was for persons to accept what Jesus had done for each individual and for the world, so they could know a restoration of divine relationship, that is, forgiveness as only God can give and its world-changing impact.

The Game Plan

Now it was making sense. Their purpose was clear: “With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations…You are witnesses of all these things.” With opened minds, they were prepared to announce his story, God’s story.

To equip and accomplish this, Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit, another entity they yet had to meet.

But he didn’t give them time to think about it.

With a final blessing, he was gone. To those who don’t get it, Jesus’ leaving doesn’t make sense. That cry of pain dissolves into lostness. God stays in the clouds, above and beyond the realities of life.

Yes, that’s the part that’s perplexing! Jesus punched death in the gut and kicked it to the curb. With that then, why didn’t he take on and take over the world?

Job Undone on Purpose

That’s not what Jesus came to do, not how he operates. Yes, Jesus was “taken up to heaven”, that is, from what is known in limited time and place. Yet by his leaving would his blessing swell beyond what was then. That line he’d drawn for his followers would extend into all time.

Jesus would be with them, but in a greater manifestation than the confines of earthly experience. He revealed an eternal, spiritual dimension, one where he is available universally. In doing so, Jesus is fully with any and all who call on him, closer in how they are known by God and know God than could be accomplished by a physical, earthly presence. Within this intimate process, Jesus became an intrinsic part of lives in a new and radical way.

Beyond that hill in Bethany, his followers live out his blessing by becoming his body, an embodiment, if you will, of what Jesus showed of himself and who he is in God during his short tenure on earth. It speaks into the ages of pain a healing that centers deep in the soul.

Having seemingly left and gone away, Jesus is near.

Luke 24:44-53

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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An Eternal Prayer

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 26 May 2025 20:15:35 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is relationships take work, and the even the best, the closest will have rough spots. But the rough spots are the growth spots.

Well, guys, you really don’t look good on this one. Here is your Jesus, about ready to be executed, and God help him, he prays for you. That says a lot, like how he senses you all were going to have problems getting along. Why shouldn’t he? His own disciples sitting at the table with him didn’t get what was going on. Thomas had questions, Peter was getting more scared by the minute, Judas was already carrying out his plot to do you in. Yeah, they were a mixed up muddle in a mess.

So what’s he asking God to do? Make them and anyone else who says they follow you, then and even until today and beyond as “one.” That’s where the laugh comes in. The only thing you guys have carried forward is that muddled mess. Why get involved with that or believe what you say about your Jesus?

Fair enough. No denial here. There are plenty of religious organizations which have things going on which might make God blush if not shake the earth’s foundations. No need to enumerate here how sad it looks. And when you think these institutions are made up of people who profess Jesus as all he is says he is, well, it’s more than muddled. It’s a miserable mess.

That’s why Jesus prayed. He knew what he was working with, both in his immediate tribe and those who’d know about him because of their proclamations going forward. This is the last part of this prayer he offered for them, and from it you may find some deep facets of this whole plan for who he was and what God wanted for them, for the world. So we’ll take this slow, in short chunks, and maybe find the nuggets we need to participate in his purpose.

One Together

“My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father…” There’s that “one.” Does that mean everybody is going to get along and agree on all things? (Understood why this brings a snarky laugh.) Don’t we wish? But don’t throw this out as wishful hope never to be achieved. Hold on to that idea of “one.”

“…just as you are in me and I am in you…” Jesus reveals something about himself. He is not out there operating independently. He and his Father, God who sent him, are one and the same, part of each other and yet not a part but a whole. Take a deep breath, hold your place, close your eyes. It’s a unity not witnessed in this day and age, but the ideal of oneness does hold for Jesus and God.

“so they will be in us…” Here’s the crux of what Jesus is so desperately praying. This union will not be among just people or with God and Jesus but among all parts together. Your mind in that muddle yet?

He repeats himself. “I in them and you in me…” He won’t let go of that dream, that vision of how things should be, how he wants them to be, how it must be for him. As said, it’s the crux of his prayer, for it shortly will become what his cross will make possible for them, for all who want to be “one” with God and each other.

If nothing else, Jesus had taught that God is a God who wants relationship, who wants to be known in deep, eternal means. This desire is centered in, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God wants and gave part of God’s own self so everyone can have that relationship.

Jesus also had taught them the greatest commandment was to, “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength…” All of oneself is what God asks. “…and your neighbor as yourself” extends that relationship to everyone else.

Again, Jesus’ prayer is a vision. That doesn’t mean it is a pipedream. To be honest, everyone struggles with relationships of all magnitudes. Yet, to walk away from relationships is to make life smaller and of little meaning or significance.

Even so, relationships take work, and the best, closest relationships will have rough spots. That’s right. To expect things are going to be calm and sweet all the time with everyone getting along is the pipedream. But the rough spots are the growth spots.

Marriages that last know this. The commitment made “for better or for worse” has imbedded in it more than just circumstances. In the coming together in relationship, there must be change, change that will wear down edges, correct misconceptions, challenge one’s sense of self and purpose such that there is a welding into one.

No one says its easy. Our muddled miserable mess testifies to that. But it may be a perspective to take when trying to understand what is happening in the disagreements among those who profess to follow Jesus.

Another example: the story of Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis . These two people who hated each other over racial issues were as ugly as you can be to another person. However, when circumstances made them work together, each began to see the other from another viewpoint. Without that relationship, neither would have changed.

The Challenge of Identity

The ultimate outcome of this intended change then is taking on an identity based in who Jesus is, “all being perfected into one.” To be in unity with God and Jesus is to live as Jesus did for others, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, washing feet, serving so as not to be served in sacrificial offering and just living. The right to oneself is given over in ways that point to and express who Jesus is. By this expression of oneness and shared identity, God will be known in Jesus.

The Driving Factor

This oneness entails an intimacy of God and Jesus coupled with the Spirit which Jesus had just promised would come following his death and resurrection. “I will do this so that your love for me may be in them and I in them.” Imbedded in it is forgiveness and reconciliation. Love of this kind achieves an inclusiveness that wraps persons in relationship bringing glory to God.

Let’s clarify here: glory is not a cheering of “Yea, God!” Glory is the completeness of God’s purpose in bringing this relationship, this oneness, to the world. Jesus makes it possible by defeating death through the most powerful force possible, the power of Love. In new living, there is oneness with God and oneness with others whose lives reside in that Love.

For What End?

“So they will be in us, and the world may believe you sent me.” This is Jesus’ Prayer.

John 17:20-26

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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How Lame Can You Be?

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 19 May 2025 17:58:22 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he had this insightful and irritating knack of asking people ridiculous questions, questions that bury the real question.

Jesus had this insightful and irritating knack of asking people ridiculous questions, questions that bury the real question. Only real questions can have real answers.

The Ridiculous Question

For thirty-eight years he had lain by a pool unable to move on his own. Some said from time to time an angel of the Lord would stir the water. By this heavenly movement, the first person to step down into it was healed. He had no other hope, no treatments or medicine that could help him, ease his pain, release him from this disorder. He didn’t even have a friend who would stay with him to get into the water. So he had lain there all these years among the others who likewise had no other hope. He may have prayed, but all those prayers had done was just keep him there in that miserable condition.

Jesus saw him and innately knew how long he’d been sick. Jerusalem was in one of its busy seasons with a Jewish holy day bringing throngs of the faithful for worship and sacrifice. The man and those others lying by the pool were likely part of a side spectacle for the crowds waiting for a miraculous healing so they could later brag at home what they’d seen. But to Jesus, he wasn’t one of many. He was simply a very sick man.

“Would you like to get well?”

Really? He’d been there for how long and now you’re actually asking him if he’d like to get better? For someone who was getting some buzz among the populace, you’re a little lacking in bed side manner. You want to rephrase that, Jesus?

The Real Question

He didn’t need to. Jesus knew what he’d said even as the rest of them were clueless. He asked the man, are you beyond wishing, desiring, even hoping to the point where you’re absolutely determined and resolved to do what it takes? Do what it takes to get in that pool or whatever else it takes for your life to change? Do you really want it?

If so, you know what it’ll take? It means to get to a place where you become and are made all over again. Are you willing and resolved for that to happen in your life?

The Hard Question

Finally, this is more than just no longer being paralyzed. Are you ready for that? Do you want to be made well to the point where you are whole? Can you live life whole and complete in body, mind and soul? Do you wish to get well?

Ever hear the saying, “Be careful what you pray for?” You very well may be blessed but in ways that are more than what you knew God could do in you. The man does some more whining about not having help to get in the pool. Jesus won’t listen.

“Stand up, take up your sleeping mat, and walk!”

Stand up. Notwithstanding the effort for someone who hadn’t moved in thirty-eight years, a power entered him. It was a power that changed his position and perspective. He would not be that sick guy languishing by a public pool. He couldn’t claim or think of himself as disabled, crippled, dependent on anyone again. He rose to be what he didn’t know he could be.

Take up your sleeping mat. Yes, that dirty and despised mat you spent too many days and nights lying on, crying on, shriveled into a helpless and hopeless body. Don’t think you can do this by leaving behind what you were. It’s your story, and you need a story to know what God has done in you. Without your story, you forget or won’t realize the full impact and bearing of this day. Your miracle will drown in that pool you hoped would save you. So carry your mat, no longer now a burden but a treasure.

And walk! Go! Move into this new life that’s been given to you! You can’t stay here. This change, the gift of wholeness, needs to be exercised and released in celebration of this new life God will work in you. So lean and move into it as you’ve never been able to do before.

Now, would you like to get well?

John 5:1-9

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Love Nailed Down

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 12 May 2025 19:49:45 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: To be Loved, one must be one with the Lover, to Love as he Loved.

Got to give it to you, Jesus. It’s your best line, perfect for pastoral memes and sticks well on car bumpers. “New commandment,” you said, “Love one another.” Why didn’t anyone else think of this? Let the blue birds flit down among sweet bunnies, violins sing, soft light diffuse the wooded backgrounds. Hmmm, greeting card worthy, for sure.

But to be real, for all the wonderful sentiment, it’s better known as the Hallmark of Hypocrisy, chief among them those who claim you as Christian. When it comes to divisiveness, angry labels, and best of all, judgmental attitudes, your people take the prize. Loving others isn’t always their forte. Hate to tell you this, but you’ve had like next to no influence on them. So don’t give us your pablum either.

Let’s begin with this: no denial here. For all Jesus’ good intent, the word and greater concept have been dragged through gutters. When the day is done, Jesus likely wouldn’t have been a part of it either.

Interesting though is how everyone seems to think it’s the greatest thing ever, as in “What the world needs now is….” Love songs sell. People fool themselves with it all the time.

Yet, to be candid, let’s admit love has been leveraged for unworthy purposes. As in, “If you loved me, you would…” Or how about, “Why can’t you love me for who I am?” Or this: “How can you say you love me if you don’t approve of me?” Fill in your own phrases, but the common denominator is…. no surprise is it? Me.

Self-gratification is what’s wanted here. Give me what I want. It’s a one-way, my-way relationship elevated to a premise and passion that’s making me your god. Be happy with that, and we can make it work. (Granted, this is exaggerated overkill, but maybe more than familiar as well.)

Expressions of love today are based in pride and control. Watch for it. If it smells like a fish, it likely is one. Jesus isn’t about making a stink. Jesus’ love won’t stand for this kind of shaded, sullied, twisted by time and culture kind of love.

Let’s be clear. Yes, Jesus said, “Love one another AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” His life was an example of Love that is not what gets shouted from your favorite music streaming service or latest rom com. What Jesus meant was, you’ve got to look at his way of Loving and then be that kind of Love. Be forewarned; it ain’t easy.

Expect Full Disclosure

As in, honesty, not pretending that everything is ok when it’s not, not looking the other way just to avoid conflict. A rich man ran smack into this when he asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. He then ticked off about all the commandments he was good at keeping. When Jesus told him he needed to sell all he had and give to the poor, the man walked and Jesus let him go . (Mark 10:17-31) No compromise for the sake of keeping the peace and being tolerant. How else would people know what a relationship with God means?

Meet Mercy

Jesus’ Love is also based in forgiveness. Yet this forgiveness is not built by just saying sorry until the next time you screw up. For Jesus, forgiveness is radically preemptive, taking the initiative even before it’s necessary. Jesus knew people weren’t perfect. They would always need assurance that no matter how far they separated themselves from God or whatever they did to hurt another, forgiveness was the full measure of how loved and desired they were, how confident God is that people can be reversed to more, to better than what they are. Peter was the supreme example as the Disciple Who Always Got It Wrong. Yet, even when Jesus told him he’d deny that he had even known Jesus, he still prayed for Peter .

Servant Leadership

Service is another side of Jesus’ active Love. Jesus tied a towel around himself, took a basin of water, and washed feet . Dirty, smelly feet. In doing so, he became a servant, knelt low to the ground, and cared for a part of the body that wasn’t celebrated. No task was too humble for Jesus even as Son of God. Love steps away from the self to meet people where they are.

Radical Love

Even so, there is the most radical side of Love, that kind which sacrifices whatever it takes for the sake of Love. Comfort zones are not significant. Though the impending consequences of sacrificial Love may be costly, Love does so anyway. On the night Jesus gave this new commandment, Judas had just left to carry out his infamous act of betrayal. Jesus knew exactly what was happening. But he didn’t run and hide, try to find a way out of town, and escape what would be coming. Instead, rather than call out Judas as evil, Jesus gave a lesson on love.

Within hours that lesson would finalize as an lived-out example. “No greater love,” he said, “than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Sacrificial Love is vulnerable, relinquishing everything to bring others into that Love . Jesus faced and accepted his destiny on the cross only because no one else could do what he could, no one else otherwise would embody this kind of Love.

Love is central to Life, and only Love can eliminate the power which defeats Life, the power of death. Due to this greater Love, Jesus Loved like no other, erasing death for those who would accept and live out his Love.

It’s likely one of the greatest atrocities of time that love has been corrupted into what it is not. In its purist expression, understand to be Loved, one must be one with the Lover, to Love as he Loved.

“Your love for one another will prove to the world you are my disciples.”

John 13:31-35

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Filters to Faith

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 05 May 2025 20:18:39 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is how he drags his identity through diverse filters.

Jesus, just for the record, tell us again, are you who you say you are? Or maybe who some say you are? Give it to us straight, in plain words, no dodging the question like a politician in prime-time cable interviews.

Lord, have mercy, but the question never goes away. Jesus heard it face to face, answered it so many ways hoping to connect people’s heads to their souls. For some, it worked; for others, not so much.

Backstory Filter is First

Like that winter day he was in Jerusalem with other faithful Jews to celebrate Hanukkah , the Festival of Lights. Though a minor holiday in Judaism, it honors just one of many stories in which the oppressed Jews overthrew their tormentors who not only exercised power but who had desecrated their sacred Temple. The holiday gave people hope their God would still protect and fight for them.

That may not have been far from Jesus’ thoughts as he considered his response when Jewish leaders made their demand that he tell them plainly if he was the Messiah.

Testimony Follows

“I have already told you,” (long patient sigh here with a shake of the head) and you don’t believe me.” No different than from today’s world; all the words ever spoken about Jesus won’t be enough. Not that the debate looks like it will end soon. A Google search for “Who is Jesus?” yielded 1.35 billion responses in less than a second. That’s today’s result. Likely, it’ll be more if you try it on your own. If nothing else, it shows people have a lot to say about Jesus. (So much for blogging, right? Oh well…)

So if words aren’t enough, what might be better proof? Yet, why talk of proof if the answer isn’t already understood as the issue under debate? Oh yeah, forget the debate. Look instead at the evidence. For Jesus, verification is what he does in the name of his Father. (That is, Father as in God. And if God is his Father, that makes him the Son of God. Yes, he moves fast, layering on the thoughts.)

First Hand Experience

Evidence must be witnessed. Witnesses affirm what has happened. Today we expect video back up, but really that only records what eyes have seen. Jesus had a crowd around him and disciples who accompanied him. These people had seen the hungry fed, the blind and lepers healed, adulterers forgiven, the downtrodden restored, and even the most confirmed sinner reversed to righteousness.

Nice, Jesus, we always can use more of this kind of thing, but you know, good things happen all the time without you. Putting God’s brand on it doesn’t make it exclusive to you.

Point well taken. While miracles and restoration/recovery stories make for good copy, the lasting impact is individual to the person. Your story is not my story all the time.

Which may be why Jesus doesn’t leave it at that. He returns to a familiar analogy he liked, that of sheep and their shepherd. Don’t smirk. Just because it’s not the go-to equivalent comparison of post-modern culture, it still works.

Consider the Context

Ask yourself this: what is it that people would like most in their lives? Autonomy, control, a life well lived with an enduring legacy? Worthy aspirations certainly. But not fully attainable. That’s because, as any honest person would admit, we’ve all got something with which we struggle. No matter if it’s as huge as a superpower invading your homeland, a devastating turn of the economy, or as private as negative thought patterns that unless suppressed or medicated will result in self-destruction.

Whatever, we all need that place to which we can turn, where we can find a sense that we’re not in this alone. To know that someone has your back is affirming certainly, but Jesus offers more than just being your best bud.

That’s why the sheep-thing holds up. “My sheep hear my voice,” he says. That is, they know I get them and they get me, understand I’m there to bring to life that very thing people can not achieve on their own. To hear Jesus’s voice is not just to let the words (so many words, again) just swirl through one’s head, but to yield to them, make them part of one’s being and soul, and to live life accordingly. In his own expression, it means to follow.

What’s more, Jesus makes some huge promises here. “No one will snatch them from me.” Sheep are desperately vulnerable, something most persons would rather not disclose. Remember, Jesus spoke to a very powerless culture and race. The festival going on around them spoke to their faith God would intervene on their behalf.

Nice story again but look around before you dismiss it. Context hasn’t changed much for anyone looking to get past the next day, week, year. Disease, loss, betrayals, addictions, and overall social, racial, political divisiveness wear at the soul. In the midst of life’s crisis, what matters most is to know that God is holding on to the flock even tighter than sheep who stay close to the shepherd.

Filtered Meaning

Within this sheep fold is another promise: eternal life, an assurance that life is meant for all the fullness it is meant to hold . (John 10:10)

Stop right there. So we trudge through all this mess and wait for that “pie in the sky” when we finally choke our last breath. Well, if that’s not a heap of you-know-what if ever there was. Wait it out, take all of life’s crap, and hope to sing with the stars is all you’ve got? Come on!

Sorry, but don’t make assumptions. To be fair, people have found it helpful to have this promise when lions were released into the arena, when enslavement ripped dignity below that of a dog, when the family is destroyed by genocide. Knowing that Jesus has been there on a cruel cross and made a road into new life holds together this promise none other can make. “They will never perish,” gives that picture.

But the greater understanding is eternal life doesn’t start when mortal life ends. Eternal life is meant for now. How can it be eternal without past, present, and future stretched into infinity?

Back to the question: Who are you, Jesus?

His answers don’t make it easy with all the diverse filters we have to go through, sheep only a minor example of that. Yet it doesn’t negate the choice to take into oneself Jesus’ offer to learn from him, take on his teachings and rest in his promises, to celebrate the faith journeys of others, to enter into belief that no matter how much the world debates his life, it never can be put to rest.

Ultimately, to know Jesus is to know God, for he said,

“The Father and I are one.” That’s who Jesus is.

John 10:22-30

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Soul Nets

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 16:56:30 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus goes deeper than what rationally should be required.

***Portions of the following blog are included in Chapter 9 of The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

Get your copy Here !

Jesus, why did you bother with this loser? Simon Peter took all awards for being your biggest screw-up. Sure, he was all bluster when things were good. Yet when the real trouble started, he wouldn’t even admit he knew you. Just let him ride and find someone who’ll do you a favor.

You’re so right. A “rocky” relationship between them went on the whole time. Jesus wouldn’t let him go, and Peter’s missteps led to major stumbles. When Peter took some of the guys fishing, everything flashed back to how this whole take started : fishing all night, empty nets, and a figure on the beach in the just-beginning dawn light. (Luke 5:1-11)

A Start Over

He urged them to cast their nets one more time. Just like before, the net filled with fish beyond its capacity to hold them all. Peter immediately swam ashore knowing again it was Jesus who was calling him. Breakfast was made, fish and bread bringing memory of that other miracle of provision, and once again, Jesus becomes their servant in nourishment with food and grace.

After breakfast, separate from the others, Jesus calls him, “Simon, son of John,” His words wouldn’t let Peter shake the sense this had happened before. Jesus called him by his given name, but his calling also had given him a new name, Cephas (or Peter, meaning rock.) Considering his piles of failures these last few years, using his name Simon may have sounded like a rebuke, for Peter had been less than rock-steady in his faith. (John 1:42)

Like that time the disciples were caught in a storm on the water, Peter had been the one to sink when he looked at the high waves rather than on Jesus walking on the water. (Matthew 14:22-33) Sure, Peter had been the one to answer another one of his questions, “Who do you say that I am?” with “You are the Son of God.” (Mark 8:29) Wouldn’t that declaration of Jesus as Messiah be enough?

Jesus must have had his doubts, for he prayed for Peter’s faith even before he denied him late that last night. (Luke 22:32) His bold declaration of Messiah was canceled out later in the courtyard outside the high priest’s house. A servant girl accused him of being a follower. Peter’s next words held more than what he spoke. “I don’t even know the man! ” All who heard it understood his clear denial he had followed Jesus. (Luke 22:54-57) But in Peter’s soul, it cried out that the Jesus he followed was not the Messiah he thought Jesus was, but instead a Messiah that would bring deadly trouble upon himself.

Ok, so give him credit for at least not raising dust in the road by running away from this loose tribe of losers you lead. Yet, why hound him about what he did? It’s like you keep throwing it in his face what he did. You really think this is going to help him or the rest of the guys in any way.

Listen. Truth be told, we all have something. Something in our past which we’d like to forget except memory won’t completely deny it. That’s where Peter sat in the beach sand that day. If he’d ever be able to get past himself, to be what Jesus intended for him, the two of them needed to confront it together. So not once but three times, still calling him Simon, Jesus pressed him with the question, “Do you love me?”

The answer to Jesus’ question was the core issue. Only with an honest answer could their relationship be restored. Jesus had to know, and Peter had to examine his shaken soul.

Jesus asked for that love leaving nothing off the table.

First Question

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” More than these brothers with whom you have followed me since that first day on another beach? Gathered there were James and John, Nathanael, Philip, Andrew, even Thomas. All of them had been through so much. Today seemed like a chance for them to start over again. Simon, son of John, will you start over again?

But I need to know, “Do you love me more than these?” The love Jesus required was a love that would leave everything behind again, to leave one’s net and all that is held vital in life. It was a God-consuming love that meant nothing could be in front of it, not one’s security and safety in life nor one’s understanding of all God meant nor even one’s right to oneself.

Even our deepest cares and good hopes have to be put aside? Love you more, you ask? Acknowledging you as Son of God, seeing/believing you raised in whole body from a grave isn’t enough? You do want it all, don’t you? You never stop with the asking, do you?

The trouble Jesus brings goes deeper than what rationally should be required. Jesus had faced trouble by sacrifice; now he asked Peter to do the same. Jesus asked him for a return of the unconditional love that God had for Peter and all who followed Jesus, what the Greeks knew as agape love.

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Peter means it. Or at least as much as he can mean it. Yes, Lord, I love you for I know you as the one who is closest to me, who has known me better than myself and has raised me to more than I’d ever be without you. I follow you and hold you as close to me as my own brother, that is, the love found in philos love, again as understood by Greek culture.

Peter realized he could not face life after all he’d known these past three years or so, especially in the last weeks, without Jesus, trouble and all. And true as well, Jesus was not going to let him go. This conversation did not have to take place with only him separate from the others there that day. But it did, and Peter was to learn that the one who called him Rock was going to see he was solid. Jesus means to complete this reversal fully in Peter and anyone else who would follow him as Lord.

“If you love me, keep my commandments,” he had said. (John 4:15) Now, Jesus clarified with a specific directive: “Feed my lambs.” Take care of those who need me, need my provision not only of body but also of soul, who reverse their lives and follow me as I asked you that first day by this very lake. “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

You would think his point had been made. Troubling it can be, but Jesus never gives up asking and calling.

A Second Time

Jesus asks Peter not only if but how much Peter loved him. And again, Peter’s response was the same. We can relate.

God, I love you as much as I can love, love for you and what you are in your Son, Jesus. I love you for what you have taught me about you and what you have done in my life. For when I follow you, my world is better for it. You show me how to avoid bringing trouble upon myself through negative choices, and you show me how to serve others in their trouble. Isn’t that enough? Why ask that I love you more than these, the lives you have given to me to share with you?

Jesus understands. Peter has been through a lot, and the trouble he’s known has worn him hard. Maybe there’s only so much a person can give, only so much you can ask of someone. “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus tells him once more.

Not Letting Go

But again, Jesus insists, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was “grieved” that Jesus had asked him three times, grieved in the need of Jesus’ emphasis and grieved that he could only give so much. “You know everything. You know I love you.” The grace of God was large enough to love him even now just the way he was. This third time, Jesus instead asks for what he knows Peter can give, a love that comes from a dedicated life as a soldier fulfills marching orders from a high command. It’s not necessarily a love uniting desire with message and mission, but it’s a step. Full union with God will come another day.

“Then feed my sheep.” For Peter and all those who will take on this trouble in the world, feed my sheep. Feed them with love, feed their basic needs out of the resources I have provided you, feed them with respect and wholeness and these words I have given you. Feed them not with approval for all they say they want but with love that attends their deepest need and desire.

Tell them that the trouble with Jesus reverses all they are for what all they were meant to live, a life that meets the trouble of today by abundant living through love of God and neighbor and the confidence that life in Jesus does not end.

Another day, when old and no longer grasping to control life, Peter will meet trouble in a sacrifice that honors his Lord. But for now, Jesus gives Peter a task that he could live into again, the call which had dragged him in like a net deep fishing for souls.

“Follow me.”

John 21:1-19

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Death's Aroma

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 19:55:24 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: extravagant love comes with extravagant sacrifice.

Judas wasn’t your best guy. Why you brought him in, we’ll never understand. How he ever became treasurer for your disciples’ accounts must have happened with mastered manipulation. As it is, though his intentions weren’t the best, he may have had a good point here. And saying it might have been the mic drop of the night.

“This perfume was worth a small fortune,” he protests. “It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Really now, isn’t helping the poor really what Jesus had been saying? Whatever happened to “ sell all you have and give to the poor ?”

Even if Judas supposedly had designs on keeping the money for himself, the idea was probably hanging out there in everyone’s mind anyway.

Calm Before the Storm

The night was supposed to be one for Jesus to relax with his close friends. The small dinner party was at the home of siblings Mary, Martha, Lazarus. Martha was serving as she always did, and Lazarus was seated at Jesus’ table, a living, breathing reminder of the miracle and blessing Jesus brought to this family. Four days earlier Lazarus was dead, buried and rotting in his grave. Jesus reversed all that by calling and bringing him back to life .

No surprise that knowing of Lazarus’ death and resuscitation, delayed as it was, people began to believe Jesus was the one they’d been waiting for, the Messiah. But that was not altogether a good thing. Powerful priests couldn’t stand the thought of him having such a following. Romans wouldn’t think well of it either, and they very well could ramp up the oppression of the regime and destroy what little they had, Temple and all. “ Let this one man die for the people .” The plot to be rid of him gets serious.

For that night though, everyone was enjoying the food and camaraderie among them all. Maybe they were all in a good mood knowing Jesus’ poll ratings were rising. The biggest festival of the year was next week, they were headed into Jerusalem, what could possibly go wrong?

Shockwave and Wonder

Yet the room was silenced in an instant. Mary enters and approaches Jesus. She was one of those women who was often near, in the background, yet adoringly attentive to Jesus. Tonight though, she is bold.

Quietly, Mary approached him and poured a jar of very expensive ointment, a kind of perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. The scene left everyone somewhere between shock and awe, emotions hanging over them as heavy and strong as the fragrance the ointment emitted.

The shock was that a woman would be so brazen and yet so humble in public like this. Yes, the perfume was exorbitant, costing what would have been nearly a year’s wages for an average laborer. Where would a woman get that kind of money except maybe from what would have been her wedding dowry? Her act would have sealed her future as absent from husband and family to provide for her.

What’s more, wiping his feet with her hair would mean she had to touch him, hold him with her hands as she massaged the oil into his skin. It was an act that revealed how submissive to him she felt, for cleaning and anointing feet was reserved for slaves and servants to administer to guests. Nevertheless, to do so was to administer emotional support and care.

A dearly sacrificial service and worshipful tableau it presented certainly. Even so, the scene also called out the proverbial elephant in the living room. Denial was deeply rooted among the disciples despite Jesus having warned them of what was to come. To do what Mary did, to virtually anoint another with this kind of oil, was as if preparing a body by embalmment. The heavy fragrance in the room was all too familiar, having been used on Lazarus’ body so recently. The men were confronted with that which they couldn’t concede.

Judas broke the mood shattering the intimacy of the moment with his criticism. Heads would have nodded, and voices grumbled in assent. That’s right. Deflect the focus. Make this what it is not. Don’t show us what we don’t want to see.

In a movement of grace wrapped around eternal purpose, Jesus acknowledges both what Mary had done and Judas had said. “Leave her alone,” he admonishes them. “She did this in preparation for my burial.” Mary’s gift is acknowledged for how she understood the extreme loneliness and abandonment Jesus was already feeling and his need for comfort in his resolve to complete his mission of God in the face of death.

Death: Not the Last Word

Interestingly though, Jesus does not reprimand Judas despite knowing his true intentions. His words almost concede that Judas is correct in bringing up the plight of the poor. “You will always have the poor among you.” Their needs are not going to miraculously disappear. Disease, life holding on for survival, existence straddling the margin of barely making it up against destitution, all this will be the fate of many. Add into it suppressive systems and structures, not to mention how life can turn on a dime when war is on your doorstep. Yes, the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the deprived, the refugee you will always have among you.

Still, another perspective is the poor you will always have with you. Jesus affirms what Judas had said. Keep close to you the needs of the poor. Do not distance or elevate yourselves from them. For you are necessary in doing what I came to show you in relationship with God and Neighbor.

His words become an imperative. Keep the poor among and close to you, for “I will not be here with you much longer.” The day would soon be when Jesus would not be the one healing, teaching, proclaiming God’s love. Mary’s extravagant gift to him honored that coming reality.

It’s been said that Jesus can’t be separated from these whom he loved dearly, the least, last and lost as they are often called. In these words though, Jesus bestows on any who would love him to love others as he loved. Even as he would die and not be around as before, Jesus asks that his followers to do that for others which they had seen him do and taught. In this then, Jesus is honored and worshipped in the same extravagant manner as Mary had done for him.

This ointment poured upon him holds not just the aroma of death but the fragrance of his love.

John 12:1-8

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Of Prodigals, Pigs and a Party

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 17:17:02 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his teachings go places we never see coming.

Frequently when Jesus was teaching, those of ill-repute were in the crowd, tax collectors and “other notorious sinners.” Usually, it wasn’t your Sunday School picnic assemblage. Religionistic marshals took note. With no intent of being helpful to the gifted rabbi, they complained. He was seen getting a little too close to the scum, even eating and drinking with them, the winos and gluttons that they were. Reputations are made by who your friends are. True, so why did Jesus seem to prefer, maybe even have a better time with the likes of these?

He answers with parables about what gets lost. In all, something has gone missing but is recovered. Sweet stories of sheep and missing coins. They begin with a search for what is missing, ending with return of what is loved and precious to the owner. It’s ok, but nothing earth shattering.

Yeah, Jesus, but that’s how we want things to be. That’s love. That’s compassion. We all need more of that. We can see the nod in the crowd. You see, make your religion all about altruistic inclusive efforts, and you can get away with those late-night parties with your low-life friends. Yeah, this works just fine.

Perhaps Jesus knew this would happen, how his message would get bent, slanted into what people want to hear. People need small doses sometimes. Break the lesson up into parts, giving a little more as you go along. So there’s a follow up parable, known best as The Prodigal Son.

I’m Outa Here!

Everyone likes this one. “A man had two sons….” You know what’s coming, a story about family. Families are hotbeds of conflict, so this is going to be a good tale. Jesus gets straight to it. The younger of the two sons wants his share of his inheritance from his father’s estate now.

Now? Before his dad kicked the bucket? That’s bold. What’s the deal? Does he feel his old man doesn’t know how to invest his money well and wants to take over?

If only the kid had that much sense, but don’t think so highly of him. Remember as well, this spoke clearly of the disrespect the younger son had for his father and what he had achieved in life. Right away, the crowd’s estimation of the jerk slid down fast. But Dad caves to him, giving the kid what he wants. Sure enough, a few days later the ingrate takes off and heads as far away from his father’s home and influence as he can get.

Every parent’s heart is picking up in beats at this point. Worst fears are going to be realized. The spoiled brat doesn’t disappoint. “He wasted all his money on wild living,” Jesus delicately puts it. There have been enough renditions of this story to know what that means; high moral living isn’t a part of it.

Don’t worry. The prodigal got his due. Just as his money ran out, there was an economic downturn, so to speak, a famine. Before long, this good-for-nothing was literally starving. For maybe the first time in his life, he had to do some real work. A person’s belly can be a real motivator. But the only job he could get was feeding pigs, and even then pig-slop looked appetizing to him.

Disgusting! No good Jewish boys should go near bacon. Weren’t pork rind and other swine product off limits, unclean foods the Law called them? Well, this shows it. You reap what you sow. Tough lesson, but it happens.

Hitting bottom is known as when people make choices with consequences that are extremely negative. Yet, some will sit in the pigsty and stay there sinking farther until they are looking up at bottom. Note how the wayward son is unnamed, but in the telling of his story, he has given meaning to “prodigal”. He’s lost. He needs to be found. However, in this story no one goes searching for him. The narrative curves differently from what happens with sheep and coins.

Rethinking Life

“When he finally came to his senses,…” Jesus says. No one has shown up to take him home. No one rescues him saying it’s all right and we’ll take care of you, shouldering you above the mess you’ve made. In the muck and filth of pigs, out of deep sucking mud, rising from the stench of his own skin comes a realization that would not have enlightened his mind otherwise. He finally came to his senses.

Reversing his thoughts, desires, even his needs, now repentant of what he has done, the pitiful young man makes a decision. He will return home, confess his sin to his father and God and his unworthiness before them, asking only to be a lowly hired hand. Less than son, relinquishing control of his life only asking for a meager existence, he pulls himself away from where he thought the “good life” would lead and heads home on the painful journey of regret and shame.

What he didn’t know as he trudged back along the path that had led to his destitution was how his father spotted his wayward son, “while he was a long distance away.” Perhaps this dad had often looked down this road remembering when his boy had left, run off really, forsaking all the lessons and love of his father. Now, in the space of distance and time between them, the father saw a different man, one defeated by the choices he had made, desperate for only a chance to survive.

But more importantly, the father also saw his son was coming home. Whatever had separated them would be restored. Driven by love and compassion, the father ran to meet him, catching him in an embrace that dissolves all separation.

Is This a Good Thing?

Sure, it is more than generous of the dad. He could have kicked that stupid kid back into the next pigpen, right what the jerk deserved anyway. Evidently, this father’s love had never changed; he hoped and prayed this day would come and he could have his son back with him.

The question may be if this is a good thing for their relationship. People do a lot of bad things and will do anything to get out of it. Is the dad just setting himself up for more hurt later on down the road?

Smart. No one is blaming the dad for his love he still has for the son. But love alone won’t do it. While the son knows he has done wrong, it has to be expressed, admitted, sealed between them what has happened. He confesses how he disregarded the sacred relationship of son to father and how that also violated his relationship with God.

Yet, herein is also a difference from when he sat in the pigsty. Unlike before, he doesn’t ask for what he wants. He doesn’t ask to be taken on even as a hired hand or servant to the father. He leaves that judgement to the father. He has come to his senses one more time. He cannot control what the father will do but only trust there will be mercy.

And there is. Not just acceptance and forgiveness, but extravagant mercy, undeserved in the measure it is given. In his joy, the father calls for a fine robe, sandals, and a ring to dress his son, covering him again as beloved son, and calls for a great feast to celebrate. “This son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” Lost in who he was, now found in what he has become. Reversal brings joyful restoration and more, celebration in heaven over repentance and returning to God.

“Meanwhile, The Older Son….”

Here this third parable takes a turn unlike the other two. The party is in full swing. Food, dancing, laughter and lots of “welcome home” for the wayward son who rejoined his family. But the older son had missed it. He’d always been the “good child”, the one who met all expectations bringing honor to his father unlike his kid brother. Even that day, he'd been out in the fields, overseeing his father’s workers and minding the family business. Finding a midday, midweek party was the last thing he expected as he came home. He doesn’t take it well, won’t even go inside the house.

When his father hears his older son is there, he goes out to talk with him. Seems like this dad is always going out to look for his boys. Chasing kids is his full-time job. Good point. Big brother explodes. For years, he’d been the one who stayed, not the slacker like his brother. For years, he followed orders, doing everything according to as his father said. Did he ever get a big party? No, not once. But now his kid brother gets an all-day fiesta with filet mignon as the main course.

This for the guy who’d taken the family wealth and thrown it away on wild women and that kind of lifestyle? It wasn’t right, just not fair. What kind of father would do this?

That depends. What are you looking for here? Justice? Due reward? You think “reap what you sow” should be the primary principle for the younger son? Turning back, repentance means nothing in that kind of world. Lock him into that pigpen and throw away the key. It’s what he deserves.

Interesting, isn’t it? The son who had stayed the closest to his father may have been the son who was as far away from his dad’s heart as you can get, just as lost as his brother. The younger son, even as he sat among the pigs, knew his father’s generous, unending love. He knew no matter how far the distance between them, he could always go home. The older one who in his faithfulness hadn’t strayed away never saw it, never realized how much his father had missed and grieved the lost son. More significantly, he didn’t feel or share that loss with his father. All he saw in his brother’s return was what he didn’t get. A party, a one-day hoopla and time off from work.

Dad knows and reassures him of his love. Their relationship will not change. Neither will his inheritance. The younger son has spent his, and the older son will still get what’s left. That’s fair. Yet, the father also explains what this day meant. All that time, the father had felt and feared the worst. Now though, it was as if his son had died, would never come home, but has come back and come back to a new life. So as in the other narratives, the lost has now been found.

Ok, so that’s it? What did big brother do? How did he answer his father? Did he join the party, welcome his brother, or pack his bags and take off himself?

Jesus doesn’t say. He leaves it there. What do you think? Was his father’s answer enough, or did the older son remain in his anger and sense of injustice?

Nice touch there. Not a sermon, do-this-or-else kind of holy-hell threat. Just put it out there, let them know where God stands, let people come to their senses on their own. Even so, does this mean you can get away with anything? Take off, have a good time. Do like the rich guy did. Eat, drink, be merry and when it all falls apart, just go home with your tail between your legs. God has this covered.

One doesn’t have to read the Bible to understand you reap what you sow. People are behavioral. Freedom to make choices is God-given. Choices have consequences. But once made, consequences can sometimes choose the unintended for you. You’d think people would make choices that have positive consequences. Yet, some of them are slow learners and take longer. But when reversals are made, and grace is attained, heaven throws a party.

You going to be mad at God for that?

Luke 15:1-3,11-32

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T he Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Figs for the Figless

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:20:11 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he advocates for more time by grace while not denying judgement.

Tell me this. Why is there so much suffering in this world? God lets it all happen, and we’re the ones who get caught in the fray. If God is supposed to be all love and blessings, why are we watching people die in horrendous storms across the nation? Add to that the tension felt from national leadership that is slashing jobs and cutting programs people depend on without any time to prepare otherwise? And who knows what might happen on a global level in terms of war, trade and impact on the economy? Come on Jesus, meet us where we live in this mess.

Step back a second and see what he was doing. Face it, followers came to Jesus because he did address them where they lived and a lot of that was in their suffering. He healed people of all kind of diseases, and he fed them, and he calmed the seas and asked that little children be brought to him.

Like that time when he’d been talking about rich fools and seeking God over money and being prepared for the final wedding feast and divisions among families and settling your disputes before going before a judge . Lord knows, that’s at least two seasons’ worth of televised drama. But the point is, Jesus was speaking into what’s real for many of us. He can get close, too close. When that happens, people would rather turn the talk somewhere else.

Actually, it’s not only interruptive but maybe downright rude to the Teacher to whom the Jews were thinking might be the one to relieve them of Roman rule. But those listening drag it up. Headline news had it some Jews from the north, Galileans, were slaughtered right in the holy Temple as they offered sacrifices. Pilate, ruthless governor in Jerusalem, may have thought some kind of seditious activity was being planned. Apparently, not only did Pilate want them gone, he wanted to send a horrific message to the populace.

Expectations likely were that Jesus would call down heaven’s fury on the regime. If you’re trying to get the people to follow, you have to speak to their sentiments. Yet, Jesus distinguishes himself from the political ploy and stays on message. He will not concede that Rome and Pilate are extensions of God’s justice.

Superstitious Perspectives

Jesus uses the opportunity to correct erroneous views of why bad things happen to good people. He rhetorically asks, Were these people worse sinners than anybody else? Same thing with his own example of eighteen laborers who died when a tower fell on them. Were these bad people getting their due? You know what people think. If these kinds of calamities happen, it must be that God was raining down judgement for the evil they propagated. When the innocent are shot in the street by gangs, the attitude is that’s what they get for living there. No mercy for anyone or anywhere.

Jesus doesn’t find that narrative helpful, so much to the point he answers not once but twice: Not at all, as in NO. But he doesn’t drop it there. He returns the focus right where it needs to be.

Sure, unpredictable bad things are going to happen in life, no escaping that. Whether it’s wild weather or war or cancer or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, people can feel like they live in the crosshairs of a sniper ready to take them out. Rage about it if you will, but at the bottom we know there are things beyond our control. Sit with the Serenity Prayer on this one.

What Jesus does point out is what we know for sure. The only thing we can change is ourselves. The old word for it that Jesus uses is repentance. At its core is the journey of not just regret for how one has lived that has brought separation and hurt to relationships as well as God. It requires a reversal of heart and mind for living life in mercy, forgiveness and love as God loves. Such intentional living requires love of neighbor and of enemy, having concern for the poor, those living on the edge of society, and generosity for others with one’s blessings. The right to oneself becomes secondary to what God calls for in honoring, leaning into divine will in the community and realm of heaven.

Whew. That’s a lot. Know though this reversal does not mean it will prevent untimely tragedies. But a life that seeks good over the negative, even the most evil forces of the world, will prepare one for trials with strength to face the next day, the next hour, or just the next moment.

If Not?

Stern warnings are not easy to swallow. Perish, again an old word, is how Jesus expresses the outcome of those who insist on their own way, who refuse to repent. He follows with a story to illustrate why he tells it. Note though, its tone is one of mercy and compassion.

A man planted a fig tree, but for three years it never produced a single fig. The owner tells the gardener to get rid of it, cut it down, for it’s not doing what it was meant to do, wasting space where something better could be.

But the gardener advocates for the fruitless tree. “Give it one more chance, leave it another year,” he tells the owner. “I’ll give it special attention, more fertilizer,” he promises. Should it not produce figs next year, “you can cut it down.”

A simple story with a major point. Yes, those who don’t produce fruit, who refuse to add to the world what God would have, are in danger of being cut down. But Jesus is saying he is there to buy more time, to work with people, to heal and to teach and to show another way.

And That Way Is?

While the world always may have people like Pilate who are ruthless in efforts to control and murder whoever stands in their way, Jesus promotes forgiveness for those who would reverse their lives.

While superpowers may oppress and write their history in blood, Jesus advocates mercy for those who see another way for the world.

While misfortune and natural disasters, horrendous accidents and debilitating disease sometimes are part of life, Jesus’ message is how to get through life in faith that this is not all there is to life.

Note as well, the owner has no reply in this conversation with the gardener. The tree still stands, the opportunity to change one’s mind and how one lives is still there.

Jesus knew what was to come. Not long from that day he’d be looking eye to eye at Pilate himself. Roman guards would torture and murderously take his life, spill his blood in another kind of sacrifice. He would perish.

And yet, he talks confidently of what would happen in the next year. Jesus knew he’d return to continue that conversation, advocating for more time to teach, to heal, to love and to grow lives from more than they are into what God would have them be.

None then should have to perish by that grace.

Luke 13:1-9

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The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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When Fox News Comes Looking For You

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:18:08 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is how he knew what was coming and still went straight into it.

Jesus! Here’s a good example of how misdirected you are in making your mission happen. You know what you are walking into, and yet you just keep going. And you want people to follow you into that?

Even your less than best friends tried to warn you. Those priests told you to get out of there because King Herod wanted your tail hanged. Ok, while there may have been some truth in their tipping you off, getting you out of their territory may have been to their advantage, too. Passover, the biggest festival of the year, was right around the corner. With throngs of people in Jerusalem, they knew you might do something radical in the Temple again. So steering you away looked smart from several angles.

The Original Fox News

But noooo, you had to call out Herod and personally invite this trouble you’ve been courting for three years. “Go tell that fox…,” you say, revealing how sinister you knew him to be. Just a little common sense advice here: calling powerful people negative names is kind of like drawing a line in the sand. You’ve pretty much told him you’ll go on with what you’ve been doing, and no way he is going to control of that.

Granted, healing people and ridding them of whatever possesses them makes for good press and poll ratings. But you see, it takes away from those who want to be in charge. Can any decent despot risk that?

Yeah, so you keep at it, speaking truth to power we call it today. And you make it clear that you have no intention of diverting from your purpose at any time, today, tomorrow, or even the third day after that. In your world, three days out could be forever, like some kind of kingdom that won’t end. It’s evident compromise and diplomacy are not in your tool box.

But then, Geeze, you bring up how the people’s prophets meet their demise in Jerusalem, like it’s some kind of crowning glory. (Oh yeah, didn’t Herod have your best man beheaded ? You guys never seem to end well.) So it’s pretty clear, you’re asking for it.

Is that how the good leaders do it? Tell the world they’ll die for them, give up their own lives for the people? The mission, the cause is most important. You’ll battle anything in sight that oppresses, enslaves, keeps people poor and weak. That’s wonderful, but once you’re dead, what good will that do them? What’s your contingency plan? You going to come back and start again?

It's almost weird though how next you almost dissolve into a puddle, crying over the very place that’s going to turn against you in the worst way. You know the ugly part of Jerusalem’s history, how it caved for centuries to foreign cultures and religions. In many respects, it looked no different from the pagans the Jews had driven out, looking the other way when people turned to fertility rites of prostitution and infant sacrifice. When warned by the prophets of coming consequences of destruction and exile to foreign countries, the people killed the messengers. Again, why you going down there?

This Mother Hen is No Chicken

But then, Tough Guy that’s going to face down Herod the Horrible, you get all soft in your dribble. Though word has it Mother’s Day likes this scene. You wish you could be like a mother hen gathering her little chicks under her wings in protection from the big bad world.

Like you really want to save the world. Sweet. “But you wouldn’t let me,” you sob.

Maybe that’s the real conflict here. You’d do anything to make the world right, change people’s lives. The healings and proclamations of Good News were only precursors to how far you’d go for this place, this world. You’d take on the worst of them, of us. You seem to think only by your standing in the place of their evil, our lostness, can people turn, reverse how they live.

“Your house is left to you empty…you’ll never see me again.” Rejection has its intended effect. And more. You’ll be gone. Sorry. We all knew it was coming.

At least until that third day.

Wait. What’s that coming up ahead?

“Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Luke 13:31-35

Named 2024 Notable Book Award by the Southern Christian Writers Conference!

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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A Devil of a Day

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he seemed to always be looking over his shoulder for something no one else can see.

Answer something for me. Why do you always link yourself, Jesus, with trouble? It’s like you’ve got something eating at you all the time, and you’ve got to smack it down. Are you looking for a fight? Or is there a fight looking for you?

Good insight there, as if Jesus was always looking over his shoulder for something no one else can see. True, the world gave him enough trouble of its own, but there was more to it, an internal, spiritual battle that would divide him from what he was called to be. It came early in his ministry and hung over him constantly from there.

It happened after Jesus convinced John to baptize him. John thought it should be the other way around. Jesus was going by the book here, wanting to be right, to fulfill or be filled with this power. As John was bringing him up from the water, something like a dove landed upon him. A voice said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Whether this revelation was only known to Jesus or evident to the crowd around them could be argued, but it is of no consequence. The human part of the “Word made flesh” was meeting his divine destiny. He was compelled to know what that would be. That’s what drove him to the desert.

The Devil in the Details

Forty days then with nothing but the struggle, likely doubt comingled with fear. You’d think Jesus could just resolve it in his mind and go from there. It’s never like that. To settle it with certainty, he had to test it, prove it, show himself and all in the heavenly realms who he was and who he wasn’t.

All heroes have an antagonist, one who pushes hard against the best parts of who you are and what your purpose is. Fitting then, God’s beloved Son would face the total antithesis of who he was before he even got out of that hot place, a kind of hell.

Not surprisingly, the great tempter showed up for a fight. “The devil is a better theologian than any of us,” warned Aiden Wilson Tozer, “and is a devil still.” Swords are drawn on both sides.

Make Your Deal with the Devil

By this time, it had been forty days since Jesus had eaten. An obvious weakness, it’s an easy play for his enemy. “Son of God? Change this stone into bread!” Hunger is one thing, but this cheap shot is aimed to prove his power. Pride is a big target and a shattered bullseye on many backs. But as one schooled in the ancient Scriptures, Jesus retorts, “People need more than bread for their life.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Then go for the glory. Showing him the whole world in a vision, his nemesis makes his deal. Just worship me, make me your God, and it’s yours. But it’s an easy turn down; Jesus rejects it all with a basic commandment, “Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

Ok, then, his adversary makes it personal. The vision gets larger. Show him a life ending that doesn’t mean sacrifice and pain. Jump off the highest point of the Temple itself, and let the angels hold you from the fall. You’ll have the people in the palm of your hand, and you don’t have to end your life with a cross full of trouble and pain. Except Jesus knows what his enemy wants: to cut him off before Jesus gets to the place where this devil will taste defeat. With implied threat, Jesus comes back, “Do not test the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

Whereas his adversary aimed for what could have been Jesus’ weakest points, this devil didn’t realize how strength is gained in weakness. Hunger, isolation, spiritual wrestling of humanity with divine destiny took away the desire to protect oneself. Longing to love those whom God loves and restore each being so as to know and be known deeply by the other would drive Jesus to deny himself and suffer all costs for it. With the ancient words of the truth of God, Jesus is fortified from attack.

Our hero and his antagonist who embodies trouble will meet more than once. The devil backed down this time. Even so, the victory was made in not succumbing to the wisdom of the world, an offer to grasp power at any price, even if it was not pure. Instead, Jesus battled for the will of God, promising good news for the poor, the captive, the blind and downtrodden.

The devil didn’t win this one but still struck with another blow. A return to Jesus’ hometown was met with rejection and an attempt on his life. The fight was on.

Luke 4:1-13

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Jesus the Hacktivist

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 21:52:30 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

He taught like a hacktivist.

Oh boy, you’re doing it again. What you say, dear Jesus, sounds moralistic enough, aspirational certainly, but you don’t really think people can live like this? We’d all be patsies for every narcissistic manipulator who ever lived, or more likely we’d be beaten into submission if we lived through it. And you’d want us to smile about it all, thinking we’re modeling the goodness of God. Got to give it to you, scammers are on their knees thanking you for it. At least some people take you at your word.

Granted, what Jesus said about loving enemies, turning the other cheek, not judging but forgiving has been leveraged to serve less than honorable intentions, specifically those who live by controlling the less powerful. Once again, go deep. Find out to whom Jesus was speaking and under what circumstances they lived. Get to the premise he was teaching and then make applications of your own. At the bottom of it, you may learn to do just what you said, take Jesus at his word.

In Conclusion

To be fair to both you and Jesus, start at the end. It’s a hack that smart students know can save not only time and effort but also helps to zero in on the major points in a chapter or article. Read first the conclusion; then read the article looking for whatever supports that conclusion. The best benefit of all this is how it not only helps with comprehension of the material, but more importantly, the information is secured into long term memory and more efficiently applied.

“Whatever measure you use in giving-large or small-it will be used to measure what is given back to you.” Fine. You get back whatever you put out. How’s that for a spiritual principle. Now apply it to your own life and behavior. Basically, that’s where Jesus was going in these examples he used.

Jesus the Hacktivist

But before we get into that, there’s another thing you might need to understand. Jesus was a hacktivist. Not a hacker, a hacktivist. The US Cybersecurity Magazine defines one as:

Simply put, a hacktivist is someone who uses hacking to bring about political and social change.

For Jesus’ purposes, he related to people right down to what was going on around them. No secret that Jews had it rough in the first century with the Roman occupation. People were forced to protect their own assets. Sometimes their only valuable resource was the ability to take another breath. Mildly put, relationships even with your own kin and kind had challenges. Jesus met them right where they lived.

Love Your Enemy

All right, let’s get right to it. Love your enemy. And what do you think the likes of this world would do with that. Don’t even go there with “kill them with kindness” bull turkey either. Whether you’re talking a superpower or the bully at the bus stop, you’d get kicked to the curb or annihilated in a nanosecond.

Maybe. You must really get in a tizzy too about Jesus saying to do good to those who hate you, pray for their happiness even if they curse you or hurt you. Yet, note that Jesus isn’t getting into mushy feelings for the fiends. He calls for action. Do good. Pray for them. These are decisions of the will, not emotion.

Now when Jesus said love your neighbor, everyone likes that, with some recent day qualifications involving ordo amoris . But an enemy? Someone who’d walk all over you and rather see you made into wood pulp? Prepare to stretch with this.

Abraham Lincoln put it this way: “ Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends? ”

Think of Jesus the Hacktivist as teaching people this kind of lifestyle hack , that is, something which “eliminates life's manifold frustrations in simple and deliciously clever ways…stunningly obvious in retrospect…”

Alternative uses for toilet paper rolls this is not. Love your enemy means keep your dignity intact while changing your relationship by means of assertive boundaries that are healthy for all involved. As in, turn the other cheek…

Whaaatttt! So if some creep hits you, offer to let them do it again? You must know this kind of talk has held people in abusive situations for centuries. As in, ‘love your man, pray for him, even as he beats the crap out of you.’ For heaven’s sake, Jesus!

No! Don’t do that to and for the love of God. That’s why it’s vital that this be read as it was heard by Jesus’ disciples. It spoke into a deeply cultural understanding long forgotten in today’s practice.

First point: you have two hands. The right hand was the good one; the left hand the dirty one. That is, the left hand did the dirty work, as in cleaning yourself following eliminations in the bathroom. You saved your right hand for what was honorable and good, what gave you status and power.

Second point: if you’re going to hit someone, you’ve got two choices basically. Either throw a punch leading with your fist, or backhand them from the other side. Now in this strange hierarchy of the first century, you only use a fist when fighting someone who is your equal. Servants, slaves, prisoners (wives and children included) were lesser than, so they got the backhanded slap. And the strong hand delivered the offensive blow, that is, the right hand.

Guess to whom Jesus the Hacktivist is speaking. The ones who knew well the backhand of their master’s right hand. And that backhand is going to land on the left cheek. Whereas the initial reaction you’d think might be to fight back, we all know that would be second to suicide for these people.

Alternatives

Jesus provides another recourse. Turn the other cheek, that is, the right cheek. To strike the right cheek with a fist would elevate that person’s status. Your aggressor would be forced to acknowledge your dignity as a human being. Societal status would be upended for those who sat on the lower rungs. In other words, in a non-violent manner you have turned the tables on your enemy.

Same thing if someone demands your coat; give them your shirt too. Jewish law stated you had to return the coat by sundown because for many that was the only blanket or bed they had. Yet, the law also forbid nakedness, and any who caused another to be naked carried the fault. For a society who only wore two garments, taking both would shame the offender. Again, Jesus delivered a nonviolent hack which upset the oppressors of the time.

Golden Rule

Therefore, these specific directives are centered in the customs and the oppressions of the day. For all of it though, it boils down to, “Do unto others as you would have it done to you.” It doesn’t mean passively accepting what’s laid on you that’s abusive, nor does it advocate detrimentally harming others. Instead, seek the good welfare of all involved, your enemy and yourself. Should they not return the favor and love, know that God sees the good work you do by showing the world there’s another way.

Judgement vs. Forgiveness

Yeah, these are tough, but again mostly because there’s a misunderstood perspective about their meaning. Judgement is not criticism or intolerance of any or all lifestyles. Jesus never knocked down the moral law either. Instead, use the premise of the Golden Rule; treat others as you’d want to be treated. Don’t judge. That is, don’t look for the worst in others, directed again toward your enemies, or judge them by what you assume their motives are. Put yourself in their shoes. To act otherwise is to invite the same kind of censure upon yourself.

With that outlook, learn to forgive. Don’t interpret this as letting someone off the hook, not taking responsibility for actions or avoiding consequences. Rather, with the generous capacity that comes from the mercy of God, forgiveness releases the soul from the need to retaliate or be consumed with hatred and revenge. The freedom forgiveness brings thus delivers mercy to both the forgiven and the forgiver.

End at the Beginning

“Whatever measure you use in giving-large or small-it will be used to measure what is given back to you.” So if you want the blessing, the favor, the mercy, and grace of God, the spiritual principle is give the same to others so it will be given and afforded to you: love, forgiveness, mercy wrapped together into grace.

Jesus began this lesson by saying this is for those willing to hear, listen, attend to and live it in your own lives. Only a revolutionary spiritual position would reverse the societal and cultural norms of behavior that destroy and oppress others. And yes, it is moralistic, aspirational, but realistic?

Jesus answered that with his own life. Good leaders can’t ask followers to do what they won’t do themselves. But he did. He turned the other cheek to those who beat him, and his coat was stripped off as he was hung naked on a cross . He called out to God to forgive those who would have him dead . He loved his enemies then and extends that same love now.

Jesus gave in full measure all that life is so that these whom he loves, his enemies, may know his love, “with room for more and running over.”

Luke 6:27-38

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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In Plain Sight

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:10:36 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His kind of world change

calls for taking on the very identity he carried.

Je sus, let’s ask the hard question. Are you a communist? All this talk about helping the poor (or however you describe economically deprived, marginalized people) along with negative criticism of the rich and powerful is getting a little heavy. I mean, what have you got against people getting ahead in this world and having a measure of wealth, enjoying life, amassing friends and followers? “Woe to you who are rich…what sorrows await you who laugh…” This country has its success due to capitalism. Free enterprise made us what we are today. We’ve got our faults, but Marxists we ain’t.

You’re right. Here we go again. Jesus had his issues with the rich. But before we go into what he’s trying to get across, take a look at this setting in which he gave these statements. Note as well, they are couched only as warnings, what could be but not yet.

Jesus had been on a mountain and prayed all night. Something serious must have been about to come down. In the morning, he chose The Twelve as his inner circle. At the bottom of the slopes, they were met by crowds on a flat plain or possibly a plateau. Think about it. Everyone there would be more or less shoulder to shoulder, eye to eye, face to face. No one would be looking down on others, the ones with control and power. Likewise, none would have to fall under the gaze of shame, a feeling of unworthiness, not good enough. Everyone had equal footing, position, place. Jesus chose to meet them there, to see them in this way so they could see each other as the same.

Interestingly, the crowd was very diverse. Some were followers, persons who’d heard his message and wanted more. Then there were people from the Jewish strongholds of Jerusalem and Judea. Good Jews with common heritage, who knew the Hebrew Law and the prophetic messages of a coming Messiah. People like us, you know? Yet, interspersed as well were those who were Gentiles from the northern coast, people not only foreign but also biracial. Again, all gathered and mixed in together, a setting otherwise not possible except for the expressed purpose of hearing Jesus.

It could have been volatile. One misstep interpreted as a shove, one slur spoken a little too loud, one offensive whiff from the despised skin tone of another, in short, this might not have gone well.

Instead

Healing though was the result. Watch Jesus move among them, meeting their gaze, touching their diseased bodies, speaking peace into deranged minds possessed by God-knows-what. They press close upon him, for without explanation and only realization, they were restored to health and wholeness perhaps never known before. Without exception, all were made well by an inexplicable power contained and released from him. Thus, an individual and collective equity is achieved.

When Jesus speaks though, his Good News-Bad News refrain surfaces. Blessings, healings, happiness is declared for those who lack and struggle for basic needs and food, for those who have such loss grief overtakes life, for those who are oppressed for listening, following his message. Jesus speaks in a present tense, a voice in which God acknowledges what-should-not-be. Reversal is promised by movement within the Kingdom of God. Satisfied needs, out loud joy in laughter are ahead.

Conversely, Jesus calls out whoever lives on the other side of life’s spectrum. The rich, full-bellied, fun-loving, popular seekers will also know a reversal but of a different nature. A tide-turning sorrow of famine, mourning, poll-plummeting rank is coming. Sorrow, deep regret for what has been and what was not is an upside down, inside out transformation in perspective and values.

Blessings, Curses, or Consequence?

So is Jesus threatening, saying God is going to make this happen, and if you fat cats don’t start divesting of all you have, it’s not going to go well? In this day and age, he could be putting a target on his back, like the one he had back then in the shape of a cross.

Obviously, Jesus has to address those who have the power to institute change should there ever be a leveling of humanity. Yet, where would that come from, how could it happen? Jesus doesn’t give those on the upper scales much help. Perhaps, the biggest clue lies in what he concludes for those who would be blessed by God.

Identify with Me.

Jesus says take on for yourselves what you’ve just seen. Be the healing factor for this change which would reverse and level out your relationships with each other. Love your neighbor with all the expansiveness of God’s love. Make repentance, forgiveness, mercy and grace the core of your lives. Let justice and humility be your center. Offer to God all that you are even down to the right to oneself in sacrificial generosity. Economic and societal status is of no relevance in one’s ability to live so.

And What If?

What if in only the dream of God this would happen? This kingdom of God would result because that’s what happens when God’s intentions are lived in its fullness. Political efforts fail due to this imbalance inherent in human efforts. Social policy falters in spite of good, moral intentions. Economic stimulus doesn’t relieve the yearning of the soul. But no way was Jesus a communist.

Jesus calls instead to meet him on the Plain.

Luke 6:17-26

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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An Extreme Radicalization

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 19:19:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: To understand what Jesus was calling them to do,

you can’t ignore the changing political, economic and social scene.

It’s a story for the books, maybe a movie (ok, yeah, that’s been done already), but really, who does this sort of thing? You’ve got to be miserably desperate just to take off, leave your job and family, and literally get behind a guy who says get on board with him, and he’ll show you how to fish for people. Think about it. People can stink worse than fish. I don’t know. What did they think they were getting into?

It was another long night with nothing to show for it. He likely was a strong man, arms bulging with defined muscles, a complexion browner than his natural skin tone from a lifetime on the water. Not one of those chosen from Hebrew school to further his study, he’d had just enough religious education to make him a good Jew, one who kept the laws, participated in the festivals, and made sacrifices in the Temple. He’d been trained but not given a choice in life to be who he wanted.

He learned from his father how to fish, not because it was his passion, but because that’s how they made a living. To his breed, hard manual labor was his lot in life, but every penny he earned was stained with strain and sweat. Though others were fed by his toil, he could easily be replaced with another brute of man who would slave his life away on the waters with late nights and heavy nets. Life was no more than hard work, limited choices, and death.

This morning was just another slap in the face. The cruel mercy of the sea had dealt him an empty hand that night, and now there was nothing to bring home to make life any easier for his family. Not a single fish. Simon and his partners knew their women would be disappointed; others would not be surprised. They never would amount to anything. Empty nets meant an empty soul sooner or later.

On the shore, that new rabbi was getting ready to speak to the crowds. OH, Great. Now everyone for miles would know their failure. But Jesus motioned for them to come closer and asked for a boat. From a floating pulpit, his voice carried across the water with his message of good news for those gathered on the shore. But what kind of good news could there be for losers like him and his friends? Better to keep your distance.

Dangerous Man

Be forewarned. Jesus preached Good News. Due to that, millions support him. Even so, like these nobody watermen, you may sense there is something about him that could be dangerous.

Well, that’s a different take. So you’re being up front about what’s behind all of this? Uh huh, where you going with this? I’m just as leery about you as I’ve ever been about him. Usually your kind is either pie-in-the-sky or predicting the end of the world. Why should I be careful approaching this dude?

That’s the point. It’s not so much about people looking for him as it is about how he finds them. Often, they’re just living life as it’s supposed to be, and Jesus interrupts it. That’s when he is most dangerous.

Jesus made a bold request of Simon. “What? (Obviously this former carpenter didn’t know much about fishing.) You want us to go out now and drop the nets again? Don’t you know that fish feed at night, not in the middle of a hot morning?” Even so, Simon did call him “Master” and out of respect for this popular preacher, he and his men push off in two boats again. Suddenly, the weight and pull on the ropes get stronger. Simon held tight, realizing the nets could tear. With the strength of years between them, they pull and raise so many fish, the boats nearly sunk from the weight.

Simon quickly realized Jesus is not one of those ordinary teachers who go around the country preaching and collecting money. He innately understood this great catch was a reversal, what the prophets called a “sign.” Simon with his partners James and John, men also not considered very intelligent, were at least smart enough to read this “sign” and be amazed. Falling to his knees, he begged, “Lord, leave me. I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”

It had been beaten in him from both the synagogue and life circumstances that he wasn’t anything of worth, meant to be noticed or considered special. Beyond what little he could bring home on a good catch, no one would have given him any kind of recognition. That’s how the world was made; some got it all, the rest got what’s left over.

Jesus leaned in. “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be fishing for people.” With those words, Simon, James and John were granted a reversal greater than a boat load full of fish. They were chosen for a new kind of life with a leader who would reverse their status and make them into what they never could be, men who spoke words from God that changed lives. No longer would they be considered the losers, the bottom-feeders, the ones lower than underdogs. Immediately, they dropped their lines and followed Jesus.

But what was life changing good news for them meant trouble for those who always looked down upon them, those of status and power.

To understand what Jesus was calling them to do, you can’t ignore the changing political, economic and social scene.

Taxes, Tolls and Tariffs

When Caesar Augustus died, Tiberius became ruler of Rome. Herod Antipas knew what side of the bread the butter needed to be, so he built a new city on the Sea of Galilee and smartly named it, Tiberius. He had big plans for this new urban center, specifically the fishing industry. Doing what despots do, he saw to it that all fishing was controlled by the Romans. Taxes bit into everybody’s profits by required fishing permits, a sales tax on the product and its processing, and even enforcing toll taxes, similar to a tariff, on its transport.

In the eyes of Rome, it’s what you do when there are dissonate voices against your reign. In reality, Herod’s agenda only heated the simmer against Rome. Add in the oppression against the fishing industry, and you easily could find people who were ready to make a stand. All they needed was a leader.

The Making of a Revolution

There’s the narrative, and then there’s the context of that narrative. People pull the details that enhance their own platforms. These men did not have a real clue as to the specifics of the plan. If they had, would they have gotten behind Jesus and the movement he was starting?

Radicalization

But instead of raising an army and storming the Roman centers of power, Jesus preached loving neighbor and enemy turning the other cheek, walking an extra mile, and being light in the darkness . (Matthew 5:38-45) In doing so, the prisoner would be released, the blind will see, and the oppressed freed from what chains them .

Such a movement would effect change, change greater than any charismatic leader, governmental edicts, or religious laws could bring. Inherent in it is revolution that ascends above what no protest, demonstration, march, or rally could ever accomplish. Fishing for people involves a radicalization which reverses one’s relationships so as to honor God and care for others. By this, the rancor and divisions between people would lower, maybe even be removed, and bring about the Kingdom of God.

Jesus preached this because it is so much within all realms of possibility, and if this change is embraced, it is Good News.

Luke 5:1-11

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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A Losing Launch

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:58:58 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his kind of Good News looks like DEI.

"Any coward can fight a battle when he's sure of winning;

but give me the man who has pluck to fight when he's sure of losing." - George Eliot

Very nice sentiment there, Mary Ann Evans (aka George Eliot), but let’s face it. Who wants to back a loser? Whether it’s inflation eating your paycheck, your favorite NFL team that just got destroyed, a high-ranking player going out in straight sets of a grand slam tournament, or that nice guy who just can’t seem to get himself together, losers get to be tiresome at best. That’s why we walk away from them. Your Jesus included.

Granted, Jesus may have started off well but quickly saw his poll numbers plummet. Love-him-hate-him was the pattern of his public life. As a rising star, he burned out relatively early. You could see it coming, like when he made his debut at his very own hometown,

At first, Jesus had some good press from earlier messages he’d given in other places, so when he came home to Nazareth to launch his ministry big time, it looked like this would be a good thing. When he spoke that Sabbath evening, he made his people look good.

Choosing from the prophets, Jesus read about Good News and how the time of the Lord’s favor had come. Best of all, he declared this proclamation was going to happen like Today, like Now. They considered it as, “gracious words that fell from his lips.” Their very own hometown kid had more in him than they ever knew .

Lesson Learned Here

Don’t ever, ever rest on your past successes. Momentary accolades disappear like the wind. Jesus knew what was coming. Watch now how he anticipated and employed a preemptive strike. He understood better than to ride the wave of these people he knew in their true hearts.

“Physician, heal yourself.” An old saying he brought up to reveal their true thoughts. Do for us what you did for others. Wow us with your miracles and take care of your own. Give us what we want; what else is a prophet/Messiah for? Good News Maker, let’s have that holy favor you said was here and make it be for us.

“No prophet is accepted in his own hometown.” This wasn’t just a reference to their history of ill treatment of prophets who had not brought good news. Jesus was telling them the kind of prophet he’d be, the kind that points out the truth of who the were and what they needed to change. Their self-centeredness, outright jealousy of what he’d become, was simmering on the surface of expectations they had for him.

Jesus Turned Up the Heat

Seemingly referring again to ancient prophets, Jesus chooses two stories they knew well but would prefer not to remember. A drought had caused a famine for three and a half years. You’d think if God was going to do anything at a time like this, it’d be for the provision for Israel, the chosen people. But no, Elijah the prophet was sent to help a widow in Sidon, an area in what is now Lebanon. I Kings 17

Wait! Aid for a foreigner, not one of us? Yeah, you’re catching on.

Just an isolated incident? Jesus follows up with how Elisha healed Naaman, a Syrian king, of leprosy, rather than those in Israel who suffered with this dreaded disease. II Kings 5:1-19

Jesus! Don’t you know what you’re doing to yourself here? If you’re going to garner followers, you’ve got to play the game, make them think they’re the insiders, the true recipients of any blessings you can call down from heaven for them. Not smart, good guy, not smart at all.

So you think speaking the truth is supposed to just gloss over the hard parts? When Jesus said he brought Good News, it was for the POOR. That is, not you and me. It’s for these outsiders, the hurting, marginalized. Release for captives, not those who live in privileged freedom. Sight for the blind, not for all those with smart answers. Freedom for the oppressed, those whose rights are diminished by power-brokers who profit from their misery.

Disturbing back then? Lord, have mercy, but The Trouble with Jesus is his kind of Good News looks like DEI.

DEI: Divine Example Incarnate

Securing the border? Eliminating racial equity training and affirmative action? Roll back of programs and instituting tariffs that favor big money? Deportation without due process? Repeal of birthright citizenry?

Talk about eliminating redlining, reparations for the sin of slavery, or gerrymandering voting districts are not yesterday's threats. Mix in how Jesus’ spoke of help given to foreigners, those who live outside national boundaries with all kinds of ethnic and cultural differences.

Ok, this stepping out of comfort zones is over. Can’t help though but point out Jesus’ justice goes beyond food pantries and donations for the homeless, safe efforts which take little time or investment but still leave you feeling good about yourself. Nobody ever said this was easy.

The Backlash

Swift it was. The crowd who had been “amazed by his gracious words” morphed into an enraged mob. Their worst fears had just been articulated as being the will of God. Not having any of it, they dragged him to a cliff, ready to see him and his message cancelled from the start.

Miracle(s)

Interestingly, the show of divine power these people wanted finally came to be. Can’t explain it, but somehow those who had tackled Jesus right there in the synagogue lost him in the pile up. “He passed through the midst of them and went his way.”

His way never brought him back home again, back to Nazareth, if you read through the writer Luke’s account. But he stayed on message and called losers to be his followers, blessed vulnerable children and affirmed women, healed those with all kinds of sickness. All the while he challenged and called out those who kept the people under an oppressive religious thumb. None of this did him any favors.

No wonder Jesus culminated his life’s work on a cross. Another mob got their way, eliminated him and whatever influence he’d promulgated among the people. So they thought.

Rejected, killed between two criminals, humiliated in a torturous execution, Jesus died. Only once more to come into the midst of them three days following.

Jesus’ way continues.

Luke 4:21-30

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Begin From Home

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:42:30 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus was he stretched meaning into an explosive reversal from what people want to believe.

Begin from Home

Let’s start with the basics: Jesus, where do you think you get your stuff? You grew up like the rest of us. There was nothing special about your family. Well, there was talk of the legitimacy of your birth and who your real father was, but so what. We’ve all got that kind of thing in our family tree. And yeah, you acted like a precocious brat that time you hid out at the Temple. But get real; you’re now around thirty years old, and you go ‘round talking like you’re some authority on God. What makes you so special?

Granted, Jesus did not have a truckload of degrees to his name or any professional certifications or positions. He came from a relatively small town, and his parents were not people of generational wealth. He had nothing to lean on but that which was in him. Some call it “authority,” this quality which makes you feel this guy knows what he’s talking about. It was noticeable. (Luke 4:32)

Even so, the record gives a good indication of what Jesus carried in himself. Apparently, it became clearly evident when his cousin baptized him, and Jesus heard a voice declare him as “beloved Son .” Propelled into the wilderness to do some soul searching, Jesus faced his true antagonist . In the resulting battle, Jesus realized the power which had been conferred on him.

The Story Begins

His first preaching tour was in the synagogues of Galilee where his teaching was favorably received. With that trial run under his belt, he headed home. Home is where your story begins . Makes sense for Jesus.

You know what that’s like. No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, people have expectations, have already decided who you are, what you are about. On the one hand, there are those who want to see you succeed so you’ll make them look good. Still, lurking around are those who’d love to see you take a fall. Smile sweetly on your way in but watch your step.

Sabbath evening arrived, and Jesus went like every good Jew to the synagogue. Understand however this is not just a place for weekly worship. Additionally, it operated as a school as well as a community center. If something was going to be done or decided in town, this is where it happened. Everybody would see it.

The agenda of the evening had been practiced for centuries. The Shema was recited, “ Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is the only God .” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Prayers were said and the ancient writings of the law and the prophets were read. On this day, Jesus was honored to read from the prophet Isaiah. Careful now. His selection had plan and purpose. Jesus reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”

The passage was familiar to the audience with the promise that what had been, what was now, would not be forever. Listeners would have latched on to phrases like “Good News” and “time of the Lord’s favor.” Like other congregations, upbeat, positive messages get good feedback.

Choosing from the prophets, Jesus read about Good News and how the time of the Lord’s favor had come. Best of all, he declared this proclamation was going to happen like Today, like Now. They considered it as, “gracious words that fell from his lips.” Their very own hometown kid had more in him than they ever knew.

When he handed the scroll back to the attendant, Jesus sat down. All eyes were on him, waiting for his remarks. The custom was for the reader to interpret from a seated position.

“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Sorry, but it was here that Jesus went off script, edged toward the radical, slipped too close to the blasphemous.

Sit with Him on This

Too many times people only want to hear what they’ve heard before. Messages about God are fine as long as they stay safe, familiar, mostly whatever is taught to children. Stories of Good Shepherds should only remind the hearers of cotton-balled crafts. Never mind that Noah’s ark would have stunk to the high heavens. Easter is best known for plastic eggs with candy, not what follows a bloody cross. Keep your talk in prescribed boundaries, tell an interesting story or joke, promise people God loves them (without expectations of change.) End with a pleasant prayer for those who need help, shake hands, and head out the door.

Inaugural Address

In a way, this message was Jesus’ inaugural address . With his outline of plan and purpose, he revealed what that voice which called him Beloved meant and why his antagonist wanted him to fail at the outset. Having wrestled through all that, he had come back to that place which had raised him. Here, at home, he would start to be what God wanted for them.

The Trouble with Jesus was he stretched meaning into an explosive reversal from what people want to believe. What gave him this authority? The Spirit of the Lord, as he’d read, had appointed/anointed him to preach this Good News. Yet his kind of Good News was not for those welcomed into the sanctified and cleansed confines of the synagogue. No, this Good News is for the poor.

Then, he really crosses the line by getting specific. Who are the poor? Sure, the needy and those who suffer due to low economic status. However, Jesus paints the ugly picture: those who are captive ( the jailed criminals? ), the blind ( those stinking beggars on the side of the road? ), the downtrodden ( like actual slaves? )

Wait a minute, you’re talking about the most marginalized, maybe repulsive creatures society can find. It’s not our fault they got in these situations. Jesus, where’s our Good News!

Please Adjust Yourself

Can we just call out such comments for what they are? Baloney! Otherwise known as balderdash, twaddle, claptrap, hog wash or whatever else you know as bull. Here’s your Good News: recognize that as a person in this society who has an ounce of wherewithal, you have the opportunity to partner with God in making change for these who live on the bottom side of life. For you, the Good News is a challenge to do is in your power to feed the hungry, visit the lonely, heal by your gifts and presence the pain of others.

Face it. Jesus didn’t bring this Good News just to stamp your ticket to a better celestial hereafter. If any of this is going to happen, it’s dependent on how lifestyles are adjusted and relinquished to tear down structures and systems that imprison, lie about, and hold down the powerless so they stay that way.

What’s more, Jesus said, it’s going to start Today. Today as in right when he said it and Today as in Now. God is moving, and God means for this just as it’s being said (or read). Take notice of one more thing. Good News begins at home.

The passage Jesus read concluded with, “the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Today. Now. God’s favor, love, mercy and grace are ready to be made known and poured out for the poor and for those who serve them.

It’s time.

Luke 4:14-21

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings Available wherever you get your books or Click Here to support local independent bookstores!

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No Time to Die

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 19:51:53 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Water becomes Wine and Wine becomes his blood.

Jesus, you’re not helping here. Party season is over for now (at least until the Superbowl.) We’re trying to abstain for 31days. It’s called Dry January . But no, you start your whole ministry-thing with your own miraculous winery. You’d just told your new follower-friends to “ Come and see ,” (John 1:39) and then plot how best to get us to fall off the wagon.

Well, it can look that way. Prohibitionists and teetotalers have exercised theological gymnastics over this one. You’ve got to love it when they say Jesus made water into a kind of non-alcoholic wine. No, it was high quality, connoisseur approved, seemingly well-aged. So what’s this about? Was Jesus giving divine approval to lift a glass, especially at celebratory events like weddings?

Apparently so. You’ve heard that up until around a century ago so drinking water was not the safest beverage. Alcohol, it’s claimed, at least cleared out the worst of bacteria. And we do know that Jesus’ accusers claimed he hung out with some low-lifes that imbibed too much. Rumor was Jesus could drink with the best of them. To think that Jesus never drank wine might not be a realistic perception.

It’s Not Time Yet

Neither is it realistic to think that Jesus made water into wine just to give people some kind of religious excuse to drink. Sure, people have leveraged Jesus to approve whatever they want. Won’t be the last time. But that’s not what this is about.

Sober up here. Changing water to wine was his first miracle but not a mere trial run. Though it looked like a display of power over natural order, it stands as a sign of what was to come. His divinity and humanity would clash and become part of his coming trouble. Jesus faced it and looked deep into it that day when his mother approached him in the middle of the wedding feast, “They have no more wine.”

“How does that concern you and me?” It wasn’t his responsibility, not his wedding or his family that would be embarrassed and considered inhospitable for not having enough to keep the guests happy. He knew what was still to come, the clamoring for healing, food , (John 6:1-21) even the water that would take away thirst and the need to draw from deep wells every day. But there was more to it than asking God to take remove the burdens of life, that which detracts from feeling in control and in charge of life. “My time has not yet come.”

The Time to Come

His mother says nothing to him but turns to the servants. The woman who had answered the angel, “ I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants ,” (Luke 1:38) knows this son she birthed and reared must do the same. As her ancestors had done, she does what God ultimately asks of parents and hands her son back to God. Hebrew people knew the pattern: Abraham had lifted a knife over his son Isaac , (Genesis 22: 1-19) Moses’ mother had placed him in a basket on the Nile River , (Exodus 2:1-10), and Hannah had taken Samuel to the High Priest Eli . (I Samuel 1) Mary likewise would do the same. “Do whatever he tells you,” she tells the servants. To her son though it meant to accept the trouble you now are going to start, and the trouble you will know. Would these words haunt her three years from now? Yet, also with these words, Mary fulfilled the divine task given to her as Lord’s servant. It began with water.

Six stone waterpots were standing there. (No, it wasn’t time!) They held twenty to thirty gallons each. (But it wasn’t the right time!) They were supposed to be set aside not for common use but for ceremonial purposes of washing as the law stipulated. This was a wedding that belonged to a couple. (This just wasn’t his time!) Water from these pots was to cleanse the body and speak to the soul. There would be time for that water later. As he gazed at the pots, did he see his time to come? Time at Jacob’s well (John4:5-42), time when the stormy seas would rage (Matthew14:22-33), time when he would pour water into a basin for washing feet (John 13:1-17, 31-35), time when he would gasp those words, “ I thirst .” (John 19:28) Yet Jesus knew, as his mother charged him, his time for trouble to begin had indeed come.

As he directed, the servants fill the pots with ordinary water and then pour some which they take to the wedding master of ceremonies. He is surprised for what they bring is excellent wine, much better than that which was first served to the guests. Yet Jesus knows what it has become. Viewed as a miracle to the servants and the disciples, they believe in him now, their Messiah. But Jesus knows it is more.

Later, Jesus would declare himself as one who does not right their world in where it is wrong. Instead, he would give them Living Water (John 4:10-14) to quench their deepest spiritual needs. His gift of water would make them into more than what they were so as to become what they were created to be.

As ordinary water poured into cups becomes wine, the one who is Living Water will be poured into a cup.

My Time Has Come

His time had not yet come that day, but that time would come. Gathered around a low table with the twelve, there would be wine again poured into a cup, and he would explain what it meant. He would tell his closest followers as he offered the cup, “ Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which seals the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many .” (Matthew 26:27-28) Living Water becomes wine, and wine becomes blood.

And the trouble is, that blood would be his. No, it would not be the first blood to be spilled. From the animal that died to clothe the man and woman in the garden (Genesis 3), to the first brother that would die by his own brother’s hand (Genesis 4:1-15), to the wars that have destroyed and the fights that have ended in slaughter, to executions of the innocent alongside the criminal, blood has been shed for all kinds of reasons from grasps for power and wealth to the defense of peace. But none in history would be like his blood.

Time After Time

His blood would challenge the trouble of the world, the call of all who have hoped to know, “You will not die.” Only his blood could reverse that which would separate all who have breathed from the God who gives breath. “You will not die” could not be obtained by grabbing perceived power but only by accepting the one who is the source of the greatest power known, the power of Love. Our hero must face his demise, and it is by his virtue that he will know his biggest trouble, his very death.

The Trouble with Jesus: Water becomes Wine and Wine becomes his blood.

John 2:1-11

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Begin Again

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 21:38:01 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: he comes as a God whose love will change and consume one’s soul to the point of being reborn.

It’d be wonderful to go into this New Year thinking that there’d be a change, that where we’ve been can be left in the past, that the possibility of a fresh start is real. But that’s not the way it feels now. Strange things like drones in the sky while planes go down all the time. Wars continues to rip lives apart. Weather is just as dangerous. Not to mention our personal lives where people struggle to get along with each other. Every year we're burned with high hopes that this year we’d get past all the mess we’d been through. Now it looks like more of the same.

Look at it this way: life is not leaving the past but carrying it into the now and what-will-be. Forgetting what was or thinking it will never matter again isn’t healthy, let alone productive. It has shaped us thus far, yet transformation is still in process. Look forward to that kind of change and realize it’s by design.

OMG! Where do you get this stuff, like you’re some kind of voice that gets to comment from above about what we live through, stretched and strained, on hideous highways and rotten roads just to make it through our days? Aren’t you supposed to tell us who you think God is, and what your Jesus is supposed to be? So far, you’re not delivering the goods. Like that part that leaves out the Baby. What’s this thing about the Word (proper noun you make it) and being with God? A Baby we can sort of get. Word is like hallucinatory.

Fair enough. Not your usual introduction to the topic. Think of it like another layer. The Babe in the Manger got your attention because it’s familiar, like how we all got here. But this voice is greater than the familiar. Pull it from the past, a voice like a Chorus that spoke commentary and deeper meaning on the drama in Greek theater. By covering what we see with a significance beyond our mere experience, there’s a chance to understand and move forward to what may come next.

The Prologue

Here’s what we’re given: A Prologue to everything that comes next in the person we call Jesus. Beware though, for this introduction sets the pattern for the trouble surrounding him.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.” (John 1:1) This is no mere baby boy who rose to a small level of prominence as an itinerant rabbi. The Chorus states in no uncertain terms: Jesus is God. As God, this Jesus existed “in the beginning,” and, by implication, even before the beginning because he is a co-creator with God who formed the universe. Jesus’ infancy is elevated to the Infinite. For those who would keep God at a distance, separate and safe from interfering with personal choices in life, there will be trouble. God is with us now, and it’s not an infantile story.

Why “Word”?

It sounds weird to call our protagonist that. We live in an age where we are bombarded with words. More words may only add to the dissonance we feel. Notice though, this isn’t a word, or words even, but The Word, that which we need most. We scream for direction, comfort, assistance though this thing we call Life. The Word gives answer to that cry.

But it’s nothing like what else is out there. It’s primal, rich, with a logic and reason beyond our knowledge. The Word speaks in broad visionary terms that draw us in and permits struggle with itself. The Prologue therefore sets the stage for this necessary conflict.

Light and Love

Called The Word, Jesus not only speaks for God even as he is God, but he comes as light and love, essential elements to life. To be apart from light is to be in darkness, that place where evil battles whatever is good, where grief hangs heavy smothering any kind of joy, where war rages, and relationships dissolve. Jesus’ life crosses swords with that darkness. When the worst happened though, he came back to the life and light which shines through darkness by giving hope that seasons do pass, and new days are ahead. The New Year hangs on that light of hope.

Jesus embodies Love from God. However, to love and experience God’s love, even in the condition of one’s creation, one must become one with the Lover. (John 1:4 and 14b) The trouble with Jesus is he comes as a God whose love will change and consume one’s soul to the point of being reborn, a new person that is foreign to that which natural and intellectual inclinations would lead. The prospect is not totally welcome for, “although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted.” (John 1:10-11) Push back erupts at the start. The Chorus sets the stage for conflict.

Grace and Truth

Thus, our ancient Chorus chants, “So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us.” (John1:14) The entrance of God in human form threatens the human reach for control of one’s life and destiny. Autonomy is challenged, for self-determination is confronted by a God who would interrupt human design. Yet, whoever accepts this plan finds God’s yearning for being known through the essentials of Grace and Truth.

Grace never lets go, pursues, follows, goes to any lengths to be known. Whatever is the worst of us and even beyond the best of us, its reach is mercy that forgives while not excusing, binds yet is liberating, affirms as it recreates. Jesus as Word brings grace, simple and complex.

Whereas Grace is bestowed, Truth is revealed. Search, study, seek for a lifetime, and one can never fully know Truth. It lies beyond human comprehension. Yet this lacking also reveals that God not only exists but wants to be known by the highest point of Creation, all of humanity. The touchpoint happens through this Word, Word become flesh in a Baby, Word which lived and died and lived again here on earth among us.

“In the beginning…” Every time a heart and soul starts with the Grace and Truth, Light and Love known in Jesus-God who became human, there is another beginning, not dependent on a calendar date but on fulfilment of divine purpose that has no ending. Begin Again.

John 1:1-18

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Love Song of Protest

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:29:46 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Even before he was born, his birth sang of trouble.

Well, isn’t this just jolly. No matter that we’re still trying to get around life and not be sidelined by mysterious drone sightings, people getting shot just walking down a street, or watching dictators fall only to create a vacuum for power. The world daily has some kind of crisis that needs attention. Noooo. People keep acting like they’ve got to get ready for the Big Day and all the festivities that cover for the stress of the season. For the love of God, give it up and tend to what really matters.

You’ve got a point there. The world is a mess. A big mess. Please concede though, it’s no different than it ever has been. Fifty, five hundred, two thousand years ago, no difference. Why, it wouldn’t seem like planet earth if it wasn’t a hot mess, would it?

For the Love of God, A Promise

Yet, there is a difference, or at least the perspective that it should be different. Central to this season is this idea that things could turn around if…. If? If what? If you need a reason for the season, as they say, start with what was going on long before anyone today woke to expectations otherwise.

Back then, life was not good for any who didn’t have money, power, influence, privilege. (Ahem, that’s a laugh.) Ok, you’re starting to get it. Only, in the first century there was the ruling class and then those so low on the status pole they had no class, that is no way to make a change in life except to endure.

Yet, somehow there was this promise from so long ago that God would one day make a move, change the system somehow, and people were beginning to think it might not be so far off. But if you were to look for it in some regal decree or military campaign, well, it wasn’t there. God was moving, but not where or how you’d expect.

For the Love of God, Adjusted Order

From here, you likely have heard some of the story. This young girl, maybe barely in her teens, is pregnant. (Yeah, that’s been going around like forever.) Yet, she’s a virgin. (Good one, like how many people bought it?) Ok, not too many for sure, but the ones who did believe her were also major players.

Still, she wasn’t the only one expecting. A relative of hers also was pregnant, but the thing was, this woman was too old to have kids. If anything, see how things are getting turned around, how the natural orders are being shaken? Life is not working like you know it always has. Is that a bad thing?

Not sure. Everyone wants life to get better, but this kind of adjustment seems to speak to trouble that is on its way. When your world gets turned upside, fear sets in.

Right, and these women knew how life could change in an instant better than anyone else. For the older woman, Elizabeth, not only was her pregnancy risky, but her husband suddenly couldn’t talk, not just lost his voice, but was totally mute. The whole thing was strange.

Then young Mary was really in trouble. Beyond the questions of how this could happen are its consequences to her. According to Jewish law, if a woman was found not to be a virgin before marriage, she should be stoned to death . (Deuteronomy 22: 20-21) Mary’s very life would be in jeopardy.

Let’s remember as well that just by the facts of their gender, women experienced cultural and social weakness. In terms of what the world saw in them, they were nobodies. Still, even in their powerlessness, they do not call upon their men to defend their predicaments. As the story is told, one’s husband couldn’t say a word anyway, and the other who had promised to marry her is silent with no recorded words.

Ok, so move this up until today. Life dealt these women a low blow with no personal resources and no protectors of their lives. People living this today don’t go around singing merrily when a torturous form of capital punishment is hanging over their heads. About this kind of thing you guys get all animated and sparkly and elf-silly?

If people do, it’s because these women did. When they meet, Elizabeth’s baby actually kicked up his heels in excitement, and the two of them saw in each other what God was doing. Elizabeth calls Mary “the mother of my Lord” and affirms a blessing upon her because she believed that God would act as promised. Finally in the presence of someone who believed her, Mary rejoices over what God will do through her.

For the Love of God, A Protest

What follows is a song, but not just a sweet, sentimental holiday tune with snow, mistletoe and sleeping babies. At its core is a revolutionary statement that is subversive and insurrectionary. The message is that God will overturn and shakeup what the world sees as powerful and bring it to its knees.

Go Girls! Give those guys what they have coming and don’t be nice about it. Say, this is not so bad.

Back up some there. This is not male bashing, though certainly gender roles needed to be readjusted. Mary’s song upends the movers and shakers of all kinds, the rich, the rulers, those who in their pride think they’ve got it made. Human standards of order will fold as hungry persons are fed while the rich are divested of finances, the poor in status find blessing at the same time powerbrokers slam against the very walls they built. She credits all this to her God, the one who will work through this mere girl whom generations following will call blessed.

For the Love of God, Never Forgotten

Covering it all is mercy, knowing that God does not ever forget the weak, oppressed, those sidelined from participation in all the fullness of life. Through this child she carries, a reversal of individual soul and world systems will be activated.

When it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up

and tends to what really matters.

Luke 1:39-55

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Don't Kill the Messenger

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:26:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is Good News brings a joy to the world

that can be costly to both living and one’s life.

So, JTB, have you ever heard it said, Don’t kill the messenger? Sorry, desert-dweller, but if you keep up with this talk of “the ax of God” and “never-ending fire,” well, don’t say you weren’t warned. Somebody’s going to be gunning for you. So much for all this Good News you’re supposed to be shouting about. Geez, guy, the holidays are coming. Lighten up!

Let’s clear this up right way. Good News doesn’t necessarily mean what you want to hear. Jingle your bells if you have to, but Fa La La doesn’t change the facts. John the Baptist is bringing a message that, yes, does call out some ugly things. No surprise in that regard. But go with him. Listen to his call that God can change stones into loving hearts.

First, JTB says, “Prove it.” Show your lives have turned around and gotten on board with God’s plan. Don’t assume that you’re a good person, you kind of believe, maybe even have done that baptism thing he talked about before. Live the difference that shows love of God and neighbor. Don’t make God come after you.

What Should We Do?

Thanks for asking. Funny how that question comes from differing perspectives, but the answer is sort of the same.

To the general crowd: If you’ve got two coats, give one to a poor person. If you’ve got food, share with those who are hungry. Stop the hoarding. Provide for others generously. Realize some don’t have enough to even survive, so if you’ve got anything at all, share it.

To the tax collectors: JTB, this shows you’re on to something here. Yeah, these guys rank with the “notorious sinners” category. They’re traitors in some respects because as Jews they work for the Romans. Not only that, they’re infamous for practices of extortion, collecting more than the required tax and pocketing the extra. John the Baptist tells them to just do their job, no more, and not add to the problems of already oppressed people.

To the soldiers: Now you’re speaking to the enemy. Watch your back! In their world, asking for orders from JTB could be interpreted as an act of treason. Their allegiance was to be solely for Caesar. Interestingly, however, these guys came to him; he didn’t enter their camps. Known for abuse of power, some of them could have been familiar because the Romans conscripted some Jews into their armies. JTB is direct: Stop the bullying and quit accepting bribes.

Good News/Bad News

John the Baptist was big on repentance, a turnaround and reversal from living like the rest of the world. No more just go along to get along, and don’t mind the mess in the middle. This kind of message is costly, painful, and upsetting to the status quo. Self-interests must submit to God-interests. Regardless of status or station, justice proves to be an exposé of one’s central values, particularly economic justice. How can one otherwise claim to love God and neighbor when others are in need or exploited?

Boundaries Can Hurt But Don’t Harm

Understandably, John’s imagery of snakes and vipers fits. There is no wiggle room or slithering away from his proclamations, and those who don’t like it have been known to attack with poisonous venom. Sure, it’s tough. Yet, repentance which goes beyond being sorry but actuates real change is the impetus for what the Promised One will accomplish. Inherent in it is that God is interested and will judge not only on the basis of actions taken for the benefit of others but also for what has been left undone, not gone far enough . (James 4:17)

Burning Man

If anything, JTB practiced what he preached. He refused to claim the Messiahship when the crowds came, desperate to see in him a deliverer. Instead, he stuck to the role of mere messenger, preparing the people and pointing to the one who would come. In true humility, John the Baptist acknowledged his baptism was only with water; whatever they learned from him was only as one no more than servant to One much greater than he.

This Promised One would be more than they expected—or wanted. Again, JTB calls on imagery that both frightens and excites. Their Messiah would wield a winnowing fork which was used to toss wheat into the wind. A wind of Spirit would blow away the chaff, the useless dross, and allow the good grain to fall and be gathered up, stored in the barn, made into what would become the Bread of Life. Meanwhile, the chaff is swept up and burned in the intensive fires of reversal, consuming selfish desires to hoard and control the weaker ones. Thus, the fire/wind of Holy Spirit cleanses and refines that which feeds the soul while that which is waste is consumed.

Joy, Of Sorts

For too long, the crowd had little reason for joy. Generations experienced and lived through both corruption and incompetent political leadership. More than one military had overstepped its role with disregard for the common people. Social order had disintegrated into rampant greed with no safety nets for those who suffered. From a daily, low grade, anxious uneasiness to rampant fear, people constantly looked over their backs while watching for whatever might come next. Sound familiar?

John the Baptist’s words were caustic; his imagery was visceral. But they anticipated change, deliverance, a coming peace that would not be dependent on the old systems. Sensing God was set to move, people turned to this weird prophet shouting in the desert. At the source, for the first time in forever, they knew joy for a new world order of God was about to begin.

When it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up.

Granted, this is not a cheap joy or would be an easy fight. Still, in identifying with God’s cause, the people prepared and watched for what was coming. Good News was close.

And John the Baptist? JTB was eliminated , of course. (Matthew 4:1-12) That’s what happens to messengers.

Luke 3:7-18

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Pathway of Peace

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:50:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his weirdo advance guy

is the one who announced his coming.

Desert Wilderness

Ok, think about it. Sure, John the Baptist was not your usual influencer. But given the political climate, it was likely good strategy to locate away from the Roman ruling party. Tiberius Caesar was no guy to mess with, and the rest of the rulers, Pilate, Herod Antipas with his brother Philip, and Lysanias, knew better than to allow popular figures to last very long.

Factor in also that John was clearly seen to be a prophet. Somehow though, the religious powerbrokers missed that memo. Whereas his parents were from ancestral lines of priests, JTB walked away what could have been a good life and position in the Temple to sweat it out in the wilderness and preach from there.

Again, this is shrewd. The people were ready for a new movement. Rebellions had sprung up from time to time, but none were successful in getting the Jews out from under the strongarm of oppression. From their heritage, they remembered that in these places of extreme solitude, away from how the way world usually works, God was known to appear and lead them.

Yet, what they heard from John the Baptist was different. From this place, separate from the rest of the world, their vulnerability was exposed. Danger was heightened for you never knew what might be blurred in the blinding light of day or lurking in the deep shadows of the night. In these places, people had no choice but to learn a new dependency on God.

Ok, so the crowds did come out to see what he was about. Not that his message started out as heartwarming. Evidently he was a shouter. That certainly added to the circus, we’re sure. But he seemed to have in mind what people needed to hear.

Prepare the Way

John’s proclamation though was not feel-good, you’re trying your best, and everything is going to be ok. Parroting the old scriptures with high energy may make for an emotional ride, but it doesn’t last. People need what they can hold close and carry away with them.

JTB delivered what God had done, was doing, and continues with more. Not a stagnant, hear this and go home message. The movement the people hoped to see happened, lived, appeared in, came to be and upon them in the prophet’s message from God.

“Prepare!” he called to them. “Make the roads straight and smooth!” It was a call to get ready. When great rulers and sovereigns were traveling, the people would clear out the rocks and fill in the potholes that not only made a ride easier but also travel faster. The people were looking for someone to come, and this someone they’d been waiting for a long time. Of course, they would want him to get there as soon as possible. Thus, they were even willing to go all the way into the desert wilderness hoping the wait would not be long now.

Granted, that works. Out there in the middle of nowhere, the multitude would see there was a need for better infrastructure. Let the setting reinforce itself in the context where they were standing. Good move there. Let them get to work. Here’s though where things start to get messy. This guy who is as bizarre as they come tells people they need to change? What’s this, a do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do line he’s feeding them? Run, guys, run! This dude is going to lose it big time!

It wasn’t because they had not followed the restrictive, life sucking tenants of the law their priests had put on them. To repent means to turn from, reverse in your heart and soul the false values, insidious thought processes, the lies, and injustices in which you rest your life and lifestyles. Repent of all the ways you have failed to love God with all you’ve got in mind, body, soul and strength. Acknowledge how you have not loved both neighbor and enemy as you have loved yourself. Move out of this hopelessness in which you live and turn to new ways of thinking, living, even loving.

Prepare a new road in yourself that will lead to something better. See ahead the beauty, justice, truth, and dawn in a new day.

Again, nice. Take the old message, (you say they had heard this before in their ancient writings?), and reframe it, make it mean more. They have something new to wrap their minds around. That’s good for you, Son of Man. You can build on that kind of thing. If only he’d stopped there. No, your friend (distant cousin? that makes sense), really stretches it out from there.

Baptism

Repentance means there will be a change, and to be baptized required a physical change, a move from desert place to a river known as the Jordan. Around rivers there is life within the water and along the shore. Rivers provide hydration, a cooling of the bodily core after arid heat has burned your skin, and a soothing flow of current to massage the physical frame. With immersion in the water and rising out of it comes a sense of renewal, a cleansing from what life and choices have laid on you.

Preparing to live in straight smooth roads of life, repenting, and turning from the old ways brings revitalization. Forgiveness and acceptance by God rest in that cleansing with a sense of rebirth. It’s ongoing work.

Peace in Turmoil

All right, but let’s bring this home. Two thousand years later, hope is thin. Political upheavals, almost daily, have drained us of too much. The road we’ve traveled has thrown us curves no one saw coming. Wildfires, flooding storms, droughts, and now the start of bitter cold have us ducking for what’s to come next. Just when we thought we’d gotten through the worst of what might happen, personal challenges of health, family, security slam and give us another steep mountain to climb. God, this is a rough road we’re on.

Right. Life is uncertain. So prepare for it. Keep your eyes wide open for what might still happen. Repent and give up what brings you to that which sinks you into despair and hopelessness. Allow God to wash over you in expectation of new understanding even in this too-long season when turmoil is the new normal.

The prophet’s vision extends beyond this time and place. This Son of all Humanity is Son of God whose life brings a redemptive love and power. Make ready, reverse, and live it.

What never recedes is this promise of peace:

When it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up.

Luke 3:1-6

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings Available wherever you get your books or Click Here to support local independent bookstores!

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Stand in Hope

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:24:19 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he gives fair warning. Hope for that.

Jesus, we’ve said this before and still you just don’t get it. Here we are at the time of the year when we should be all bright and merry, and you come on with this end-of-the-world rant. Can’t you just join the party and make happy? We’ve had enough of bad news for too long.

Doomsday Commentary

Uh, if you’d just stop trying to control the show, maybe you’d see that’s the point. As it is, every generation has seen this kind of thing. The world never has been a safe place. Even today, NASA scientists monitor asteroids in case one should ever aim for our planet on a collision course. So much for “signs in the sun, moon, and stars.” That’s leaving out all the other scenes of devastation in which we live or may encounter due to the turmoil of “ roaring seas and strange tides .” Not to be forgotten is how we are living through political divisions, social injustice, senseless killings, economic struggles, effects of drug abuse, and/or whatever is ripping your soul apart for now. The Trouble with Jesus is he gives fair warning.

Yet, it’s also fairly said this kind of commentary fits every generation of the past until now. No wonder there’s such a dismal view of what’s to come. People always have known fear, anxiety, and the desperation from what was and what never seems to change. In some ways, it’s understandable how these same perspectives are carried into what is seen now as well as expectations of what will be. This is not the first time people have thought the end of the world is near. Jesus has been saying all along: People, expect it to be rough out there.

Control and Security

If a common denominator in all of this could be found, it is centered in a sense of control. Control means to have power to direct and change, to have security over our lives and those around us. When the diagnosis is dire, when relationships don’t work as we expect, when there is lack or perceived lack of what we need, when the unthinkable happens, when control is slipping through your fingers, you might as well think the world is coming to an end. Bad things happen even to good people. The question is raised, where is God in all of this?

“So when all these things begin to happen, stand up straight and lift up your heads, for your liberation is near.”

Hope and Resilience

Yes, that’s right. That’s what Jesus is saying. Show that you expect something good to happen, and you have no fear of what it will be. No need to duck and hide, for you know and believe there will be release from what is into that which is good, better, a hope in the future. ( Jeremiah 29:11)

How so? Just look around. In this case, Jesus gives a short lesson of a fig tree. When its leaves bud and form, you can expect that the season will change into summer, that time of warmth and light. These occurrences are common but contain lessons in the expectation inherent in what has always been known and predictable. Likewise, Jesus is saying when these horrors come to have a similar expectation. Change will happen. How so? In the answer to the question: God is near.

When it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up.

(Dear Reader, remember that please. You’ll see it again.)

Oh, yeah? Well, aren’t you full of that familiar saccharine sentiment of the day. Next thing is you’ll be saying HO, HO, HO, and handing out candy canes. Just pretend like nothing has happened and get on with life. Guess you’ve never known what it means to lose and lose big.

This is not denial, acting like bad things don’t happen. They do, and the grief experienced in the aftermath can be crippling. When control slips through your fingers, loss hits the chest and severs the heart. That’s life, and no one escapes it.

Season of Hope

Hope is the gift that Jesus is promising here. Watch for it. Stay alert. Keep your eyes wide open! Don’t be trapped into diversions that create escapism but leave you with the hurt of a hangover. Don’t succumb to worry or anxiety about what has not happened. Look for that budding of hope.

Seek out those places and people who live lives of humility, gentleness, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, peace. Find it in a trust that knows life is not just about the trials of today but in the One who promises future. If anything, future is what this season celebrates. Not only has God come in a human form that can be known. The greater story is that God comes and is known whenever hope, peace, joy, and love is found.

But the greatest promise is realization that God is still coming. That “heaven and earth will disappear” is part of the story, as is the Son of Man arriving in the clouds. That’s why Jesus said, “my words will remain forever.”

Hope, expectation, an advent of new life to come in the midst of all that’s wrong in the world and about the world requires constant watch even while there are yet gifts to be purchased, ornaments to be hung, cookies to bake, or the worst is on your doorstep. May hope be found in your awareness of the Jesus who came, has come, and will come again.

“Stay alert. Pray for strength to get through these things that will happen

and stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:25-36

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Truth on Trial

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:03:28 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he would not be intimidated into answering a trap.

High profile trials get our attention for the drama and legal wrangling on display. Yet quiet, no publicity, run-of-the-mill litigations have the same elements. Though defendants may have much at stake for personal interests, day in and day out the greater issues of fairness, justice, adherence to the law ride on the verdicts passed down. Precedents are built, and appeals constructed that stand on the central value of truth.

Truth is the spotlight on humanity. Find it, wrestle with it, run from it but know truth tells much, sometimes too much. Just-the-facts, video footage, eyewitness testimony, subpoenaed emails and documents only color the canvas. Anything can be made to say anything; it’s all in the spin. But truth reveals the greater story, and the direction life gives.

The Interrogation

The verdict’s outcome is considered to fulfill the most paramount purpose of the trial. You’d think. A related perspective is, “ Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made .” Whatever verdict is reached, how the questioning is designed, what evidence is presented, even with lofty ideals, mean nothing when crashed against judges or jurors who have their own personal stake in the question. In those cases, we all know impartiality is a farce, and truth takes a back seat. The judicial decision tells little compared to the factors contributing to it.

Such was the scene when Jesus is tried by Pilate. Actually, it wasn’t his first trial. The backstory was he was betrayed by one of his own followers from his inner circle. Jewish leaders had been gunning for Jesus for a long time. They’d clashed publicly, and their influence among the populace was beginning to crack. Sick of being beaten by their own attempts to trap him, the high priests brought Jesus in. Yet, there was one thing that they needed. Roman law would not permit them to execute anyone, and they wanted this guy gone before the Passover festival that week. Their only recourse was to drag him before Pilate with fabricated charges of wanting to take over as a king.

Any hint of overthrow in the Empire was a certain death sentence. Pilate was forced to deal with it. If anything, this judge was as much on trial as the defendant. His role was to keep the peace. If these Jews made him look bad with any kind of unrest or riot, his competence as ruler would be questioned by superiors and reported to Caesar. He had an image to protect and project that he was able to rule rightly even if it was reinforced by military power.

So he asked,

“Are you the King of the Jews?” Straight forward. Get the charge answered and get this done. The Trouble with Jesus is he would not be intimidated into answering a trap . He hits Pilate where he hurts. “Is this your own question or did others tell you about me?” Not only did Jesus expose Pilate’s bias and phony neutrality, but he took from Pilate control of the questioning. In other words, Jesus started to erase the power and authority that Pilate was presumed to hold.

In some ways, it was a stupid question that did not deserve an answer anyway. Clearly standing there in a Roman court, Jesus was the farthest from being a king. His followers had abandoned him, he was at the mercy of the Jewish leaders, no army or even a gathering crowd would take his commands and get him released. The other stupid aspect of the question was Pilate wasn’t smart enough to know how to frame it. “Do you claim to be King of the Jews? Or, Do you want to be King of the Jews?” might have required of Jesus a different answer. Pilate from the start did not know how to direct the discourse.

Pilate takes another stab at it. “Am I a Jew?” Sounds rhetorical, but it’s packed with asserting his rank. “Your own people and leading priests brought you here. Why? What have you done?” Pilate is looking for an act of treason. Or at least some kind of way to frame whatever he’s forced to decide. Yet, he’s also attempting to retake control, asseverate his authority, make Jesus answer to him. He’s telling Jesus that he’s the one with the power and to recognize it.

Not going to happen. Whereas Jesus never specifically declares himself as king, he does claim to have that which kings have. But not like you’d think. “My Kingdom is not of this world.” He points out if he was the kind of king Pilate could charge him to be, he’d also have followers fighting for him. Again, Jesus’ realm is that in which Pilate has no power or even the cognizance to grasp its existence.

Pilate presses his point. “You are a king then?” It’s almost sad in how his question reveals weakness in this Roman prefect. He’s not getting his way, and he won’t. “King is your word…” Jesus retorts. Without falling into any trickery that twist his words into what they are not, at the same time Jesus accuses Pilate of what he’s doing in digging a hole that has no bottom. He follows with, “…and you are right.” So Jesus is not a king. And Jesus is a king. What’s a judge to do with that?

Jesus is merciful, not allowing Pilate to say more. In this place that should reflect the best intent of law and justice, Jesus declares his kingdom, the reason for his life and the world into which he has speaks.

The Metanarrative

“I came to bring truth to the world. All those who love the truth recognize what I say is true.” How one explains life from both a personal and existential perspective is the narrative that gives life meaning. Jesus’ purpose it to reveal that narrative in God’s mind as Truth.

Like many, Pilate couldn’t grasp that truth. It was all about him, protecting his interests, finding fulfillment by controlling the narrative with his power. In one way or another, it’s a worldview that is ironically limited in its idiosyncratic focus. It can’t be achieved without supremacy over others. What’s outside its conception will not be significant. In extreme form, its perspective needs a dominance that can only be maintained with violence. Violence such as a cross would deliver.

Jesus’ kingdom rather was one that established forgiveness, mercy, goodness, justice, and grace. It’s shocking in that its power is based in Love. Jesus’ lessons were rooted in this love. He proclaimed it in ways the world will never fathom.

“ I come to serve not to be served and to give my life as a ransom for many .” Mark 10:45

“ Sell all you have and give to the poor .” Mark 10:21

“ Those who use the sword will die by the sword .” Matthew 26:52

“ Blessed are the poor...hungry…grieving…merciful…peacemakers for they will be call the children of God .” Matthew 5:3-9

“ Love God…and your neighbor as yourself .” Mark 12:29-32

“ Love your enemy ” Matthew5:43-44

" Who is my Neighbor? " Luke 10:29

Lost sheep, coins, sons . Luke 15

The superpowers of the world seek to reign with weapons of control, violence, oppression, seeding distrust among its people. Jesus knew firsthand what this means. When he would not answer as his opponents wanted, when he would not cave to the way things get done, when he would not make the despots of the world look good, he was judged as a threat to their rule and kingdom. Before the sun set that day, Jesus took upon himself the worst that the world could design on a cross.

You’d think that should be the end of it. Layer on all the evil efforts ever told in the history of the world, you’d think no other efforts could survive.

You’d think. Still, in the soul of humanity there is that which continually reaches for this way of Love. It never dies but always returns in new efforts to live out this radical view of another kind of kingdom. It’s seeded not only by Jesus’ teachings and proclamations for the world but in the ultimate reversal of what the world wields as its ultimate weapon, that of death.

He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. (Daniel 2:21)

These kingdoms and empires never last, because Jesus’ purpose is known by defeating death. It’s living carried on in his being, name and spirit that will not disappear because of the power of God’s Love. Even when on trial, Jesus’ Truth cannot and will not be silenced or erased.

John 18:33-37

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Of Horrors to Come

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:58:07 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he never made the future look totally rosy. He told it real.

Jesus, what makes you think this Doomsday portrait you give here is helping? Why even talk about it? We’ve been through a hell of a lot, and this end-of-the-world talk isn’t doing us any good. Besides, who’d ever get behind you if this is where you’re going. We’re just not going to listen to this kind of thing.

Yeah, well what galaxy do you come from? If talk of apocalyptic endings bother you, why do you watch so much of it from streaming movies to video games to best sellers? Listen guy, there’s money to be made from this genre, and the makers of these stories play right into the basic fears of futurists to preppers to predictive prophets with megaphones shouting, “The End is Near.” Why is this ok for everyone else, but Jesus can’t say anything beyond Love Your Neighbor and Bless the Children? Get over that, and listen up.

Watch Out!

As Jesus describes it, the question is not if, and he never gives an answer to the disciples about when. It will happen, and it won’t be good. Wars all over the world. Earthquakes. Famines. And that’s just the beginning. (Could we add global pandemics? Fear of political collapse? Probably, but Jesus apparently was just giving examples of disasters, not an exhaustive list.) More so, he told his lieutenants to keep their eyes peeled for the worst. Expect it. It will happen.

The Big Question

So what’s behind all of this? Where does it come from, and what’s the cause? Is there anything that can be done about it? Will anyone survive? (All right, that’s more than one question but you get the idea. If you want Hollywood’s answer, read here for various viewing suggestions:

But this is Jesus you’re talking to, so you’ll have to go with his perspective and worldview understanding. Jesus speaks out of the biblical genre. Think Noah and the Flood, Moses and the Plagues, Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. Biblical proportions are massive, and you never want to be in its path. His people were well aware of these tales. Understood though in the midst of these stories God was present and working though in it. Thus, when the disciples listened to Jesus, they knew the ultimate outcome would be of divine justice. Even so, layers of perspective and position must be examined.

Cosmic Battles

This could bring to mind angels and demons fighting it out over who gets final control. Don’t like that? Substitute your favorite zombie story. Marvel has done much to make this into the mythic and legendary. It’s been said there are only seven basic story archetypes , and you’ll find all of them in this category. At its center though is a struggle of Good and Evil for power and control. The universe can’t end or have a new beginning without it. You’d expect God to be Supreme Commander in the starring role.

Survival of the Planet

Can earth sustain life or any form of life as we know it? Survivalists go deep into this one. Admittedly, a case could be made that this is pretty immanent. Factor in a mutating virus, understated nuclear threats, and wild new climate events. Lives worldwide are being rearranged. Did Jesus say this is just the beginning of horrors to come? Can human efforts really slow the inevitable? Will the outcome be “ not with a bang but a whimper ”? The ancient scriptures began with, “In the beginning, God.…” History concludes with, “In the end, God….”

Cultural Changes

The disciples had marveled, uh, spoke in awe that is, about the architectural marvel, no, major feat accomplished in building the Temple, but Jesus was not at all affected by it. He could only see what would become of it, demolished and flattened. Even edifices erected to God someday come down. If that’s so, political upheavals, societal divisions, racial and class demands, wealth disparities, justice reforms, name whatever you’re feeling, but it should be no surprise. Some days you have to ask if the boot of God isn’t behind it.

The Good in It All

Whether we live though it vicariously in virtual reality, feel it in strong winds fueling wildfires, or try to learn and negotiate a new kind of relational living, Jesus’ words hit in sensitive places of the soul. The Bigger Questions come up: who are we to be in the midst of this changing world, in whom do we believe, and what will be the shape of us in the practice of that belief? Whatever our answer, it affirms this much. Choice is only powered by the action behind it.

Choose to Respond

Read all of Mark 13 . Jesus tells the good, bad, and ugly of end times however you view it. He also affirms it will end in fulfilling his mission of Good News for those who listen and choose to believe that coming out of apocalyptic changes will be a new world. But first a choice has to be made, to not deny him or turn away from the struggle of control for the world. He warns his disciples there will be those who give a different spin on these pressures. Fake news, conspiracy theory, whatever deception can be construed will be designed to detract from his message. Some even will claim to be God or speak for God. Worst yet, they will be successful.

Choice otherwise will affirm his work. Stand up to monuments and systems of injustice. Be sensitive to the fragility of nature. Busy your hands in work that promotes mercy. Make relationships with the marginalized and the shunned. Wash dirty feet. To do Jesus’ work is to believe in his purpose.

All this is to occur so Temples financed by fleecing the poor will fall. Even in its worst, there’s assumptions that something better founded in hope will prevail. The only ones who will protest the ultimate change will be those whose power and privilege is embedded in oppression of the least of these.

Historical Context

Many scholars believe that this writing was made about a decade or so before the Temple’s destruction. People remembered Jesus’ words about these end times and the desolation that was to come. What was the center of their faith, despite that into what it had devolved, was still the center of what had been believed about God for hundreds of years. To see it fall at the hands of one’s enemy was soul shaking.

Interestingly, after that day Jesus never returned to the Temple. Instead, he moved on to what was to come. One time he had said, “ Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up .” The horror of the coming days would be inflicted on himself, and from that a revolutionary world born of resurrection would be possible.

Don’t most renditions of Apocalypse end this way?

Mark 13:1-8

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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How Right is Your Mite?

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:11:38 GMT

Brief musing here: November 5:2024 Today, tonight, this week we will wait. Apply whatever importance you prefer to this date. Take your side expressed by your vote. Hope for the best. Yet in the marking of your ballot, also bow your head. Pray the hardest prayer ever spoken. “Your will be done.” Accept what will be. Then move into your space, your world, and see what God will do. Shalom.

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J esus, (yawn), we hear you. You’ve got this thing against the guys who don’t like you. So you take every opportunity to call them out for their phoniness. Good for you. At the same time, there’s this widow that you applaud for giving her last two cents to God. Nice. So sweet to see this. But except for you criticizing one and extoling the other, what are you going to do about it? Neither has status adjusted nor change of behavior just because you’ve used them as object lessons. What good are your teachings if you don’t back it up with some action?

Relax, please. Let’s just say for now the groundwork is being laid. Begin with this: nothing was more sickening, revolting, disheartening to Jesus than hypocrisy, and the religious leaders took home the prize for that one. Jesus told the crowd right there in the Temple, “Beware!” As in, keep a careful eye on these guys as you would a dog you’re not sure will turn vicious. Jesus saw what everyone else saw; they loved to attract attention to themselves with their fancy robes and how everyone showed deference to them when they walked around in public. And when the big banquets were held, they got the bests seats in the house and were seated always in the front of the synagogues. But their practice was to take from the poor and make themselves rich in the process. All this in the name of Yahwey , no less.

Change in Focus

Yet, then Jesus switches it up. He drops this mocking, caustic tone as he moves to a vicinity of the Temple where a large metal vessel sits, the collection plate of the first century. Here the faithful deposit their offerings to God. The thing is, you can’t miss it when the big wigs give theirs. Currency was in coinage, and the bigger the coin (and greater the value), the louder the clang inside the pot, attracting attention. Especially if you’d sort of throw it in, not just let it softly drop. (Not saying people did this, but what do you think these kind of frauds would do?)

Meanwhile, a widow timidly approaches. Don’t expect much from her type. She’s got nothing, so she is nothing. Without a man in this kind of world, destitution is your daily bread. At times, women are looked over. In the end, they are overlooked. She wields no power. It’s confirmed with what she leaves as her offering, two mites, mere pennies. Barely a sound tinkles in the basin, nothing over which to get excited.

Except…Jesus does. He calls over his buddies to give them the moral of her example. According to him, in effect she gave more than any of the long robers, for “they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Wonderful model of giving, but there’s one question floating out there. Who in the world wants to be like her? Really, good financial sense would be to take care of your own needs and then provide/contribute/donate as you’re able. Give everything, even if it’s a good and worthy cause? Nah, can’t go there. Jesus, cozy up to your big donors, and leave the little guys alone.

Back up a blessed moment here.

Ok, Jesus is making a big point here about religious hypocrites and their practices of pride. Yes, he contrasts them with this poor woman who now will be totally dependent on anyone who might pity her enough to help. But if you think this is only about money and haves with have nots, wake up and smell the real stink behind this.

Jesus said it himself. The policies, practices, politics of the Law had been manipulated such that the poor were mercilessly oppressed by it. “Shamelessly cheat widows out of their property” is how Jesus put it. Oh yeah, these guys were good at long prayers more flowery than the fancy embroidery on their robes. But what good does that do for those impoverished by their faith?

Follow the Money

Principles are only as good as practice. Structure drives the mission. Lifestyles reflect true priorities. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Jesus had taught. (Matthew 6:21) Look at the source of what’s important to you. If there is reflection of God’s love for others that honors and sustains, pour yourself into it and be generous. But if in its core, there is oppression and corruption, call it out as Jesus denounced those who hid behind their clerical dress and lying prayers for the poor.

This gets messy. Need inspiration? While calls for institutional change from Pope Francis is noble, it needs the backing of individuals, communities, nations who would demand and refuse to use or buy from companies unless change occurs. In short, money talks, so note where your treasure goes.

The Sorrow of It All

Still, Jesus did not stop the widow from her giving even though it supported the injustice which oppressed her. His words held sorrow for her situation. His heart was torn for her in that she was forced to contribute to a system that oppressed her, and in some ways, she had no choice but to do so. Her heart also likely was breaking in knowing this gift might seal the end of her life even as her soul wanted dearly, sacrificially, to return to God all that she had in love.

In the Image of God

She was in no way like him, but Jesus very likely saw something of himself in this poor widow. All bear the image of God . (Genesis 1:27) Yet, it very well could be said that Jesus drew from her that which he would soon need in himself, the willingness to give all of his life even as it would mean the end of his life. His sacrifice would bring reversal for those enslaved to self-centered lifestyles and restore any who are caught unfairly in places that would rob them of everything, even their lives.

In all then, her giving was not in vain, but for the eternal good of the world.

Mark 12:38-44

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Brass Tacks

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:52:34 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t want to fight as much as he wants to lead in Love.

You know, Jesus, it seems like a lot of the time you’re up against odds that you can’t win. Sure, you’re pretty good at your verbal sparring with your antagonists, but you just can’t seem to understand you need to make friends with your enemies if anything can come of this. What’s more, it detracts from what you want people to understand about you. It only comes out when there’s a dispute you’re trying to correct. Enough! Just go along to get along, and maybe they’ll listen to you once in a while.

Thanks for the advice. Understand though Jesus did not come to be divisive, but he was up against those who would see him gone. Most of the time that is. Then there was that incident when someone from the other side came with an honest question. In a short dialogue, the core of what could be unity was exposed.

Sure, Jesus was more than adamant about what he stood for. Fresh in everyone’s mind was how he raised a ruckus in the Temple, driving out the corrupt money changers that preyed on the faithful trying to fulfill and express humble worship . And yes, Jesus really dug himself in a hole when he exposed how hypocritical religious leaders were when they coyly asked him about paying taxes to Rome . Then he blatantly told some others they were theologically dead wrong in their question about resurrection. Winning friends and influencing people wasn’t his game.

Still, this individual teacher of the religious law, a scribe, noted that Jesus had stood his ground and had made some good points, possibly issues that had concerned him as well. His learning and background would have afforded him a deep understanding of the Hebrew law. So his question while broad and open ended, may have been in hope of affording him a new insight into that to which he’d dedicated his life.

Which commandment is the first of all?

Most are familiar that the Jews had their Big Ten hand delivered by Moses himself on tablets inscribed by the finger of God. Added to them were around another 600 laws which dictated much of Jewish life. So the scribe’s question was basically, let’s get down to brass tacks , the core of what structured not only their religion but their identity as God’s chosen people.

Jesus’ response started with an answer with which every Jew was more than familiar. The Shema is as central to Jewish faith as the Lord’s Prayer is to Christianity or the Pledge of Allegiance is to American patriotism. Recited every day, taught to children through the generations, the Shema holds the center of their beliefs, especially in that time of pagan beliefs and superstitions.

The most important commandment is this:

Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is the one and only God. And you must love the Lord your God with all you heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.

So much is packed into this command. Its breakthrough revelation was a liberating declaration that the created universe and worldview were no longer at the whim of capricious gods and their conflicts. It gave them One. One God. Only One God. Only One God in a unified understanding and purpose with a reliable structure designed to give access to the divine.

Love is the central approach, the One approach, to this God. Love that is not limited, conditional, dependent on the self and its desires or needs. Love that has no measure because it is All. All one’s emotional heart, spiritual soul, mental acuity, physical strength. All one has and is dedicated to the One, this Only One God. Get it?

Yet, careful listeners and certainly this scribe noted that Jesus characteristically not only held up the law but also expanded it. “ Mind” was not in the original prayer . Don’t leave out this vital part of belief and behavior. How one explains one’s life and place in God’s perspective will determine how one lives in that relationship. This teacher and religious leader needed to be able to articulate this understanding for himself and those he taught. Likewise for any who ascribe to this belief of Only One God, for otherwise the emotional, spiritual, physical devotion will collapse.

Jesus doesn’t stop there: “The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself . No other commandment is greater than these.”

Love is the operative word here.

Jesus again expands and appends it to the first. One cannot love God without loving others. Thus, what one’s relationship is with one’s neighbor shapes that relationship also with God. If Love is the center of approach with God and neighbor, there is recognition of the work of God in one’s neighbor. The intersection of the two approaches converge in this core from which all other commands, laws, insights and discernment develop.

The scribe, this member of those antagonists who have given Jesus so much trouble, concurs. “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. I know it is important to love God with all my heart, understanding, strength, and to love my neighbors as myself.” He gets it. There is a unity of thought between them.

The religious leader also adds a perspective. “This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” One’s worship and acts of repentance are not dismissed but rather become less of a focus if the Love of God and neighbor are primary.

So that’s it? Jesus, are you really just saying like the old Beatles song, Love is all you need? Wow. That’s not so tough. Lie and let live, love like there’s no tomorrow, give God all glory, and get on with life? But that raises the question, why has this not taken on some traction and made the world a better place and life good for everyone?

There’s the ideal to which one may aspire, and though simply expressed, tough to manufacture. Loving God and loving neighbor means that one’s right to one’s self lessens. Everything that one holds close in self-esteem, personality, identity, ideal, and purpose is sacrificed to that All. All that the heart, soul, mind, and strength entails is given to God. Loving neighbor requires no less, for it is turning away from oneself for the good of others.

So what Jesus and this guy are saying is marginally acknowledging that God exists and occasionally giving to others in need doesn’t come close. Same for those burnt offerings and sacrifices. Only by this total relinquishing of self can Love accomplish that for which it is intended. Not sure about this. If we surrender to this extent, where does that leave us?

The religious teacher of the law found himself somehow on the other side of the line where Jesus usually found himself attacked. Jesus also found himself in agreement with a representative of a party that will eventually take him down. They both spoke not from perspectives of where they stood, but from where God was and invited them to be.

To accept and dedicate one’s life to that principle is to be repositioned, reversed, redeemed.

Or as Jesus said to the scribe,

“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Mark 12:28-34

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Beggar Belief

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 01:25:07 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is healing happens in reversal to one’s willingness to see.

Everyone deserves a good day once in a while. Jesus hadn’t had one in a long time.

Maybe it started when his own family had said he was out of his mind. Then his own hometown heard his message as scandal. He’d had no time to grieve the death of his cousin and best support, John the Baptist . His own disciples had no clue about where and into what they were headed despite his explicitly having told them three times. Even two of his closest disciples, James and John, had the audacity to ask for special seats of favor as if getting to glory was a walk in the park. You’d expect push back and rejection from those not close to him, but all this happened within his own circle. That road to Jerusalem was getting harder all the time, and the worst of it was yet to come.

And so they reached Jericho.

Whatever happened there isn’t given for us to know. But it must have been something because a huge crowd followed him and his entourage on the way out. Had they seen healings? Did they hear a message of hope? Were their children welcomed and blessed as he’d done for other kids? Not said. But in their following, there’s the sense they weren’t ready to say goodbye, to let him go.

Except, well, evidently they had missed something. Missed as in hadn’t seen or taken the effort to notice a familiar figure on the side of the road. That blind beggar, Bartimaeus, must have heard the crowd talking in amazement about this one who was leading, this figure who very well could be one who’d take them to restoration of who they were as God’s chosen people. So they pushed on, past one who didn’t see them, and likewise blind in how they wouldn’t see the sightless beggar.

Bart refused to go unnoticed. Calling out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” his presence was now noticed, at least enough to be an annoyance needing to be shushed. Bart wouldn’t quiet down, gets even louder. Desperate voices carry far.

Now here is something interesting. Maybe Jesus was thinking here was another incident where people couldn’t see, didn’t realize, wouldn’t recognize where he was leading. He could have gone over to the side of the road to speak to Bart. But he didn’t; Jesus stopped and stayed where he was.

Tell him to come here.

So the ones who’d have him stay blind, silence his begging for help, only to continue begging for what little their generosity would afford him, have to make a change, a reversal of what they’d been doing. Up until then, they would have hindered his effort of accessing any hope God might bestow on his life. Now they are actively assisting him, encouraging him because Jesus is calling to him.

That call activates another reversal. Bart throws off and aside his coat, what had functioned as his security blanket. For God only knows how many years, this coat had been his protection against the elements, a sign of his status into which people would throw money as it lay before him on the ground, the symbol of his life and its destitution. Now he throws it all off, moving in what limited way he can toward Jesus’s voice and call. There is an expectation in his efforts, a confidence that no longer will he have to sit on the side of the road begging from a world blind as he, who won’t see him, and passes by.

What do you want me to do for you?

There’s an irony in Jesus’ request, possibly a reluctance to even put it out there before Bart and the crowd, those who have just joined the parade as well as the twelve. The last time Jesus had said these words, it brought disappointment, a kind of regret for what had not been made clear, understood, seen to be his truth. Nothing about Jesus had changed for them or the crowd. Why should he think this time it’d be different with Bart?

Except it was. “I want to see!” Bart boldly asked what drove his crying out, his coming to Jesus. He knew his limitation, his need to rise, and view the world as God made it. Therein was a sense that God meant for him to experience, move, have position in this kingdom of the Son of David. Though blind, Bart reached for what only could be bestowed on him from this one who would see his need of mercy, that which the world mostly had ignored leaving him on the side of the road.

Go your way.

Go. Don’t stay in your hole pitifully begging for the scraps from the world. Get out of that place and mindset.

Your. You have been created and made for better than what you have known, thought you would always be. Claim it.

Way. There’s a journey that’s ahead, one that will take you from the side of the road to being on the road. It’s a path you’ve not thought possible until now, this time when you have cried out to me for mercy.

Your faith has healed you.

In some ways, Jesus’ words are almost anticlimactic, too obvious and not necessary as a statement. Bart’s healing and hope came by his coming, his willingness to reverse and throw off what he’d been. That pronouncement of Jesus only affirmed what Bart was able to see first in his soul and live into on that road.

So at least this day was a pretty decent day. Jesus told this former blind beggar to Go. Bartimaeus went farther and followed him on the road to Jerusalem and the destiny of the cross.

What do you want me to do for you?

One’s answer reveals the beggar in one’s soul.

Mark 10:46-52 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A46-52&version=NLT

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings Available wherever you get your books or https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-trouble-with-jesus-considerations-before-you-walk-away-constance-hastings/20629321?ean=9781636983387

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The J&J Issue

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:22:34 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus finds you have to convert more than the world to change it.

Jesus, if you don’t mind, we’d like to talk with you about what you just said and ask a favor.

Sure guys, what’s on your minds?

About your plans, when it all comes about, if the two of us could be seated next to you, one of your right and the other on your left?

(long pause…)

You have no idea what you’re asking. (Deep breath here. Do these guys ever hear what I tell them? Or is it they refuse to hear it like I tell them?) You think you’re able to go through what I’m about to do, bitter and heart wrenching as it will be? Do you think you’re able to be lowered down as in a baptism into the pain and suffering I’m going to go through?

Yeah, we’re able.

Yes, you will, but as to who gets to sit next to me, that’s fully up to God.

Jesus was likely at the point of exasperation. Three times now he’d told his men what was coming. It wasn’t pretty. Betrayal, torture, death. But they talk like some event-planners of a picnic! By now he was both sickened and sick of their arrogance, bravado, opportunistic ambition. All they heard was a few bad days for him, and then honor, glory, position, sitting on a throne for them. Not a bad deal if you think about it.

In all, while they were persuaded Jesus was the Messiah, he hadn’t yet convinced them of the Messiah he would be.

You have to convert more than the world to change it.

Worse yet, the rest of the crew got themselves all into a hot mess about what James and John had asked of him, mostly because they hadn’t thought first to do it. Their childish bickering revealed their deepest flaws. Jesus had more than one problem on his hands.

He sat them down one more time. Basically, he told them how the world is. It’s no spoiler alert that in two thousand years it hasn’t changed. Kings (presidents, prime ministers, princes, governors, mayors, council chairs) have political power. Tyrants (gang leaders, pimps, drug lords) have similar power if not dressed the same. Officials (CEOs, influencers, celebrities) have financial and social power. So that’s where it sits. The guy with the power is the one who makes it in this world, who has control of people with lesser or no power. Be like that, is the message and goal.

Now on one hand, you can’t blame J&J for what they did in asking for the best seats at the head table. Again, that’s how the world is and how it works. We’ve all been schooled in this and basically learned if you don’t try for this power and control, you’re a loser. Everyone has felt this and lived it.

Except…Here we go again. Jesus had told them before things like, “ How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? ” and “ Anyone who wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else .” Now he was on that rant again. Jesus just wouldn’t let it go.

“But among you it should be different.” Italics added, this a personal pronoun second person singular . As in YOU, not the guy next to you or a generalization that enables one to leave it to the whole group. YOU should be different. Get your head around this. We don’t work like the rest of the world. We run in reverse, pull in the fully opposite direction, are viewed as atypical and distinctively poles apart from the rest.

Rethink This

“ Whoever want to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all .” Radical when the rest of the world would quash and destroy whoever or whatever is on its path. Servant? Slave? That is, take care of those who dirty up the world with their violent greed and manipulation so they can declare themselves the winner?

Face it. Stars rise, and then burn themselves out. Money is king, but markets crash and bubbles eventually burst. Might is right, until something bigger comes along. Those at the top get there at the expense of the little guy, and the collateral damage isn’t pretty. Big or small though, Jesus is saying get down where help and hope is needed and start mopping up.

It’s dirty, sacrificial work, giving up the right for what we think we have to have for the sake of others in their need. It’s putting aside stupid pride so someone else can go ahead and before you. It’s stepping in with quiet support shunning the spotlight on how generous you are. It’s humility in its purest form, not being stepped on but stepping aside. It’s hanging in there when the outcome seems futile, of no use or no end in sight.

Jesus asked this of his disciples who were too blind to realize where this was leading. In the not-too-distant future there would be two men on his right and left, that is, two criminals sharing with him a convict’s execution. (Luke 23:39-43) After that, these twelve would know what true greatness entails.

Outlier Leadership

Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, by the world’s estimation was a low achiever, sorry extremist, whose end of life was thought to be a pathetic whimper. However, for those who peer behind the curtains of the world’s phony stage, there is a cosmic paradox. Even as he serves and dies the death of a slave, Jesus breaks the boundaries of those who do whatever it takes to steal life from others, reversing what death does into what life can be.

By the third day, it would be clear how that reversal is accomplished.

“ I came here, not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many. ”

Mark 10:35-45

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Sell Give Follow

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:54:48 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus was he didn’t tolerate anything

getting in the way of complete devotion to God .

True Story: A husband told his wife he was going the next day to possibly buy a Corvette. (Disclaimer: this did not happen in my house…) She read to him these words of Jesus:

“Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

“Now, how do you think you’ll get to heaven if you buy a Corvette?” she challenged him.

After a short pause, he smiled, and said, “Fast!”

Not the Answer We Want

Ok, Jesus said these words, and they must have had significant impact because this story is repeated in three of the four Gospels. (Darn it! Why can’t he just say it once and leave it alone! Oh no, he has to drill it and make sure you heard it.)

More significant though, is Jesus gave this in answer to The Big Question, that is, what should I do to get eternal life? A rich man stopped Jesus on the road and kneeling before him, called him Good Teacher. The urgency in his finding Jesus and blurting out his question might tell you something about his spiritual insecurity. But note this, he asked what he should DO, how to secure his seat in heaven by earning it. Such was likely how he achieved whatever else he had in life. Why not heaven as well?

Jesus met him where he was. Reminding him of the six commandments surrounding relationship, this rich man could honestly respond he had been faithful in keeping them since he was a child. He had never committed adultery, taken someone’s life, stolen from another nor lied about another person. He had honored his parents.

However, when Jesus said, “Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me,” the man was very sad, for his wealth was considerable. Presented with the decision to choose between his money and his place in eternity, he walked away. It defined that despite all his position and status, despite all his “goodness” and good works, the first two commandments were what posed the problem. “Do not worship any gods besides me. Do not make idols of any kind…” (Exodus 20:3-4) And if he would not release his wealth for his relationship with God, would his relationships with others, even his parents, also be compromised?

Face it though; this story combines accumulated earthly wealth with an eternal sense of soul. If you can’t take it with you, why does it matter? Whereas there’s the tendency to compartmentalize how life is lived from what comes next, Jesus didn’t separate the two. What Jesus said wasn’t easy.

Look Jesus, we’ve got questions on this. You let the guy walk, but we’re the ones left to pick up from there. You want us to follow you? Then we need to wrestle with you on it.

Fair enough. Bring your questions:

Jesus, you only name six of the ten commandments. The man declares he’s obeyed all of them. All ten, or just these six? If he sold everything he had, would it help with the other four, the ones concerning a person’s relationship with God?

Or, if we divest ourselves of our worldly possessions, what would that achieve in getting a person closer to God or being a better person? Do possessions make or break a person? Or is it more about whatever might buy or sell a soul that’s the consequence?

Or how about this? Jesus, you said this specifically to just this one man. It’s not a blanket sermon on the mount to a multitude. Some say you meant exactly what you said to the rich man because it was central to this particular guy’s obedience to God and would show he believed in and had faith in you. So does everybody else have to sell all they’ve got and give to the poor as the way to demonstrate love of God? Isn’t having money ok as long as it’s not our god. That’s evident in how generous or wise we are with what God gives us, but it doesn’t necessarily mean cleaning out your bank accounts.

That then brings up the question of status and accumulated wealth, upper class rich to lower class poor. Depending on to whom you’re talking, it’d affect people differently. Suppose this guy did give it all away to the poor; how would that affect his family? Then again, are you asking the poor to do this as well when they have so little to begin with?

These are relatively short answers and thoughts to a very big question. The question is on eternal life. The situation is money and wealth. Is there a relationship between the two? We’re given a picture in which we can either deal with what God asks of us, or like the man in the passage, walk away.

Except Jesus did say this. Funny isn’t it, most of the time no one comes out and says we need to do what Jesus said as Jesus said it.

Back to Mark. Everyone has their opinion, but let’s also remember, later in the passage Jesus said that point about how it’s easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

You see what happens here, and with so much else in the Bible, we MANAGE what God says.

Here’s more thoughts:

Jesus was known for speaking in exaggeration or hyperbole to get his points across. He didn’t really mean ALL. Whatever happened to the tithe, give ten percent and the rest is yours? Come on, Jesus!

Or, Jesus, how rich are you talking here? People richer than I am? We can all find someone in this world who has more money than we do.

Don’t forget, in first century Palestine corruption was rampant both among the Romans and in the Temple. So it’s the environment that’s the problem, not wealth. Keep your distance from corruption, sin, bad company and you’re fine.

Or look at it this way. His wealth wasn’t the issue, it was a spiritual problem with which Jesus was directing his comment. This guy is one of the Holier-than-thou figures, and Jesus only wanted to take him down a notch.

Don’t forget this either. It’s about call. God calls people to differing paths. Some are called to this kind of life. Just seek and follow God’s call and purpose in your life and leave your money where it’s federally insured. You’re fine.

Any of this make you feel better? Yep, we manage it well, likely better than our own money because God’s word would cost us more.

As a whole, our minds work overtime to soften Jesus’ message and make his words more palatable. That’s a nice way of saying how we get around it. As a society, we’re infamous for finding loopholes when regulations we don’t like are placed on us, aren’t we?

The Trouble with Jesus was he didn’t tolerate anything

getting in the way of complete devotion to God.

Maybe we need to stop trying to get around and explain this away. Maybe with this and so many other hard to take and understand Bible passages we need to instead lean in to what Jesus is saying about our relationship with God and our neighbors.

Selling all your have to give to the poor is something to keep in front of you and in front of you all your life. For some, to start down this path of following Jesus means a challenge to lifestyles. To start that process means looking at how we live and the impacts of our living on the poor. Life that holds this as its value is one that will not accumulate wealth, possessions and privilege of being rich but will hold and support those whom Jesus loved best, the poor, the vulnerable, the least and the lost.

Anytime you make a change to lifestyle you are divesting yourself of something that holds you and others back from fully experiencing the Kingdom of God. Is it like selling all you have? No… and yes.

True Confession

(I am one of those people for whom chocolate is a dire necessity, and the darker the chocolate the better. I’ve been like this since I was a child. I’m not happy if a day goes by, and I do not have some kind of chocolate. Yet, in recent years I’ve learned this small pleasure is not a small thing in the world.)

You see, cocoa beans harvested from places such as West Africa are done so through the use of child labor, children sometimes as young as five, and some of these children are actually sold into a modern-day form of slavery so as to profit everyone from farmers, the middle part of the supply chain, to the corporations who market chocolate in our local stores. Google “child labor chocolate”. It’s horrible what these children are put through. The history of chocolate production is literally on the backs of kids who are not cared for enough to have adequate food, living conditions or education. The Chocolate Scorecard will give you some direction for humane practices.

We’re only weeks away from Halloween. The question is how much will chocolate candy will be handed out to trick-or-treaters? Simply put, the challenge is, why should a treat for one child be a terror for another? Here’s my suggestion: don’t buy it. If you already have, take it back to the store and assertively say you’ve learned about the issue of child slave labor being used by chocolate producers and you’d like to exchange it for some other form of candy. You don’t need to give anyone a sermon, just express you can only buy slave free products.

Why does everything have to be a moral decision?

The truth is we build our lifestyles by supporting businesses who only measure the bottom line and who bank on how we don’t really care what they do or who it hurts enough to do without. But it comes down to this: we might not sell all we have to give to the poor, but we’d just as soon sell our souls rather than change our lifestyles such that the poor, the vulnerable, the least, last, lost, the children are not oppressed, sold into slavery, paid next to nothing or live in a world where disasters strikes every month if not every week.

“Then who in the world can be saved?”

If this sounds radical, it is. It’s just as radical as the disciples heard it from Jesus. Living like this is just as hard as a camel going through the eye of a needle. Like the rich man, we are just as free to walk away from this message.

We lift eyes and hands to the heavens, and prosperous cultures and societies throughout the centuries also have asked, How is it humanly possible to care for one’s self and those to whom we have responsibility in life and still sacrifice all that is achieved in toil and effort for those who do not have?

Really? Jesus, what is all this work for? All this talk of money and pride and sacrifice of all your hard earned labor for others? Jesus, why do you do this, shoot surgical knives into the soul and take away what makes the heart beat?

When one realizes, “Everything is possible for God.”

Still, Jesus loved this man, this man who was greatly saddened by what Jesus said. What’s more, this man is the only one Jesus is said to have loved in the entire Gospel of Mark. None of us would ever say Jesus only loved this particular man. Because of his love, this message is not just to be applied to one person, and leave the rest of us are free to manage Jesus’ words, find loopholes, or walk away from what he meant. Jesus said to all of us, Sell what you have, give to the poor, follow me. That’s exactly what he meant.

Yet, what prompted Jesus’ love was the position the man was in, rich as he was, yet lacking one thing. What he lacked was not realizing and accepting the grace of God upon him, a grace that we know is centered in the life of Jesus Christ.

The verses following this passage describe Jesus once again telling his disciples upon their arrival in Jerusalem he’d be betrayed, sentenced, mocked spit, upon, whipped and killed. Jesus would give up all he had in life for the poverty of our souls. What he asks of us is comparatively little. Yet, on the third day following he’d live again. His resurrection, a reversal of death into life, makes possible these lifestyle changes to serve the poor as we reverse how we love. In all, this love is based and powered in grace, the grace Jesus was willing to give to this rich man and to all of us. That grace is the real treasure in heaven available to us if we accept what he said, Follow me, in all it means.

The man walked away. Just as significant, Jesus let him go. Jesus is radical in not only what he asks of us as in how much he leaves it up to us, lets us make the choice. Grace that is freely given is grace that is also free to choose and live into or not. Jesus is clear about what this will mean. Those who give up everything for his sake may have a tough time in it, persecution he even calls it. Yet, it will bring that for which the rich man asked, eternal life and the reversal of what we think we have to have to live.

To follow Jesus is a life of sacrifice to God in service for others. Yes, it’s tough, but one more word and promise he gave us. In this kind of reversal,

“Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

Mark 10:17-31

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How to Get a Divorce

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 18:44:24 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t speak from a legalistic mindset.

He speaks with the loving mind of God.

“Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

It was an explosive question in the first century and still has its ramifications two millennia later. Under what grounds should divorce be taken? When both people find they are incompatible? When there is a relationship based on emotional, physical, sexual abuse? When values change to differing perspectives? What is the situation which should permit persons to throw in the towel and call it quits?

Except…when Pharisees brought this question to Jesus, it wasn’t that they were looking for honest clarification on marriages gone bad. Behind it, and granted this wasn’t the only time this kind of thing happened, they were trying to trap him. If he disagreed with the ancient Mosaic law, they could make a big deal of it by trying to discredit him among his many followers.

And to add more spark to the tinder, everyone knew it was this kind of thing that got John the Baptist beheaded. He was imprisoned and ultimately executed for criticizing Herodias for her divorce so she could marry Herod . Should Jesus likewise make a similar reference, they could slyly suggest to the Roman rulers Jesus should share the same fate. Slick were they.

Instead, using the age-old tactic of debate, Jesus parries their attack with another question. “What did Moses the law-giver have to say about it?” Sounds fair enough; go back to the ancient laws on which all good Jews base their lives. That’s where these holy henchmen were headed anyway.

The Loophole

It turns out there is a passage which allowed for divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 . They summarized it as all a man had to do was to hand his wife divorce papers and kick her out the door. Done. Nothing about any appeals on her side or what her rights in the relationship were. If she displeased her husband, she was history.

Maybe the Pharisees brought up this question because they noticed something about Jesus with which they could hook him. He didn’t seem to understand or value the way the world worked, how to get ahead in the world you need to play up to the power brokers and influencers in the world. Instead, he championed the losers , the ones who had fallen so low they looked up at bottom. He was known for saying things like, “ Anyone who wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of all .” Then there were his stories of lost sheep and lost sons . (Luke 15) Don’t forget how he’d also accepted people who were not of the children of Abraham . (Matthew 15: 21-28) A guy like that would take the side of women who often lost it all on the whim of a man. In the end, Jesus had no friends in high places, and they could get him dismissed without a ripple of protest from the big-shots they played with.

They were right. Yet, without their realizing it, Jesus had turned their question away from what was a statement of a man’s right in a relationship, turning it from their cherished legalism to God’s intention of marriage. Ok, Jesus dug some of his own hole when he did it but count that up to how he penetrated their phony portrayals of the holy.

Sure, Moses permitted divorce but “only as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness.” Jesus then took them to the creation story, a story which preceded the law and was based in God’s original design of creation including man and woman in God’s own image. He quoted how the two are to become united as one, and in that union intended by God there should be no separation.

Which means….? Jesus was forbidding divorce! No way out once the pact is made? It’s for life as far as God is concerned? Look around, will you. In today’s world, this’ll never work. Don’t think we side with the Pharisee’s scheming plot to erase this rabbi, but this idea just isn’t going to fly with more than half the people we know.

How God Feels About It

Yeah, that’s the point. People aren’t perfect. Know though Jesus was giving them the ideal, God’s plan for the highest relationship known to humans and what that should mean. True, the ancient writings record God as saying, “ I hate divorce! ” Hear that though not as a statement of anger and rage but as one of divine agony when relationship is broken. The pain of divorce hurts God as much as nails pounded through flesh and bone.

In effect, Jesus’ words were not so much about when divorce should be legal but rather what marriage is meant to be. In its best form, marriage reflects God’s love, a love that is not conditional, a love that is eternal in its caring, honoring, knowing and being known in faithful devotion to and trust in one another. As it is, when relationships fail, it’s a failure in upholding the love of God.

Whereas the Pharisees’ question has its basis of concern in only a man’s right in the relationship, Jesus later expanded it in responsibility and accountability for both men and women. In short, whenever a person divorces and remarries, it is the same as adultery. A divorce decree does not nullify the commitment made in heaven. That is, God does not forget it.

How Could God Forget?

Interestingly, the next scene is of Jesus reprimanding the disciples for not allowing parents with children to have access to him. Inherent in children are the emotional commitments of the relationship that created them. It’s as if there’s within each being a spiritual DNA which tells a person from whom they came and to whom they belong. Regardless of the reason a relationship may be broken, it never goes away. As God loves and wants to be loved exclusively forever, so relationships should never have anyone else take its place.

At the center of that God-Marriage relationship is grace. People aren’t perfect, and marriages which extend grace to each other operate and are sustained by it. At its foundation is extending love to the other as they are and allowing them to love you as they can. Similarly, God offers forgiveness and mercy when a relationship with God in Jesus is also dishonored or broken.

Even so, Jesus welcomed the children, for in their vulnerability children are drawn toward and trust the love that comes to them only because they are who they are. It wasn’t that they were or ever could be perfect kids; neither will any of us ever be perfect either. Jesus loved that they were brought to him by imperfect parents with imperfect relationships with a hope that by being touched, taken into Jesus’ arms and blessed, these children would know God’s merciful love. So may we.

Mark 10:2-12

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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Of Fire and Salt

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:46:20 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he used graphic and exaggerated devices

to teach his slowest students.

In some ways, Jesus, your radical messages are just what we need. You just said that welcoming children is just like welcoming you. Nice image there. But this time, it’s like you’re pushing radicalization, sending your followers off the deep end. Cutting off one’s hands or feet, gouging out the eye so you’re good enough to get access to your Dad’s Kingdom? Calling people to self-mutilation isn’t going to garner many likes on your page with this kind of talk.

Ok. Know that a few things are going on here. First, Jesus is majorly frustrated with his tribe of trainees. Second, you have to understand the language of first century teaching. And then there is being unfamiliar with the geographical context from which he was speaking. Wrap these around your head, and you may have a better sense of what Jesus was saying here.

Some Days Your Head Just Hurts

First off, like you said, Jesus had just tried to help the Twelve get hold of what was important in a lesson on who was the greatest . “Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be servant of everyone else.” Nicely said. But he went further and painted the picture for them. He took a small child in his arms to show them what that would look like.

So did any of these guys start a preschool after that? No, one of his best guys, John, starts whining that someone else was using Jesus’ name (that is, calling on his power) to exorcise the demonic. Not a small feat, by any means you measure a miracle. But John wanted that guy to cease and desist.

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus’ fist likely slammed his own forehead. Deep breaths needed here. Here was verifiable proof that the message was getting out, yet these dimwits couldn’t see it for what it was. Elitism still infected them. They wanted to control the show. Jesus calls it for what it is. “Anyone who is not against us is for us.” Get over this territorial power play.

Here’s the thing. All of this happens while Jesus still has that kid on his lap. John’s own childish behavior didn’t quite connect with what Jesus was trying to get across. So Jesus tries again.

Overstate the Case

This time he pulls out the sledge hammer of discourse: exaggeration, hyperbole, going beyond the black-and-white of the matter into full color. People of this day knew the technique. All teachers used it if there was something of major truth and import to be learned. Today it sounds like overkill, but hey, it’s still remembered, so it works now as well.

The lesson was what you do, how you live, talk, relate, do business, treat others whether they’re friends or enemy, has impact on what others believe and their faith in Jesus specifically. But these guys were as dense as lead. So Jesus beats it into them.

Referring to the child, Jesus tells them if you in any way cause one of these “little ones” (interpret that both as small kids and new believers) to lose faith, you are going to regret it. In fact, it’d be better to be thrown into an ocean with a millstone (only a ton or so in weight) tied around your neck. So watch how you live. And if there’s anything that draws you into behaviors that separates you from others or God, cut off the offending member, even if it’s your own hand, foot, or eye. Yeah, he said that.

Now note that the ancient Hebrew law prohibited cutting one’s own body. So again, hear how Jesus was talking in the moment. Utilizing hyperbole, he drew an exaggerated image to get across what he was saying. It shows he meant it in a big way. But everyone who was there heard if for what it was, not as a literal prescription for right living, but as a literary device to intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually be heard.

Jesus kept going. Yeah, mess with these, the most vulnerable and fragile, and I say it again, you’re going to regret it in a big way. As in, “It is better to enter the Kingdom of God half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out.” Conjure up your best movie image here of hellfire and eternal agony. Jesus could have directed that film.

Was this though another example of hyperbole? Hmmm, good question. The scene is horrific even in just the imagination. Still, the Greek word for “hell” in this passage is Gehenna, which was an actual place south of Jerusalem. If ever there was a hell on earth, this would fit the image.

A Place of Death and Rot

For the most part, Gehenna was a trash heap but not just of garbage. Sure, worms and maggots thrive in these sites. Here though also were the remains of infants that had been sacrificed to pagan gods. The Jews were so repulsed by this place that not only did they use it for their refuse but also for the disposal of dead animals and executed criminals. So as not to contaminate the air with decomposition, it was necessary to maintain fires to consume the dead bodies. When Jesus spoke of it, the people knew it for real and not an exaggeration. No one wanted to be near this place, let alone be thrown into this place of eternal regret.

Twisted Teaching

Then Jesus takes a turn. “Everyone will be salted with fire.” Again, his immediate listeners knew the underlying reference. There is fire which speaks of the pain, sorrow, and regret of a life lived only for oneself, leaving out God and others. And then there is the fire which refines and purifies. Salt was not used for mere flavoring but was a major ingredient for preservation of food. To go through fire and to be salted was to become who one is created to be with God and in service for others.

So love mercy, do justice, be in love with God . Be an influence for good and not for what is harmful and destructive in the world. Above all, love the “little ones”, the neglected, the forgotten, the most vulnerable, those whom Jesus loved best.

Jesus was pretty vivid in this lesson he tried to give his followers. It’s graphic and has immediate, future, and eternal consequences. He meant it though, for the world has its stake in this kind of living he taught.

“You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

Mark 9:38-50

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Make Us Great Again

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 20:16:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his radical reversal of ambition and status

by which the love of God is known.

Politicians Know This Much:

Jesus, oh Son of Man, you gotta lay off this. If you want to get your message out there and have everybody behind you, you have to play to what they want. All this talk about dying and staying in last place is going to destroy you. But no, you just keep repeating it over and over again. Take some good advice even those sorry followers of yours seem to realize. The only thing that needs to raise from the dead is your rhetoric.

Debate Issues

The scene is blatantly ironic. Here the Twelve were arguing over who would be the honoree at the next celestial awards ceremony. Ironically, these guys were some of the biggest losers out there. Most had only worked menial jobs, a few had pasts of questionable repute, one or two were out of military backgrounds but didn’t make it very far. Evidently they thought just by hanging on to Jesus’ coattails they’d be catapulted into fame and fortune.

Jesus interrogated them, calling them up front and center to set them straight. Notice though, he was the one seated, a significant detail in what he was to say to them.

“Anyone who wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Make America Great Again

Please, no matter what side of the blue/red line in which you sit, step back a pace or two and think about this. The Twelve who were supposed to be part of Jesus’ inner circle had been quibbling about who among them was the greatest. Jesus didn’t solve their fussing by handing out blue ribbons. Characteristically, he challenged the very concept they upheld.

To be fair, greatness is typically understood and assigned to the one at the top of the heap. We live this all our lives. King of the schoolyard, elections to the prettiest or most likely to succeed, top dog in the pack, valedictorian, moving up the ladder, Champion, CEO, President, GOAT of you-name-it. Having celebrity endorsements from people like Taylor Swift apparently is a bit of a boost in getting people to register to vote. Even the MAGA political slogan (or this from the other side, When We fight, We Win) is premised on the national effort to be the best in everything in the world. Sorry, but Jesus isn’t moved by any of it.

From the first century to the twenty-first, history has shown all cultures want to show a good image. It’s been the same throughout. To get to the top, you travel with the best people. The company you keep shows how powerful, rich, important you are in this world. If you’re seen with lesser-thans, it’ll only pull you down.

What’s more, if you intentionally dismiss those who don’t have what you do, money, class, status, racial privilege, it helps establish your own place, maybe even elevates you if you do it right. It’s how the world works.

Know though, the first century had no middle class. So from the disciples’ perspective, if you weren’t at the top of the human heap, you lived in the cesspools of the world. You can’t blame them for hoping life with Jesus would get better.

When Jesus talked like this, he was up against the sensible logic of getting ahead. That’s meant for his day and for ours. It’s also likely why he felt he had to repeat this message in many ways. In short though, it’s not appealing to very many.

Yet…there’s an unspoken issue here. It’s been said that those who get all the accolades today eventually become yesterday’s heroes. No matter how far you get, in the end you’ll not get all that far, eventually forgotten in the dusty annuals of history. That goes for individuals as well as nations.

So while there’s this battle for supremacy being waged, it is accompanied by a gnawing anxiety summed up in the question, Is This All There Is?

Greatness Redefined

Jesus’ statement that any who would be first (however you measure it) must take last place and serve others instead topples cultural notions of achievement based in wealth, status, influence, even the right to one’s own self. It replaces social power with relational power, reversing the familiar top/bottom pecking order of who is most important.

By his definition, greatness is found and measured by how much one serves, loves and cares for another. Moreover, those who are the most ignored, forgotten, vulnerable are the ones to whom this service should be directed, not to the already high and mighty. By this menial work, one honors those whom Jesus loved best.

While such an ideal sounds aspirational, even philanthropic, note where Jesus was taking his disciples even as he delivered this radical lesson. They were traveling on a road that would take them to Jerusalem. Jesus had been trying to lead his men to the ultimate end, at least what would appear like it. In Jerusalem, Jesus would take up, carry, and die upon his cross.

Rejection

Jesus advocated a new world order, a new reality where the most honored are servants. He got killed over it. None in the religious or political establishments would stand for such.

Likewise, the disciples had no comments when he called them out for their ambitions. Some would say they were afraid to say or ask anything. If they risked revealing their honest thoughts, they might get the answer they didn’t want to hear. They are not alone in their thoughts. Even if not formulated in words, the unspoken question is this. If the Son of God is killed over this, what might happen to the rest of us?

Last Place is Welcome

Note again, Jesus gave this lesson to his disciples from a seated position. He did not stand with them or above them. He very well could have been positioned beneath them among those gathered in the house in which he delivered this lesson. Such was his first example.

But he extended it further. Poignantly, Jesus reached for and held in his arms a child. Now for those who like Sunday-sweet vignettes, this may rock your world. While the Greek word for child can mean “little one”, it can also mean “slave”. What the disciples saw in Jesus’ embrace was one who in this culture had no legal rights or protections, had no value but was a drain on resources due to being totally dependent for survival on others. Such existence is precarious at best.

“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me.”

Want to know what greatness is? To be great is to focus on someone other than self and especially the most vulnerable, like that of a child.

But go deeper. When the servant embraces the powerless, the outcome becomes one of encirclement, being close to the very person of Jesus and that of God. Holding the childlike is holding Jesus who in turn is held by God.

Think Back. Remember this other child? One who also was poor, vulnerable, homeless, not welcomed in his birthplace. He grew to serve, teach, heal, reverse and save us from ourselves. But first he came as a child.

For those who would know him, who live as his servant, there is validation by the life of Jesus. Through him God is saying, I love you. You are my child. What could be greater than that?

Mark 9:30-37

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No Reserve

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:25:33 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he will not conform to what we think he should be.

Don’t you dare criticize him for what he said. Honestly, you’re no different than he when it comes down to it. You claim you believe in God, but when push comes to shove, rubber meets the road, and truth be known, like Peter, you’d rather God follow you than follow Jesus.

Sure, he gave the right answer when asked. “You are the Messiah.” But Jesus had no sooner than affirmed Peter and what his words meant when Peter blew it.

Jesus told the twelve not to tell anyone he was the Messiah. It seems strange the Savior of the World would not want his inner circle to broadcast his purpose to the world, but Jesus knew them. People will take what they want to hear and add what they want it to mean. Right away, Peter along with the others revealed how self-deluded they were about what kind of Messiah should be. He just couldn’t accept Jesus’ words. No way should Jesus fall victim to the religious leaders who wanted him dead. No way he should die. (Be raised three days following? By then Peter’s stuffed ears had quit listening.)

God on My Side

All of them, including Peter, and all of us, want God to be our kind of God. Our kind of God that is on my side. The kind of God that rights all that is wrong according to how they, you, and I see it. The Jews had suffered too many centuries under occupation by foreign, pagan rule. It was time for their oppressors to go. A Messiah should take care of that, not take on abuse and suffering and, Heaven forbid, die! Peter took Jesus aside cautioning him not to talk like that.

Debate Issues

You’d think Messiahs and Saviors should take care of things, make our lives happy and safe. Yeah. Right. For instance, notice there’s a national election happening this year? Some say democracy is at stake, or that the kind of democracy we have needs to be revised. However it turns out, the division, anger, and who knows what else will not end. Issues like abortion access, the state of the economy, immigration, gun control/mass shootings, and/or climate change are weighed when we fill in our ballots. Do you think the winners are going to solve our problems, quiet the rhetoric, bring people together? Good luck with that. Sorry to say, that’s not what real Messiahs do.

Wait. Why do we have to live in a world where thousands of people are living in a mess, not to mention fighting over how best to deal with it? We never made this happen. It’s time to say, God, this is enough. Get this gone!

Oddly, the only one Jesus wants gone is Satan. That’s what he called Peter, the only human whom Jesus called out as Satan. Satan was Jesus’ antithesis, adversary, the spiritual equivalent of all that would destroy what the Kingdom of Heaven was meant to be. Peter’s words to back away from the kind of Messiah Jesus intended to be were a “dangerous trap”, a perspective of “seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.”

Once again, wait a blessed minute here! This doesn’t make sense. These people were hurting, and the Hebrew scripture had promised a Messiah, a David-like king who would rescue the people. What were the Chosen People chosen for if they had to succumb to this tyranny all the time?

You mean even in the face of suffering, God, you have another plan, a way of bringing about a peace for us we cannot see right now? What makes sense from our assessment of the situation isn’t how you see it?

Be My Kind of Follower

Jesus gives it to them, and us, in blunt and brutal terms:

“If you want to be my follower, put aside your selfish ambition,

shoulder your cross, and follow me.”

“If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.”

“If you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News,

you will find true life.”

Good Lord, where does that leave us! With bold-face truth. Our century is not the first which has been subjected to blaring cacophonies telling us what will satisfy our lives. The lure of wealth, security, status are real, but even more so is the confidence that our way is the right way, we know how to fix things, and we have the only way to find satisfaction and meaning.

Think about it. If it worked, why do so many of us seek more and still sit in the tension of fearing what the future will bring?

Soul-Worth

Jesus knew we were made for something better, something that is beautiful, fragile, vulnerable. Each person is more than a complex wiring of cells forming body, brain, thought and emotion. When enveloped together there is a soul which appeals to love, truth, beauty, justice, the essential and holy qualities of God.

“How do you benefit if you gain the whole world

but lose your own soul in the process?

Is anything worth more than your soul?

Likewise, despite all the accomplishments and potentials of our nation, we have been easily cut to our knees by insidious internal fighting. We feel it to the point where we’re cautious, afraid really, to have open discussions about issues with our neighbors. We sit where the disciples sat, waiting and watching for what God will do and what we are asked to do, what cross we are asked to carry, how we are to sacrifice the best of ourselves for the best of God’s design in this period of time.

You have to know this though; Jesus doesn’t promise pie in the sky or a big lottery win or the backing of one candidate over another. Take it for what it is, a brutal honesty of what life following him means. Never does Jesus say any of this will be easy. This much Jesus does give: “If a person is ashamed of me and my message..., I will be ashamed of that person.”

Face it though. Some people are more concerned about being called unpatriotic than about being known as Christ-like. Whereas our culture will hoard into our lives what we want, Jesus spent his life in the service of others who follow him.

It’s been said that Peter, if nothing else, is the epitome of God’s commitment to continually call and love no matter how often he got things wrong when it came to understanding Jesus. And if nothing else, Peter has tons of company in that regard. Plenty of us, despite both our own honest (ok, sometimes selfish) but misguided intentions, frustrate the will of God and mission of Jesus Christ. Yet, even with both our best and worst efforts, Jesus summons us to trust, to lose our lives without reservation, all for the sake of finding the true meaning in our souls found in a shouldered cross.

Mark 8: 27-38

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Messy Faith

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 20:34:00 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he gets messy with what we are like

even as he meets us in what we need.

This week’s reading tells again of an incident I’d prefer to move beyond. Worse yet, it relates a glimpse into Jesus’ life for the second time. If it’s bad enough to be told once, why does it have to be rehearsed again? But both the writers of Mark and Matthew want it told and don’t leave out the graphic details some would prefer to excuse, that is, whitewash (deliberate word there) over. Even so, for the sake of what comes later, I invite you to read it here in blog form, A Dogged Faith . It is also found in a greater context in The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away , Chapter 2, pages 33-37, or available wherever you love to buy books.

Agreed. Whereas Jesus does the right thing in that part of his story, he doesn’t appear all lightning white when it’s over. Like the rest of us, learning what justice entails was a stretch for him, too. Either that, or maybe he shows how the struggle is real for all of us. Son of Man, how far are you going to take this?

Question: Not Can You, But Will You?

Stories of people bringing the sick to Jesus are not out of the ordinary. Even now, heaven probably shakes constantly with petitions for people to be healed. Give them some credit here. While prayers may come with sobs for God to reverse what could be the worst possible outcome, the proverbial faith of a mustard seed is the foundation of their cries. The heart knows or at least wants to believe that God can heal. The fear is, will God make this miracle or not? Still, we ask.

The Syrophenician woman begged and argued with Jesus out of that faith. Yet, in her context she knew she could be refused. Likewise, who are we to be so bold to ask for healing, anybody’s healing, in our own limited understanding of where we sit, what God sees beyond what we know. Even with modern day interventions and treatment, still sometimes prayer is the only recourse. So, we ask.

Another Place, Same Place

After this encounter, Jesus gets out of Dodge the best he can. Still, it’s a long way back from where he came. You know how news travels on the wind? People find him and the ask is the same. Heal this person.

Whereas the woman’s daughter was not present when her mother begged for help, this time a man’s friends brought him to Jesus. Again, they were not of his race, religion, or ethnicity. Didn’t matter. The man was deaf and mostly mute. He couldn’t know the difference, what could separate him from potential healing. For that matter though, his friends didn’t care either. Begging like desperate people, they asked Jesus to lay his hands on the man.

Big ask again. Touching sick people for the Jews would make one unclean and require extensive rituals to be restored. Guess that’s why Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. If this story was to be told, no need to bring up what one didn’t need to do the job. Interestingly though, there was no hesitation or argument on Jesus’ part this time.

An Intimate Exchange

Jesus had healed the woman’s daughter by remote, you could say. All it took were his words, “I have healed your daughter.” The girl was restored to physical, mental, spiritual health, just like that. Right in her own home. Nice and clean. Not so here.

After putting his fingers into the deaf man’s ears, Jesus spit into his own fingers and then touched the mute man’s tongue with it. With a deep sigh, he commanded, “Be opened!” and the man had perfect hearing and speech. More than messy, for certain. Miracles can be that way. God reaches inside to make needed changes.

The Follow Up

The first healing gets repeated, maybe so we can’t escape it, have to reckon with it. The second one is told just once, in six short verses. Interestingly, the people who learned of this tell it on their own, activating that viral wind again. One passage gets skipped over in Sunday preaching; the one following it is lifted up proclaiming, “just have faith people!” If Jesus sighed over one miracle, he must have been drained by both.

A Common Thread

Both the man and the little girl lived in settings which bring out racial and ethnic tensions in their contexts. The nice thing to say is that Jesus learned from one and wasn’t afraid to meet another’s desperation despite it. Use that if you have to. Yeah, keep it distant, out there, on him, not close.

Or…look into that central question. The prayer goes, “God, you can, but will you?” Beggars know there are resources to more than meet their needs, but will they be shared? These healings reveal how desperation makes beggars of us all, regardless of who we are, and of a healer willing to get messy with whatever faith we bring.

Mark 7:24-37

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The Anti-God State

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 18:44:34 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

His words stab in every living soul. Like open heart surgery, he exposed them and us.

Ok, we’ve watched you do this before. You slam the religious leaders, and it makes for a good show. You put up a good defense for your own boys, and these jerks come out with mud on their faces. Nice. But then you turn on the very people you’re trying to attract? This kind of preaching will get you nowhere, Son of Man.

Sometimes you’ve got to tell it like it is.

If you allow even a small bit of corruption in your pack, it’ll come back to bite you. True, Jesus raises the bar here. If you let people slide or cover-up what they really think or want out of you, the whole enterprise will collapse.

Yep, these religious leaders were from the big league, right of out Jerusalem, site of the Temple. Jesus was in his home territory, Galilee, where let’s just say things were a little less formal, somewhat lax. These Pharisees were by-the-book leaders, always on the watch to keep the people in line with the Levitical Law. Trouble was, they were obsessed with it. Their interpretations would have every facet of living regulated. Worse yet, they couched it in how faithful a soul was to God.

Hypocrites and Those Like Them

On that day, they messed with how Jesus’ disciples didn’t use the proper hand washing procedures before eating. That’s when Jesus unloaded on them. Quoting the ancient prophet Isaiah , he accused them of creating a farce of worship, substituting their own regulatory traditions in place of what God’s commands intended. Jesus’ names them for what they are: Hypocrites.

ALL Right! That’s how to knock the phoniness out of religion. These holier-than-thou frauds need to hear it out loud and right in front of the crowds no less. No problem there. But why not just end it and let the people take in their champion, maybe set up a new sect, get this thing going places. Jesus, sometimes you can be your own worst enemy.

No, this wasn’t a denouncement of the faith, the law that had been handed down when God had taken a rag-tag extended family and formed them into a nation. God meant every word that was given to the people because it would order them such that they would survive when other clans went extinct. Sure, right now the Jews were under Roman rule, but they weren’t down and out yet. What had kept them going was their faith in a God who would restore them as a nation. All were on the look-out for a leader who would deliver them. As a people, their faith held them together. Jesus wasn’t aiming to change any of that.

But he did them call out right before the people. As it was, Jesus hit these gatekeepers where it hurt, maybe even more than his name calling of these elite priest-types. They could easily dismiss, maybe eventually eliminate him. He needed to give his enemies notice as to what they truly were. Yet this crowd was looking for a champion, and he wasn’t playing nice. Not how you win friends and influence people.

“Thought-life defiles you.”

Jesus’ words were a stab in every living soul. Like open heart surgery, he exposed them and us. Some people cover themselves with right living, so to speak. While the religious leaders dressed themselves in fine robes, underneath there was a primary need for power and control. The same goes for the rest of us. People know well how to cover up the worst parts of themselves. Most even deny they do it. But suppression doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Jesus’ challenge then is to come to an awareness of what sits in the mind and heart. That awareness takes brutal, honest self-reflection. Understand that from reasoning and desire comes action. It can either honor God and love neighbor, or it can hide from God and diminish one’s relationships. Jesus’ list of evils is comprehensive but not foreign to any of us in any measure.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Pride… is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

At the center of it is pride. The need to control, have things our way and the way we want it, is the source of what would separate a soul from God and others. As any cognitive-behavioralist will tell you, thoughts lead to emotions and emotions lead to actions. So whatever is good in the thought-life will be realized in positive actions. But negative, ugly thinking leads to negative, ugly action. “They [thoughts] are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God,” he said.

Jesus would not excuse anyone from this teaching, regardless of how critical or supportive persons could have been to his message. Yet, as is more often than not, what is preached to others must first be examined personally. Possibly, he gave this message first for himself.

In the next contest Jesus would meet, he’d have to decide how much and how far God’s love would be offered. A desperate woman would make him define what kind of champion he really was.

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 20-23

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Stretched into Life

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 19:57:57 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he lets people walk away who don’t accept his words.

What did you think would happen? That you could go on talking like this and people would eat right out of your hand? Oh yeah, that’s right, you wanted them to “eat my flesh and drink my blood.” That’s a mind-blower for sure. Right now, we’re thinking you got what you deserve, a fan-base that’s on the way out. Can’t blame them.

And to think Jesus said these things in the synagogue, no less. His disciples even said it was hard to accept. It used to be he had these tussles with the religious rulers. The people weren’t so much turned off by that. Those guys could make life difficult for you. But when his message didn’t sit well with the average Jew, his ratings took a nosedive. Jesus was walking on a slippery path with this one.

To Take Offense

Jesus could sense it wasn’t going over well. He knew they were making those side comments among themselves. He addressed it directly. You think this is hard, offensive, kind of on the sick side? Suppose you saw something more, greater, like my returning to heaven again?

Jesus! What are you turning into here? All we want is for you to make sense, give us something we can relate to. This talk of Bread and eating it is like eating you isn’t on our radar. Now you’re going to go climb some heavenly ladder. Please. Give us something that sits in our heads easier.

Can’t blame them, if you’re honest about it. Some have a sense there is a God, at times go looking for some kind of God, but it’s hard to see if God is there. People want to believe, even have been trying hard to believe, but it’s just not working for them. Maybe it is time to look elsewhere.

Granted, there’s a lot to digest here in more ways than one. That’s the challenge. Ten Ways to Get a Better Life Through God is not the title. “Human effort accomplishes nothing,” he said. Your usual proofs and reasoning are not going to hold up here. What else could you expect? This is not some cognitive-behavioral prescription to cover your tail in the afterlife. Sorry.

What Then?

Jesus tried. “It is the Spirit who gives eternal life.” Break that down for us. Having some kind of death anxiety, want to know when your time is up that it’s not really finished? EL is not a pass to get you to the next level. Eternal life begins with eternal living, a reversal of what you think you need into what God gives. It’s wondrous, adventurous, taking the soul to places not anticipated or even desired. Abundant living is how Jesus later expressed it. (John 10:10) And it begins in the here and now. The Spirit is God’s own self given and known as in the words of Jesus.

Who/What Else?

Characteristically, Jesus watched these followers walk. That’s the way he worked. He wasn’t the kind of preacher that tells people what they want to hear. Take it or leave it may sound harsh, but you have to give him credit for letting people make their own choices. Did it hurt?

“Deserted,” is how it’s described. Sure, when the healings were instantaneous, and when the food was free and filling, Jesus had plenty of so-called disciples. But when his message was hard to comprehend, dangerous even, and his asking was too much, they abandoned him.

But not all forsook him. Twelve stuck around. Still, he had to ask. “Are you going to leave, too?” Sounds almost pitiful, doesn’t it? Don’t think this Son of Man was without feelings, who couldn’t be wounded with the realization that his message wasn’t heard, believed, and brought lot of rejection upon himself. Jesus felt it as much as nails hammered into hands. Don’t think God feels any less today.

Jesus’ question likely hung in the air. They also had a choice to make, if they would stay or go. Yet, having seen the repercussions of his message, they courageously didn’t move, held their ground. Peter, yes, the guy who was infamous for putting his foot in his mouth, speaks. He returns the question with another one.

“Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

To whom or where else would we go? We’ve seen it, how the culture would have you jump on the latest phase of what’s supposed to make you feel good about yourself. Funny, that’s all it is, a phase, a temporary answer until another philosophy or theory or distraction or toy comes along. We know you offer more than these.

You alone. For all the prophets and wise men and religions who say they have the answer, not one gives the answer you do. They don’t last. You do. Your story keeps being told. Is it an easy one? Does it ask a lot? Does it ever change? No. Still, it’s all you, you alone.

Words you have and words you give. Sure, calling yourself the Bread of Life, talk about eating flesh and drinking blood is a stretch. But that’s what you do; you stretch us into understanding you, knowing you in depths we’d never go otherwise.

Those words do lead to that eternal life beginning now. So we love enemies as our neighbor, turn the other cheek to those who would diminish who we are, relinquish our right to be first, wash each other’s feet, be your voice for the oppressed and forgotten. In the process we become more than we’d ever be otherwise. We abide, remain, become like you. You alone.

John 6: 56-69

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An Extended Metaphor

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 17:12:16 GMT

The trouble with Jesus is he dangerously would take seemingly unlike things and put them together in a scandalous comparison, even if it meant being misunderstood.

“ Public scandals are America's favorite parlor sport .” Robert Dallek

Oh, this is great. Nothing like putting a little controversy out there to get attention. We know too well how this works. We’ve seen enough of it in politics, business, even the church. Am I supposed to dive right in and get mud on my face for joining the fight? Between the cat ladies and the weird, I’m just plain tired of this. What’s your point in putting that kind of talk out there in the first place? And don’t tell me that Jesus would have taken a position on this either. Geez, talk about asking for trouble.

Sure, it seems most weeks don’t pass without some whistleblower revealing less than honorable practices or the media pulling out ridiculous statements made by politicians years ago. You hope that whoever you are championing doesn’t get this kind of exposure. But note as well. Jesus also said some things that were more than attention-getters. More than once he sat right on the edge of being scandalous in the way he said things. Today is one of those.

“I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.” (John 6:53)

Yep, that’s right. Jesus is recorded as saying eat my flesh and drink my blood. It’s not fake news wrapped up in a conspiracy theory. What’s more, in this passage of merely eight verses, he said this or something to this effect five times. The repetition emphasizes how much he meant it. Taken literally, it will turn your stomach, packed with the overtones of cannibalism. What’s more, if it’s sickening to hear in this day and age, those who heard it in first century by the Sea of Galilee were even more repulsed.

There’s Scandal and Then There’s the Scandalous

This is one of those places where you have to put yourself in the shoes of someone not like you. These people were Jews, descendants of Abraham, schooled well in the Levitical law which determined much of their lifestyle. It set them apart from the culture of the day. They didn’t live like the rest of the world and that included what they ate.

It made life complicated. Go to the local market to buy food and you risked partaking in the unclean, pagan practices of the day. Most of the meat, in fact the better choice of meats, had been previously offered in sacrifice to please their foreign gods. In their minds, to eat of this meat would add an unacceptable layer of acceptance or tolerance to idolatry, allowing it as a source of nourishment, thus becoming pagan like it.

What’s more, an attitude toward blood was also integral to their faith practices. Drinking blood was expressly forbidden . (Leviticus 3:17) Blood was considered to be as vital to life as breath. In the formation of the human race, God breathed life, and blood coursing through the body sourced life throughout it. To ingest blood would be to eat what was sacred to God and therefore blasphemous, the desire to diminish God or be like God. So for Jesus to say eat my flash and drink my blood was a sacrilege.

You Are What You Eat

All of this builds on what Jesus had said earlier, “I am the Bread of Life.” The crowd knew well what had just happened a day or so earlier. Five thousand and more people had been fed . It must have been a good meal for they were following him to get a second helping. But then he starts talking like this.

The trouble with Jesus is he dangerously would take two seemingly unlike things and put them together in a scandalous comparison, even if it meant being misunderstood. It’s called a metaphor. The literalism of both is not as significant as the qualities that the two both contain. So for Jesus to refer to himself as bread is to say he was like bread for the hungry soul. To find a filling of that empty soul one needs to take Jesus into one’s life in the similar sense of eating or drinking in order to satiate hunger or thirst. When you think about it, doesn’t that really sound a little tame?

Except…Jesus means it. And he means for those who hear this, 2000 years ago into today, to really get how much he means it. Sure, he starts off saying eat my flesh, but then he escalates into a more graphic depiction. “All who eat my flesh…” becomes not just a polite, etiquette correct bite-size portion but moves into gnaw on my flesh, crunch it between your teeth. It is meant to reflect the desperate, frantic, reckless eating when famished and needing to shovel food into the body to stave off that which will wither it into nothingness, into death.

Violent Words

An apology needs to be offered here. And that apology is for what’s been done to Jesus’ words and thus his message. Granted, the imagery of eating flesh and drinking blood is graphic. But if you’ve been trained and tricked into thinking Jesus was always all meek and mild, the ultimate nice guy, sorry to upset your fruity cart. Translators have done this like they’re trying to protect the Son of Man from some bad press. It doesn’t help though. It only dilutes who he is and what he came to give the world.

Jesus invites those who would be fed by him to gnaw, crunch, bite big and suck hard on his very being. Take him into your heart and soul. Don’t think you’ve got to keep your shirt clean. He wants to feed that part of you that feels, thinks, searches for love and purpose. Get messy with him. He got more than messy for you.

These words that Jesus used in the original Greek were tricky, graphic, somewhat horrific in where they would lead. It brings up an image of wild dogs feeding on a carcass. The violence in that portrayal isn’t pretty. But for the world to change and have hope of a life abundant now, starting now and never ending, it needs to feed deeply on the one who would give all of himself to that violence.

Bread of Life. Eat my flesh. Drink my blood. All are metaphors pointing to a greater truth. Not too much longer after Jesus made this scandalous statement, he raised bread and cup, saying, Eat, drink, this is my body and blood, given and poured out for you . (Luke 22:19-20) The metaphor is extended beyond comparison into a remembrance of his love, his own hungry desire to be the one who is the source of life for others.

“Anyone who eats this bread will live forever.”

John 6:51-58

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Bread Won't Do It

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:27:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he uses the common and familiar

to speak to the deepest yearnings of the soul. Can it really be so simple?

“Hunger is the best pickle,” is attributed to having been penned by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard’s Almanack. He would write these sayings that would put two things together leaving the reader to decipher the meaning. He wasn’t the first to write this creatively though.

Jesus did the same thing. He’d say things that would send people into a tailspin of thought trying to understand what he meant by it. Poor souls, these guys didn’t have the advantage of high speed internet. They had to think, discuss, and chew on it themselves.

Food for Thought

Curious about Ben’s statement? To summarize one pundit (fortunate souls that we are to have Google), hunger refers to a motivation that is like a craving, almost urgent. Pickle is being in a situation from which you’d like to remove yourself. Let’s extend that a little more. In life, that which draws you out of yourself can ultimately expand your understanding of where you are now. In short, hunger can be a good thing because it makes you search for more than you have in the present.

“I am the Bread of Life.” John 6:35

When Jesus said this, people didn’t get it. Bread they knew. Just the day before he had fed more than 5000 people with only a kid’s lunch . They liked it. Bread for hungry bellies is a good thing. So they stalked him thinking they’d get more from his free buffet. But now he’s talking a different tune. They’re not getting it.

Bread is Filling

Jesus hinted at the source of their real hunger, why this was a bit of a struggle to understand. He admitted they needed this hunger for his Father to draw them to him. That meant as Bread of Life he was from God, therefore, bread from heaven itself.

So to partake of Jesus’ Bread is to recognize that a need, a craving can only be addressed by taking it in, chewing on it. Taste it; let its flavor and texture fill your mouth. What Jesus offers is that which once taken in will fill and stay in your gut, like a whole grain bread. To do so takes a good measure of trust born of and directed by hunger that comes from a love that provided the crowd with good bread and grace for empty souls.

Bread is Relationship

Fresh bread is delicious, but bread is all the better when it comes along side other foods. Dipped in seasoned oils, drenched in tangy sauces, slathered with mayonnaise and mustards, bread not only fills but brings with it desire for more. Add in savory meats or top with cooked eggs, and bread is better supportive of the other good foods that nurture.

Jesus as Bread of Life feeds as well when others are present in his presence, both neighbor and God, one adding to and supporting the other. This Bread is a bread that not only fills the empty life but relates to others and becomes better because of it.

Bread is Common

All cultures have their own forms of bread. By this, the commonality of bread is an image which speaks to all people and that to which people are draw for fulfillment. There is no going to strange, faraway localities to find it. One does not have to climb summits to discover it. There are no dense arguments to defend it. Bread is available, relatively easy to find, universally understood for what it means to sustain life.

Jesus as Bread of Life is meant to be the same. Common, accessible, Jesus speaks to the deep hungers of life. As he faced the crowd that day, they clamored for his bread as their ancestors had manna provided for the 40 years they migrated through the desert wilderness. His Bread of Life was likewise available for the asking, the believing in him as sent from God.

Bread Alone

Maybe you found yourself during times of depression, boredom, or the isolation we knew during the pandemic reaching for food when you weren’t really hungry. It wasn’t the food that you were wanted, but something to stimulate, give flavor to your life for which you were lonely and missing. That kind of filling though only adds unwanted results which ultimately can make you feel worse.

That day, Jesus’ thoughts may have drifted to another time when in his own physical hunger he’d been offered bread that would not sustain the spirit . His reply to his antithesis that day was from the ancient writings the crowd would remember. “ One cannot live by bread alone, but by every world that comes from the mouth of the Lord .” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Filling one’s life with that which does not satisfy or have eternal purpose will ultimately take from life, keep people in those pickles where they find themselves. That bread just won’t do it.

But to live fully is to find meaning in God’s wisdom offered so the world can fully live. Hunger for life’s meaning, purpose, and significance is satisfied by the Bread of Life. It begins with Jesus’ Bread and can’t be taken away.

“Anyone who eats this bread will live forever.”

John 6:35,41-51

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Food Insecurity

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:51:37 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is what he offers is not what people want or think they need.

J esus, there you go again. You say one thing and we think we know what you’re about, and then you go off somewhere else with it. Why make this so hard? You know our needs. You gave us what is essential to live. And then you act like we got it all wrong. Come on, Son of Man, work with us on this.

Don’t think today is any different from these grubbers who stalked Jesus from one side of the Galilean lake to the other. Are you listening, out there? There’s a roller coaster of a national election going on and we’re in for a dizzying ride. The last month has proved don’t bother guessing what’s next. Unity seems to be only an illusion. Raise your hand if you’ve ever prayed for God to do something about this.

Give Us …Our Daily Bread

To be fair, what these people did makes a good point. That feeding 5000 out of a kid’s lunchbox was a big deal . Good, free food is always an attraction, and plenty were ready to get on this gravy train. It looks like Jesus had the best buffet going, so crowds were ready to refill their plates again.

What’s more, they were on board because it was part of their DNA. Moses, the most revered prophet in their history, had given them manna to eat (Exodus 16:1-18) while their people migrated to the Promise Land. This Jesus was of the same stuff, so to stick close to him could mean God was doing it again. Yeah, get stuffed on this while you can.

The Truth is…

Whenever Jesus prefaced his remarks with this, swallow fast and listen up. He’s kind of peeved right now. Sure, he fed the crowd because they were hungry, but they never seemed to get how what he did for them had more significance than just making life easy. Any time he adjusted the natural order was a way of pointing to how he wanted them to understand who he was and what a God-thing this meant for them. But using him as Divine Fixer of all that was tough in life wasn’t part of it.

Believe, Yes, And…

Jesus, let’s do this again. We need food to eat. Not having enough food will kill us. From your perspective, you should get it. Preaching to empty stomachs is not going to work well for your interests. We have to eat. What else would God have us do?

“This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)

Yep, we’re not far from this ever-hungry crowd Jesus faced. Jesus met needs with miraculous signs showing he was sent from and sealed with God to not only meet an immediate need but to fill it with more.

Manna was good for wilderness wanderers, but it didn’t last. Save back any for the next day, and you’ve got rot in your basket. (Exodus 16) To believe Jesus came from God didn’t mean a momentary, intellectual acknowledgment. It meant commitment to be and live as one who makes a lifetime of being nourished, strengthened, fed by who Jesus is.

Think of it like this. Most of us consider Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Grace, Justice as good things. No argument there. But verbal acquiescence doesn’t cut it. Without living, incorporating these considerations in one’s personal life, none of it will ever happen.

To believe in Jesus then is to trust one’s life fully letting him make those changes in our lives so that we don’t try to control what God does with us. It’s being open to what God is doing, to keeping your eyes peeled and soul soft. Whether it’s food for the next day or however the November election plays out, live, love, forgive, extend mercy, grace, and justice like God’s got this.

True Bread

Sure manna didn’t last and would spoil in less than a day. But what Jesus offers doesn’t go bad. “The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jesus is saying that believing in, trusting him will bring a centeredness and wholeness in life’s purpose designed by God. In him there is security beyond food, a future unattainable without him.

“I am the bread of life,” he said. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again.”

John 6: 24-35

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The Good in That

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:50:54 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he heals, provides, and even shows up in the unexpected measure and places of grace.

Maybe it was in Jesus’ own pain and hurt that he found enough compassion to meet them where they were. Hopefully, they came to him in order and reverence as he healed them in his way, every illness and disease. But knowing human nature, likely some were pushy and demanding, violating his space, telling him what he was supposed to do for them. After all, that’s how people are known to approach God even in prayer.

It was a long day. After one of those rides across the Galilean Sea, Jesus and his crew were stalked by a huge crowd once again looking for and needing healing that could not be attained from any other source. Even after leading his disciples up into the hills, the people followed them, not wanting to let him leave. Jesus felt their misery.

From Desperate Times…

Jesus asked one of his students, Phillip, where bread could be bought to feed these needy ones. Actually, it was a teaching/test to expand his followers’ sense of what seemed to be into what was beyond appearances. True to form, the slow learner protested how it would take nearly a small fortune to feed this crowd.

Another spoke up, Andrew, saying one kid had a couple of fish and five small barley loaves, really just a small lunch. Summing up the situation, he said, “But what good is that with this huge crowd?” It isn’t hard to hear the snark in his comment. This crowd could fill a small arena. Crumbs weren’t going to go far.

Grace in the Moment

Quietly, without much fanfare, Jesus moves in action which would be so ordinary and yet for which he would be known at open tables for centuries. After telling the crowd to be seated, Jesus first took the loaves and fish. Not much more than what was a meager meal for one, still it rested in his hands. It was his now, his to do with what he would, all he had, and his alone.

Instead, Jesus asked a blessing of grace, grace that is extended when the offering is insufficient, when only divine intervention pulls through the undeserved, when lives don’t meet the measure of good.

From his hands, blessed and small, Jesus passed out what was offered to him for these others. Though it was only a fraction of what was thought to be needed, in his hands and by the grace he offered, it became more. His food carries in itself that which chases away hunger, the kind of hunger that eats on itself making a being smaller and less than what they were. From his hands, it has power to feed many by restoring and transforming health and wholeness, giving life and growth.

Beyond Expectation

Finally, Jesus allowed the disciples to participate in what happened. Likely, the miracle wasn’t fully realized until then. Everyone had enough food, as much as they wanted, yet it never ran out. But not until it was given could the small be made bigger than what it was.

The disciples gathered up twelve baskets of leftover food, full baskets that not only met a need but were multiplied beyond the wildest of expectations. Miracles are meant not to only fill empty stomachs, to meet the need in the moment. The greater miracle fills a life which has been taken into the hands of God, blessed in grace no matter how little it is, and given for purpose beyond itself. There is the good in that.

Thinking the day had been enough, the disciples returned to their boat. When Jesus didn’t show up, they pushed off again to cross the sea. Sure enough, separated from him, a storm arose. All they had were their own meager resources, oars with which to row against the gale and mere human strength born of desperation.

Once again, Jesus showed up to meet the need. Yet, this time he came to them revealing his full power over the natural order of the world, walking on water through the buffeting winds. “I’m here,” he called out to them. “Don’t be afraid.”

Eagerly, they get him into the boat, no longer separated and apart from him. Then it happened. Without Jesus, they floundered when the storm challenged their very lives. Yet, once restored in his presence, they immediately found themselves in the harbor toward which they were traveling, safe and where they were supposed to be.

There, again, is the good in that.

John 6:1-21

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The Next Right Thing

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 19:08:22 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he loved people 24/7,

even when he needed to take a break.

Sometimes, it’s too much. Everyone needs a time out, a withdraw from work, people, even the big-purpose parts that keep a person out there, acting, in front. If anyone required it now, it was Jesus. His best friend John the Baptist had been murdered for no good reason, he wasn’t on the best of terms with his family, and with fame came all too constant demands for whatever ails people. The Big Twelve had just returned from their own successful preaching/healing tours, so everyone was ready for a retreat to recharge. Cruising on the lake seemed a good idea.

Scrapped Plans

Can you believe it? Like first-century paparazzi, people stalked their wake. There they were again, hurting and hungry in body and soul. As he disembarked, Jesus recognized in these the lostness they lived, wandering sheep with no shepherd to care, lead, protect. Sympathy, mercy, compassionate love met them on the shore in their only, may even their last, hope. He gave them his best teaching, a way of explaining life for purpose beyond the daily grind to survive.

Not sure if this is good. So when you’re bone tired, wasted in mind and body, keep at it anyway? Let people just keep taking and taking and never mind your own needs. People have heart attacks and strokes from this kind of lifestyle. Doesn’t Jesus recognize healthy boundaries? You know like they say on airplanes, cover your face with the oxygen mask first before helping someone else. Besides, keeping Sabbath is a commandment. But Sabbath rest doesn’t apply when people need you? No wonder Jesus was always getting into trouble over this one.

No Rest for the Weary

So you try again. If you do a quick scan of the chapter , (Mark 6) there’s the matter of feeding 5000 people, and then Jesus ditches the disciples as he sends them out on the lake again while he escapes into the hills to pray alone. That was a good idea, until he got caught walking on the water and nearly scares the disciples to death. Funny in an almost sad way, but they still had difficulty every time Jesus appeared in an extraordinary fashion. Do all you want for others, but often it’s those closest to you who need the most help. Exhausting.

At any rate, once they land on the other side of the lake, guess what. More crowds rushed in with sick people on woven mats as gurneys needing healing. Many begged to at least touch the fringe of his robe because even with that they knew his restorative power. The point is Jesus was there for them, being who they needed in the way they needed him.

So What You’re Saying Is…

Jesus knows what it’s like to be overworked, having personal needs disregarded over the needs of another. Think it shouldn’t happen? Any mother nursing an infant knows what it’s like to be on demand for the survival of the helpless. Try teaching the mentally challenged how to tie shoelaces. You patiently do it again and again and again until your mind numbs. Then again. Jesus knows what it’s like to be misunderstood. He should have gotten a break once in a while. So should those who work long shifts in hospital wards, stand watch on enemy lines, teach misbehaving children who have little support from home.

The Next Right Thing

The life we know is the life Jesus lived. Love spins on this kind of commitment when needed. It’s his kind of compassion that finds its rest in doing the next right thing, not because we feel like it, even feel up to it. You do it because the world will be a better place for it, your world will be better somehow for it. When you finally lay your head down, you’ll know the best kind of rest.

Jesus finally got to rest in the end.

It lasted three days, but it was enough for what he came to do.

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

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Foundation Collapse

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 19:14:41 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his life did not negate evil,

the worst that life throws at you.

Where is God?

Where is God when these things happen? When storms threaten, fires consume, wars and their slaughter won’t end, democracy is challenged, children are shot right in your car, home, playing outside? Where is God when your life takes a complete 180 from what it is supposed to be? Sure, your Bible says God is so good, but why not stop this suffering before it happens, before our hearts are wounded beyond repair?

To be honest, there’s nothing that can be said which will give an answer you want, the kind of answer that will make everything all good again. Trite answers are hateful, centered in the self which says it wants to help but really doesn’t want to share the pain. If that’s all there is, then the kindest thing is to shut your mouth.

Jesus knew what this was like though. Everyone knows, at least in their heads, that death is inevitable. But when it’s too soon, too horrific, too much of what you never saw coming, it’s too much. It happened when his best support was gone off on a mission and when he was not around to do anything about it. So where was God? Not there like you want God to be.

Truth to Power

Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, had been his one-man advance team, the voice in the wilderness prophet calling people to repent, reverse their lives and passions towards that which God would have them be. The Kingdom of God he called it, and he said it was close, real close, like here and now. Eccentric though he seemed, JTB must have had a charisma that drew people into the desert to hear him speak and along small rivers to be baptized into that new kind of living. When Jesus showed up on the scene, JTB had been saying someone greater than he was coming, so great that he wasn’t worthy to untie his sandals as a servant would do for his boss. John’s baptism of Jesus confirmed for both of them Jesus as Son of God . (Mark 1:4-11)

But John’s message of reversal wasn’t directed only to the average populace. He’d zeroed in on Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. Herod, like his father, had little to no morals or empathetic heart for others. If he wanted something, move out of the way. Yet when he’d married his brother’s wife, an adulterous act according to Jewish law, a line was drawn in the desert sand. JTB criticized Herod, which made Herod not only look bad in front of the people he ruled, but also put JTB in the crosshairs of the woman involved, Herodias.

Understand this wasn’t just messing with religious condemnation here. John’s message of intolerance for what was outside the moral law, even as it was directed against a corrupt political regime, also did not endear him to the religious leaders. Sure, their job was to keep people in line with the Hebraic law, but everyone knew they only had position because Rome allowed it. So an attack on a political figure would not go well for them either. John was a lone figure in this, the only one who dared speak truth to power. Call it a mistake, but it also meant he was a marked man.

Don’t Kill the Messenger, Please.

The funny thing is, Herod kind of liked John. He saw in John a holy man, but even as he found him interesting, Herod also was disturbed by him. For Herod, John was a baffling mystery, a puzzle this weak-headed man couldn’t quite figure out. Knowing though he couldn’t just let John’s criticisms ride, Herod placed John in protective custody. It sent a message that this outspoken censure wasn’t permitted, but it also kept him safely away from the one who really wanted JTB dead, Herodias. The mechanisms of government worked as they were designed, for the benefit of those with power.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, Right?

Sooner or later, things catch up with you. It’s Herod birthday, time to party. Herod invites those who work for him, the influencers and power brokers who can get done whatever Herod wants when he wants it. At the tables are the political chiefs, the military commanders, and commercial business citizenry, all who grease the wheels of power. You know what it was like: lots of fancy food, ample wine, back-patting, slurred speech, inside jokes. Good time was had by all.

Festivities must include entertainment. This one was a bit of a shocker. Herod’s daughter dances for the crowd. She’s young, too young to be at this kind of party. There are some differing perspectives as to what happened. Some would like to think she performed the dance she learned for her ballet recital. Let’s just say this display would not be the best for this venue, but they put up with how Herod was a proud father of his little girl’s accomplishments. Or , if you follow baser instincts, what they were given was an under-age pole dance. Either way, drunk with alcohol-fed pride and/or lust, Herod reads the room’s delight and plays Big Daddy to her with a reward of anything she wants, even to half his kingdom.

Poor child, either too naive or too simple to know when she’s being used, she runs and requests the advice of the original Maleficent, her mother Herodias. (No new car for this kid.) Herodias sees her chance: get John the Baptist’s head. Oh, she’s momma’s girl, rushing not only back to Herod to make her wish known, but adding to Herodias’ sick desire. “John the Baptist’s head, right now, on a platter!” Herod delivered.

Evil Has Its Day

So that’s where you leave it. JTB dies for the stupidest reason you can find. The good die young is probably your best take on this, right? This Kingdom of God is a fairy tale, a mirage, a ploy to keep the lid on things so when all hell breaks loose, people can say there’s a reason for it. You don’t think anyone will see through that when this happens all around us?

Recognize what it is. Herod protected John until it was more important to protect himself. Backing away from his promise would not only make him look bad in front of people he needed to keep in his pocket, he needed to show he wasn’t afraid to eliminate any who challenged him. JTB was an easy target for that.

But the bigger story here is how dysfunction, pride, power-centered positions feed into the kind of evil that dismisses what must be done as unfortunate. When fake news and conspiracy theories, the costs of lifestyles on climate, or the right to own firearms despite access to the criminal are minimized, well then, these things happen. Evil is hidden in the ordinary practices of life that go unexamined except when it rears its ugliness exposed in tragedy. The kingdom of God opposes such practices and happens in the daily interchange of relationship and the love of neighbor.

An End of Innocence Paradox

So while prophets may speak truth to power, know it also can get you killed. JTB’s story was not the first or last time a prophet of truth was eliminated. You might not like this story or how it is graphically told, but you know worst than this. If anything, the record of Jesus’ life does not shy away and only offer trite statements of faith, pie in the sky, believe and all will go well for you promises. Complications, hitches, knock-downs are part of the journey. Snipers are out there. Plan for them. When victory comes, it’s sweet. But never is it assured.

So Where Is God?

Meanwhile, Jesus, Son of God, lost his best friend and advocate to the very system that also would finish him off. John’s bloody demise only foreshadowed what Jesus would know. Their fates were intertwined.

Evil may have its day. Foundations of security and expectations collapse. The unthinkable will happen again. Ironically, when Herod heard about Jesus, he believed John had resurrected from the dead, that one holy man followed another. He got that half right.

God always comes back even when you think all is lost and dead.

Mark 6:14-29

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When You Can't Go Home Again

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 20:21:02 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: when rejected and faced with unbelief, he obstinately pushes out past boundaries and limitations otherwise unexplored.

Homecomings: you know what they’re like. Parades, choosing a king and queen, a big rivalry game, parties all over town, pop-up reunions at the old hangouts. Lots of fun, right?

Nope. Don’t go near them. Really, so depressing. The only ones who show up are there to criticize, remind you of what you were like, all your young mistakes. They size you up, how you’ve added a few pounds, got some deeper wrinkles, grayer hair or less than what you used to have, noting what you’ve made of yourself which no one ever expects to be much more than what you ever were. Notice how there are more people who stay home at these things than the ones who left? Who’d come back for this kind of thing?

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Understood. Jesus met the same negativity when he stopped back in his hometown of Nazareth. His second career after carpentry had taken off. He’d organized a team for the work, had great success due to healing many people, had some tussles in a synagogue for healing on the Sabbath , told some compelling stories with life lessons about God, and had amassed a pretty big following. Crowds showed up wherever he went. The latest story was he brought a young girl back to life . Yeah, he was getting noticed.

So he was tapped to be the guest speaker for this week’s Sabbath message. Trouble was though, Jesus delivered. It was good. Too good, really. If he’d bombed, they might have been kinder. The thing is, people don’t like it when you break out of the box they’d always kept you in and think you should stay.

Not only that, but they have long, long memories. From the back of the room, whispered comments begin :

‘Who does he think he is? He’s Mary’s son, just a carpenter. We know his people and what they are like.” They drag up stuff from thirty years or more, knowing looks speaking what’s not said. In this day and age, people are identified by their dad’s family. No mention of Joseph here. Why not? Maybe they still remember how Mary was said to be pregnant before their marriage was finalized. Was his real dad someone else?

Or had Joseph passed away? If so, that was a point of family honor in which Jesus was derelict. The eldest son was supposed to care for his widowed mother. Instead, he was off on his preaching road trips. Who was he to tell them about God?

Even his mother and brothers had that problem with him not long ago. They’d actually gone to bring him home, worried he may have lost his mind. Reportedly, he had basically denied them as his own kin. The more these people thought about it, the more offended (nice word there, pissed would be more like it) they became.

You Only Can Give What You Get

Jesus could smell the scandal they wanted. He tells it like he sees it. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” His summation does two things. He takes on a new identity that fits for the moment. Prophets were known to be countercultural, having relevant messages that were edgy and aimed to bring people back in align with God, sometimes preparing for the future but more often speaking critically to the here and now. He fit that bill perfectly.

But just as much, Jesus noted the impact of their attitude toward him. Low expectations yield diminished results. For whatever reason they latched on to, they couldn’t or wouldn’t believe he was who he said he was. Thinking they knew everything about him limited how he had grown to be what they hadn’t seen in him before. They were majorly annoyed this Home Boy had busted out the box where he should have stayed.

Furthermore, their underestimation of him had its intended impact. So many times Jesus had brought healing and transformation in people’s lives because of their recognition and faith in his authoritative power. But when you expect nothing from a person, that’s pretty much what you are going to get. His hometown’s negativity toward him effectively robbed that power.

Ya Gotta Believe

So are you saying that Jesus’ power is lost when people don’t believe? Is that what happened? But wait a sacred second there. God is supposed to be all-powerful! What does it matter if people don’t buy into all Jesus says? Not an ever-luving God apparently.

Back up and think about this. Yes, God loves and wants the best for the world. But God is not the Divine Fixer, the miracle man who will fulfill all your wishes. You have to do your part. Negative thinking over a long time will tear down not only your mental but also your physical health. Poor eating habits, drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco use, etc. will not only affect your life expectancy, but poor health has its toll on relationships. The spiritual life can be similarly short-circuited. Therefore faith, while not absolutely necessary in large measure, needs to be present in some degree for natural order adjustments (a fancy phrase for miracles) or the speeding up of what is inherent in a person’s cellular mechanism. So, yeah, ya gotta believe somehow.

At any rate, while Jesus was home for a short while, he did some small miracles, but nothing really mighty. In all, it left him flabbergasted at the great unbelief of these people. He must’ve kept thinking back to all those who had desperately sought him out for healing, believing in his power to change their lives. Lepers , the paralytic, that woman who had suffered for twelve years, so many more had come to him in that faith and found more than relief. They found restoration in who they were meant to be in God’s love. Why not these who had known him longest? You know he had to feel the hurt.

Move on, Baby

Yet, this rejection produced an unintended twist. Though his own people wouldn’t accept him, Jesus is compelled to reach even more. The twelve trainees had seen the best and now the worst, or, almost the worst. Some would love and follow and live out the message. Some would walk away in derision. Not that much has changed there, just saying. Jesus gives his disciples their marching orders.

They are to go in pairs, each to support and lift the other. They were not to weigh themselves with baggage, things they’d have to care for and worry about to the point of slowing them down or distracting from the mission. Sandals were fine, likely because they were going to cover a lot of miles. But not even an extra coat. Yes, their message would be for people to reverse their lives and live in God’s will. But just because they had a God-message, they were to make their outpost in homes, not the synagogues where the old traditions would be too restrictive. If they found themselves in a place where they weren’t accepted, they leave and shake its dust off their feet. Don’t wallow in the rejection.

Now you know, when these twelve guys set off, Jesus must have prayed as hard as ever for them. Their success rate wasn’t so great thus far, and then there had been that time in a boat when a horrific storm had come up , and they’d just about lost it. But it was time for them to try it on their own, practice what they’d absorbed so far, learn what works and what doesn’t when you step into people’s souls. First called to follow him, Jesus now empowers them to make that difference.

Stepping up to the task, the twelve find success beyond what they’d ever imagined. Now, they not only follow Jesus, they do his work alongside him, multiplying the message at the rate of twelve times what he had started and in six times the places he was able to go otherwise.

In another place, it was asked, “ Can anything good come from Nazareth? ” (John 1:46) More so than its people knew. Even if their hometown boy was not their hero, in this place Jesus brought the good news, and from there it spread.

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Powered Change

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 21:03:13 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

to fully know his power is to be changed and touched in one’s thinking.

Some worshipped him while some decried him. Some believed him even as others rejected all he had to say. Some praised him, and many passively ignored him. But wherever Jesus was, a crowd was either very near or not far away.

They watched him all the time. There was no getting away from it. On the one hand, they knew an oppressive regime led by narcistic and paranoid leaders, the kind that would strip away rights for their own sick requirements. On the other, they had no recourse for even their own leaders held them by laws that kept them under religious thumbs. The crowds, diverse in background, status, even political persuasion, pressed in close to see if Jesus had it in his power to offer them something better.

Desperation though can sometimes change even hardened minds. And changed thinking can make all the difference. A leader of the local synagogue no less came to Jesus begging for a saving miracle for his little daughter. Jarius pleads, “My daughter is about to die. Please come and place your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” With the crowd squeezing close and surrounding him, Jesus agreed to go.

Twelve Years a Slave

But somehow within that crowd was another female, this one much older, and for the most part, knowing a living death. For twelve years she suffered with a “hemorrhage,” a menstrual period that would not end. The disease had taken away the freedoms of life. Doctors had compounded her pain, taking all her money while not providing relief or a cure, as her condition only worsened. Likely covered and heavily veiled, she sneaked up behind him and “touched the fringe of his robe. For she thought to herself, ‘If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed.’”

Monthly Quarantine

On one hand, you would think she didn’t have much to lose at this point. But she did. By her very presence there, she had made virtually an entire crowd, and specifically Jesus, unclean. Every Jew knew that the law of Leviticus was strict in delineating how a woman was made ceremonially unclean with each menstrual period. Not only that, but anyone touching her or that which she touched, even if one sat on a bed where she had been, would be infected by her uncleanliness. If a person touched her bed, one had to bathe, wash clothes, be considered defiled until evening. Washing and bathing were no easy tasks given that water often had to be carried, so this in effect isolated her for several days. Then she had to quarantine another seven days.

Finally considered ceremonially clean, she had to present herself to the priest with two offerings, one a sin offering and another a burnt offering. “In this way, the priest will make atonement for her before the Lord for her menstrual discharge.” (Leviticus 15:19-30 NLT) Bad enough she was socially isolated for likely two weeks at a time, but also there was the shameful implication that she was sinful for having a period. Under such circumstances, women were subjected to lives lonely and dependent on the rigors of the law. There was no way to protest but to endure.

This was her danger. With the crowd pressing against him, they could not avoid also pressing upon her. In effect, she could infect everyone there. Would her determination for deliverance from this illness matter to the crowd as much as what she would bring upon them? Her healing could mean her death if Jesus called her out.

A Movement of Power

Instead, Jesus senses a power has been called out of himself. It was only a touch, a mere brush of fingertips on the small decorative hem of his robe. He couldn’t have seen her bend low as she fought through the bodies in the throng. But he knew.

When he asked who touched him, the disciples have one of their moments, moments which reveal they think they know better than he, at least more so than they usually say out loud. “How can you ask that?” they point out, disdainfully referring to the crowd closing in.

Now she’s really scared. Healed of that which had robbed her of health and happiness, she is just as doomed again by what she risked for it to happen. In the posture of confession, taking the same position as that which gave her back her life, she kneels before her healer.

“Daughter,” he calls her. Jesus did not seem to care about ritual cleanliness. Instead, he affirms her efforts and desire to be made whole by saying, “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” She was healed in body and saved from those who would take her life away again.

Powered Touch

Almost immediately, another female is nearly lost. Messengers deliver the news that Jarius’ precious child has died. Taking cues from the disciples and not from what they just have seen him do, some in the crowd laugh at Jesus’ claim that the official’s little girl is not dead but asleep.

Dismissing the negativity, Jesus only allows her parents and three disciples as witnesses. In his native tongue, Aramaic, he takes her hand and gently, intimately speaks to her, “Talitha cumi,” that is “Little girl, rise up.” Touch again connects him to the one needing his power.

Thus, in one day, Jesus bestowed a God-power on two females who could have been written off and forgotten by all around her. (Mark 5:21-43)

By Unnamed Daughters

Jesus makes a connection between a synagogue leader’s daughter and the value of her young life with this woman who for years may have thought she would be better off dead. Neither of these females is identified by a given name. But “Daughter,” he says, and all females, young girls and mature women, are touched in that place which distinguishes them as feminine. It is by faith that women are raised up, healed of whatever takes away life, and receive a transfer of a power that is only of God.

Power transferred is power that heals the powerless. For a little girl and a sick woman, power was known in healing that offers more than a physical change. This power raises precious life when others see no hope, and just fringes of faith bring release from oppression. It’s the kind of power which redeems and restores any who in life will leave and follow Jesus.

Jesus told the family not to tell anyone what had happened. Yet, with the child healed, walking, even eating food, it was evident who had made her well. The unnamed woman would forever be known as one restored to health by reaching for hope in Jesus. People were beginning to change the way they understood Jesus.

The following crowd carried the story.

Mark 5:21-43

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Storm Tracking

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:23:43 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus comes with a history that doesn’t give all the answers…

For the most part, it’s not in the divine play book. Sorry.

All right, Jesus. We’ve been through enough. War on more than one front (or rumors of war, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2013%3A7&version=NIV as you call it.) (Mark 13:7) Summer heat has become brutal and it’s just starting. Not to mention a national election that’s going to get just as hot. Our lives know sickness, grief, and dysfunction. So here’s the big question: Where is God in all of this? You going to answer this one or pretend it’s not even happening?

Likely there won’t be a celestial press release or righteous white paper or holy judicial ruling giving an answer or some kind of defense. Demand what you will, but God doesn’t have a history of giving all the answers, particularly ones that bring full satisfaction or justification of what has happened. For the most part, it’s not in the divine play book. Sorry.

What we do have is a report of what people experienced who were close to Jesus, part of his inner circle. The thing is, Jesus didn’t give them all the answers either. Whether it was in his stories, his very succinct yet broad teachings, or just in the background of the action, Jesus more often than not left it to them to tease the meaning out of it. Rest assured, it’s never simple. Like this one about the storm.

Why Was Jesus in the Boat?

You could look at this on the surface. Jesus had been teaching to a crowd so large, so pressing upon him, he needed something from which to speak so all could hear. The boat was positioned in the water like a podium, and the rising hills behind the setting formed a kind of amphitheater with natural acoustics. By the end of the day, he was worn out and needed an escape so he could rest. He tells his friends to set sail for the other side of the lake. Easy getaway.

That’s plausible, but there are a few other details needing notice. One is the timing. It’s night, and the lake was known for unexpected gale winds coming up unforeseen until they were right on you. His buddies were experienced fishermen who should have known better, but they go. Strangely, there are other boats that follow.

The other is also understandable but has another detail that’s somewhat out of place. With all the demands made on him, Jesus is beyond tired, weary, exhausted. He falls asleep. Ok, but the writer points out there was a cushion for his head. A cushion? This wasn’t a cruise liner, for goodness sakes. It was a working boat, not a rest home. Never mind, Jesus conks out, like he’s dead to the world.

Finally, look where this boat was headed, “the other side of the lake.” Oh dear Jesus, but this is crossing a boundary we don’t need to approach. Those people are not our kind in religion, race, ethnicity. Lump them together in one word: Gentiles. Why head in that direction? Why would we want to be among them?

Don’t You Even Care…?

“Soon a fierce storm arose.” Translations belie the impact. The Greek word is “megas” as in a mega-storm, violent, exceedingly powerful, no-way-you’re-going-to-live-through-this kind of fierce storm. Waves filled the boat until it was nearly swamped. Can you believe it though, Jesus slept through? Yep, like nothing was going on except for the rocking of a boat like it was a cradle.

The disciples wake up Jesus, but not just to make him aware of what’s going on. It’s with an accusation, “Don’t you even care…?” Don’t you care we are going down? Don’t you care about us? Don’t you care for your own life? What’s with you, Jesus? Wake up to what’s happening!

Some would say these guys doubted Jesus by this statement, as in what exactly are we to you when the storms of life threaten us, when push comes to shove? Are we so expendable that you would sleep, not have a concern in all of creation as to what might happen to us? Are we that inconsequential to you in the big scheme of whatever life means? Don’t you care?

Or did the fact they called out to him have within it something else? Was there a belief that when all else is lost, God can step in? Then again, they still addressed him at a time like this as “Rabbi”, Teacher, that is. Did they expect Jesus had a lesson in this yet still to share?

Why Are You So Afraid?

On the level of all good familiar plot lines, the conflict is resolved, the threat is removed, the storm is calmed. Fine, for those who can sit with this. But for some, this kind of story is a deal breaker, the kind that raises bigger doubts that refuse to accept some kind of superhero sweeping in to destroy the bad issues in our world. Doesn’t happen very much, at least as far as most people can see.

Fair enough. Jesus speaks into the wind. He orders it to calm down, be quiet, shut up. Strangely though, he speaks as if to an intelligent creature calling for its silence, a reversal of its power and impact on the world. Whatever, it obeys. In the immediate resulting calm, Jesus asks his friends why they were afraid. He returns the accusation they brought upon him by his own question, “Do you still not have faith in me?”

Who Is This Man?

The disciples’ question does not follow with an answer. They ask out of wonderment mixed with terror, amazement, reverence. Their response is “megas”, the same as the size and force of the storm. They’ve been given a revelation that this man, this Jesus as Son of God, is beyond their understanding, with a cosmic power that speaks into the existential questions of life.

Questions don’t all get fully answered. Yet they are proposed to bring about if not a stronger faith, at least the strength to live with a faith that can stand in the midst of questions. Why go out in a storm, what’s with the other boats, why are they headed to the other side of the lake, why a cushion in a boat? These questions are based in small details, like the details that make up all lives. Life deals with them, works around them, and in the end knows it’s ok to question them. Maybe some small answers come from them.

Does God care? This question only seems to be asked in the midst of a storm. When seas are calm, the sun shines, winds are a gentle, cooling breeze, God’s love is not questioned. In the storms though, when loved ones are deathly sick, when destitution is imminent, when relationships are on the rocks, when injustice is rampant, God takes those kind of questions, those calls for succor, and speaks into them with the same force of a howling, raging sea.

Fear is inherent to life. It can be healthy, steering one away from the destructive. But to remain in an anxiety which shouts that all is lost is what tears apart and drowns out any meaning to life. This is not a lesson in a therapeutic wish that faith will always bring about a desired outcome. Faith is not a promise that will always calm the storm, but it does ride through it.

Where is God?

Good question. Find your answers in the storm.

Mark 4: 35-41

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Seedy Satire

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:23:03 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

Embedded in his simple stories and lessons is a dangerous satire.

Dear Jesus, We know you like your stories. Sometimes, they’re pretty good and relatable like about lost sons and people who help guys that get mugged on the roadside . Books and movies get made out of those. But really, seed stories? Where could we possibly go with that? It’s not like most of us live in the kind of agrarian world you did. Can’t help but say this gets boring. Might have to pass on this one.

Move on by, if you have to. But be forewarned: Jesus knows your type. Just before these stories that you say make you yawn, he said, “To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.” ( Mark 4:25 )

Jesus often did not explain what he gave people. He left it to them to figure it out. So when people went home or gathered where people do, they could explore it together or let it settle in their thoughts as they drifted off to sleep. Smart it was. He made them chew on what he had to say. That way, it stayed with them longer and became a part of them.

Granted, these stories seem a little too simplistic. You don’t have to be a farmhand to know that seeds get planted and then later harvested. And there are some that don’t get planted but just grow on their own, spreading out. Yet, if you look closely, you may realize there’s some satire going on, too. Not the kind that makes you laugh, but the kind that pulls two absurdly different things together and leaves you to sit in the irony of how they really aren’t that different after all.

Farm to Table

You’re right. Today’s households don’t grow and make everything they consume. That day is gone. But there is much more awareness and the desire to know the source of what people consume. From that perspective came the Farm to Table movement whereby restaurants serve local, fresh, even organics goods lessening the distance, time, and nutrient breakdown of food. Jesus could likely have utilized this comparison if he lived today.

But his story uses this. Several of his little parables are prefaced with, “The Kingdom of God is like…” This one is short. Farmer plants. Farmer goes about some other business. Farmer returns when the plant has grown, and the produce is ripe for harvest. So what’s (deep, loud, God-sized voice here) The Kingdom of God got to do with some hick in the field?

Some, but not a whole lot. The guy does his job, and hopefully he’ll get some of that food on his table, that’s all. But in between is where the real work happens. Think of it as what happens between the farm and the table. The farmer has little to nothing to do with how the seed grows. Yet, there is mystery that happens. Analyze it all you want about how things germinate or the photosynthesis process, but you’ve got to admit, it’s cool how it happens without even looking. When the seed has fulfilled its purpose, people are fed.

Need a connection? The Kingdom of God takes hold of how the simple, sometimes seemingly unimportant actions of God’s love for neighbor happens, and in a dynamic but inevitable manner something big, transformative, provisional is accomplished. A life of faith often has to just wait through a season or two or several before results are realized. Yet, in that seasonal waiting is where grace, the work of God in love, is worked out. Without it, there is no harvest to reap.

Invasive Weeds

Parable #2 gives a similar but slightly tweaked perspective. Again, there are seeds, but specifically Jesus names the mustard seed. It’s one of the smallest seeds, tiny; when it falls on soil it can get lost in the dirt. But it’s also mighty, like very mighty, like invasive. Interestingly, this Kingdom of God seed-analogy is not planted. Invasive weeds spread on their own and have the ability to take over along roadsides, fields, places unexpected and maybe even unwanted. All that, plus it’s not easily eradicated.

So it is with God’s presence, purpose, grace-filled power. It’s not detectible all the time when it first takes root but expect it to bring about that which makes its presence known. Like a shrub that provides shelter for birds, it’s a place to rest and restore in the waiting. Eventually, its growth has the ability to alter the landscape of life, the hope for change in the world that might not seem possible unless that which has the potential of impact and transformation comes into persons’ lives.

Seedy Satire

Simple stories Jesus tells but also at a second glance imperceptibly dangerous. Implicit in satire is critical upending of how the world works, enforces stability, the-way-its-always-been-done. The seedy Kingdom of God does not operate under the prescribed processes of the culture. Mysterious is its mode of operation. Growth of the heart and soul takes place in a reversal of the mind and perspective. Established boundaries and systems are pushed and rearranged if not outright eliminated. God creates an alternative to how things get done, relationships are formed, what the future will bring. Miraculously, it begins with a seed.

Jesus reminds those who open to his teaching that the Kingdom of God will not be buried forever. No one better than he would know that what’s planted, buried, put in the ground won’t stay there forever. That greater understanding would be given to those who listen, wait in hope, and watch what the seed of his life will do.

Mark 4: 26-34

For More Blogs on the Seediness in Jesus' stories, Try These:

Soil Maintenance

Weedy Wheat

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Family Conflict and Culture

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 21:12:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus was his skillful and piercing answers to his accusers.

If you don’t like conflict, stay away from this story. If you don’t like family conflict, get out of here now. If you don’t want to hear about religious/political division, run and don’t look back. But know this much: Jesus walked right into the middle of it all.

Family Concerns

They had been watching and hearing about what this #1Son and Brother had been doing. Jesus’ fame was so far reaching that people were coming from all over to see him. Most of it was due to the healing miracles he had done, like the man with the deformed hand. The trouble was Jesus wasn’t playing by the rule book. He’d healed this guy on a Sabbath day , (Mark 3:1-6) that day when you were supposed to do nearly nothing, like even limit the number of steps you took. The religious leaders known as Pharisees didn’t like it at all, and there was a public tussle about it. (Forget it was a miracle, for crying out loud).

All of this reflected back on his family and wouldn’t go well for them and their relationship with the synagogue. But worse yet, so many people had thronged around him, it was to the point he had to preach from a boat. ( Mark 3:7-10 ) Now, they wouldn’t give him or his disciples time to eat. For his own good, his famimly showed up to drag him back home. You can just about hear him say, “Holy Sh….uuuger.” (To be clear, that’s not in the Bible.)

As it was, they weren’t very nice about it. “He’s out of his mind,” they accused. Yeah, that’s right. Insane, delusional maybe, psychotic sort of. That’s a heavy one to lay on a person, let alone your own kin. Family issues are never easy, and Jesus was dealing with a big one.

Religious Pressure

Call it perfect timing, but divine intervention it was not. Just then, the big guns from Jerusalem pull in. These religious law teachers had their own take on who this outsider was. Not only had Jesus healed the normal things, like blind, deaf, mute, or otherwise sick people, but he’d relieved and restored those with strange seizures, mental disturbances or even things so mysterious and scary like people who seemed possessed by other-world forces. The posse came with a big warning: “He’s possessed by Satan (Beelzeoul in Greek). That’s where he gets power to cast out demons.”

Whoa. That’s a big charge as well. So the crowd who had come in close had to decide for themselves. Is this guy insane? Is he the embodiment of evil? Or is he what he says he is?

Cancel Culture

Now, step back a minute and look at the situation from another angle. Jesus’ family knew he was getting bad press, and they also knew before long they would feel the repercussion of it. Jewish life was tied up in the synagogue and that just wasn’t for weekend carnivals. If you were not in good standing with the religious leaders, your reputation, friendships, even your business prospects were negatively impacted.

Likewise, the religious leaders, and especially those from the Jerusalem Temple basically controlled the populace with their oppressive laws. Yet, all knew they acted only on the good will of the Roman government. Attracting followers and large crowds would not be seen as a good thing, raising the question of possible insurrection. These holy guys could lose their power and control because of him.

In short, both Jesus’ family and the religious leaders needed to stop this movement building around him. What’s the first line of defense? Discredit him. Call him out, even if it’s a lie, make him look bad, suspicious, dangerous. Do what you have to do. You’ve seen it. Today we call it Cancel Culture.

Don’t Try to Rob a Strong Man

How Jesus dealt with his enemies was nothing short of smooth. He answered back with their own argument without making them look too bad in front of the crowd. Even so, they got the message.

You want to talk about Satan, the antithesis of the goodness of God, my own archenemy? Ok, I’ll go there. You say I get power from this evil one. But what I do is heal and restore. That’s not evil, but what God wants for everyone. So how can Satan do God’s work? Satan has no power to do good. Satan can’t fight against himself. He’d never survive. It would be like trying to rob a house without first tying up the strong man who lives there. Can’t happen.

But I’m not done. God forgives all sin, including blasphemy. But anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Don’t credit to evil what is good. That is, my power is the work of God so that all people can be healed and restored to God’s goodness. To deny the work I do, to not believe and accept who I am in God and the Holy Spirit is the eternal sin, that which will separate a person from God.

Again, to his credit Jesus never called out his accusers personally. But they knew who he meant. They could walk away claiming it was an interesting theological discussion. Underneath though, Jesus had beat them at their own game. He was the strong man.

Focus on the Family

As it was though, his mom and siblings did not get the same measure of kindness. Let’s face it, to declare him insane, mentally unstable must have hurt. In their minds, however, it sounded better than being called demon-possessed. But to him, those closest didn’t get it either. He didn’t want to lump them with his worst opponents, but they were acting like it. This work of God for which he was sent wasn’t an easy road. So when Jesus is told his family is asking for him, he asks who is his real family.

Then looking around at those who did follow him, did look to him for healing and restoration, he claims these as his family. But not just family as in the traditional understanding. The Son of God, sent by the Father, describes his family in likely the most inclusive statement in the Gospels.

“Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:20-35

Coming Soon! The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away

by Constance Hastings

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A Higher Purpose

Mon, 27 May 2024 19:30:07 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is when Jesus challenges the old guard,

it’s for a purpose greater than you may think.

Jesus, maybe you’ve got it right here. People think your kind don’t want us regular folks to have any fun but stick to arbitrary severe codes just to make us miserable most of the time. No wonder people walk away from anything that has to do with you and religious types. But you set them straight, not once but twice! Son of Man, thanks for giving us a break for a change.

First Read Through

Yes, Jesus met this issue more than once. Note from the start how it brought him this trouble we speak about. He and his disciples were walking through some fields on the Sabbath. That was the first problem, that is, they were walking. Pharisees, a group that lived and adhered to the very letter of the Law, the Ten Commandments and another 613 codified interpretations of it, had a problem with walking on this day set apart by the 4 ^th Commandment. Look at it closely to see how it became an issue with them.

8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. ( Exodus 20:8-11 )

Here's where the PCP’s (Police Corp of Pharisees) had a problem. “On that day no one in your household may do any work.” Apparently, they defined “work” as anything that required an exertion of effort. Walking requires a modicum of effort. Therefore, in their thinking, if you walked very much (and they actually counted steps long before your smart watch), you were violating one of the Top Ten. (Never mind how they must have been following along to witness this and taking the same number of steps…)

But even worse, Jesus’ disciples, as they were taking these forbidden steps, also broke off some grain from the wheat in the field to munch on. Oh dear, this was tantamount to the work of harvesting. Not at all acceptable to the local PCP. They had a minor fit about it.

Next, Jesus is in the local synagogue. He sees a man who has some kind of deformed hand. Now, if you can believe it, the PCP were out in force again. Still the Sabbath, (though honestly it’s not clear if this is the same Sabbath, no matter), they zeroed in on what Jesus would do about. If he healed the guy, they were prepared to bring down judgement on this Miracle Messiah. ( Uh huh, like doing a miracle any day of the week is not a big deal? ) Jesus is getting really peeved about their attitudes. He goes ahead and tells the man to stretch out his hand which is summarily healed.

That did it, and here is the trouble Jesus invited upon himself. The Pharisees left and began talks with supporters of King Herod over plans to kill Jesus.

Another Take

So let’s get this straight. There’s a problem with hungry men feeding themselves compounded with helping a guy who’s sick. So you get the death penalty for that? Whew. Glad we’re not in that century.

Jesus didn’t take kindly to their attitudes either. Even so, take their perspective to see why this was such a blatant disregard for their kind of law and order.

Sometime since the Jews had last heard from a prophet of God, 400 years or so, the belief arose that only if the whole Jewish nation did not break single law for 24 hours, then the Messiah would come. And did they ever need a Messiah, that is, a warrior leader to deliver them from Roman oppression. These Pharisees then became the gatekeepers to insure people would toe the line so Jews could be restored to their own power. In itself, if this were so, you can understand their obsessiveness as in only taking so many steps on their observation of the Sabbath.

The trouble was their efforts not only dissolved into legalism that was near impossible to obey, but it became their identity. So when this self-called Rabbi comes along and challenges their interpretations of the Law, they had a real problem with it. In short, if Jesus’ rather permissive perspective took hold, it would mean their whole life’s work, let along personal self-denial, was all for nothing. Jesus was a threat to who they were.

What’s more, if the general public accepted and started following, that is believing and living as he taught, their own influence and power would be diminished. This guy had to go and they aimed to make it permanent.

And the Problem Is?

Granted, the Law was the distinctiveness of what it meant to be Jewish. They found their identity in it, how it defined their relationships with God and each other. Jesus fully supported it when he said: “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. ( Matthew 5:17-18 )

For the most part, Jesus and the Pharisees were on the same page theologically. Yet, it was in the “purpose” of the Law that they disagreed. These two episodes give a window into their approaches to the Law.

Walking too far or picking grain on the Sabbath was an example of the problem. Jesus challenged the PCP in relating an example how their King David as a warrior running for his life, also was so hungry he took bread reserved only for consecrated priests and shared it with his battle-weary comrades. Technically, that was illegal, a desecration of a holy place and purpose. Yet, David was so revered no one would find fault for him doing what needed to be done to feed and strengthen himself and his men for survival.

Similarly, knowing he was being watched, Jesus asked a pretty rhetorical question before healing the man with the deformed hand. “Is it legal to do good on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm? Is this a day to save a life or to destroy it?”

To be fair, the ancient writings had no problem with aiding persons when life was in danger. The issue was this man had this infirmity for apparently quite a while. His life wasn’t at risk. The thinking was Jesus shouldn’t heal on the Sabbath if it could wait another day. The PCP weren’t arguing Jesus’ miraculous power. But they placed what they perceived as his disregard for the Law above their disregard for what Jesus could do for this man in the moment.

Jesus wouldn’t have any of it. As he had told them earlier, “The Sabbath was meant to benefit people and not people to benefit the Sabbath.” God instituted this holy day as a day of rest from hard toil and as a gift to the descendants of those who had spent 400 years in Egypt as slaves. This day is meant for refreshment and focus on God who sees people in the lives they live and allows time to worship their Creator for the blessings that come from it. Rest is central to mental, physical, and spiritual health. The 4 ^th commandment provides and heals, just as eating grain and healing bodies does the same.

Yeah, But…

Wonderful, however…the problem with Laws are people who don’t like them are known to find loopholes, a work-around to do what they want to do anyway. The Pharisees didn’t have a heart for people as much as for their own selfish purposes and power. It’s more than understandable why they butted heads with Jesus. Yet, does this approach set a precedent for finding ways to excuse ourselves from behaviors we just don’t like or want to do? This feels like the start of a sink hole from here.

That’s not too far off from what people do. For instance, some people claim it’s ok to do certain things because Jesus never said himself it was wrong to do so. But Jesus didn’t speak out against many harmful practices that are shocking to even today’s moral compass.

Whether it’s keeping the Sabbath holy, not taking another’s life, fidelity in marriage, not stealing, or even in how we speak of God and others, there is the “purpose” of which Jesus spoke. The overall construct of the Law is to bring an understanding of the Love of God to individual lives and their relationships.

Yet again, “not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear” according to Jesus. Those details may sound like how many steps you can take on a certain day of the week. That is, unless you hear it as Jesus said it.

Counting steps is a small example of ritualistic law. Jesus was most disgusted when this kind of thing was used to manipulate and control persons for the benefit of these holier-than-thou types. It denies how God wants true healing and wholeness to be made available for all of creation.

Yet, Jesus affirmed the moral law that promoted the source of this wholeness for the world. During his last words to his disciples, he gave them a new commandment, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” ( John 13:34 )

As I Have Loved You

Not as the world loves, not even as you think you need to be loved. Just as I have loved you. Jesus upheld all parts of the Law that define relationship, relationship with God as well as with family and friends. It sets a higher purpose and a high moral bar in doing so.

“And I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath!”

Mark 2:23-3:6

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A Tangled Love

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 20 May 2024 20:50:13 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is easy, facile understandings of God

are not the answers he gives.

New Paragraph,,,,

New Paragraph

You’ve made your point before. Won’t let it go, will you? Repetition will kill your efforts. People get bored and move on with this kind of thing. Why can’t you just let it die?

Now, be fair. Yes, generally speaking, we’ve been around this block. You know what though? Each time there’s something new to see, to find, to bring into consideration. That means it’s rich, layered, deep. So take another dive.

Late Night Conversation

It is extremely late. Nicodemus sneaks in. He shouldn’t be there. He’s from the other side, the side that just saw how dangerous this troublemaker can be . But our Nick questions. His questions get slammed with answers that may have later made him think this guy is nuts, yeah, dangerous is right. But that talk Jesus had with him still have people thinking. It’ll keep you up late even now. Nicodemus has lots of company.

24 Words

Let’s get the big message out of the way. You must be born again. Everyone has a physical birth, of course, but there’s another way of looking at it. There’s another way of being alive only accomplished by making the choice to enter into God’s Love through accepting, knowing, and being known by God’s Son.

The 16th verse is direct, bluntly succinct. God loves and God gives. God gives God’s self in a human form who lived and died and lived again, reversing trouble by reversing where trouble ends into what God and every created person wants, not death but life that fulfills Love.

So what if you don’t? If I refuse to get on board, what you going to do to me? Send me to that hot spot? That’s not so much like the “luuuve” you talk about. No wonder you people are such experts at being hypocrites. Look who you follow .

Love and Its Lover

Not sure what kind of love you think there is out there. Love as in, “whatever you want, honey”? Love as in “if you really loved me, you’d….”? Love as in, “love me just the way I am, warts and all,” and don’t have any hope that I can be more than that? Those are low standards, really self-centered, just steps away from manipulation and abuse. God wants better than that. That’s why the standard is so high.

But one can’t know Love without knowing its Lover . That’s the choice.

The Body in Three

Still, there’s more. In this passage, Jesus fleshes out what God in all God’s fullness is like. He talks about being born of “water and the Spirit” and how “the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven.” Life in its fullness has to be both a physical birth from a mother’s womb and a spiritual birth, each completed in a washing, pouring out of waters that have nurtured and cleansed one’s being. Like a wind that blows, the Spirit is felt as it swirls, pushes, drives without being controlled, explained, understood. As new-born babes must first fill their lungs with air to live, the Spirit-Wind is the breath of God filling the re-born with new life, eternal life not delayed until there is no more breath, but fully lived in the here and now.

God is active as well. Centered in God’s expression of Love, that of Creator-Father, God’s actions had been reported and will be known again by actions that raise up the created to new ways of seeing that Love. Jesus referenced the ancient Israelites needing to lift their gaze toward God by that of a serpent on a pole for healing. (Numbers 21:1-9) By making one’s focus on what is above, by turning to God beyond what one can do for oneself, God brings that healing hope.

Likewise, Jesus would be lifted up on a pole for that eternal life healing to be possible, his pole which would be a cross that saves. To save means to rescue, heal, restore. To only live for existence in a material, physical reality means an incompleteness in being. Rebirth completes and connects with the spiritual self, this reality connected again by the Spirit.

A Braided Knot

In all, though Nicodemus was getting more than he asked, Jesus reveals the God who sent him and how the God who is Spirit is the God of creation designed for relationship. This relational, loving God moves as linked circles, interconnected, tangled, braided, knotted together in active commitment to lift the created world to more than it can be otherwise. As God is not complete without these three facets of God, so God is not nearly sensed, approached, made real without this understanding, strange and difficult as it may seem on secret visit in the darkness of night and soul.

John 3:1-17

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Love Proves It

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 13 May 2024 19:36:43 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus was he told his best friends he was leaving them. They thought they were being abandoned. So Jesus made a promise, “I will send you the Counselor…”

No. This isn’t fair!...This can’t be happening….I know he said it, but we just thought it was a mood swing thing. With a little common sense, he’d come around….No, he’s determined to go through with this…. What is going to become of us?....We’re somewhere between done and dead meat….We’ve seen him at his best. Why doesn’t everyone else?....God, NO….Losing him will be the end of everything….I never knew my heart could break like this.

Their Dilemma

It was bad, for sure. Jesus’ friends were finally beginning to get this one thing. When Jesus talked about laying his life down in an act of love, he was going to go through with it. Not like a suicide mission, not by his own hand, but the sacrifice of his life by succumbing to the forces in the world which would have him gone. When it was all over, where would they be then?

Be fair to them. They didn’t know the rest of the story, that what was going to happen in the next day and through the weekend was not the finale. All they could hear was Jesus was going away and that it was for the best. Even so, Judas had disappeared, and Peter was acting like the you-know-what he could be. This was not going well in the moment.

The Promise

Jesus tried. He knew even if they didn’t get it then, they needed his words anyway. Just as much, he desperately needed to tell them, to console them, to promise it wouldn’t always be that way.

“I will send you the Counselor…” Not a counselor as in making a referral for getting through the stages of grief. Rather what he called, “the Spirit of Truth.” Like they would understand all this and more if this Counselor would come. A Helper, Comforter, yeah that would be good because they certainly would need all of it.

But even more, this Counselor would be an Intercessor, one who would plead their case as counsel for the defense. Not as if they would be guilty as charged, but as a Counselor that understands their deepest needs and sees to it they get needs met, as if bringing a gift. Yes, as an Advocate for them to build divine strength to move on and withstand the pressures and trials they’d meet.

Spirit Movement

Jesus was making a promise that he would not abandon them with nothing. This Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Spirit of Truth he called to come alongside them, be as real to them after Jesus went away as Jesus was right then with them. But it could only happen if Jesus left.

Jesus tries to put it as succinctly as possible. This Spirit of Truth would be an active presence, one of movement, meeting people in the core of where they stood with God. Unlike what is commonly assumed though, it wouldn’t be a division of the good people and the bad people. Such thoughts are elementary, ridiculously simplistic, legalistic. The Spirit of Truth, sent by Jesus, burns through such fallacies.

Believe in the Promise

Jesus spells it out. “The world’s sin is unbelief in me.” Break that down. Sin: not the Big Ten or the 613 amending laws or societal norms. Sin: not dysfunctional choices or systemic injuries. Sin: whatever separates one from God and neighbor. To believe in Jesus was to accept his mission to reconcile people to God and neighbor. No one was able to do it on their own. This Spirit of Truth would bring a power that enables those who follow, accept, believe in his message of Truth.

The Counselor would make such an argument to convince the world. Fine, but be realistic. Paint a picture of what that looks like. Bullhorns on street corners, preachers on cable, religious music on airwaves and streaming services? For some, these could work. But what’s most effective, most convincing, what draws persons to at least take a look, a second look even, is Righteousness.

Righteousness? But you just said this wasn’t about good people, the goody-goodies with noses in the air who’d never step foot in a sin-soaked venue. (Sigh now, deep breath, try again)

Act on the Promise

Yes, Righteousness, or if you have to have another expression, being on the side of Jesus. Again, these who follow, accept, believe in his message of Truth. “Your love for one another will prove to the world you are my disciples,” he said. (John 13:35) Love. Love of God, Love of Neighbor, Love of each other, Love of the world.

Love and act on it. The Helper brings the power, this power of Love, this expression of what God wants and intends for all. Be with and provide for those who need that Love in your service and giving. Love the children, the helpless, the losers. Love the oppressed, the foreigner, those who do not look like you. Love those whose values don’t mesh with yours. Love each other, and Love the Other. Prove to the world you are my disciple.

Choose the Promise

I have always given you this choice to follow me. Should you choose otherwise, the Judgement will be on you only, not me. Again, this isn’t about good people and bad people. This isn’t even about philanthropic efforts to improve society. This is about your way and my way.

My way is Love, and I want you to be not just a reflection of that Love, but an embodiment of that Love. I want you to be what I am, and for your words and witness to be permeated in my Love. How you decide your choice is basically your answer to this question of God: What did you do with my Son? Did you allow the Spirit of loving Truth which I sent define who you are? Do you accept this Love I want to give to you so you may give it to others?

“All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever [the Spirit] receives from me.” Father, Son, Spirit, three united, revealed in one purpose and mission. Love.

And You must also tell others about me

because you have been with me from the beginning.

John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away

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Final Words, Answered Prayer

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 07 May 2024 01:02:32 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Was his final prayer for unity

among his followers answered? It depends on where you look .

You Christians! If ever there a more divisive movement in history, it’s yours! You people just can’t stay together. You guys just keep fighting among yourselves and splitting up and moving off in different directions. If you don’t like what’s going on in your church, you take your money and walk. Sometimes, a whole group of you jump ship and make your own deal somewhere else. There’s enough of this kind of thing going on; why would we ever need religion to show us how it’s done? May your God help you.

Fair enough. It’s happened before, and likely it will keep happening. Many times, it’s not pretty either. Point well taken. As to “God help you”, it comes much appreciated. But if anything, know God saw it coming.

One Last Prayer

Jesus spent his final hours with his friends, the ones who had signed up with him three years ago and been on an adventure they’d never have known otherwise. They’d seen so much, heard his teachings, knew more about miracles than no other would ever know. But that night was especially poignant, for on this night, Jesus prayed a final prayer for them.

The last words we hear from persons we know are significant, both to whom they were and who we were to them. These final words are ones we play over in our minds, holding them close for the gifts they are to us. Jesus had washed their feet, talked about returning to the Father, made a promise of sending a Comforter to be with them after he left. But the last thing he gave them was a prayer.

Jesus was grateful for these men, grateful not just because they followed him but in how they were given to him, learned from him, accepted, and believed him and his message. But since he was leaving, they would learn a new way of being with him, not dependent on a living presence, but one in which they would see him, see Jesus, in others who would learn, accept, and believe his message. In all of this, Jesus prayed that God would care for them so they “may be one as we are one.” Don’t we wish it were that’s the way it is?

Yeah, it looks pretty bad when even Jesus doesn’t seem to get his prayers answered. You’d think, what hope might there be for the rest of us when we pray?

If that’s as far as you want to go in this, make what you will of it and move on. But know, understanding what God does with people is never a simplistic story.

The Un-Uniting

Granted, nothing hurts God more than broken relationships between people or with him. That’s likely why Jesus prayed so hard for these guys that night. The coming pressures on them not only in the days ahead but for the rest of their lives would crush many a weak soul. They would need each other, and they would need others of like minds to sustain Jesus’ message and ministry. Persecution and martyrdom were their future. Established religion, culture, political regimes, literally the whole world would be out to get them.

Yet, it is internal divisiveness that really wrecks a movement, and that can crash it fast. When disagreements about matters large and small take precedence, the mission and purpose are diminished, and unity lost. Jesus knew this and what they were up against.

You might even say they were set up for failure. Even Jesus’ prayer names it. He says the world hates them because they do not belong to it or rather won’t be belonged by it, owned by it, just as Jesus wouldn’t. Yet, he also said he was not asking God to take them out of the world. Instead, Jesus sends them into the world. So what do you think would happen once he wasn’t daily with them?

It’s human tendency to adapt to surroundings. Therein is the danger. You go along to get along. You become part of the system. Jesus sent them into a system flawed in all the same ways as we know it today. Centered in that system is fear and protectionisms in place resulting from that fear. Ultimately, these systemic processes are majorly opposite what Jesus had come to change.

Big Example and More

Church splits have happened since what seems like forever. Martin Luthur and the Reformation may be well known but what resulted between Roman Catholics and those known as Protestants in the 15th century is near to the proverbial drop in the buck if you’re counting how many times believers have parted ways.

The Associated Press reported late last year on the Methodist denomination recent split:

"The United Methodist Church has been undergoing a major upheaval as more than 7,000 congregations across the country, one quarter of the total, decided whether to leave the denomination or remain United Methodist. This splintering resulted from a long-simmering debate over theological differences and the role of LGBTQ people in the church…But amid increased defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches, several conservatives decided to launch the separate Global Methodist Church…

"Some regional conferences have lost hundreds of churches, including large ones. The issue isn’t only dividing conferences. In some cases, the divisions go right through the pews of individual churches, separating Methodists who have long worshipped together…

"Many departing congregations are joining the Global Methodist Church, a conservative denomination that launched more than a year ago. Others are joining smaller denominations, going independent or weighing their options. Other churches in Europe and Africa are also joining the GMC." Read the full article here .

Keeping the Faith

As hard as it’s been on both sides of the controversy, it may be helpful to know Jesus prayed in his last hours for both his immediate friends and for those of us yet to come.

Though for some reason or by some miracle, with all their arguments, mistakes, failures, abuses, and just plain messes Jesus’ followers have made throughout the last two thousand years, they are still around, still telling Jesus’ story, still doing his work, still learning, believing, and accepting what he proclaimed back then. In the end, there’s a resiliency that lasts, flawed though they sometimes appear to be, sometimes not all that different from the system they are in. Yet, they last.

The point being, despite all the major/minor theological issues and quarrels of centuries, when the usual ways of coping, finding meaning, holding on to life are pretty much shattered, people still seek God and what God is doing in individual lives.

So was Jesus’ prayer answered? Like most questions today, it depends on who you listen to. It’s truthfully said that you can find evidence for whatever you want. Just put your own spin on it. Thus was another part of Jesus’ final words and prayer for his disciples. He knew what had to be at the heart and core of what these followers would bring to change the world of its system that bends toward injustice and oppression. So he prayed,

“Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth.”

John 17:6-19

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away

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No Greater Love

Wed, 01 May 2024 20:32:44 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

No greater Love means laying down one’s life for friends.

Quiet now, please. Watch as they drive up the lane, wordlessly walk over the well-kept lawn to the tented area, chairs placed for figures in black, a sharp contrast to the opulent flowers arranged around the front side. A final journey commences. Escorted by uniformed comrades, the coffin is carried as the flag upon it ruffles slightly in the breeze. Once positioned, a pause fills the moment, waiting for the final tribute for the fallen.

“No greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Gets you every time, and there have been too many times. The ultimate sacrifice we call it. A life that is no more so that others may continue in that life and have more.

Immense emotion, conflicted feelings, coupled with a blessed numbness float within those who are left. Yet, one greater question must not be spoken. Did this have to be?

Last Words

Those gathered in an upper room with Jesus in large respect were feeling and thinking the same. Jesus’ words are understood as an attempt to prepare his friends for what was to come, the laying down of his own life. He knew how in the last three years they weren’t altogether on board, had their own agendas for what their Rabbi should accomplish. Soon his own blood would be spilled out. On this night his words gush, knowing right now it wouldn’t make sense. Insight, new perspectives, revelation would come eventually. Then they would know, this had to be.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” Last words they needed to get them through spoke of love. Yet were they able to know that love which Jesus expressed to them?

Love, not as sentiment, not as desire or need, not as a possession of one for the other. Love as the Father loved. But more. “Love each other in the same way that I love you.” The Father’s love for the Son is the love the Son has for them. Love is the binding force, not dependent on mere good vibes received but on mutual, concentric interconnections.

No Greater Love

Love otherwise then is lacking, not sufficient to contain or keep close that remaining, abiding relationship of deepest intimacy. What would follow is Jesus’ own example of this great love, laying down his life for another, for the world.

Did this have to be? Why a blood sacrifice, why go into this with eyes wide open for what would happen? Why, Oh God, did you not get him the heck out of there?

No greater love, he said. No other understanding, example, means of showing you the depth of divine love, the go-to-any-lengths kind of love Jesus so desperately wants for these before him. For by that love, they are seen and transformed from being disciples, followers of a Rabbi, ones who serve their master. “You are my friends if you obey me.” Friends of the deepest ilk and kin. Friends as they remain and abide in him. Friends as they live out this love of God and Son in life.

Love like this is sacrificial in the greatest sense, greater than understood by most. In all, not many comparatively are called to lose their lives for others. When it happens, on the battlefield, the streets, by heroic actions of first responders, we bow our heads in gratefulness for their ultimate sacrifice. Still, just as grateful are we that it is not us, not ours.

Yet, Jesus said, no greater love entails laying down one’s life. To do so, in love, is to daily relinquish an identity centered on one’s own needs, the right to one’s self, in exchange for humble service of others. God knows, as do we, if we gave up our physical lives all the time, there’d be no one left among the few who might join up. Yet, this kind of love, sacrificial love, love that lays one’s life down for others in daily actions comes from hearts which remain, abide, and live out Love.

Need an easy example? In a couple of weeks is Mother’s Day. For all the human failings of mothers, there also is the giving of life and love for one’s children or those to whom one is like a mother. But don’t reduce love to a hallmark sentiment wrapped in a one-day, pink-ribboned flower bouquet.

Closer to the point, to Love fully is to examine what one does in relationships not because one feels like it, wants to do it, enjoys seeing the other pleased by it. It’s the stand-alongside-another love even when one’s own emotional center is empty, drained, just-not-feeling-it. The decision to Love like this is a laying down of one’s life when the prospect of getting one’s needs met in it seem dim.

Does This Have to Be?

“I command you to love each other,” he said. If love is only following orders, how can it be love? Hear this as not a rigid directive but more as a plea in its strongest form. Jesus did this to show that it does have to be. Love each other, he said, “so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

To love then as Jesus loves, as God loves, is to love each other. In this, that interconnected, intimate binding of one to the other is a joy not otherwise known, not possible in the expectations of personal desire focused on oneself. It’s a learned art but found in the most characteristic activity of God.

Filled with Joy

Yes, joy but it’s his kind of joy. To act decisively, sacrificially, purposely in a love that doesn’t seek its own satisfaction is not an artificial love that seeks its own ends or sinks to manipulation, even abuse. Its mutuality instead produces a transformative Love, each becoming greater in Love to the other.

To be lifted out of oneself to become a creature of Love is its purpose and brings joy. For this then, the no greater Love of Jesus has to be.

John 15: 9-17

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Crushed Fruit

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 21:03:45 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: His words grow like a vine,

thin trails of thought getting thicker with meaning.

Jesus kept talking. He’d just said it was time to go. But he kept talking. The tension in the room was a weighty blend of grief, some denial, maybe even suppressed anger at what he was saying held in place by the exhaustion of the week. Tonight was not how it had started, an exhilarating parade with the crowd calling him the new king , a king who would save. (Mark 11:1-11)

Deviating Thoughts

But he kept saying things like being lifted on a cross even as he almost desperately called to the people to believe he was sent from God. Those gathered in the city for the Passover festival had heard about his miracle of bringing a friend back to life after four days dead. (John 11:1-44) But most were not buying much more of his message than that. Still, he just kept talking.

Earlier in the evening, he had done something weird, uncharacteristic for one who would be king. He’d dressed like a servant and washed their dirty feet , calling upon them to serve others likewise. (John 13:1-17)

Then he’d said the unthinkable, that one of them, these who had followed and learned of him for three years, would betray him. Maybe that’s why he’d said to Judas, “Hurry. Do it now.” Judas was the treasurer who paid for their meals and gave money to the poor. (John 13:27-30) Do you think he left to pay off any threat to their Rabbi and themselves? Jesus kept talking.

In all the confusion, Peter had declared he’d die for his Lord. Jesus silenced the room when he stated Peter would do go so far as to three times deny he even knew Jesus before that very night was over. (John 13:38) Next came some kind of talk about going away somewhere and how he would send a Counselor to teach and remind them of what he had said. (John 14:26)

Restless, Weaving Thoughts

It was too much, how he kept talking even when he said they should be going. It was as if Jesus knew when they left that room he never would have again the chance to tell them all he wanted. So he weaved in his thoughts, let them creep out and hold on where they would, seemingly just talk but growing into so much more.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” Jesus kept talking but hold on to that thought. A vine. The image is one similar to what he is doing now. It grows, spreads out, weaves up into and among places to which it can grasp, wrap itself, become stable-tight, and then move out again. His words have been like that all night, thin trails of thought getting thicker with meaning.

Jesus fleshes it out. His Father, the one from whom he comes, is the gardener. The work of this Gardener-God is made clear from the beginning: to produce fruit. The gardener trains the branches on the vine, how to grow so light is available to all parts of it. The parts that impede ability to produce fruit are removed, pruned.

Such it has been with these friends of Jesus. The message he has given them has cut away at their ambitions, desires, misconceptions of God’s purpose in them. It’s pruning that can be severe but necessary for the fruit of the vine. Not all will accept being part of the vine. The separation leaves a wound on the vine like something nailed deep into flesh.

Severe, sometimes necessary pruning can also be a cleansing, yielding process, as if having feet or hands washed. The health of the vine and the expected fruit must be protected from disease. Yielding to the Gardener-God’s work maintains the well-being of the branches.

Roving, Winding Thoughts

From the True Vine come branches, and from the yielding of the branches is fruit. There is an interconnectedness in the image that belies the translations. Eight times Jesus states the importance of remaining, abiding, being joined to him. “Apart from me, you can do nothing.”

You won’t know growth. You can’t be effective. You won’t have life in the abundance the Gardener-God would have for you. You won’t last because you won’t produce fruit. Abide, remain in, and be joined to the message Jesus brings.

To abide is to be not just a branch, an extra appendage, but an integral part of the vine. By an intimate conjoining of Love the True Vine connects with its branches. In this Christ-likeness, the branch is identified with The True Vine. Yet, this metaphor is not limited to individualism.

“You may ask any request you like, and it will be granted.” Not a blanket give-a-way is this. Throughout Jesus’ words the plural form of “you” is stated. You entails the interconnected, gathered believers who remain in, are joined to, and abide in the True Vine. In the altogether growing, cleansing, pruning of the branches is God’s desire in producing fruit.

Meandering, Heavy Thoughts

Jesus kept talking. His message is understood as the tenuous wisps of leaves sprouted from the tips of the branch connected to the True Vine. His discourse is cloudy in its first vision, requiring multiple re-examinations as the vine sends out more branches.

Jesus kept talking. Fruit is the desire of his Gardener-God. Fruit will be taken from the vine of Love and crushed into a cup from which Jesus soon will pour out his life. The True Vine stared into his fate.

He kept talking.

John 15:1-8

The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away

by Constance Hastings

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A Snarky Sweet Sheep Tale

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 20:01:33 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: even his sweet stories have an underlying tension.

Awww, so sweet. A story about a good shepherd and his sheep. I can see now the old, faded pictures of this Jesus-figure carrying his lambs. Like really, what does this have to do with today? We left this kind of thing in the nursery with Mary’s little lamb. Baa-baa to you.

Be snarky if you want. There’s a crowd on the fringe that always does that. Yet check out who got to hear this. It didn’t come across as sweet to some.

Tension in the Tussle

Yeah, Jesus just had another scuffle with the Jewish leaders. Of course, it was over some good thing he did. They couldn’t find any dirt to bring up otherwise, so they twisted it. His mistake this time? He’d done it before, healed on the Sabbath day. You know, the Sabbath when you’re not supposed to work. Doing good is too big of an effort for them. Oh, and put aside this was a miracle, unexplainable, not according to natural order occurrence. Thou shall not do miracles on the Sabbath day. Like everyone else was going around doing it.

Sorry. Didn’t mean to adopt the snark, too. But you have to understand, this wasn’t some tale for children Jesus was making up. He was being tracked and stalked. Already, he nearly got stoned in the Temple . (John 8:59) Then he healed a blind man, both physically and spiritually , for now this guy could not only see, but he saw Jesus as Messiah. Not so for the Pharisees. (John 9) In this tension, Jesus tells the story of a good shepherd.

Conflicting Motives

Not only does he tell the story, he makes a claim about it. “I am the good shepherd.” It’s a story of devotion, love, care and concern, an intimate relationship between the good shepherd and his sheep. They belong to the shepherd, and he will do what it takes, even give his own life willingly, for them to know his devotion.

Contrast the good shepherd with the hired hand. Any hint of danger, like a wolf coming to attack, kill, and destroy, and that hired guy takes off running. Clearly, he’s only in it for the money. The sheep aren’t his, and he couldn’t care less what happens to them.

Snide Comparisons

Now if Jesus is the good shepherd, who do you think the hired hand might be? The ones who didn’t care that a man who’d been born blind was just healed except that it happened on the wrong day of the week? See, if you will, what’s going on here. This isn’t a nursery, bedtime story.

Characteristically, Jesus doesn’t leave it at that. Again, he says, “I am the good shepherd.” He compares how close he is with his sheep with the closeness he has with his Father. And what does a good shepherd do? He lays down his life for his sheep.

The Jewish leaders heard it like they wanted. Jesus was making some radical claims here. First, he loved people more than they did because these holy heads thought of themselves above the welfare of others. Hold on to the Sabbath because if that law goes, the whole ten commandments might collapse. Where would their control over the people be then?

Radical Extremist

Then he’d said he was close to his Father, like Jesus and God were of one mind or spirit? That really went over an edge. This guy sounds dangerous.

Oh, Jesus adds to it. He says there are “other sheep,” not yet in the sheepfold. They also hear his voice as shepherd, not only hear it, but listen to his voice. Eventually, they will be included so there will be just one flock. Who are these other sheep? Outsiders, strangers, wanderers, foreigners, people who don’t look like us? This guy is a fanatic.

By this point, the Jewish leaders likely had hands over their ears and were wailing to drown out how Jesus concluded this story. He spoke of the love his Father had for him, and now repeated three more times that he would give up, lay down, surrender his life for his sheep. No, don’t let the populace hear this kind of thing.

By Green Pastures and Still Waters

Yet, there’s something about Jesus choosing to tell this kind of story that does make it one of those you want to tell your children. Sure, fuzzy white sheep translate well into cotton-balled crafts, and little ones love to know there’s someone who’ll defend them against the bad guys. Having a good shepherd gives a sense of security.

No Fear in the Shadow

But you don’t have to be a little kid to need that. Mass shootings and stabbings, global threats of escalating war and resulting deaths of innocent people, rising prices of basic necessities, social conflicts, not to mention the day-to-day cares of life make for major anxietyTo know that God sees it and gathers those together, inclusive of all souls, in love is a lesson which we need to hear, to listen, to follow one who loves us so much, nothing would stop what is necessary to keep and save us.

Here Jesus was, facing down those who would just as soon see him dead, telling this story of a God who loves. He could have told a story of celestial battles or God calling down judgement or something big and bold and designed to get people to straighten up. But no, he tells a simple story about sheep who follow their good shepherd because he loves them so much.

“ The Lord is my shepherd….He restores my soul .” Psalm 23

John 10:11-18

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Peace in Doubt

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 18:51:20 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: The tension in the Resurrection is the pivotal spin

between doubt, wonder and belief.

Every single one of them did it. When they heard the news, they didn’t believe it. Don’t blame them. We are no different. To be honest, it helps. It helps a lot, for if the report was swallowed hook, line, and sinker as the fishermen they were, it’d be pretty evident this story was falsified with some ulterior purpose in mind, like fashioned to make themselves into some kind of holy heroes. Not how it happened. They didn’t believe it, plain and simple.

Ponder the Incredulous

Hey, weren’t these the guys who’d heard him say it would happen? Still, you couldn’t expect this. Jesus, brutally tortured until dead on a cross, expired for three days, and just like that, there he is in the same room, alive and well. Even the reports about the women at the tomb say they were scared out of their wits. The men thought they were delirious. Now their minds were being blown as well. Yeah, it’s hard to wrap your head around. Had to be a zombie of some sort. Nope, don’t blame them. We’re with them.

Jesus is back, alive, well, resurrected from the dead as the saying goes. What would be anyone’s thought? Walking dead, for sure. That’s all they could think of, reverting back to some kind of pagan superstition. Jesus understands. He is real but from a new kind of reality. His work is cut out for him.

First, he speaks words familiar to them. “Peace be with you.” Shalom. On one hand, it’s like saying, “Hey, Guys. I’m here. Everything’s cool.” But they also know his kingdom as one of peace. Peace, not as absence of conflict, but peace that calms the soul-storms, clarifies with a new sense or vision, unites in purpose to God and each other, empowers with strength of presence and being. He offers this peace to them.

He appeared to them, and now he’s talking just like he used to. They are still petrified. This won’t be an easy sell. Jesus gets right down to it. “Why do you doubt who I am?” Minds need proof, an experiential, empirical understanding of existence, design, and method. Jesus rolls up his sleeves and kicks off his sandals. “Look…Touch.” See my hands and feet. Touch me. I am not a ghost. I’m a physical body. I’m real as life.

Speculative Conclusions

So, that’s a good one. But will it last? Jesus was not there and then there. Real bodies don’t do that. Are we being drawn into something that’s beyond weird?

This isn’t weird. Ghosts may look like what they were when alive, but ghosts don’t have physical functions. The disciples were still doubting, though something like hope was stirring, too, as they also felt joy and wonder. Jesus asks them for something to eat and scarfs down some broiled fish. Why not? It’s been three days since that last supper, so to speak. There is something so natural and alive in him. They watch and recall what they know him to be.

Yet, in the role they know him best, for the role by which they first followed him, Jesus speaks as their Rabbi, their Teacher. This is the Jesus they know, the Jesus who called them by saying, “Come and see.” For three years he had instructed them, expanding the ancient writings and commandments God had given their ancestors. He shows them again in the words of the prophets how the Messiah would suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. This they could remember and use to piece together the events of the last few days. By re-minding them, Jesus opened their minds to this new reality, this privilege they had in a glimpse of not mere life after death, not a resuscitation back to what was, but a translation into one having a closer presence in the love of God. Eternal life is the catch-all term for it.

Want a better explanation? Go for it, but good luck with that. Herein is the journey of faith, that place of tension between doubt and belief. What happens when we die is a huge question. Yet, efforts to approximate it to what is already known is refusal to enter into the mystery of it, a grounding of logical proofs that negate wonder.

Peace in the Drift

That Jesus lived and died on a cross is a verifiable fact. Resurrection is the pivotal place of doubt and belief. Yet, doubt is where faith begins. Again, everyone who first heard that Jesus was alive responded first with doubt. Can’t blame them, right? They went from too-good-to-be-true, to can’t-believe-it-is-true, to this wonder that it might be true. Courageous souls float in wonder, the position between doubt and belief . It’s not denial as opposed to blind acceptance. It’s feeling the pull of not understanding the hows of doubt for an exchange of acceptance in the whys of belief.

Trust then is the operative part of faith, the not-knowing but somehow accepting. Jesus blessed the disciples in his greeting of Shalom, peace in lives that can carry this tension of wonder and bring a witness of how far God will go to bring restoration. That someone would die for a good cause is believable, but how someone could come back from death for the cause of transforming love is the stretch.

It may beg the question though, where is the stronger faith? In the one totally convinced, or in the one who can’t explain away but somehow accepts? “You are witnesses,” Jesus said. Turn to me, accept me and my life offering for you. Be restored and reconciled to God in love.

And wonder with peace.

Luke 24:36b-48

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A Protest of Perceptions

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:36:47 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is only by witnessing a power often misunderstood, not a parade, might people enter a new reality.

H ey, Mister Messiah, finally you got the right angle on all of this. Get the people excited for a big party. After all, it’s spring break time. Use the right props, send out an advance team, let Jerusalem know you are on the way. It will be the parade of all parades, taking you to right where you were meant to be.

Appearance vs. Reality:

Commonly thought to be a literary device or a philosophical question. What you “see” points to something greater, that is, what is not necessarily visible or experienced with the usual senses. You can read up on and/or play a mind game with it if that’s your thing. What’s required is an awareness that the concept is more frequent in our perceptions than generally considered. This day was one of them. Cheer from the sidelines or join in the parade. But store your expectations for another day.

Parade vs. Protest

All accounts record it. It must have been quite the procession. Everyone came out to see the spectacle of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey. People spread their coats on the ground, and the road was strewn with leafy branches, all to make the ride smoother and keep down the dust. Clamorous voices called him a king, the one who would establish a new kingdom on the level of their greatest hero, King David. Best yet, he came “in the name of the Lord,” fulfilling what the ancient prophets had promised. Not lost on anyone was the celebration of Passover only days away, the commemoration of the Israelite deliverance from slavery and oppression by the Egyptians. Part parade, part protest, however you see it, God was on the move and doing it again!

When you heard what had happened in Bethany, a small town outside Jerusalem, you couldn’t help get even more excited and believe now was the time. Life was going to change in a big way for the Jews. The story went that Jesus actually had raised a man from the dead. Dead not just for a few minutes and revived, but four-days-dead. They even had to open up the tomb, and in a loud voice Jesus had shouted for him to come out. And the guy did, grave clothes and all! If Jesus could do this, those Romans might as well pack up and run for the hills. Hope was so big you could taste it.

Now that we have our forks in hand, bet we know what’s coming. What this looks like isn’t what it is. Tell us then, what’s really going on?

It may not have been noticed by everyone, but when Jesus got there, the guy’s sisters sort of put the blame for their brother’s death on Jesus. “Lord, if you had been here…,” they kept saying. Grief over the death of a loved one, and likely a young guy, too, is understandable. People like to think Jesus understood, and his compassionate love spilled over. He “wept” is what is said. But in reality, if you look behind what you see to what is real, there’s more to the story.

Truth is, Jesus cried, but his tears were mixed with anger. Not the five-stages-of-grief kind of anger, but anger out of how those closest to him, after all this time, just didn’t get it, just couldn’t see what all the preaching, teaching, healing, even raising someone from the dead was really about. Frustrated to the point of tears , he was.

Reality vs. Reversal

When the parade was over, when the shouting had quieted, when the people were gone finally, Jesus went into the Temple in Jerusalem and looked around carefully at everything. After the day he just had, maybe he cried again. The most significant week of his life was before him. People wanted so much from him, but what they wanted was not that for him to give. When they watched him, heard his words, put their hopes in him, they saw only what they wanted to see, wanted to hear, not what God was offering them for their souls.

“Hosanna,” they had shouted. Their cry is not as it seems, what we want it to be, even what we have been told it is. Hosanna, lifted in word and song, hymn and liturgy, is not so much a praise but a plea. What the crowd called out for but did not know in truth was, “Save us!”

He would. He would be their king, more so though of their hearts than their country. He would bring about a new kingdom, in fact, through him it was already beginning, the kingdom of God. Raising someone from the dead was only a sign of the new reality he would establish. He would make that reality full, answering their plea to save by turning it into their salvation.

Appearance vs. Reality may have been the toughest fight Jesus had, reversing how things look into what God means for them to be. Before the week was out, those to whom he had the most to give would reject him, betray him, destroy it all.

That is, if you accept how it appears to be…

Mark 11:1-11

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Love It or Lose It

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 18:03:33 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

The Pastor of Paradox teaches lose your life to keep it.

What we say we want isn’t really what we want. Sure, it makes sense in the moment, your best advisers may say go for it, you’ve trained for it with a goal in mind. But when you actually get it…Maybe not.

They were from out of town, Greeks, trained in logic and philosophy. The Jewish festival Passover was in a few days. Likely, they had come to observe for themselves this religious high point of the year for Jews. Yet, there was this new guy who people were saying had a different take on the Law, some thought he might be the Messiah the ancient prophets had promised would deliver the Jews from Roman control. Why not hear his take on life’s meaning?

“We want to meet Jesus.” Sounds simple enough. Listen to him teach, maybe have a good philosophical dialogue, shake hands, and on with the rest of their itinerary. Maybe what we say we really want isn’t what we’re really asking.

Direct Instruction

Jesus had plenty to say, but it wasn’t a dialogue, a give-and-take time of questioning, proposing alternatives. There was no small talk, welcoming as equals, light discussion of the events of the day. Jesus doesn’t assume a role; he is what he is. And he tells it outright.

“The time has come…”, he begins. All are on notice to be expectant for God is going to move, the Son of Man is going to get his glory. Unexpectedly (and characteristically), he takes this differently from illustrations of adoration, triumph, celestial celebration. Something about how a kernel of wheat had to die before it can grow and produce a bountiful harvest of wheat? You’ve got to listen hard to catch up with him sometimes.

“Those who love their life will lose it,

and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Pastor of Paradox

Speaking for those Greek visitors and the rest of us, what in the heavens and on earth can you possibly mean? Love is not meant to be thrown away. It’s precious, so you protect that which you love. But you’re saying to hate our precious lives so we can keep it? Yeah, Pastor of the Paradox, you certainly are!

Love is precious, and it drives much. Where you place that love, that loyalty, that dedication is the point. If you want to meet Jesus, you have to meet him where he is. “Come, and follow me,” he says. To do so is to refute much of what you think you must have to live, to survive, to be happy in this world. Your right to yourself is sacrificed to being his follower, his disciple.

Good golly, this is too much, really. So all I’ve worked for, everything I’ve become, is completely out the window? Dear God, but how can you ever ask this of us?

Granted, it’s a lot. A whole lot. Wimps need not apply. It does make you rethink what’s central, what right that now may seem non-negotiable, the I-can’t-ever-live-without things of life. If not an immediate one-eighty reversal, it would require a lifetime of peeling the onion in finding what is the pristine core which makes life worth living. Maybe, that’s the purpose of the exercise. In all though, Jesus wants to be that central thing. But don’t think it’s too much to ask of someone. He knows.

From Paradox to Passion

He knows because it was no less than what was asked of him. He struggled with it more than we’ll ever know. “Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead?’” he asked of himself as much as those around him. Before the week was out, he’d meet his purpose, to be like that kernel of wheat and die, buried in the ground. The ultimate sacrifice we call it. Surely, God would not ask that of us, we hope.

Yet, that kernel has to die as a seed before it can grow and produce a harvest. From a life sacrificed in following Jesus, there is a reaping of life that will not die, that which will last now into eternity. So loss becomes gain, death reverses into life, letting go leads to finding more.

Really? Show me. Give me your best shot. Who, when, where does this happen? And on the other side, you say there’s benefit?

More than benefit. Jesus asks this because he knows. He lived it and he died. The cross was just around the corner. But only by his dying could the final outcome of life be reversed. He died as a kernel of wheat, seeding then new life for us through resurrection, restoring us to full life.

People say they want it all, the best life possible. It’s like saying what they want but not really wanting what they say. Jesus says he wants the same, but not more of the same. By his life example and purpose, meeting him as Son of God, there is more life, an abundance beyond what you might really want.

The choice then is given: you can love your life or lose it for him.

John 12:20-33

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Out to Get You

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 21:45:06 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: One can’t know Love without knowing its Lover.

Now, You Christians really like this part. You’ve got it inscribed on your bracelets, shirts and mugs, and you gush when you say it. Seems to some of us though, you haven’t really read it, more like you take these words and make them be what you want to hear. Let me rephrase what it sounds like to an outsider. God is out to get us. Either we take and swallow God’s deal, or we’re fried. It says God loves and is not condemning or judging, but it certainly doesn’t play like that in my world. One contradiction after another is all it is.

So at this point we say, Sorry, we didn’t mean it and God didn’t mean it either? You want what you say you don’t want, to make it all into what you want to hear? Not going to happen. Granted though, this is the crux of this whole thing. What is required is clarity of thought and expression. It’s a valid need and not to be ignored by any of us.

Context First

Notice the limitations we have with it. We live right now. No kidding. Written 2000 years ago, some things are not going to mean what we think it means. Start with this, “As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole…” That’s what medical professions use as their logo, right? Yes, it came from a story of healing, referencing when the Israelites in the wilderness suffered from snake bites. God provided healing in this pole for those who gaze upon it. (Numbers 21:8-9) Lifting one’s focus above one’s self to God is what heals and restores. Sure, the image seems strangely voodoo-ish, but if it’s good enough for your favorite doc, don’t bash it.

Jesus saw himself on it except his pole was a cross on which he’d be lifted. Like the Israelites, anyone who looks up to it in belief that God heals and restores all that’s wrong with us, gets “eternal life.” That’s huge, a lot more than you may think or have been led to think. It means that life with God begins now, not when you gasp your last. Now. In God’s own presence and being, you have it made. God out to get you? Thank God for it. God wants to get you close and live a full life with you. Yes, right now and again even after your body gives out.

The How and How Much of Love

Then, in just 24 words or so, Jesus clarifies. “God loved the world so much…” Only a copious Love can make it happen, the kind of Love that will do anything to be with another.

“… so much God gave…” It took the fullest sacrifice that can be measured, so much Love that gave and spilled all it could, a surrender that shatters all concept of a love that serves itself. “ I came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many .” (Mark 10:45)

“…God gave his only Son…” Love came to show how Love is done, a Love that is total, unreserved, and unrestricted.

“…his only Son that whoever believes in him…” Jesus offered it in his call to “ Come and see .” (John 1:39) Watch me, observe me, draw closer, get nearer to what I do and who I am. Know it for yourself and not just what you’ve been told or what someone else wants you to know. And if you get close enough, I will change you and reverse all that you thought you were or could ever be. For in me you will know God and believe, in me you will have faith in what I can do, and in me you will trust as you walk in my path.

“…whoever believes in him will not perish…” Yes, that for which you’ve striven is what I want for you as well. By reversal and restoration, you won’t be separated from Love, but find your life, your soul, that innermost, intimate part of you that only God really sees and of which you have only part understanding.

“…not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) I have come that you may have life and have it fully, abundantly, rich and satisfying with the essentials of all that life is and needs. Even more so, it will carry you from this life, this trouble, into an even better existence with me forever.

So God loves and God gives. God gives God’s self in human form who lived and died for real, reversing trouble by reversing where trouble ends into what God and every created person wants, not death but life that fulfills Love.

Love. For the Love of God, Jesus came. Not to condemn, not to bring judgement, but to bring Love.

Woo Hoo! You set that up well. If only your Jesus had ended with that. But he says too much. Way too much. Next is this thing about if how you don’t buy into God’s plan, if you don’t trust it, you’re judged, punished, and that can’t be good. Then he goes into this light and darkness thing. (Hate to say this, but does it sound like it has racial overtones here?) Not liking this at all. Feeling like it’s how you either sugar-coat all things God or you want to scare the living crap out of someone. Son of God, not ready to buy yet.

Choice or Consequence

If this was easy, you’d question its worth. Again, look at the layers. Talk of judging today isn’t politically correct (like nobody ever does it, just saying). Have you heard it said that tolerance is the love-language of today’s culture? Judging doesn’t fly well when you are supposedly a proponent of Love. Understood. But what seems to be the real misunderstanding is what judgement means here and who does the judging.

Look at it like this. A parent loves a child like nothing else in this world. Now, if that’s so, then the parent wants the best for that child. Think of God’s Love like that for “the world”, that’s all of us. Now, a loving parent wants to help a child grow up to be the best possible kid ever. So that parent will lovingly direct and teach that kid how to be smart and good and stay away from anything that can hurt that kid. When really little, you hold their hands constantly when outside the house. Then you let go more and more. But you teach them to stay on the sidewalk before crossing the street, how to look both ways, read traffic signals, and to cross only when it’s absolutely safe. All out of love and wanting the very best for your kid. God’s like that, too.

But the day will come when the kid crosses the street with no parent standing around. The kid chooses to trust what the parent has taught or to do it however they like. Worst case scenario though, if the kid runs out into traffic and gets killed, it’s not the parent’s fault. (Stop there; this is an analogy. No analogy is perfect, but please go along for the point made.) Don’t blame the parent for what was taught but not obeyed. In the end, the kid made a choice, and the consequence was tragic.

Now, see God like this. God has given God’s best for the world, actually coming here as one of us to teach how to live and how to know God, but most importantly, how much God Loves the world and to what extreme in Jesus that Love is given. The choice to believe is open, not forced. If one chooses otherwise, it’s a choice that can have eternal consequences. That’s not on God; that’s on us. That’s not judgement. God did God’s best to let the world know all it takes is a belief in what Jesus did, how he made a promise written in blood so we don’t have to.

In today’s world, light and dark themes for good and evil choices don’t work well. Agreed. But go with this. You can’t see clearly or well without light. Darkness makes for poor navigation, and it can hide a lot, especially what some would prefer not to be seen. The fact is some choices have clarity of vision and truth, and some choices are cloudy, murky, ones with limited spiritual sight. If someone stays in the dark too long, sight can be impaired to the point of blindness. One is able to spotlight choices, and the other seeks to hide and cover itself from those choices. Judgement isn’t the point, but the choices one makes is.

This makes sense as long as you accept one premise. God set this system up. If God was really that loving, then why make this requirement of “believing”? If God really “so loved the world” then why not take us all in, beliefs or not, warts and all? What if we don’t want to give God all this control and say so?

The Lover in Love

Therein lies the crisis. Sometimes the people who seem most disturbed by and who cry against this system-set up are the ones most fearful of it. Why be afraid of something if you don’t believe it’s true? If it’s not true, no one is going to lose by it. Except that it stabs into and opens up the most vulnerable part of everyone, the need to be Loved, not as the world loves imperfectly, but completely and wholly as you are and are meant to be.

One can’t know Love without knowing its Lover. That’s the choice.

John 3:14-21

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Angry Passion

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 22:57:24 GMT

This time it was different. Way different. Whether the change was in Jesus or in the setting, it’s hard to tell. Maybe he noticed something he’d not been aware of before, or maybe it was he that had changed, grown, realized something in himself.

Passover Remembrance

As a child, his family had made the yearly trip to the Temple for the Jewish Passover celebration. He must have loved it because there was this story of how one year he had stayed there for three extra days talking with the Temple teachers. While they were quite impressed with his questions, his precocious interests had given his parents a fit, thinking he was lost or worse. He excused himself by saying they should have known he’d be in his “Father’s house.” (Luke 2:41-52)

However, business as usual didn’t come close to that week’s hectic activity. To celebrate Passover, one had to bring the prescribed offering, a perfect animal specimen to sacrifice for one’s sins. Their history and heritage remembered the lamb whose blood had been painted on the doorposts of homes, signaling for the angel of death to pass over and not take the life of the home’s firstborn son.

It was the final plague that convinced Pharaoh to release the Israelites from the enslavement of Egypt to travel back to the land of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Blood was necessary for a life to be saved. Now, hundreds of years later, their faith told them to remember their deliverance from both sin and slavery by this yearly pilgrimage. Jerusalem and the Temple site was cram-crowded with pilgrim travelers from everywhere Jews lived or had been dispersed.

Commercial Reality

Actually, the scene was born of practical matters. People who came from long distances couldn’t bring with them an animal to sacrifice. Then there was the matter of paying the Temple tax. Hebrew law would not allow engraved images claiming to be a god inside the main gates. There needed to be an accessible way to exchange Roman currency for Jewish shekels. In short, for all surface appearances, the selling of animals and the exchange of money looked as if it was an accommodation for people to faithfully practice their religion.

Reactionary Passion

But something in the scene, likely almost deafening and even malodorous (in other words, it stunk like you know what), stopped Jesus from going inside. Maybe no one noticed a rage building within him as he twisted ropes into a whip. But in a volcanic eruption, he exploded on them, driving away the animals, turning over the tables of the exchange kiosks, coins of all kinds and values scattering and clanging on the floor. Strangely, he stopped at the dove sellers’ booth, but ordered them out saying, “Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Ok, you’ve lost it with this one. Jesus, the one sent from God as the Son of God, goes ballistic right outside his church. In this day and age, he’d be taken in as a terrorist. Whatever happened to being the Light of the World and Love and all that kind of sweet, meek-and-mild Jesus? And he’s angry, raging-mad kind of angry? Are you saying this is ok with God? Sorry people, but this doesn’t seem like the right road we should follow here. Too many people are going to get hurt if you get behind this guy.

Abusive Ritual

Understood. But don’t act as if you haven’t seen this before and always disapproved. Still, there were things going on not obvious to contemporary reading but contextually understood by the early readers of John’s account.

Remember, as a child he’d known the Temple as his “Father’s house,” the same as he’d called it that very day. But as an adult, Jesus now knew of the systematic injustices the Temple inflicted upon the faithful, especially those who could least afford it. Religious robbery would sum up what was going on. The required unblemished animal sacrifice would cost you plenty. Besides that, another fleecing happened with exorbitant rates of exchange charged to get your cash converted for the Temple tax. If all of that didn’t get up your crawl, corruption was inherent in the status of the priests. It was supposed to be inherited as being part of the Levitical tribe of priests, but in reality, the appointment of the chief priest had to have the approval of the Roman government. Furthermore, kickbacks were necessary to keep happy them and allow the Jews to worship and even make a living. Would this infuriate you? To come at them slinging righteous anger and a whip may have let them off easy.

Twisted Teaching

Yet, another deeper, maybe even damning issue could have disturbed Jesus even more. The prophets had pleaded for it, but the Pharisees only acerbated it. As gatekeepers of the Law, they held their thumbs on the populace with ritualistic requirements that often were near impossible for the average person to meet. People learned from this that God cared more about the sacrifices needed for their infringements than their relationship with their Creator. How people washed their hands was elevated above Love of God and neighbor. Temple worship was a farce, and it raised the rile in Jesus.

The disciples were watching. They knew the prophetic words of Psalm 69:9. “Passion for God’s house burns within me.” That outburst of temper was seen as spilling over in a zeal that sought to not just destroy the system but restore the people to God. Yet another translation of that verse is also telling. “Concern for God’s house will be my undoing.”

Restorative Justice

Did anything change that day? In a word, No. After a scramble for livestock and spilled money, the next day the market opened for business as usual. But what would come was spelled out.

When confronted by the Jewish leaders, Jesus retorts with this incomprehensible statement: “Destroy this Temple, and three days later I will raise it up!” Everyone knew the Temple took forty-six years to erect. What ever could be going on in his head?

By this point, Jesus likely was shaking, visibly angry by any observation. Yet, there was an awareness of the connection between that day and what was to come. Whips would be cracked again, but the slashes would be across his own back. Injustice inflicted by every nation, the failings of priests and people, not to mention his own rigged trial and betrayal by friends, would be absorbed into himself. As Son of God, he would bear the worst the world could design on a cross and know fully what it means to be separated from God as Father. With that act, the divine would relinquish its anger in exchange for restoration.

Three days later, Jesus said, and he delivered. After that, no other sacrifice is required. Priests can point the way, but only a soul accepting of God’s love is necessary. No government or other human institution or system can interfere. He bore a fury that refused to let any injustice or dysfunction get in the way. In him resides the place of true worship.

Three days later Jesus’ temple-body rose from a zealousness centered in the power of love. Such was his passion.

John 2:13-22

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Crosshair Followers

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:44:47 GMT

Dear, Dear Jesus, Oh Son of Man, you gotta just calm down. Really, calling your best man a “Satan”? Peter was just trying to talk some sense into you. He’d already settled it. You are the Messiah . (Mark 8:29) The twelve in your crew are behind you. Now, organize your heavenly forces, march into Jerusalem, and take that city. All of Israel will flock to your side, and the filthy Romans will flee fast on the roads they built for themselves. Face it; You are THE Man!

Campaign to Lose

If only… but that wasn’t the plan. Up until then, things had been cool. Jesus’ fame preceded him due to his healings and feeding thousands of people. They’d even seen him walk on water. The hope of the nation was behind him, and his disciples had front row access to all of it. But now he’d started this weird talk of suffering, rejection, even death. He ended it with rising again three days later. Where was this all coming from?

“You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s,” he said. You mean God wants the chosen ones of Israel to live like this forever? What’s wrong with wanting to better your life, have an ambition to achieve more, turn your hard work into a huge payday, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor? Isn’t that what the world says, have it your way? What’s God got against any of that?

Caught in the Crosshairs

It’s not what God is against; it’s what God is for. At this point, Jesus is trying to give them a clear-eyed picture of where they were heading. Jerusalem was not going to be a fun festival. Coming into the city just before Passover, they would not only be met with adoring crowds (most looking for a miracle-show), but also a hard collision with the religious and political leaders. The opposition recognized they were losing control of their elevated privilege built on coercion to Jesus’ popularity among his followers. Things would reach a tipping point. They would have to use their biggest weapon, the power to kill. Executions kept things quiet for a good while. Jesus would be in their crosshairs.

Paradoxical Premise

Still, he refused to play his enemies’ game. To follow him, Jesus said to put aside their selfish desires, dreams, and purposes. Instead, lift and accept the cross given to them, and get behind what he was doing, the way he was doing it. Keep your life, and you will lose it. Or lose your life for God’s sake, and you’ll find it. It’s a paradox that grapples with finding meaning in a life lived or the meaning of life found by relinquishing it for a larger, greater meaning.

That grappling with these contested desires is not an easy effort. The essence of sacrifice is giving up what one thinks one has to have, the rights to oneself to have one’s own way, the impulse to take the easy road. It means listening in a new direction that quiets the noise of the world so the world’s own suffering, pain, hurts and rejections becomes one’s own. Eventually, the cross you shoulder is not just your own, but also the crosses of others by identifying with those too weak, too powerless, too defeated to hope for help. It’s a choice that more often than not seems dumb, ridiculous, too uncompromising for what makes for success, the good life as it’s called.

Jesus’ honesty in describing what was ahead was directed toward himself as much as his disciples and the crowd. A Roman cross was designed not only to take life but to take it by torture. The fear it instilled was as great as the death it accomplished. Yet Jesus said give up your life, and you will find it. The life you find will rise above the small, petty mundane efforts of getting through. It loses itself in the greater work of God and the expansion of love into grace. So he said, “on the third day,” Jesus would complete that work by robbing death of its ultimate power and rising again bringing new life.

“And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process?”

Mark 8:31-38

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For This I Came

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:55:29 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: If all God does is leave us dangling in the mess we call life, what’s the point of a God anyway?

The question has to be asked. It springs from recent history of anxiety in a global pandemic, but it’s been around like forever. When we face the horrors which we cannot control, where is God, what is God doing in all of it? Don’t think I’m the only one to ask. People sit in war zones not of their own making and watch their lives, their families, their kids go though terror. Addictions steal souls with so many weapons: drugs that change personalities, legal gambling that gives false highs and rationales, digital devices that can’t be put down while they shout twisted lies and play into fears of isolation. Mental illness raids the mind of rational thought and devastates relationships. Diseases like cancer are known to every single family in this world. There’s more, but worst is how none of this sits in its own silo. Much of it feeds on the other, and we sink into the bottom of what we once thought was bottom.

We’ve got a right to ask, God what’s the plan here? Are you there or are we just left hanging while God watches disinterestedly from the cosmos?

The Desperate Question

That’s valid. If all God does is leave us dangling in the mess we call life, what’s the point of a God anyway? Lord knows, there’s likely not a single person on this globe that hasn’t been affected by any number of these tragedies. And it’s been a long time, a real long time at least for our generation who is used to quick fixes and instant gratification. But in reality, ours is not the only generation who has had to deal with ordeals that reroute life from what it should be.

With all the advances of science, technology, expert knowledge, and now AI, we’ve adopted the perspective that these things should be easily controlled. Learning we’re not in control, how there are no good answers, is a hard lesson. It leaves one last pathetic question, how did people get through this in the past? Or more to your question, where was God then and what came of it?

An Eternal Question

The candid point here is what brings this question has been a part of life, as you said, like forever. Get over it; this is nothing new. Even when we’ve been able to push back and defeat one, something else in a whack-a-mole fashion pops up. The loss it brings is exhausting certainly.

When Jesus lived, it was no different. Illness could easily bring with it early death. Life expectancy was really low. Anything that could save a life was precious. So, news of his healings attracted crowds similar to the first Covid 19 vaccine lines. Furthermore, his power over disease testified that he was no ordinary rabbi. If nothing else, people listened more closely to what he had to say because of them. At best, persons came to believe through his healing miracles that he was from God as the Son of God. But in between is the question, what did Jesus mean to do in people’s lives by healing them? What was he helping people to understand about God in these struggles with that which cheats life of quality and longevity?

The Meaning in the Question

One of those healings was really personal for Simon, more commonly known as Peter. After Jesus and his disciples had been in the synagogue, they went home where Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a high fever. Whereas today a high fever could be dispelled in little time with medication, in the first century it demonstrated the body was in battle with something that could take over and bring death, almost like a kind of evil.

In a simple act, Jesus went to her and took her hand. Like today, touching could bring on contagion. Yet, with the confidence of one who has no fear, he helped her sit up. The change of position brought the hoped-for change of restored health as the fever left her. She was so well and strong she even prepared dinner for her family, Jesus and his disciples. (And remember, cooking in those days was no small chore.)

Word spread fast and by sunset, people brought their sick and demon possessed. The crowd was huge and gathered outside the door. Jesus healed them, those whose diseases were recognized and those whose issues and behaviors were beyond the present-day understanding. Sure, this makes for a good story and plenty of movies where people are profuse in their thanks and bow at Jesus’ feet. But it also worth asking what these vignettes are meant to say.

Go back to the present-day struggles. Without discounting crushing sickness, panic, and loss, everyone lives with the constant, low-level stress of not knowing what’s going to happen next and to whom. We desperately want it to go away, and we want to have lives with some kind of normalcy restored.

The Purpose in the Question

Restored. Isn’t that the key? No matter if it happened two thousand years ago or this afternoon, whatever can restore our lives is the healing we want. That’s what Jesus brought in his miracles of healing. Simon’s mother-in-law was not just rid of a high fever, but she was raised back to the life she’d been given where she could serve others. Today, we desire and hope for the same life, a life where we are not separated and distanced but restored to physical and relational presence with each other and working together in community for each other’s common good and connection. It’s the life that God means for us to have.

Our Healer knew that need as well. Before dawn the next morning, he retreated to the “wilderness,” a place of solitude for prayer. Anyone who serves in whatever kind of ministry of healing they are called can tell you at the end of the day, exhaustion will ask why you do this kind of work. Jesus’ life had a similar degree of wrestling with the same question.

He needed his answer soon, for Simon and the others showed up. The crowds were looking for more of the same. Yet Jesus knew his call was not just centered in a small town near the Sea of Galilee. He needed to take his message to others, proclaiming the Kingdom of God is near. This was the Good News. Jesus was bringing healing restoration to life in all that God would have us be and serve each other.

Need a more direct answer to what God is doing in this chaos? In spite of the losses we all know, healing still happens. Just as we watched teams of healers develop vaccines in record time, the human race fights hard in saying, “This shall not be!” against what would end life. With all the hope that brings of not having to live daily with these threats in our faces, there’s something even better. If we choose, life restored will be healed in knowing God wants us, saves us for life with purpose in being who God created us to be.

The Trouble with Jesus: “For this is what I came to do.”

Mark 1:29-39

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What Have You to Do With Us

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:39:57 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He kicked evil to the curb

only for its ugly head to go after him in another time and place.

Oh yeah! Today is going to be a fun one. Your man is taking on a bad guy. Jesus tells him where to go (who doesn’t do that anyway) drawing a line in the Palestinian sand. Best yet, he sits in the seat of the paranormal! (spooky music here, please) Woooooo.

Really? In this day and age, do you really think people swallow this? Evil, unclean spirits possessing people? That’s what psychiatric intervention and treatments are for. Your hocus pocus of religion is so ridiculous, it’s sickening.

Ok, granted, like some cable tv shows that are heavy on the entertainment factor but maybe not on reality, this story sounds like it’s way out there. Jesus is easier to take if you just leave him to blessing the children and telling stories about lost sheep. Call him The Nicest Man That Ever Lived and deposit him on a shelf with last month’s elf. What goes on here is way off from that story. But you knew that was coming, didn’t you?

Preach to Where They Live

So give this a chance. Jesus has become a regular in the local synagogue, speaking every Saturday. People like him. That is, they really like him. He’s got an incredibly interesting take on teaching the Torah, ancient writings of the Jewish law and the prophets. Most of the regular legal experts, the scribes, are pretty dry in how they rehash what’s been said over and over. But Jesus, well, he tells it like it is but puts a greater spin on it. He doesn’t disagree or say it’s not so. Yet, when you hear him tell it, you get the idea that he’s letting you in on how God sees it, like from God’s lips to Jesus’ ears to our heads and hearts. While Jesus is known as a sort of a self-made rabbi, not coming through the usual religious systems, when he speaks you know he’s got something in him worth listening to, an authority the rest of the religious leaders don’t quite have.

A Mirror of Mind and Soul

Take for instance what is famously known today as his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus goes over it time and again. “You have heard it said (fill in a commandment), but I say….” The scribes will tell you what the law is: Do not commit murder, adultery, break your vows, etc. Geez, we can read that for ourselves. Isn’t the whole point of preaching supposed to help us see deeper, think differently, live with more integrity? Jesus showed the amateurs how it was done.

Murder? Watch your emotional response towards another. If you are angry, if you demean a person, if you curse someone, you are in a dangerous place, the kind of place that very well could lead to taking another’s life. Adultery? Let lust, a fantasy of a sexual nature desiring another, dominate your musings, and you’ve just as well put yourself in bed with her or him. You’re certainly are closer to acting on it. Break your vow? Don’t even say it, and you won’t be putting yourself in jeopardy of violating it.

In other words, Jesus had this way of piercing motive and thought life, how we position ourselves with others. Cognitive behaviorists will tell you what you allow yourself to think leads to emotional responses which often dictates action. Jesus was way ahead of them on that. In short, the authority credited to him was in his ability to get into people’s psyche and soul.

So Jesus was a master because he knew where people were coming from and could make their religion relevant to them. He had charisma? I wouldn’t expect you to say anything less. That’s essential to anyone who wants to lead a movement. But I gotta ask. I know this is still early in his career, but given how he made the synagogue leaders look kinda bad, wouldn’t this be a problem for him pretty soon?

Partners in the Plot

More than pretty soon. Let’s move on to that guy who disrupted Jesus’ teaching that day. He’s variously described as having an unclean, evil spirit that possessed him. What’s a character like that doing in a synagogue, a place considered holy, where people came to meet their God? Who would have let him in the door? That depends. Was it the front door? Or the back door? And who would benefit by letting this wretch get by the Jewish gatekeepers who wouldn’t let anybody in with any kind of disease or illness and who even kept the women back behind screens because they had a monthly issue of blood?

Admittedly, this is only conjecture, not written explicitly in the record, but don’t put it past those who had a lot to lose if this upstart preacher got more notice than they. You know how it happens. When climbing a ladder, the worst thing you can do is be better than your boss.

As it was, Jesus’ confrontation with the possessed man turned out to be a fight for way more than the admiration of a crowd. Strangely, the man shouts, “What have you to do with us ? Have you come to destroy us ?” But then he shrinks back. “I know who you are…” His words reveal the struggle, all the crushing evils of the world speaking though an individual torn in a destructive battle for his being and soul. Need a contemporary example? Addicts will tell you when the need for a fix overtakes all motivation, you are talking with the drugs and not the person. It’s a possession more real than you’ll ever find in a paranormal portrayal.

Wicked Warfare

They fight. He calls Jesus, “the holy one sent from God.” Jesus commands the spirit to shut up and come out of him. Usually, you have to name a disease or disorder to cure it. We have no designation in this record. Call it what you will: a psychological or personality disorder, a neurological illness, a soul twisted from physical, sexual, religious abuse. Any way you frame it, it destroyed and sucked the life out of him. That’s the goal of evil in its most insidious form. Still, he knew clearly who Jesus was and his purpose. He fought it with a squawking screech, the kind that sounds like it originates and ends in the bowels of hell. The warring factions within convulsed his body. Then it was over. The guy was ok, healed of whatever had clenched him.

So maybe Jesus came out on the winning side that day. His authority and power over what possessed this man impressed and gave him even more validation in the eyes of the people. But it’s not over. It takes a good long fight, battle, outright war to beat back evil. Yet, we only have to look at history to know it’s never gone for good.

Preach all you want, pass all the laws you can, write all the books you can ink, broadcast the experts, stream all kinds of authority. But hatred, racism, sexism, slavery, political and economic oppression, whatever pounds the spirit into oblivion, will rear its ugly head in another time and place.

Whereas Jesus may have dealt defeat over that day’s expression of evil, it did not disappear and would follow him, haunt him until his own demise upon an evil cross. His final battle would culminate in a clash with life’s fiercest foe, the true purpose of evil as death, and bring a healing three days later never possible before in life restored.

The Lord’s Prayer is understood as given by Jesus to pray for ourselves in God’s will. Yet, in a way, Jesus may have meant the final petition, read in the original Greek, for himself as much as for the world.

“ Rescue us from the evil one .” Matthew 6:13

Mark 1:21-28

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Radical Change

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 20:20:25 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: To understand what Jesus was calling them to do,

you can’t ignore the changing political, economic and social scene.

It’s a story for the books, maybe a movie (ok, yeah, that’s been done already), but who really does this sort of thing? You’ve got to be really desperate to just take off, leave your job and family, and literally get behind a guy who says get on board with him, and he’ll show you how to fish for people. People can stink worse than the fish they caught. I don’t know. What did they think they were getting into?

To be fair, they didn’t have a real clue of what the plan was. But Simon (later Jesus called him Peter) with his brother, Andrew, James and John, also brothers, were hard working men who had seen their livelihood get robbed of the businesses they had built for generations. To understand what Jesus was calling them to do, you can’t ignore the changing political, economic and social scene.

The Backstory

When Caesar Augustus died, Tiberius became ruler of Rome. King Herod Antipas knew what side of the bread the butter needed to be, so he built a new city on the Sea of Galilee and smartly named it, guess what, Tiberius. He had big plans for this new urban center, specifically the fishing industry. Doing what despots do, he saw to it that all fishing was controlled by the Romans. Taxes bit into everybody’s profits by requiring fishing permits, a sales tax on the product and its processing, and even enforcing toll taxes on its transport.

Don’t think this revenue was funneled back for the promotion and benefit of the people who did the hard work. They were Jews. Keeping them marginalized and poor held the lid on them, so Rome was happy with that. Government infrastructure got a great boost from the project with building good roads and fantastic palaces. All in all, Herod had a good thing going here.

The Tipping Point

Except that Herod made a mistake. In the eyes of Rome, it’s what you do when there are dissonant voices against your reign. But arresting John the Baptist who had been preaching better days with his message of the Kingdom of God (after all, Herod was supposed to be the king) only heated the simmer against Rome. Add in the oppression against the fishing industry, and you easily could find people who were ready to make a stand. All they needed was a leader.

What Herod didn’t count on was someone else taking up JTB’s refrain of how the time had come for the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ preaching made it all the more emphatic, especially in how he headed right into the danger, taking the very message John had been arrested for right to the fishing villages on the Sea of Galilee. He was preaching radical change, what the Brothers Four were ready to join. When Jesus asked them to sign up, they dropped their nets and took off.

So are you saying how Jesus recruited them was really a call to arms, so to speak? They thought they were signing into God’s army to overthrow the Romans and get their lives back? That’s not the usual narrative.

Messages in the Movement

It’s the narrative that is, but you know how people choose to take things for their own platforms. As said before, these men did not have a real clue as to the specifics of the plan. If they had, would they have gotten behind Jesus and the movement he was starting? Who knows, but it does explain why for the next three years they seemed to be mistaken as to where this mission was leading. They knew from their own history as God’s chosen people that only by a mighty warrior could invaders be turned away. The ancient writings said a Messiah was promised. After 400 years of prophetic silence, John the Baptist was saying the time was now. More than ever, the people wanted that time to be now, and Jesus’ message made him a good candidate.

What gets wrapped in this story is the change Jesus would preach. Radical change, certainly, but not change brought about as before. Time and again, Jesus tangled with the religious authorities who more often than not cow-towed to political rule. What infuriated him was how they leveraged God to oppress the people as much as the Romans did with their heavy taxing. But instead of raising an army and storming the Roman centers of power, he preached loving neighbor and enemy , turning the other cheek , walking an extra mile , and being light in the darkness . In doing so, the naked would be clothed, the hungry fed, the foreigner know hospitality, and the prisoner would be released .

Such a movement would effect change, change greater than any charismatic leader, governmental edicts, or religious laws could bring. Inherent in it is revolution that ascends above what any protest, demonstration, march, or rally could ever accomplish. Reversing one’s relationship so as to honor God and care for others would lower, maybe even remove, the rancor and divisions between people and bring about the Kingdom of God. Jesus preached this because it is so much within all realms of possibility, because if this change is embraced, it is the Good News.

It begins with this: “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

Mark 1:14-20

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A Dangerous Man

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 21:00:03 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Be forewarned.

Something about him and his movement could be dangerous.

All right. Be forewarned. Sure, millions support him, but you need to know there is something about him and his movement that could be dangerous.

Well, that’s a different take. So you’re being up front about what’s behind all of this? Uh huh, so where you going with this? Now I’m just as leery about you as I’ve ever been about him. Though usually your kind is either pie-in-the-sky or predicting the end of the world. Why should I be careful approaching this dude?

How to Begin a Movement

Look at what happened to those who joined up with him. The record states, “He found Phillip.” Evidently, he knew something about this guy previously, where he was from, how he was friends with two others, Andrew and Peter, who had just joined up. All that’s said is, “Come, be my disciple.” That’s it. No consultation, laying out his mission and marketing plan. Just get on board, follow what I do, be part of my inner circle. And just like that, Phil was in. Who in their right mind does that kind of thing?

Find Connected Connectors

What’s more, Phillip runs off to tell a buddy about him. Oh yeah, Phillip is sold on him. A little confused though if it really matters. He tells his friend Nathanael that they (Andrew, Peter, maybe one more) have found the person that the ancient writings said would come. Not entirely accurate, but when something gets dropped in your path, you like to think you’re the one who discovered it.

Small Group Effect

Nate is very skeptical. Know anybody like that? He’s smart enough to ask good questions and also obvious ones that his friends seem to have neglected when they apparently lost their minds over this Jesus. When hearing where Jesus is from, he just about snorts, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” To be generous, let’s just say Nate has prior knowledge about this real estate and it’s not positive. Suffice it to say Nazareth was not Ivy League class.

Phillip knows what he means but insists. “Come and see.” Again, he doesn’t explain, give a speech, cajole or persuade. Why bother? If Nathanael already had his radar raised over Nazareth, further details would meet with the same cynicism. All Phillip wants is for his friend to just meet him. From there, it’s up to Jesus.

Jesus delivers, and here’s the dangerous part. Upon seeing Nathanael approaching, Jesus declares, “Here comes an honest man—a true son of Israel.” Jesus went right to the core of his character. You always knew where you stood with Nathanael and what he was thinking. That’s what was behind the Nazareth remark. Still, this wasn’t a criticism. Rather, Jesus affirmed this man and the brutal honesty he sought in life and others. The insight was enough. Nathanael froze in his tracks.

“How do you know about me?” No deflecting, laughing off the comment, or a show of false humility. In a matter of seconds, Jesus had met him in the center of his self-esteem and values. A connection was made that took him out of his heart of suspicion and negativity to knowing he was recognized for the best possible part of himself. Jesus wanted this kind of guy in the tribe he was gathering.

Choose Your Cause

The danger in all of this is how Jesus grabs a person to himself. “Come and see.” Not that a person is looking for anything better. History is full of charismatic leaders who have attracted throngs to their cause. We know that’s not always a good thing. The dangerous part here is how these leaders, Jesus among them, could get people to follow and support them in ways that ordinarily they never would have. And the way that is done is by plugging into a felt need they carry and want answered, affirmed, fulfilled.

You’re going somewhere I’d never have thought. Are you lumping your Jesus with the infamous, say someone like Hitler who knew how to manipulate the populace, gain control over the vulnerable, commit atrocities, and in the end bring ruin upon millions of lives? This doesn’t sound like most of your narrative.

It isn’t. Again, note the difference. Yes, Jesus’ followers made reversals in their lives that clearly didn’t make good sense. That happens today as much as it did then. You can consider that dangerous in some ways. But in doing so, in Jesus’ ultimate invitation, Come and See, there is a major difference. It’s an invitation not to a power play that elevates one above another but rather lifts each one to a better version of what they are meant to be.

Nathanael grasped that. Jesus told him, “I could see you under the fig tree…” Our dear Nate had been searching for a truth and cause beyond himself, and he had gathered in a place where the ancient writings had been wrestling with others in the community. (Consider it a chat room for the first century.) With realization that having now met Jesus, Nathanael was ready to do his part and watch, that is, see where Jesus would take him.

Yes, it’s a fast jump. Nathanael declares Jesus to be Rabbi/Teacher, Son of God, King of Israel. He’s on board. Jesus addresses him, “Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” It’s a personal comment, directly said to Nate.

Get Noticed

Yet a greater vision is also given. Whereas the previous comment was made in the singular as a personal promise, a greater one follows.

Using now the plural form of the pronoun “you” as expressed in the Greek language, Jesus extends what will be seen, known, and perceived by any who Come and See:

“The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God

going up and down upon the Son of Man.”

John 1:43-51

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Heaven Torn Apart

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:18:33 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Life must be positioned for change, a “baptism” acknowledging the need to turn to the one who calls you Beloved.

H ere we are, the first full week of a new year, and do we ever need one. The thing is, are we willing to accept, buy into, focus on what that means? Sure, much has happened that we didn’t see coming, but that’s the point. It came upon us. Will we have influence, impact, or at least be open to the newness of what our lives hold in the coming months? Or again, will we passively accept what has been without resolution to change?

Resolution? Don’t you know what happens to resolutions made this time of the year? Before the month is out most of them are shelved. What’ve you got here? Another article on how to make and keep New Year’s Resolutions? Sorry, I read them all for twenty years, and the best I’ve come away with is not to make New Year’s Resolutions. Give me more, or I’m canceling out of this one.

Can’t blame you. And you’re right, the futility of the sentiment is pretty real. Honestly though, you’re going to get a Yes and No answer. Hang in here, if you will.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

If you can’t take the high road on this, at least concede this much: we all have that in our lives we’d like to change. Sometimes it’s a big matter: divisions in our society (racial, political, religious, etc.) Other times it’s a cause: poverty, climate change, equal access to good education. Relationships can be improved, both personal and professional. Health is always a big one this time of the year. Then there’s the one that is out of sight, intuitive, intrinsic, psychological, existential. Divide it up however you like. But something is nudging that changes are needed, and ultimately, it starts with the individual. It’s nothing new either.

Our old friend JTB was into this kind of thing. Out in the wilderness (take that as literal or metaphoric), he declared repentance was necessary…. Wait a minute. Is this going to be one of those “Sinners, you’re going to burn!” ploys? Cause if it is, my thumb is on the home button. Geeze, don’t be so sensitive, protective, fearful or whatever it is that makes you want to run. Layer on what you will without hearing this out, but you’re walking away from a chance to at least examine what you may be missing.

Steps One and Two

Yes, Repent, John the Baptist said. You know you need it. Why do you think people make those yearly resolutions, devise vision boards around them, go to support groups, even counseling? Some kind of alterations, adjustments, amendments in how life is approached and worked out is needed. At the basis of it is the admittance that something is not right in oneself and an unburdening of negative clutter is needed. Acknowledging that need and the regret that one has in being in these situations is repentance. It’s Step One, Part A : admit to the unmanageable parts of your life. All those in recovery have to learn it first.

So JTB was way ahead of the psychological gurus of today on this one. Yet, he knew more is needed. Part B: you’re powerless to do this on your own . Sometimes that’s what’s missing in those resolutions. People think all they need is willpower. If that were true, WW (a.k.a. Weight Watchers) would have gone out of business a long time ago. Still, these programs have their dropouts. Move to Step Two : a Power greater than ourselves is needed to restore the sanity in it all.

For JTB, that meant baptism. (Roll of eyes; here it comes.) Ok, granted, now you have images of river dunking or at least a big tub. Well, some just sprinkle a few droplets, but the effect is the same. But again, hold on and see where John was going with this.

He did it the old-fashioned way, with water right out of the Jordan River. Yet, he conceded there would be a greater way, what he called a baptism of the Holy Spirit.

No doubt that statement is tough to take but hear this: we all have that which needs to burn through the soul, a repentance, a willingness to admit life on our terms is not working. Still, the reversal required can’t be done on our own. That’s the Power greater than ourselves, the Holy Spirit. But watch; there’s more.

Enter John’s friend and cousin, Jesus right out of Nazareth, just a few paces removed from that desert wilderness they’re in. Jesus gets in line with the others. Likely, only John realized there was more to this than even he knew. John muttered something about not being worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals.

Prepare to Pivot

If there’s going to be a change in your personal position and perspectives, you’re going to have to get in the line. That is, you need to position yourself for whatever difference you want to achieve. And you have to be open to however that comes to you.

The record states, “And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heaven split open…” (Mark 1:10) The heavens split open? Yes, split open, an explosive tearing apart, not just a peak into the scene, but a spilling out of cosmic proportions. Certainly emphatic yet containing a limitation. The record does not say it blew the place apart. The indication is only Jesus saw it and heard words of affirmation, “You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you.” In other words, it was all for just him to know and live into.

If you’ve read through this passage before and/or you know about similar passages, you may know it’s loaded. Theologians and denominations have argued nuances in its import and significance, particularly in relation to the practice (ordinance or sacrament) of baptism. Not to take away from those discussions, but for now should you want to get mired in that, go to other sources please.

The bigger point is in how change in life happens. A willingness is required to reverse one’s perspectives, practices, lifestyle, even beliefs because you can tell it’s just not working. That’s repentance. And it cannot be done alone or even with the help of those who want something better for you. Life must be positioned for change, for a “baptism” that acknowledges it needs to be turned over to the one who wants to call you Beloved.

Whether it’s by an immersion in the waters of the Jordan River, or a cry of the heart to God, the heavens still split open in answer. It’s not a mere resolution to try and be better, but personal conversion that turns hope for now and in the future into reality through the work of the Holy Spirit.

We’re going to need it. Look what happened to Jesus. Following an epiphany of who he was, where did he find himself next? The wilderness. Happy New Year.

Mark 1:4-12

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Implausible Certainty

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:01:38 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his story sells hope, but not in the usual way.

For with God, nothing is usual.

“ For nothing is impossible with God.”

Ok, while the world, or most of it, has a big celebration this time of the year, let’s face it. The stories we propagate around it are a stretch. Old men fly around the world in one night dropping off toys to good, and usually not-so-good, kids. Crippled children find nineteenth century benefactors in stingy old men. Ugly green creatures have a change of heart about holidays. Single women find the love of their lives in snow scenes with mistletoe. And then there’s the biggest one of all. An angel tells a virgin girl she’s going to have a baby with no man involved. You people really are suckers for whatever you can make up to make you feel good. People, get over it. The world doesn’t run on your fantasies!

True, fantasies are as solid as thin air. Empty promises hung on the mantle are not going to bring lasting hope, let alone meaning. But hope sells, so support the economy and at least make a dime off of it. The thing is though, these stories are all told with the understanding they’re just make believe, a way to have fun and feel good. But the last one about that virgin is not a sugar-coated cookie when you take a good look at it.

So put aside the implausibility of it. Its details are tough and centered in a world as mean as you’ll find today. This girl, Mary, lives in the small village of Nazareth, no place where you want to be from. The joke had been going around for years, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Hear the derisive laugh while eyes roll, the stories whispered about what goes on and comes out of that miserable hole in Galilee. Whatever is good there will be soiled soon, and that goes for young girls as well.

Bring in the special lights now, follow her as she walks alone, maybe she is finding a secret seclusion where she can be a vision in prayer. Actually, that’s not the story. She is just Mary, lucky enough to be engaged to a guy named Joseph who had good ancestry if nothing else to his name. One day an angel named Gabriel showed up in this desolate place with a preposterous message for her. He calls her “favored” and that “The Lord is with you.”

Enter into what possibly could have gone through her mind with that greeting. First, she had to accept an angel was speaking to her. For all of us, that would have been a shift of reality. Then, he called her favored or blessed, and that God stands by her? This ordinary girl, just a few years out of her childhood, whose best hope in life was for a man to take care of her? What could the God of her ancestry and heart possibly want with her? Confused, disturbed, this isn’t making sense on any level.

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

The angel understands. As others will meet this celestial creature in several parts of the story, he reassures her, “Don’t be afraid.” But the message for her is strange, so outside the way life is supposed to work. She was going to get pregnant, have a son, name him Jesus. And this child would be “Son of the Most High”, secure David’s throne, reign over Israel forever?

Mary knew what this meant. Her people had been oppressed by foreign powers for centuries now. Nazareth was no place good, but even in Jerusalem, the site of the Hebrew Temple, the powers in place kept an iron grip on the Jews. The only hope they had was for a leader who would raise up as King David had and drive out in defeat these invaders. Wow! God was going to do this, and God was saying she’d have a part in it?

Yet, that wasn’t all of it. The angel assured this virgin girl that her baby would be conceived, if you will, when, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” If you can explain this one, you’re way ahead of many.

Poor girl. Her head was really spinning now. Ok, but get this. Good news for the nation is ultimately going to be bad news for Mary. First, what would Joseph think? Exactly what any man would think, certainly. You think you have trouble believing this story about an angel? No one would blame him if he called off their marriage.

But worse, according to Jewish law, if a woman was found not to be a virgin before marriage, she should be stoned to death . (Deuteronomy 22:20-21) Mary’s very life would be in jeopardy. This was how God favored her?

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

The angel had said it, “The Lord is with you.” With you. If God is with you, then you are with God. And with God, nothing is impossible. That is, anything is possible. Whatever is implausible could happen. But why this way, why by a life disrupted and risked and in a way that, well, is just outside how things work, how babies are made, how life is supposed to go? What’s the purpose in all of this the angel says God is doing?

Consider this. In an unforeseen, bewildering even, movement of God, the prayers of the people were being answered. Yes, they had prayed to be delivered from oppressors for centuries. Everyone knew at this point what it would take. The Romans were the greatest regime to ever rule. Only an immense revolution would drive them out and be able to defend against being reinvaded. They knew how it happened before through their King David. The ancient writings said another such leader would come again to deliver them. All in all, it would mean a mighty revolution on such a scale the world had never seen. Revolution was their prayer.

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

Revolution. That is, the implausible becomes a reality. That is, a child is born to a virgin. That is, he is the Son of the Most High. That is, he is God, and God is coming to be with the world in the impossible, implausible way in which God is with us. God with us will act in ways that we don’t see coming but will revolutionize and reverse what is to what is meant to be. Places where there is no good will produce not just the good, but the holy.

Stories of hope sell, and they are not going away. The old tales will continue. But the source of them is in us, what we want and hope will be. Mary’s story raises its questions but rests in a different form. It’s not based in our hope for us, but in God’s hope for us. God with us in the form of a baby, not born in the usual sense, but then again, with God nothing is usual.

Mary’s answer: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.”

Luke 1:26-38

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When Good News is Your Bad News

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:02:53 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is light shining in darkness

is not always received as good news.

Now remember this, the poor guy couldn’t help himself. Yeah, he was a little strange, weird even, in how he dressed and lived. That kind of thing though can be changed with some help from people who care. Then again, his parents were OLD when he was born, so he likely had lived for quite some time on his own. His early years were mostly around the religious kind, so he’d been indoctrinated with all the ancient writings. Again, a little education can give a different perspective. But about this, there was no way around it, away from it, just through it.

JTB was sent . Get that? Sent . And with that, there was a compulsion. He, for the most part, lived in the wilderness, the kind of place where when nothing good is around you, God shows up. In the uninhabitable, forbidding, empty regions of life, God speaks to the soul. To John the Baptist, a message had been given there. He was sent to proclaim it.

In the Bleak Midwinter

Light shines in darkness! Right there, in this bleak territory, John shouted a message that there was light for the people. The One who would change life was coming; One who would bring the hope, peace and even the joy one needs to not just live but thrive in this existence. Light has the unstoppable characteristic of shining in the most dubious places, those parts that are not familiar with truth and clarity. Whatever wrong and negative setting or context sits in the shadows is forced to change, reconcile, reverse itself in the bright gleam—or hide itself deeper in the recesses it inhabits.

Light shines in the darkness! In the dark place of wilderness, people came to hear this message from the one sent by God. They had been waiting for such a messenger, waiting actually for centuries to be delivered from this life that had dashed hope, destroyed peace and held no joy. So they came to hear this strange guy in this wilderness place, to hear and prepare for the One he said would soon come.

Light shines in the darkness! They came to hear the message, and the crowd it attracted was noticed by those for whom this good news was maybe not such good news. For those who held the power, for those who thought they were the ones God should have given the message, for those whose true motives the Light revealed, this was not good news. It was dangerous.

They had to check it out. Now some others were sent, but this time from those who had a lot to lose by John’s message. Oh, they looked like the good guys, priests and assistants in the Temple. Yet, it was in the asking they revealed themselves.

Interrogation

So the grilling began. Their questions come with rapid fire, likely surrounding him with their powerful presence. Anyone who’s been tied to a chair with an intense lamp in the face knows what they were about. This poor guy who’s got nothing to his name except an intense belief in a God whom they will never know is drilled.

“Are you the Messiah?” He flatly denies it.

“Who are you? Elijah? The Prophet?” He insists, “NO. NO.”

They change the tactic. “Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” Come on, guy. Work with us here. You help us and we can help you.

He tells them what they already know. “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘ Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord’s coming !’” (Isaiah 40:3)

Make it easy on him. Challenge what he’s doing. Discredit him in front of the people. Reveal him for the lunatic he is. If he isn’t the one the ancient writings said would precede the Messiah, then he’s just a nobody. A nobody with no right to baptize or call people to prepare themselves because there’s no one coming. Forget this guy. “If you aren’t the Messiah [or any of the other prophets], what right do you have to baptize?”

Warning in the Promise

John knows who he is, and John knows the One who sent him. He tells it like it is. The Coming One is here, and you know what, I’m not worthy to even bow to him as a servant and remove his sandals. In other words, if you are threatened by me and this message, if your phony positions won’t stand up in the face of this declaration, if I scare you in the least, then here’s your bad news. Someone is coming after me who’s going to really upset this scene and who will reveal you for what you are not. Light shines in the darkness!

JTB, you won that round. You couldn’t help it. You were chosen and sent so the people would be ready, have it on their radar that God was on the move. The old stories of a new day were about to come true, happen right before their eyes. The season of preparation, expectation, change, and reversal was now! Light shines in the darkness!

Good News/Bad News

Yes. The religious leaders left to give their appraisal of this desert mystic. But. The stage was set, the lines were drawn, the watch began. Good news for those who would find new, abundant, eternal life in God by following the Coming One also meant bad news for his messenger. John would eventually lose his life for this proclamation.

He wouldn’t be the only one. Throughout the centuries of all time, when authority is threatened or when a message is declared that upsets the status quo, the messenger must be stopped. Whoever displaces the influencers and controllers or whatever breaks down the supremacy of one group over another must be silenced. When lifestyle changes are required, when personal self is valued above the greater good, when power must give way to the powerless, that voice must be polluted. Darkness is the fate of those sent with good news that life can be otherwise.

Yet the message itself never does stop. Two thousand years, and Light shines in the darkness still. The message points to the Coming One. Hope, Peace, and Joy still are possible. That is the Good News.

John 1:6-8,19-28

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Road Work

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:12:59 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he didn’t refrain from using eccentric characters to announce his campaign to save the world.

Listen, man, or Son of Man as you call yourself, we’re thinking you need a little help here. You are such a novice at this sort of thing. Like when you tried to launch your message. What were you thinking using that weirdo JTB as your advance team? This guy lived in the desert, basically just an empty limestone lot. Not to mention how he only wore camel hair clothes (that stuff itches!) and ate locusts (ugh) and wild honey (bet he got stung more than once going after that stuff.) Way too radical for forming a platform to build your base.

Ok, so crowds did turn up to see what he was about. Not that his message debuted with a heartwarming invitation. Evidently he was a shouter. That certainly added to the circus. But he seemed to have in mind what the masses needed to hear.

People, Get Ready!

“Prepare!” he called to them. “Make the roads straight and smooth!” It was an order to lay the groundwork and substructure for what would be coming. When great rulers and sovereigns were traveling, the people would clear out the rocks and fill in the potholes that not only made a ride easier but also travel faster. The people were looking for someone to come, and this someone they’d been waiting for a long time. Of course, they would want him to get there as soon as possible. They were even willing to go all the way into the desert wilderness hoping the wait would not be long now.

Granted, that works. Out there in the middle of nowhere, the multitude would see there was a need for better infrastructure. Let the setting reinforce itself in the context where they were standing. Good move there. Let them get to work. Here’s though where things start to get messy. This guy, who is as bizarre as they come, tells people they need to change? What’s this, a do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do line he’s feeding them? Run, guys, run! This dude is going to lose it for sure!

Rearrange, Revise, Reverse

“Repent!” That’s a loaded word for sure. Yes, it was the center of his message, but it had meaning beyond the surface. Oh, they’d heard this enough in their familiar religious settings. But he asked for something besides just being sorry for the mistakes of life. And it wasn’t because they had not followed the restrictive, life-sucking tenants of the law their priests had put on them. To repent meant turn from, reverse in your heart and soul the false values, insidious thought processes, the lies, denials, and injustices in which you rest your life and lifestyles. Repent of all the ways you have failed to love God with all you’ve got in mind, body, soul and strength. Acknowledge how you have not loved both neighbor and enemy as you have loved yourself . Move out of this hopelessness in which you live and turn to new ways of thinking, living, even loving. Prepare a new road in yourself that will lead to something better. See ahead the beauty, justice, truth, and peace that will dawn with a new day.

Renewal

“Baptize!” Repentance means there will be a change, and to be baptized required a physical change, a move from desert place to a river known as the Jordan. Around rivers there is life within the water and along the shore. Rivers provide hydration, a cooling of the bodily core after arid heat has burned your skin, and a soothing flow of current to massage the physical frame. With immersion in the water and rising again comes a sense of renewal, a cleansing from what life and choices have laid on you. Preparing to live in straight smooth roads of life, repenting, and turning from the old ways brings revitalization. Forgiveness and acceptance by God rest in that cleansing with a sense of rebirth.

Humm. So it’s a choice. You can do what you’ve always done (and you know what they call it when you think that will get you different results). Or you can make an about-face, a reversal in priorities and dedication to God and the changed life ahead. But you know what, even your John the Baptist didn’t seem to know exactly where that would look lead. Yeah, he had a pretty good idea it would be really something. Even so, he wasn’t taking credit for it. He even said he wasn’t good enough to act as servant to you and untie your sandals. Whew, that’s humility. He knew his limitations. To baptize with water was his thing. But from you it would be a baptism with the Holy Spirit. What the heck does that mean?

Good Question. (Don’t you love it when people answer like that. Usually, it means their mind is spinning.) To be fair, it’s not an easy answer. As with most spiritual encounters, you have to experience it to even start to understand it, and yet the mystery of it will remain. The short answer is it lies in the life of the one to come, the one for whom this preparation, reversal, and renewal is meant. It’s lies in how the story began,

“Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Mark 1:1-8

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The Trouble in Hope

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:19:50 GMT

New Paragraph

The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t ignore the worst of us by putting us in a stupor of spiked eggnog while snorting Ho Ho Ho.

Well Jesus, you have finally lived up to what you really are. Here it is the start of the Christmas season. We’re looking for sugar-coated gumdrops on gingerbread houses while people sing of a winter wonderland and everyone is in a Hallmark movie finding love. But no, that’s not you. It’s almost like you rub it in our faces that the world is going to come to a horrible end. No wonder people would rather forget you the rest of the year.

Go for it then. Just pretend that people aren’t dying in war, children held hostage, old disputes never end but are greased in blood. Sorry to be so graphic, but get real. Jesus did not shy away from what the world is doing to itself. The Trouble with Jesus is he doesn’t ignore the worst of what is by putting us in a stupor of spiked eggnog while snorting Ho Ho Ho.

Apocalypse Now

Jesus frankly describes how the sun, moon and stars will go dark. “Horrible days,” he calls them. Bow your head; take some deep breaths. Whatever the future holds, the present isn’t so calm and bright as the carol would have us sing. Whether it’s headline news, in your backyard, or across your own kitchen table, horrible days are among us. People call out to God so much, “the powers of heaven” are shaken as the world quakes in anxiety and fear.

Don’t like his righteous realism? Go find a cave. Like that will really help. Perhaps what Jesus is getting at is how in the pitch black of midnight expect to see God as you never have before.

God on the Move

An image of the Son of Man sending out angels to gather from the ends of earth and heaven his people has distinct overtones of end times. Possibly so. Yet there’s another thought. This rounding up of the faithful could be the drafting of an army, a multitude trained to fight according to his plan. Not that the plan is always appreciated. That’s why there’s a fight of sorts, a forceful, insistent push shoved up against those who would eliminate his movement to meet the world and bring his peace.

Lieutenants in Mission

For all of his graphic descriptiveness, Jesus comes at his message from another angle, that of storytelling. The central figure of a homeowner is easy to identify, the Son of Man. He hints at what will come. The homeowner leaves but instructs his workers as to what their jobs are, particularly the watchman/gatekeeper. Everyone is told to keep a sharp lookout in the meantime because they don’t know when the homeowner will return.

These workers know what their duties and responsibilities are. Love. Serve. Engage. No hiding in a cave allowed.

Love: That is, love God with all you’ve got and your neighbor/enemy too . That means whoever shows up in your journey through this life, you are to love them. No apathy in this room.

Serve: Some of the gathered ones are called to wage this fight directly with the big issues: terrorism, war, racial injustice. Just as central to the battle are those who give of themselves in small but consistent measures. They feed Jesus’ sheep when hungry, naked, sick and imprisoned with small, yet regular contributions of goods and finances. They write to jailed convicts, and they listen sympathetically to the depressed, lonely, grieving, abandoned, abused. They are seen as ones who wash feet.

Engage: This isn’t a solitary venture. No army can succeed by sending out its infantry one by one. Community is central. That means being with others in love and service as Jesus would do, and connecting with those who have no clue about the season ahead and it real meaning. This Jesus was born in a manger, lived just as those whom God created for the purpose of relationship. Emanuel was his name, meaning God with Us. Be it family, the people down the street, your city, nation and world, be known as a member that is active, supportive and ultimately makes it a better place because of how you live like him.

Where’s the Hope?

Prepare for it, Jesus said. He is coming, both in a few weeks with a holiday celebration and in the eternal realm. Watch for it. You won’t know the exact timing so be expectant with eyes wide open. More often than not, it happens in quiet, church mouse-like fashion, only visible to the people of the night, the modern-day shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night.

But when the gathered ones live out with gifts that speak of Jesus’ name, hope begins.

Matthew 13:24-37

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The Crown

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:47:08 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he identifies with those from whom we’d rather be separate.

Jesus, you talk about sitting on a throne and having the world before you as you deliver edicts on who’s in and who’s out in your kingdom. Well, all powerful Son of Man, just to let you know, this is not the best impression if you want people to follow you. Setting yourself up as King? Hey, have you watched that Netflix series, The Crown? Family dysfunction mixed with money and power is not the best formula for the image you’d like to have. Is this really how you want us to identify with you?

Uh, no, that is, not in the way you know kings, presidents, dictators, as well as superstars and mega celebrities. Yes, Jesus often spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. His desire was for all to be included in it. However, entrance into his Kingdom is not through the enforcement of power through war and oppression. That’s probably why those to whom this King speaks don’t recognize him. They’ve never seen the likes of his kind/kingdom before.

King of Suffering

Most people of power and position surround themselves with associates who can add to their status. Get the right team behind you to enhance and grow the wealth you want, the influence over people to maintain it, and the strength to build a legacy that lasts.

This King didn’t have any of that. His team were losers . His family was not of great financial means. Worst yet, he was known to deride those who could help him, and his actions were known to be radical .

Jesus loved best those who were the most needy: the hungry, the homeless and foreigners, the naked and sick, those imprisoned behind bars and by life. The easy road was not his path. He forfeited the comforts of the world and called his followers to sell all they had and give to the poor . (Luke 18:22)

When he told this story, Jesus was headed into Jerusalem. With eyes wide open, he saw betrayal, torture and death to come in little more than a week. He did not turn aside.

King of Serving

Having great power means that people should be at your beck and call, do what you want and look out for your purposes. Manage the media to make it sound like you’re all for the people. But work it so you get more than you have to give.

One of Jesus’ mantras was, I come to serve, not to be served . (Matthew 20:28) People knew this King’s compassion by how he healed every sickness and disease . (Matthew 4:23) He called children to his side, fed thousands on next to nothing , affirmed women , and sent his followers to do the same.

As King he lowered himself to be beneath others. On his last night, he washed the feet of his best friends , saying as he kneeled in front of them, “Do as I have done to you.”

King of Peace

Even the just-average politician knows you can expect to be attacked and must fight for whatever you hope to accomplish. The best defense is a great offense, so be prepared to get dirty even if it’s mudslinging, lying and cheating to stay on top. The world works like that, you know.

This King instead told stories of reconciliation, of prodigal sons and loving parents , of beaten travelers and Samaritan healers (Luke 10:25-37) , of lost sheep and searching shepherds. He taught people to turn the other cheek and to go the second mile . (Matthew 5:39-41) He commanded love of both neighbor and enemy . (Matthew 5:43-47)

Even when his life was on the line, this nonconforming King would not accept the ways of the world. When arrested, he healed a wounded soldier, saying “ Those who use the sword will die by the sword .” (Matthew 26:51-52)

Christ Our King

In suffering, serving, peacemaking, Jesus culminated his ministry in the ultimate sacrifice of his life by the acceptance of death by the worst means the world could design, that of a bloody cross. In defeat was his greatest triumph for only by dying could the power of Love best be displayed in resurrection.

Yet, this should be of no surprise. Prince of Paradox, he invited any who would inherit the eternal kingdom to enter by that same path, to give honor to his rule in this same pattern of living.

For when “the least of these” know Love, the King is crowned.

“I assure you, when you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters,

you were doing it for me.”

Matthew 25:31-46

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Use It or Lose It

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:01:28 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is while his message gets twisted and diluted, the true meaning still sits in the story.

Don’t you just love it when you read something that affirms what you know in your gut is true? And when it is couched in the context of God, well, that’s all the better. Right?

Sorry. Nope. It doesn’t happen that way. That’s what theologians call “proof texting,” looking for proof of what you want to find in the Bible. Just pick out a small passage or a few verses that hint at what you want it to say and go nowhere else. Beyond theological positions, it’s also known as leverage. Use the power of one group or belief and transfer it to your position. That’s how Jesus’ message has been twisted and diluted for centuries. And this is one of them.

Financial Leverage

Three servants are given bags of gold by their master as he is preparing to take a long trip with instructions to invest it. The first servant had five bags, immediately invested the money, and soon it doubled. The second servant had two bags, and likewise, his investment doubled. But a third servant, with only one bag, hid it in the ground for safekeeping.

The two servants who invested and doubled the money were lauded by the master when he returned. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

But the third servant was harshly reprimanded and dismissed for being too scared of failure and the wrath of his master if he’d lost any of the money. He misjudged that his master meant it when he had said to invest it, at least get some interest in a bank account, not to let it mold away in the dirt.

Now some read this as affirming good financial planning and growth strategies. Certainly, as any stock market investor will tell you, risk is part of the game. But do your homework, put your money in good accounts, give it some time, and there will be a decent if not very good return. The problem with the third servant was his risk tolerance was too low, and while he didn’t actually lose any of the money, he didn’t have any growth either. He’d never be a good candidate on Shark Tank, that’s for sure.

Step back a minute though. Jesus talked a lot about money, some say more than he did about prayer. It was important to him, but not for the accumulation of revenue funding the good life. Thus, for him to tell a story with money as a central part of the plot, we need to take notice.

First, money always gets people’s attention. To hear about a boss giving huge sums of varying amounts to his servants means we should listen up. Where is Jesus going with this? But if you think he is espousing a spiritual capitalism, take a back seat. Any student of literary form would know to look for deeper meaning.

Aptitude Leverage

Some translations of the Greek make it easy. Instead of saying the master gave out bags of gold (though that is a great visual), the translations refer to the master’s distribution as five talents, two talents, and one talent. That’s an idea you can run with. If you subscribe to blessings as gifts from God, then talents, skills, abilities (and by extension, all good things) are to be developed, expanded, utilized in such a way that one gets better because of it.

Yeah, you can still throw money into this pile, but there’s so much more. Intellect is another example; there are a lot of smart people out there but proper education, exposure to ideas, training in critical thinking are vital to brain function and thought processing.

Personal Leverage

Health, for instance, is another blessing that needs to be maintained by good diet and exercise. Your body was made to move; otherwise, you rest, you rust. So get out there with the right fuel in your belly and build that muscle tone and cardio rate.

Want more? Relationships. We all have them. Still, it takes understanding family and social dynamics with effective communication skills to have successful and supportive relationships. These and so much more are blessings which require attention and development to be all that God meant for them to be in our lives. In short, God wants us to use them so there’s more of them for us and others.

Fine, but….

Well, we moved Jesus from a supporter of capitalism to the realm of sociology and individualism. While there’s some validity in each point, take another look at this. Jesus began his story with, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by…” The problem with the visual of money or the concept of talents and blessings is they fail to fully grasp what can bring meaning and significance to life. Sorry. While a measure of wealth, health, mental power, and even the bonds we form with others are significant and need our focus and care such that they last and enrich our lives, Jesus is saying there is more.

The master gave out of his own wealth and riches to his servants. He entrusted them with the best he had. See the allegory here. Jesus’ life and message are to give to others what he brought from God and as God. He lived and died to embody Love and to be known by his servants in that Love. It is more abundant than five, ten, a thousand bags of gold. In the Kingdom of Heaven, it is known as grace.

The third servant who did not do as asked by his master was useless and dismissed. Regret for what could have been, regret for what blessing and affirmation would have been showered on him, regret for not realizing the gracious acceptance and generous love of God was his fate. That’s the meaning in the visual of “outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Use It or Lose It.

Invest your life working for and growing the full love and grace of God that Jesus brought. Be included now and forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. Good and faithful servant, receive the blessing and enter into God’s celebration:

“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given,

and they will have an abundance.”

Matthew 25:14-30

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Wait. Prepare. Watch.

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:34:14 GMT

The trouble with Jesus is you can’t get by borrowing someone else’s faith.

Lord knows we are so tired of this. A lifetime of it has been too much. Wars all over the world which disrupt and destroy lives, even those of our own people. We wait and hope they will end someday. We wait for political wrangling to calm down, for elected officials to govern with wisdom and compassion. We wait for democracy to work as it should. We wait for people to come together, complete in our differences yet affirming the rights of all to live in justice and peace. We wait for God to come and make this happen when we cannot. It’s been a long and dark night of waiting for what seems like forever.

The Prescribed Wait

Jesus’ story of ten bridesmaids is one of waiting for what should happen without knowing when it might happen. In his time, wedding celebrations were huge events lasting for days, and everyone in the community could join in. The custom was for the bridegroom to come into this festival atmosphere, escorted by young women (virgins they call them) into the marriage ceremony. But in his story, five of ten bridesmaids were not adequately prepared for their duties, for they did not take oil to fill their lamps or torches to light the way for the procession of the bridegroom. What’s more, all five of them had fallen asleep and were not on deck when word arrived he was on the way. The five with enough oil refused to share with those who did not. It turned out too bad for the five who had to go buy oil, for sure enough, that’s when the bridegroom came. They unfortunately were locked out, and the doorkeeper did not recognize the unprepared ladies.

All right, nice little metaphor here, but really, how can we live with not knowing when life, our world will ever get better? Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, the average person was just trying to make the best of life where they lived, had family and history. Many of them never saw this coming, at least in this way. And who would have ever thought we’d live in a country where cherished election counts are seriously questioned? Everyone guards their tongues in fear of saying something that’ll start trouble. None of this is a fun celebration. Sorry, Jesus, but stories of wedding parties don’t fit with today’s scenario.

Survive and Thrive

The point is not in what is happening; it’s rather in what we do in the waiting. Even when we anticipate welcomed events, we still have to wait until they happen. So a child counts down the number of days until Christmas, parents plan a nursery for the birth of a baby, most of us keep some kind of calendar and mark time in some way. It’s life, and what’s required.

The wise ones among us know what to do in the waiting. We prepare. We read and educate ourselves on what is happening all in an effort to make informed decisions when elections are held. We check in on our neighbors, both those next door and across town. We learn to have quiet, respectful conversations with each other, even if we disagree but at least seek to understand the other side. All of this is more than filling time. It’s living life as it is meant to be, doing and relating as we are called and how we should. It’s reaching into resources and finding strengths in ways we didn’t know we had.

Like the sleepy bridesmaids though, distractions can turn our attention away. When we focus too much on media reports, when we hunker down in fear, when we hold on to prejudices that require us to control others, we let ourselves be swayed by messages and posts that deny the reality in which we are living. The tension of it all centers in distrust, rallies, signs, and arming ourselves against our neighbor.

Ok, but get back to the story here. What about those five who wouldn’t share their oil with the five that didn’t have any? Was that right? Shouldn’t they have shown some compassion or generosity? You know, this is a Bible story after all.

Don’t deflect. Bury yourself in minutia, and you’ll miss the point. This isn’t about taking care of those who fail to do what they should have done for themselves. Preparation requires responsibility. You are responsible for yourself. It’s the part of loving neighbor as you love yourself . Do your part. Prepare yourself.

And in this incidence, the point is some things you’ve got to do yourself. There’s no sweet talking people here that things are going to be all right no matter how you live your life. Examine what attitudes you have in your own space that feed the fear and tension. Peace begins in the soul. The trouble with Jesus is you can’t get by borrowing someone else’s faith. Love. Your. Neighbor.

Make It a Watch Party

Do the best you can by preparing yourself while you wait. Yet, in the end (or end time, however you read this), we can only step back and watch. The bridegroom is coming. God will show up. Be alert and ready doing what you are supposed to do, who you are supposed to be so you will be known and let into the party.

After all, who wants to miss a good party?

“So stay awake and be prepared,

because you do not know the day or hour of my return.”

Matthew 25:1-13

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Above the Law

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:28:11 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he places law as secondary to service.

Most of us see the need for law as a standard not merely of behavior but as protection of lives, rights, the very core of justice. In that manner, the law is meant to serve the people, not to oppress and burden so that others can benefit. We like to believe no one is above the law.

We like to believe it…but we know some do live above the law.

Not only that, but how about those who are elected to make laws but hold the process hostage for their own benefit of power. We’ve got wars that are entrenched, a political system that refuses to compromise for the sake of those who put them in power, even personal relationships where people think they should get to control others. Laws? Hold the other guy accountable but don’t apply it to me is the reigning premise.

You Think?

If there was a single issue which Jesus fought most vehemently against, it was that. Consider it only a problem in our day and age? Change out the culture and social norms, and like today, you will find first century Israel was a prime example of suppressing those who had no wherewithal to fight it. In his final days, Jesus unloaded on its biggest offenders with a feral vehemence that burned. Click Here . (Matthew 23:1-36) It isn’t pretty.

Uh, God, shouldn’t we deal with everyone in love? Your son isn’t so loving here, just saying.

The Attack

Hearts and flowers this is not. Still, in the name of love, Jesus’ diatribe does many things.

First, the primary recipients of his message, not just on this day but for the three previous years of his ministry, was to his disciples, the main twelve he was teaching. Sure, there often was a crowd around, and this day in the Temple was no different. But his crew was the focus. And knowing what would happen before the week was out, Jesus wanted to make sure they (and we) got it.

Having just tangled over and over with the religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, Jesus tells the disciples, in short, “Practice what they preach, but don’t do as they do.” Interestingly, Jesus’ teachings and theology was pretty close (not all, but close enough) to how they interpreted the Scriptures. Fine. Learn from them. But be careful. Jesus was majorly frustrated in how they puffed themselves up over their status and credentials but failed to live out the spirit of the law, what God meant in giving it to them as blessing, not burden.

Actually, Jesus did not have a problem with the law. He had said this before when he gave that talk on a mountain. “ I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or writings of the prophets…I came to fulfill it .” The law stands as is. They couldn’t get him on that.

But where these religious rulers got it wrong was in how they didn’t exemplify the love of God in the law. In other words, they used it to attract attention to how pious they appeared to maintain their religious and political power and status, not relationship with God.

At their request, no less, Jesus had just summarized the law as Loving God with all you’ve got, and Love Your Neighbor as you love yourself. Obedience to the law then was loving God as God desires, submitting all parts of yourself to God’s will and design. What’s more, you can’t love God without loving your neighbor (and your enemy), again in connections which uphold the divine. So the Law holds in its purpose of bringing relationship with God and others.

“The greatest among you must be a servant.”

Here Jesus says it all. By taking the standpoint and mindset of one who lives in service to God and others, love is not just occasionally expressed but lived out. It finds its life not in the tolerance of go along to get along, let everybody do their thing, but in high expectations and standards that raise and exceed understanding of self to a vision of divine image and creation. It is the utmost criterion for justice and Godly expression of love.

Ultimately though, it transmits a blessing. Can anybody do this on her or his own? If you do the next right thing, create a fantastic mission statement to live out, or sell all you have and give to the poor, will it be enough? Can anybody really satisfy God’s purpose and help other persons in theirs? Don’t you think if you could, if anybody could, you/we would have done it by now? Look around. The human race often fails at this, and we fail big.

God Knows.

And Jesus knew it. At the end of this chapter, Jesus cried over Jerusalem and how this holy city wouldn’t allow God’s love in their lives. (Matthew 23:37-38) The only thing left was to lead by example, to serve God by loving others.

By humbly bearing a cross, Jesus served these whom he loved. All people, then and now, do not perfectly keep the law, but by accepting Jesus’ love, live above the law in the grace of God.

Matthew 23:1-12

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A Final Round

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:36:40 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he fights by ducking punches and retaliates with hard slams that can’t be returned.

After today, they are done with him. No more trick questions, plots, traps, attempts to bring him down. They won’t even try. He’s won every round. Get out of this fight before he destroys what’s left of your credibility.

But the lead priests, the Pharisees as they are known by their position and theological thought, give it one more try. Get him embroiled in a useless argument on a small point of law. Sooner or later, they figured Jesus would say too much in just slightly the wrong way. Then they could at least raise doubts about him even if they weren’t able to sink him.

“Teacher, (as the people thought of him) what is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” It was equivalent to drawing him into the argument of how many angels can dance of the pin head of a needle. Make the useless seem important and see the people walk away in boredom. This guy’s religion is pathetically going nowhere.

Foundational

He won’t fall for it. Jesus doesn’t deliver any new insights or even approach the legalism that tripped up so many. Cutting through their bull, he hands back what all Jews knew as “Shema”, that which they were called to hear and teach to the next generations. “Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” Right out of their own holy scripts, Deuteronomy 6:5 , Jesus declares it the greatest commandment. He doesn’t stop there. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18 . Everything else, all of the Big Ten and all the other teachings find their foundation on these principles.

So simple and so complex; ultra conservative and super radical; fundamentally true and still upsetting of the status quo. Jesus shook out their brains and turned heads upside down. The Trouble with Jesus is he fights by ducking punches and retaliates with hard slams that can’t be returned. Yet, to begin to sift through what’s been dumped into you all your life, it’s exactly what’s needed.

Full Surrender to Love

Anyone with half a brain sees where it starts. Love. But the road Love takes is way beyond liking or warm affection. It’s dedication that burns the soul with the divine. Heart, soul, and mind means it takes everything from you. Nothing you wish for, desire, believe is right, even what you think you need is permissible in position before God, this power and being which calls unto you and yet ultimately is beyond full understanding. Love’s essence is trust in placing whatever you think you are to God’s will and purpose.

Full Sharing of Love

Love your neighbor as yourself. Necessarily, you need to be in touch with your own needs in order to be fully available to another. Again, nothing new here. Jesus was not the only wise one to suggest it. Except for this: Love of neighbor has no limitations on its object. His preaching had emphasized if you only love those who love you or who are like you, the very exclusivity of it demonstrates a lack of love. Loving neighbor is expanded here to love those you might perceive as someone with whom you have no commonality all the way to those against whom you have been conditioned and race-d. ( Matthew 5:43-47 ) Call them your enemy, but you’ve got no excuse in God’s realm not to extend love.

It’s bigger than huge; it’s colossal. It’s costly, beyond holiday serving the poor or generously giving to places and programs that proclaim God and help others. It’s a total reorientation and rearrangement of priorities that will sacrifice one’s core self. Yes, Godly love demands a steep price.

Jesus’ questioners have no response. What’s to argue? He speaks right out of what they teach themselves. Stop. Wait. Pause. He doesn’t condemn them here as he’s done before. No challenges of being hypocrites. Let it soak in for what it meant then as well as now.

Return the Punch

He knows what they/we need. It’s his turn, and Jesus asks his fundamental question. “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” That’s what this was all about, why a grasp of the law and commandments was so crucial. Their understanding was the Messiah would not come until they were ready. These questions were meant to prepare the people to receive the one they would know as Savior.

What follows is rather foreign and confusing to modern readers, but the Pharisees and crowd around were familiar with its background. The Messiah was to claim heritage from the ancestry of King David. Yet, in one of the Psalms attributed to David and considered to be a prophecy of the coming Messiah, there’s this statement: “The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand….” ( Psalm 110:1 ) LORD was understood to be Yahweh, God of the Hebrews. The passage indicates God was speaking to the Messiah, and David refers to the Messiah as his Lord.

So? Carefully follow this. If David refers to the Messiah as Lord, and basically does so in a present tense, how can the Messiah be David’s son or ancestor?

A Decisive Blow

Well, if you have no answer, neither did they. That’s when they shut up. The struggle was in the wrestling and relinquishing what they hoped God would do. If the Messiah was in the ancestry line and followed King David, it indicated a Messianic triumph over the oppressors, the enemies of Israel. The hope was ultimately that Israel would be restored to the greatness it had known with David’s rule. Nationalism was the god they worshipped.

But if the Messiah was present and one to whom Yahweh spoke as equal and worthy of divine honor and worship, that’s a different ball game. Now you had a Messiah that was the embodiment of these great commandments, the essence of Love. To know this Messiah, to be in this new kind of kingdom, is to become the expression of Love entailing the forgiveness, mercy, and grace extended to all who claim a new kind of Savior.

This Savior’s purpose in Love of God and Neighbor would enter the world through those whom Love seeks and allow themselves to be transformed by it. Jesus’s life stands as supreme example of that. His coming execution on a cross was an act of Love, and that Love brought the hope of change and a new way of living.

That day the last bell rang in the ring of their final round in the Temple. Jesus had within him the power to deliver a knockout punch to squelch the challenges to his teaching and ministry. Instead, the Love he drew from the ancient writings Jesus extended to his challengers. They leave with the possibility of realizing God had for them a bigger design than they in their limited deliberations could fathom. Mercy and Grace in new thinking and living was available.

In a way, it was anticlimactic. It has to be.

God’s story of Love does not have a deadline to meet. It does not end.

Matthew 22:34-46

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Debate Issues

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 20:00:50 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: he waded right into political mire vs. religious positions.

Debates are good. We like them because they delineate the issues, clarify positions, and let’s face it, occasionally we watch because debaters tangle and tackle each other. And at the end, we get to decide the winner. Better yet, when Jesus enters the arena, the stakes get real high.

Background Drama

By this time, Jesus had been challenged on all sides. The priests of the Temple and their religious lawyers had not fared well that week. Yes, they were angry what about Jesus had done a couple days ago. Singlehandedly, he had kicked to the curb the moneychangers in the Temple courts . This was a lucrative system they had going because people couldn’t purchase clean, unblemished animals for their Temple sacrifices with Roman currency. So for a profit, of course, money was exchanged for Jewish shekels, and the Temple got a kick back along with it. You’d think Jesus would at least work with the system here, but instead he disrupted policy and practice that held everything together.

Having been creamed to their faces more than once, the priests sent their proxies to not only discredit Jesus this time, but to turn either the Roman rule or the common crowd against him. They didn’t care who would do their dirty work for them. Furthermore, they employed both their own followers and supporters of Herod to get it started.

Smart Set-up

First, you lower defenses and the best way to do that is suck up. They address him as Teacher/Rabbi, say he teaches about God without worry about where it lands, how he’s impartial and doesn’t play favorites. Make Jesus think his integrity is his greatest strength. Get him talking and let him trip himself up.

Then they put it out there: “Is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” It was a question full of guile, crafted carefully. They figured either way they had him. Get him on record as saying people should pay their taxes and stand back while an angry mob finishes him off, maybe even get a good riot going in the Temple courtyard.

Specifically, this despised tax was a poll tax. The Romans used it to build the empire, not just famous roads leading to Rome, but also imperial palaces and governmental structures that made them look good. The worst thing though was how it was collected along routes of commerce, so it effectively took from their pockets hard-earned money right off the top. Everywhere you went, you were paying taxes. People hated it for how it subsidized their oppressors, and if Jesus in any way supported it, he’d lose his base among the populace.

Then again, if Jesus said don’t pay it, while the crowd would love him, he'd be dead meat. Just watch the Roman guard move in, arrest him for treason, and that would be the end of it. You can just imagine how the whole place froze waiting for his response.

Slippery as Ice

Jesus likely went just as cold. He zeroed in on his inquisitors’ intentions, calling them out for the hypocrites they were, doing what they could to protect their own power and position, not honoring God. With all pretense removed on both sides, he requested they show him the Roman coin used to pay the tax. Someone pulled out a denarius.

Not smart. Not smart at all. Among the ridiculous number of laws good Jews were required to keep every day, one was no Roman money was permitted in the Temple walls. That’s why the moneychangers were deemed necessary. The issue lay with the image of Caesar stamped on the coin and its inscription, “Tiberius Caesar, august son of the divine Augustus, Pontificus Maximus.” In short, this very coin declared Caesar was a god and a high priest. It smacked right up against Commandments One and Two, worship no other gods and don’t make graven images (idols) of any kind of god. And these guys had one in their very own pockets? Once again, Jesus was turning tables on these phony holies.

With the offensive coin in hand, the face of Caesar before them, and the Temple walls towering above them, Jesus gives them an answer. ““Well, then,” he said, “give it to Caesar if it is his, and give God everything that belongs to God .” The posse sent to get him slinks off, caught in their own trap.

The Original Atta Boy

You have to give it to him. Jesus is supreme master at this sort of thing. Media today would love how his statements could be pulled for prime time, clipped for just the right ad and purpose. So he says, Caesar and God both get what’s theirs, and you’re good to go.

Just what is needed in this world today, good old-fashioned compromise. Keep it clear and clean and get on with it.

There’s a saying though about the mess in the message, and this one is knee deep. You’d like to think Jesus successfully waded through being enmeshed in political mire and religious positions. Yes, he got out of this one. And he did it by laying it right in our laps.

Whew! Politics and religion. That’s a big one. Step carefully here, and this debate will last for centuries (ok, it has already.) But is Jesus really taking the middle road here, or do his words say something more?

The Apparent Upshot

First, pay the d**n tax. In our society today, it’s a good idea. You can stand on the grounds that government supports law and order, infrastructure, and plays a big part in economic welfare, both for those who have jobs and those who don’t. Again, just stay on this footing, and you’ll stay out of trouble. And…

Give to God what is God’s. It’s a spiritual principle that you can’t outgive God. People of faith see God’s provision in life itself and in grace available by love of Jesus. So return to God a portion of the blessings you’ve received, usually measured at ten per cent.

Nice. We like it when something dissipates the tension in the topic. Settle in there and move on.

Except Jesus’ words don’t relax so fast.

The Internal Debate

He said, “give God everything that belongs to God.” Everything. Where does that begin? At the beginning, of course.

“So God created people in his own image.” (Genesis 1:27) More so than the stamp of Caesar on an ancient coin, God’s divine image is on the human soul. In the everything of life, all that is done, all allegiance given, comes from that core. And when the reach of Caesar steps into places of God’s righteousness (think issues of justice, equality, oppressive practices, sacred moments and places), what is required in the conflict?

Now, that’s a debate. That’s “everything.” Though Jesus’ antagonists walked away from this one, in three or four days they would get what they wanted. It could be said at times Jesus was preaching as much to himself as to anyone else. His very life would be given for God’s purposes in love to be given to the world. Everything meant no less than a cross, and that became every thing for the world. The cross changed everything, even an empty grave as death became new life. No emperor or religious authority could fully eliminate him and what was to come. Everything follows that.

What gets held back reflects a personal god, something like a stamped coin held tightly in a deep pocket. Debate within yourself what that could be.

Matthew 22:15-22

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God's Kind of Party

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:26:57 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: All-loving God and Dangerous Radical. Can you have both?

Jesus liked a good time. He enjoyed eating with friends and did not seem to mind so much when his critics came along at least to watch. His disciples were called out for not fasting a lot but who enjoyed a good meal. The Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son stories all end in celebrations. His first miracle happened in the middle of wedding festivities. And there’s no telling what it was like when he fed thousands of people or healed the hopeless. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the good times?

So when he told this story about a king who threw a great banquet to celebrate his son’s wedding, it fits. The Son of God is comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to his father’s reign. It’s a party, and the invite list is huge. Go with it.

But tread carefully. Jesus’ stories contain both what you want to hear and what you may not be ready to hear. It’s the difference between reading for what you want to find and reading for that which challenges perceptions about God and our relations with others. It’s the Jesus as the all-loving God, and Jesus as the dangerous radical.

Wait! Can you have both?

Event of the Year

The king prepares for this great celebration, a state dinner set with the best culinary finds and ample wine to enhance the meal. He sends out the invitations. Twice. But something strange happens. The invitees refuse to come, ignoring his messengers and going about their usual business. Who wouldn’t want to be at the event of the year? But they won’t come.

So the king decides if that’s the way these people will be, he’ll extend the invitation to those who will really appreciate it. He sends out the order for his servants to find anyone on the streets, no matter how respectable or despicable they might be, and bring them in. The banquet hall is filled, and this party is happening!

Ingrate Guest

Except there’s this bum who didn’t even try to find some kind of appropriate dress for the occasion. (Now, to bring in some context here, the original listeners to the story knew often at these regal affairs, the guests were presented with a wedding overcoat upon arrival.) The slob didn’t change into what was likely a fine robe to covers his rags. Insulted and infuriated at being disrespected, the king has him thrown out again into the darkness, a place of such regret there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

1 ^st Reading

Put this in perspective. The king (read God) has prepared a feast for all who will accept him and come to his celebration table for his son (read Jesus.) But there are those who refuse to accept the invitation (read the religious elite who would not accept Jesus’ message.) So king/God says son/Jesus will extend the invitation instead to those who are the people of the street, (read those whom the priests would despise as not being good enough for their company, usually prostitutes and tax collectors who collaborated with the Romans.)

Now, what’s not to love about this story? You’ve got a portrayal of God who is all-inclusive to those who will come into his house and feast at his banquet table. Both good and bad are then worthy to receive his love and the message of his Son. It’s another smackdown for the oppressive, legalistic religious leaders, and it’s uplifting for those who aren’t good enough according to their kind.

Yeah God! You’ve made that clear.

Oh, and the jerk who wouldn’t change his clothes? Let’s do some serious theology here. All are invited to God’s banquet, but there’s an expectation when the invitation is accepted. This guy represents those who think they can have a God who loves and saves but not have to change their former values. A new lifestyle is required. Yes, there is grace in that God calls everyone, and there is no other access to God besides accepting his invitation through the Son. But once accepted, a new path and way of living should be evident. It’s the familiar, but true, grace is free but not cheap.

Yes sir, dear Jesus, you’ve set this one down just fine. Let the party begin. What, there are a few things we’ve might have missed in the story? What do you mean? Go over it again.

Tunnel Down

This is where a shovel is needed to dig deeper, deeper into reading how this was heard and understood to the crowd around Jesus as he told this story in the Temple. Not only would it have a different meaning to those who heard it straight from Jesus’ lips, it can have a different twist in what it means today.

Jesus starts by saying the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to…. Compared to. That can mean both how things are alike and how things are different. You’ve got to give honest focus on that. Drop expectations as to how you’re thinking the Kingdom of Heaven should be and what the Kingdom of Heaven is not.

Jesus’ illustration is in the story of a king. It’s an allegory which means the details in the story represent things or others beyond just what’s in the story. But who is to say that the king in this story is actually God acting in his kingdom? As it is, the translation from the original Greek for the word king has the designation of man, human, mortal, no more divine than you and I are. So who is this guy supposed to be?

The king/man’s invitations are rejected. Again, who wouldn’t want to be at the event of the year? Maybe they didn’t like him personally, or some policy he had, or maybe they were afraid of what might happen in the king’s house. Some of the invitees reacted and treated the king’s messengers badly, even killing some of them. Who would do that, except maybe those who’d had previous experience with this king, who didn’t for hopefully some good reason trust the king’s invitation/intentions. The drama has some secrets it’s concealing.

The king is furious at how he’s being treated. He retaliates by sending out his national army to do away with these murderers, even burns the city. That’s rather heavy-handed, but apparently it’s also how he works. When the street people are invited in, it may have been more like rounded up. At any rate, seeing what the others got for refusing to go, maybe they thought they had no choice.

The banquet hall was filled though, just like the king wanted. It’s when he is greeting his guests (never let a good photo-op go to waste), he spots the guy without proper wedding guest apparel. He challenges the rebel as to why he’s not dressed appropriately. The guy has no reply. Likely it wouldn’t have mattered if he had given a defense. The king wanted him gone, and into the outer darkness, etc. he was sent.

Another Angle

Now, again, let’s look at this. The people in the Temple knew an egomaniacal ruler just like this. His name was Herod, and what Herod didn’t like usually meant rousing his sadistical wrath. Most people knew the more space between Herod and themselves, the better. In other words, stay out of his parties or someone could lose their head. ( John the Baptist was a good example .) If you protested Herod’s regime, you better be prepared for battle because the slightest disagreement would have him marshal the troops.

When this guy was noticed by the king for having not dressed for the party, the Temple crowd also knew what that meant. If you spotted or pointed out what was anything from inappropriate to downright immoral in Herod, you were as good as gone. Outer darkness very well could be prison for you and despair of death was likely. (Again, such was JTB’s fate.)

Get the perspective here. This narrative was told right in the Temple. Jesus had already called out the Temple priests and Jewish religious leaders for their rejection of him as Messiah. Now he was taking a different stance, this time against Roman rule. Before the week was over, Jesus would be standing in Herod’s court, refusing to answer his charges. Ironically, Herod would mock him by putting a royal robe on him , (Luke 23:11) dressing Jesus as the kind of king he would be. By the time the day was over, Jesus would be in that place of outer darkness.

The kingdom of heaven can be compared to…but is not at all like kingdoms of this world. To approximate even in part God’s kingdom is to understand the inclusiveness of God in love to all the world, the invitation that is available to all, and the transformation in life that can mean. But beware of picking and choosing what you want like about God and not listen to the full story.

In other words, be careful which party you attend.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:1-14

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A Kingdom Coup

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 18:20:20 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he means his message even more now than he meant it then.

“Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces,

and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

Last week may have been it. Government shutdown, calls for a presidential impeachment, a crisis continues at the border, floods where there haven’t been before. This country feels like it’s wallowing in a sink hole. Doesn’t God see this? How could someone from 2000 years ago ever speak hope in this tangled heap of a mess?

In some ways, the world seems to never change, never get better. Jesus saw it then, and God watches it now. When backed into a corner, Jesus used strong words at times, but altogether he was fair. You always knew where you stood with him. On the whole though, it’s easier to take his toughness when he calls out the source of chaos, but when he made it into a parable, sit up and pay close attention. He means it now maybe even more than he meant it then.

Corruption at the Top

The situation was almost too familiar. He’d said some things, done some things that challenged the leadership. They had tried to trip him up, but he was too smart for their ploys. Let’s face it; when you’re right, you can see through what the other side is attempting. It was more than clear that the leadership, both religious and political, made it their primary position to protect their place and power. Whoever got in the way would have to be disgraced before the people or removed from the scene. They were out to get him. They would be successful in that. But Jesus would expose their motives before going down.

A Chateau Tale

His story portrays a landowner with a vineyard. Stop right there. The crowd already knew what this meant. The prophets had compared Israel as God’s vineyard . They also knew what it took to have a good vineyard, hard work over a long time with no profit being made while the vines developed and grapes matured. Furthermore, it needed to be planted in a place where there was peace and stability, no threats of enemy destruction. It was a work of hope, and it represented what the people wanted in their own lives and land.

In this vineyard the harvest was finally ready. It should have been a time of celebration, a toasting of all the good wine that would be packaged, sold, and stored for another good day. The landowner sends his servants to bring home his share of the crop. Twice. Things get ugly. Those who had been caring for the vineyard abuse and kill the servants. It’s clear their violence must be met with a stronger effort.

Insurrection by Murder

But when the landowner’s son shows up, those who had been in charge show their true motives. “Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!” So they murdered the son, a coup d’état where power is changed illegally or by force.

Jesus doesn’t give the story a happy ending. It stops there. Roused in the listeners was a need for justice. This shouldn’t happen in anybody’s vineyard, let alone among your own people. Jesus throws out the question: What should happen to these murderers of the landowner’s son, those who would overtake the place that was chosen by God for Israel to live, to prosper in this place? What will the landowner do when he shows up to bring justice?

Inculpatory Judgement

“He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.” So said the religious leaders, not Jesus.

Ever say something without thinking, make a comment that incriminates yourself because you were led to protest a wrong and not have insight to realize your place in it?

The Cost of Grace

We know what will happen in this story. Before the week is finished, the landowner’s son will die a cruel and horrible death on a cross. The religious leaders of the day were players in making that happen. Their statement damns them. But Jesus didn’t.

The landowner was willing to do whatever it took to bring the caretakers of the vineyard to live and do what was expected. The landowner was not going to take it all away but rather allow them to be blessed by their labor, returning only a share of the crop. When the caretakers in effect claimed the vineyard and its profit all for themselves, the landowner sent the one who would be his best representative and bring what he hoped for them. Violence and injustice was their response.

Jesus turns the story on his enemies. Quoting an ancient Psalm, he says, “The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.” (Psalm 118:22-23) “What I mean is that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”

"A nation that will produce the proper fruit." Jesus means it today as much as he meant it then. View the vineyard as a nation, a church, a political or social movement, or even a family. Just know to whom the vineyard really belongs. The caretakers of these vineyards need always be mindful of who is the real owner and what the owner expects. From this vineyard should come good fruit, fruit that has been planted to bring its people provision and celebration.

Those who would take over the vineyard for their own purposes will eventually resort to seizing control by abuse, violence, and the need to dominate and rid opponents in whatever way they can. Some would even kill God or God’s messenger to make that happen. Their destructive schemes though one day will be the stone that breaks and crushes them into pieces.

Injustice eventually turns on itself.

Watch this though: in the vineyard there is forgiveness and redemption. The fruit of the vine produces wine, and the wine in a cup is the blood of the one who is the landowner’s son . When killed, the landowner brings back the son, resurrected, forgiving, merciful and offering grace despite what we have done to him. To drink from that cup is to accept the Son from whom that blood flowed.

“This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous to see.”

Matthew 21:33-46

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On Whose Say So?

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:59:34 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he won’t concede not having an answer.

Surely you can understand what their problem was. The day before, Jesus entered the city with considerable fanfare, riding on a donkey like he was some big deal, and crowds shouted he was the Son of David, spreading coats and branches in his path so the dust of the road would not touch his feet. If that wasn’t enough, he headed straight into the Temple and went berserk , turning over the tables and kiosks of the merchants selling religious ware and exchanging foreign currency at exorbitant rates. In a fury from heaven, Jesus shouted the ancient scripture of how they had made this holy place of prayer into a sanctuary for thieves.

No surprise here. Jesus just would not make friends, work with, or make it easier for the religious leaders to do their job. His challenges were open threats, and this pretty much sealed the deal. The next day, they confronted him right in the middle of his teaching. This was going to be a showdown for sure, and they went right to the core of the issue.

Question Authority

“By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?” Ok, given the drama of the day before, it was a good question. On the other hand, it also was opened ended, the kind of thing that could go anywhere, including backfiring on themselves. Legal experts will tell you don’t cross-examine with questions when you don’t know the answer that will be given. Big mistake here, guys.

First, let it also be said that they indicated they were upset about how he disrupted the operations of the Temple. Even so, Jesus had also healed the blind that day. What they didn’t note or ask about was where he got the power to do that. Shouldn’t that have spoken volumes, giving them pause for consideration? Not at all.

Question Control

You can understand what their problem was. The chief priests controlled Temple life, the center of their worship with God. But that control did not come as it used to, from the blessing of God who had gathered and called them to lead and serve. These days, the chief priest was appointed by the Roman government.

Huh? A religious position was a political appointment?

Yep, and with it went a measure of land and wealth, aside from prestige and power. Jesus’ disruptive display wouldn’t sit well with their superiors, and they needed to squash it right now. Passover, the highest holy day of the Jews, was only a few days away. Jerusalem would be teeming with the faithful making their pilgrimage to the Temple. If the Romans saw the priests were losing their grip on the people, things would not go well very fast.

Question Influence

You can understand what their problem was. People were excited about this guy, not about them. Even children were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David,” without parental restraint. The other leaders, the ones who were allowed some voice in the Temple and synagogues, had their places due to affirmation of the populace. With the people all excited instead about this teacher/healer, they were losing their power as well. This guy had to be stopped, and it may as well happen where everyone could see it for themselves. Now was the time.

Question on Condition

So, Hey Jesus, on whose say so are you making all this trouble?

Jesus doesn’t shrink away at all. He accepts the question on one condition, basically throwing it back in their laps. “I’ll tell you who gave me the authority to do these things if you answer one question: Did John’s baptism come from heaven or was it merely human?”

Shrewd, Jesus, oh so shrewd. If they say John the Baptist preached and baptized by the power and inspiration of God, then the next question would be why did you reject him (or by extension, Jesus)? It would highlight what everyone knew anyway, that is, for whom these religious leaders were really working. But if they said JTB was acting on his own, oh my, the crowds would really make them pay for that.

Yep, caught between politics and the populace, they were in a tight place. The only answer they could muster was, “We don’t know.”

Question Faith and Belief

Now, you really can understand what their problem was. Their own question challenged the source of faith. Do you believe or claim to believe what you say you do because it smooths the way, gives your life at least a semblance of morality to be called upon when the appearance of taking the higher road is advantageous? Or do your convictions really rest with confidence due to beliefs that have been long examined and weighed in openness to who God is and what God says regardless of how it aligns with your own perspectives of what a higher power should be or do for you?

Even if you don’t subscribe to either position, by default this is your answer: You simply take it on your own authority. Or maybe instead, you refuse to make the stand with your own, “I don’t know.” As it is, agnosticism is not an avenue that Jesus will concede.

Question in Story

Jesus probes the issue with a parable. A man with two sons asked them to work in his vineyard. One son said he wouldn’t but later changed his mind and went anyway. The other son agreed to work, but never showed up on the job. Simple story followed by a simple question: “Which of the two was obeying his father?”

We all know actions speak louder than words. The son who did as asked by his father was the obedient one. Good enough answer. Yet once again, Jesus stabs deep to reveal who his criticizers really were. “I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.” Get the full impact of this now: Jesus said this right in the Temple! Actions speak louder than words, but these words were thunderous in how they called out the priests right on their home field.

John had preached repentance; the priests hammered people for not keeping 613 laws. Jesus ate with and associated with despised agents of the Roman IRS and offered restoration to women of the night; the Temple police were hypocrites, judging and profiting by the systemic oppressions of the day. Jesus healed, reversed and restored persons to what God created them to be; the religious elite only wanted to preserve what served them.

Question of Integrity

Yeah, you can understand what their problem was. Some claim authority by virtue of position. That’s all these Jewish leaders had going for them. But real authority, that which effectively influences and leads, is based on a correspondence between who one is and what one does. It links itself by words and deeds, proclamation and firm policy, promises and follow-through. It is honesty and truth that has been tested, proved and lived out. Authority holds the bar high in its standard but allows that those who have missed the mark can come back later and serve in recognition of the request made upon them.

Question Requires Response

You can understand what their problem was. Ultimately, we give answer to the question of where Jesus got his authority. A choice as to who Jesus was then and now still stands. “I don’t know” is never an acceptable answer.

Jesus won’t concede that.

Matthew 21:23-32

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Is God an L?

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:20:21 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: heaven’s view of what’s fair and equitable isn’t like ours .

A dmit it. There’s a problem with this story Jesus is telling. Of all things, you’d expect him to teach about the fairness of God. For goodness’ sake, he even introduces it as, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” The parable of the vineyard workers basically says that God favors socialist philosophy, regardless if someone put in the work or not. Whatever happened to reap what you sow, give and you receive, an equal exchange of action and reaction, deed and consequence? Otherwise, how else can we know that God cares about what everyone does? Is God an L?

The Hiring Line

Go ahead, shake your head, and examine what this owner of a large estate does. Very early in the day, he hires workers for his vineyard with the agreement to pay them the normal daily wage. They go to work. Then at nine o’clock, at noon, and even at five o’clock, he finds people just “standing around doing nothing.” (You know the type, chronically unemployed, lazy bums likely hanging out on the street corners.) When asked why they aren’t working, they simply say, “Because no one hired us.” (Well, if you’d get up and get moving when most of the hiring is happening,…oh, never mind.) The owner hires them, telling them to join the other workers hired earlier that day.

Fee for Service

That’s nice. Everyone gets a little something. God’s provision is there for those who show up and respond to the call. Except there’s more to this story, and not from what comes next as much as what went before.

Take a deep breath now. He did it again. Good old Peter just had to say it, and in more than one way, Jesus had to adjust his thinking. The repetition of this scenario seems to indicate it’s a lesson not easily learned.

“ We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get out of it? ” Peter asks. (Mathew 19:27) Jesus had just indicated to a rich young man that to follow him, the man needed to sell all he had and give to the poor . (Matthew 19:16-26) For this guy, it was a tougher sell than for the relatively poor fishermen who dropped their nets when Jesus called them. Even so, Peter and the other disciples had basically sacrificed their entire lives to get behind Jesus. Shouldn’t this “Kingdom of Heaven” reward them in some way when it was all over?

Divine Reversals

Yes, Jesus says, but not like you may think. “ Many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then. ” (Matthew 19:30) Reversals are the mode of operation in divine action. Healing reverses illness, peace reverses anxiety, joy reverses grief. So too, the kingdom of heaven reverses personal importance and status.

So, it’s no surprise that at the end of the day, the owner tells his foreman to pay first the last workers, and pay them a full day’s wage. Everyone else, regardless of how long they worked, get paid the same.

Ok, God, healing, peace, and joy are spiritual entities. You’re talking about people’s wallets here. If you are supposed to be fair and just, pay people according to the labor they put in, or at least pay those who worked longer hours more than the ones who worked only at the end of the day. Raise the minimum wage if you want but be fair about it.

Let’s back up here again. This is not some labor union meeting. Nor is it a welfare program being proposed. What did Jesus say? “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” And like it or not, heaven’s view of what’s fair and equitable isn’t like ours. So Peter, and the rest of you for that matter, make the adjustment.

Questions of What’s Fair and Just

What is fair and just and the way we believe and understand how the world should work isn’t the point here. Yet, Jesus sets the story in the familiar place of work and benefits with rewards associated in the labor market. It doesn’t seem right or fair, yet Jesus knew unless our perspectives are sometimes shaken, those of us who sit in Peter’s camp might not buy into his message. It would come down to doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

Jesus was up against the mentality that everything good in life must be earned. That’s a paycheck as well as eternal life. That rich guy had asked Jesus, “What must I do to have eternal life?” Peter also was reminding Jesus what the disciples had done. Jesus had to deconstruct that expectation, and he did it right where people sit.

The world values persons by the size of their bank accounts and financial portfolios. No, he says. “What’s important now will be least important then.” Heaven is not earned by work, nor by what you give, nor by how you serve. You’re not going to balance your account with God like this.

A Liberal Grace

What does work is in the response to the owner of the vineyard. All the workers that day answered the owner’s call. It wasn’t the work they went out to do that got them a reward, but the fact that they said Yes to the owner. Every Yes was the same. And so, everyone who said Yes, regardless of the amount of work they put it, was rewarded with the same pay.

Interestingly, some of those who had worked the longest are the ones who protested. You can hear them now shouting how the system is unjust. Recognize this story is not about your dysfunctional systems of the world. This is God’s will to bless all who say Yes to the owner. God’s response, again to Peter and the rest of us who need some kind of hierarchy on which to sit, is, “Should you be angry because I am kind?”

In the end, Jesus is saying that God is an L, that is, God is a Lover. God’s love is the source of forgiveness, mercy, and grace. It’s overly generous, beyond fair. Not to mention costly to God, worth being crucified over. It’s not to be weighed on our understanding of what is just, our sense of equality and equity. That’s not to say these are to be dismissed in the relationships we have with each other. But it does mean, in saying Yes to God, a greater principle and operative has been designed to bring all persons who respond to that love and grace into the Kingdom of Heaven. And if God is at all liberal, it’s how no one is ever too late to receive it. That’s why,

“Many who are first now will be last then, and those who are last now will be first then.”

Matthew 20:1-16

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Ludicrous Love

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:44:14 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is an expectation to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged us in the same generous measure we want to be forgiven.

Sometimes the people who need grace the most are the least aware of it. It’s a perspective of what the other guy deserves, and it sits in a place of pride. “I’m not like that,” or “Those people do those kinds of things,” or “ok, I’ll be the bigger person in this and let them get by this time.” All statements veil an internal need that is denied.

When is Enough Enough

Peter: God-fearing, Messiah-follower, the outspoken one with all the answers that found himself in bad places more than once was like that. Maybe it was that lost sheep story that got him thinking. What do you do with those who get lost looking for something better? And what do you do when it happens more than once? The story may have a moral of being loved so much a shepherd will do what it takes not to let even one get away. That’s a nice illustration if you’re the Son of God, but what about the rest of us? How much of this kind of thing can a person take?

So Peter asks, “How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” Now that’s being generous. Rabbis said forgive three times and after that you can be done with them. Peter doubles it and throws in one for good measure. Seven was known as a complete and whole number, whole if not outright holy. Peter certainly had heard enough of Jesus’ teachings on love, so this sounds as if it might work. Besides, who could blame a person after she or he had been violated in some way seven times? Anyone would say, enough is enough.

Jesus says it’s not. “Seventy times seven.”

Uh, are you kidding me? You’re saying 490? Wait a minute, this is going to take some explaining.

God’s Kind of Enough

Jesus knows it. People can’t fathom the largeness of such things. It means allowing oneself to sink into an unknown, unrecognized, unheard of perception of how to live with others, and in this case, others who hurt you over and over. Yes, it pushes into a place where most of us don’t really want to go, seemingly sacrificing self to be taken for a sucker and abused for doing the right thing.

Dear God, why do you make these things so hard!

So Jesus does what Jesus does. He gives Peter a story, a way to wrap his mind around this thing called forgiveness. But characteristically, it comes from like no other book you’ll ever read.

Find Yourself in the Story

A king decides some accounts need to be brought up to date. Accountants call it reconciling the statements. As it was, there was a man who owed him not just a lot of money, but lots and lots and lots of money. We’re talking like so much, there was no way on earth he could ever pay it back. Stupid money, to be sure.

Ok, let’s take a look at this. Who would ever do this kind of lending without holding at least some kind of collateral? This king must have had some kind of reason. Jesus doesn’t say exactly, but certainly this too generous king must have seen something in the man that said he was worth it. A good marketing plan, high accolades from others in the business, other paths of success? Or maybe he had a smile and personality that just made you see this was a guy who would do well and carefully use these funds gifted to him at the time? No matter, on some level though there must have been an element of trust that the money would be returned having accomplished the purpose for which it was given.

As it was, the guy defaulted on the entire loan. The king was justifiably furious, and not only was he ready to sell whatever assets the guy had, but even the man and his whole family into slavery. If this sickens you, you understand why the man fell at the king’s feet and begged for patience with the promise of repayment. You may not understand why the king pitied him, let him go, and forgave the entire debt. But the king did forgive him, even though there was no way this guy could ever, ever repay the debt.

Well, Jesus, there you go again. You tell your stories with impossible endings, impossible because you have exaggerated the situation so much, no sane person would live there. So this is what you mean when you say forgive 490 times? Just forget what people have done and let them go over a few tears? This is going to take some more explaining.

No Mercy

Jesus obliges and takes the story further. The man leaves the king freed from the most miserable of consequences, freed from any worry that this would come back to haunt him or his family, freed even from losing likely a considerable amount of assets and wealth still available from the generous allowance the king had. Yet, the jerk does something almost as equally incomprehensible as the king had done in letting him go after accumulating such a huge debt.

He finds someone who owed him money, actually around one day’s wage, and has this poor soul jailed until this meager amount was repaid.

Huh? Besides the fact if the little guy was in jail he couldn’t work to get the money to repay it, had the man who had just been forgiven by the king lost his mind? He couldn’t find it in himself to at least work with the guy who owed him such a small amount by comparison to what the king had forgiven him?

That’s right, and when the king hears about it, he is furious again. The guy who had not a smidgen of mercy for another person who had done the same thing for which he’d been forgiven was sent to prison until every penny he owed the king was repaid. (Yep, like never would that ever happen.)

So what gives here? Why couldn’t the man act with the same mercy, forgiveness, and grace with which the king blessed him, especially when this poor soul who owed the guy so little? Where’s the disconnect in all of this?

Dodging the Consequence

Looking back at Jesus’ story, what seems to be absent is what is missing in the forgiven man. Sure, he threw himself at the king’s feet begging that the king’s judgement would not fall on him and his family. We can all relate to that. While we are free to make our choices, once chosen, consequences make choices upon us. The more negative the possible consequence, hopefully the more positive the choice. Yet, there is within humankind a weird kind of desire to make our choice and avoid the consequence. Remorse, regret, sorrow, or repentance for how the choice has impacted others isn’t a factor. Instead, people fear the negative consequence over admitting that harm has been done. Such was the man who begged for mercy from the king and walked away scot-free.

So did forgiving the man help him?

Well, he did get away with it for a short while. But he didn’t change. He inflicted a measure of pain upon another that he deserved first. Is he the one then that will have to be forgiven 490 times?

Not the Cheap Kind

It’s been said that grace and the forgiveness it entails is not cheap. The cheap kind will let someone go without ensuring some kind of change and transformation in the one who is forgiven. Real grace that extends forgiveness sometimes must be as penetrating as nails deep in flesh, as only Jesus would know.

Sometimes that means persons must hear a No, Not ever again, It’s over. A couple in a garden learned this the hard way. Having done the very one thing they were not asked to do, they met their consequence, separation from their Creator in never being as close as they once had been. Forgiveness was extended, and the flimsy way they tried to hide their nakedness was replaced by animal skins, that is, lush fur that covered and protected from the elements. They needed that protection, for they also were banished from the only place they had known. No, they could not go back to the garden . Not ever again would they walk its path of light and beauty. It’s over, and they must leave it forever. Forgiveness that teaches and heals does not excuse the consequence that accompanies the hurtful action.

Severe Mercy

It’s not an easy lesson for most of us. We want forgiveness to restore us to the way things used to be and not banish us from the gardens we think we deserve instead of sending us to prisons, real or figurative. Yet, that is the severe mercy that Jesus was teaching Peter, hoping and praying that Peter would someday get it right, that his question was not for someone else’s need, but for his own.

Peter would require this lesson. Jesus was telling him he could never get so far gone and down that he would be beyond God’s mercy, forgiveness, grace and love. As many times as it took, Jesus was saying, Peter would be forgiven. When his heart knew the path of repentance, sorrow and grief that changes one from the worst he or she could be, forgiveness would be there for him, and for us, again and again. By this realization, restoration would be complete, not by a denial or avoidance of consequence, but in the giving of this grace to others.

Thus, by learning and living in the ridiculous number of times we need to be forgiven, we learn also to forgive.

“ Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors .” Matthew 6:12

Matthew 18:21-35

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PPP

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 20:10:18 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he wants us to do the hard work to reconcile our conflicts.

Process, Promise, Peace

These are days that weary the soul. Voices of dissension drown out the positive. Getting through one day at a time is often a depressive fog. The future is dim. When it erupts once again into riotous protesting, war, political wrangling, one faction that will only concede it should get its way, attention must be paid. Lord, oh Lord, what must be done, how can this be addressed, who are we supposed to be in this chaos, and above all, where are you to be found?

Remember, conflict is not a stranger to our world. There’s always been this push and pull, tug of war, my-way-or-the-highway attitude that aims to win, triumph, defeat the other side. Read your history: Roman conquests, the Crusades, Civil War, World War I, II, and following. Don’t forget the interpersonal tensions in most dynamics. The fear and anxiety we feel now has been part of the human struggle since forever began. Take heart at least in knowing that Jesus saw it and lived in it.

Yet, Jesus never mapped out plans to be the victor by squashing whoever didn’t buy into his plan. Rather, he was the advocate for honest listening, consideration of what the other side may need to be recognized as an equal.

A Not So Novel Approach

Listen, he says. “If your brother sins against you,…” (Hold on now. Sin is a loaded theological term.) At the least, it means someone has done something bad, right? Broken a law or not followed a rule? Maybe. But in its broadest connotation, legalism is almost minor. Something has brought about a division, a rift or estrangement in the relationship between persons, groups, peoples. Not to exclude the more obvious hurts, abuse, and harm, it can also be the small things, the microaggressions that needle and stick the person. Sometimes unintended, they are often spoken out of an ignorance of another’s experience and culture. Yet the impact, especially over time, affects as much as a long slice or deep stab in the flesh. The hurt it brings, the separation it causes, is what God sees as sin and needs to be addressed.

Yeah? How?

“…go privately and point out the fault.” Now this takes a good dose of courage coupled with an understanding of assertiveness. Heavy chastisement will only widen the separation. Passively allowing for excuses minimizes what has happened. Operative is a grace that exercises the basis of good communication. “When you ( describe the behavior ), I feel ( name the emotion: anger, fear, confused, insulted, etc. ) because ( show its impact: disrespected, unloved, used, etc. ) The practice allows each person, each side to understand the conflict and what needs to be resolved. The other person is not disparaged, but rather is informed as each side feels heard. It allows each to have sensitivity in the issue and to express how to be better in the relationship. It’s listening based in love of neighbor, a core element in also loving God.

Don’t Give Up After the First Try

While this simple method effectively helps smooth out relationship problems more often than not, it’d be foolhardy to say it works all the time. Sometimes, the person who has harmed another has issues of insecurity and the need for control. The prospect of changed behavior is not welcomed, for it could very well entail relinquishing old patterns of thinking and prejudice. The response is one of denial: “I did no such thing” or “You should not feel that way” or “What makes you think you can tell me what to do?” or even “I’m not like that at all!” What then, dear Jesus?

“But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.” The offended person needs courage here not to let the hurt be swept under the carpet. Yet, the witnesses must be trusted not to give verification as to what has happened, but rather that it has been addressed. To do otherwise would be triangulation indicating an inherent weakness in the process. But in the forthright expression of the harm and its impact, now openly expressed, the offender and the offended have another opportunity to enter into an exchange of listening and reflecting understanding of the other.

For the love of God, if only it was this easy. Maybe it would be if this is how conflicts were handled, if children saw this modeled in families and were taught to use this in negotiating their needs, if workplaces were brave enough to utilize this honestly and fairly, if churches employed more Christ-like attitudes and less parking lot gossip, if partisan groups truly wanted to serve the people. But we know what happens.

Final Option

As a last resort, Jesus says, “If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church.” Don’t consider this as some kind of religious tribunal. Rather, at its core is an assembly who seek peace and unity in the community. Interventions of this sort practice guidelines to which both sides agree with the intent that whatever change results desires to improve a difficult situation for all who are involved.

Why persons refuse to listen or participate in the process is, well, too bad. Listening ultimately allows the chance to express the other side of the story. But refusal to enter into the listening process is a dysfunctional dynamic that impedes resolution. And that is a real shame, for it can lead to the possibility of seeming exclusion, seen as one on the outside, “pagan” in being unwilling to live in a community of relationships that are healthy, whole, and know that conflicts can be healed.

As Heaven Sees It

Something else sits in this: Jesus notes, “I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven.” Huh? So we get to decide what goes? Not quite. The key here is “whatever.” Handle the inevitable conflicts and disagreements of human relationships with a grace that affirms and honors the other, allow love for neighbor to truly be the operative process, give space for all to listen and understand, and that place in which you find God in the now and the eternal will be realized.

But that which separates and dominates persons who must share this created world together allowing division and conflict to rule the world, those who disallow a peaceful resolution by refusals to participate without preconceptions of what should be, those who grab at power rather than give up the right to be right will only impede the possibility of reconciliation that God can bring for individuals and peoples who desire peace on earth as was promised by no less than angels.

Key to any part of the peacemaking process is a preparedness to let God do what God will do, a willingness to work with God’s purposes for justice. To allow the counsel of Christ to draw persons of differing backgrounds and perspectives into a blessed unity is world changing. Any other strategy usually is self-destructive, and reconciliation looks pretty futile.

Jesus seals it with a promise. He doesn’t leave us to decide how to get things done. Yes, honest dialogue and refusing to stay quiet about behaviors that hurt are needed. Being a supportive presence with those who need voice is vital to the effort. Yet, he doesn’t just drop it in our laps and leave. He stays and is the glue and power that bonds us together.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask,

my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together

because they are mine, I am there among them.”

Matthew 18:15-20

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Lost in a Cross

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:27:10 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his cross places losing over keeping,

finding life by giving it away.

Don’t you dare criticize him for what he said. Honestly, you’re no different than he when it comes down to it. You claim you believe in God, but when push comes to shove, rubber meets the road, and truth be known, you’re as big a wuss, a real live phony, as Peter.

Right Answer. Wrong Approach.

Sure, he gave the right answer when asked. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” But Jesus had no sooner than affirmed Peter and what his words meant to the Kingdom of Heaven, when Peter blew it.

Jesus told the twelve not to tell anyone he was the Messiah. It seems counterproductive that the Savior of the World would not want his inner circle to broadcast his purpose, but Jesus knew them. Right away, Peter along with the others were so self-deluded about what Messiah meant that he just couldn’t accept Jesus’ words. No way should Jesus fall victim to the religious leaders who wanted him dead. No way he should die. (Be raised on the third day? By then Peter’s stuffed ears had quit listening.)

All of them, including Peter, and all of us, want God to be their kind of God. Our kind of God that is on my side. The kind of God that rights all that is wrong according to how they, you, and I see it. The Jews had suffered too many centuries under occupation by foreign, pagan rule. It was time for these conquerors to go. A Messiah should take care of that, not take on abuse and suffering and Heaven forbid, die! Peter “corrected” him, “This will never happen to you.”

That’s right. Messiahs and Saviors should take care of things, make our lives happy and safe. For instance, notice there is a war going on? Why do I live in a world where countries are still occupying other lands, forcing young and old to defend their country from slaughter, where children are snatched away from families brainwashed against their homeland ? While at home this weekend another racially charged mass shooting eliminated innocent lives, leaving us to wonder once again what God is going to do about it. Now is the time to say, God, this is enough. Get this gone!

Staring Down the Enemy

Oddly, the only one Jesus wants gone is Satan. That’s what he called Peter, the only human whom Jesus called out as Satan. Satan was Jesus’ antithesis, adversary, the spiritual equivalent of all that would destroy what the Kingdom of Heaven was meant to be. Peter’s words to back away from the kind of Messiah Jesus intended to be were a “dangerous trap”, a perspective of “ seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s .”

But wait a blessed minute here! This doesn’t make sense. These people were hurting, and the Hebrew scripture had promised a Messiah, a David-like king who would rescue the people. What were the Chosen People chosen for if they had to succumb to this tyranny all the time?

You mean even in the face of suffering, God, you have another plan, a way of bringing about a peace for us we cannot see right now? So what makes sense from our assessment of the situation isn’t how you see it?

Losing is Finding

Jesus gives it to them, and us, in blunt and brutal terms:

“If you want to be my follower, put aside your selfish ambition,

shoulder your cross, and follow me.”

“If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.”

“If you give up your life for me, you will find true life.”

Good Lord, where does that leave us!

With bold-faced truth. Our century is not the first which has been subjected to blaring cacophonies telling us what will satisfy our lives. The lure of wealth, security, status are real, but even more so is the confidence that our way is the right way, we know how to fix things, and we have the only way to find satisfaction and meaning. Then again, if it worked, why do so many of us seek more and still sit in the tension of fearing what seems unknowable?

“How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

And Loss is Gain

The question was asked of the disciples, and it echoes beyond time into an eternal now. It challenged the twelve to relinquish their limited understanding of who Jesus was and how they were to live out his mission. Likewise, despite the advancements of the human race, we are easily cut to our knees by the power hungry who would control with violence and hate. We sit where the disciples sat, waiting and watching for what God will do and what we are asked to do, what cross we are asked to carry, how we are to sacrifice the best of ourselves for the best of God’s design in this time in which we live, ugly and mean as it is.

It’s been said that Peter, if nothing else, is the epitome of God’s commitment to continually call and love no matter how often he got things wrong when it came to understanding Jesus. And if nothing else, Peter has tons of company in that regard. Plenty of us, despite both our own honest (ok, sometimes selfish) but misguided intentions, frustrate the will of God and mission of Jesus Christ. Yet, despite both our best and worst efforts, Jesus summons us to trust losing our lives all for the sake of the true meaning in our souls found in a shouldered cross.

Matthew 16:21-28

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Name It

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 01:08:15 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he is known not by what people call him,

but how the people he calls live out their lives

Names Matter.

Names define and are sensitive to the position and rank given by one’s appellation and title. Relationship with and deference to another person is designated by how one is known to others. Jesus knew this. In asking his disciples the question, he intimated the public’s response was consequential to his status.

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

First Century Polling

The Twelve were the ones who had an ear to the ground, who would hear the drumbeats spell out announcements that Jesus was coming or in town. So many times, Jesus was surrounded with crowds, people swarming around to hear his message, to see what he might do, who might get healed or fed or called to follow him. His name in and of itself was common in the day, but what was attached to him signified what they believed. So he asked, checking the pulse of the impact of his ministry.

Son of Man? This was the name by which he frequently referred to himself in the third person, sometimes sounding like a substitute for the pronoun “I”. Awkward maybe, or a little weird in some ways. Why not just call himself the Messiah as he wanted to be known?

That may be so, but it deflected the impression that his intentions were to gain the kind of powers political or religious leaders crave. More importantly, it afforded to him a name that sided with the people, that he spoke on their behalf so they could understand God and know they were loved by God.

No Real Consensus

Fine. But somehow to call yourself Son of Man may have misled them. The disciples had heard various opinions. John the Baptist, maybe resurrected and in a different form? Or how about one of the prophets like Elijah, even miserable Jeremiah, or any of the others? Dead men they all were, but as reformers all had preached that God had a new plan.

Maybe you had to give the people a break. It was hard to wrap their minds around who this Jesus was and what he was going to do. True, the Jews were looking for a Messiah, but he wasn’t organizing for an overthrow of the Roman regime. People had enough of superheroes and gods using mortals as pawns. Why become a part of that? In short, there wasn’t a lot of consensus to answer his question.

It was to be expected. Anyone who has ever preached, blogged, spoken to a small group or a big crowd, and/or created a podcast knows the potential to be misunderstood or not fully heard is pretty significant. The flaw can be in the communicator or in the audience or both; either way sometimes the message just doesn’t get through. Jesus knew this.

There was something more important that he needed to know though. If The Twelve were among the people, they were being asked or had the opportunity to express what they believed. Known as his inner circle, their opinions would be solicited. So Jesus asked,

“Who do you say I am?”

It wasn’t a test. Their answers would not determine if they could stay on as a disciple. He genuinely wanted to know. At this point in their relationship, how did they see him? By what name or title did they understand him to be? The answer would indicate if not what he would do next, then how they could be trusted to answer for him going forward.

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Simon Peter, the first one called to follow him, the one who had been with him the longest would have had the best perspective. He’d seen all the healings, heard the parables, saw him tangle with the religious authorities and defend the losers, calm the sea, feed the hungry and encourage the brokenhearted. His witness confirmed that Jesus was the one hoped for to rescue people from oppressions both systemic and individual, to save people from the worst of themselves to be the best of themselves. All Jesus gave to him and proclaimed in himself was what no one could do unless from God, who lived as God, and was God.

Simon Peter’s answer, ten words or so, simple and straightforward, contained more than what creeds or theological tomes spill out thousands of times over. So succinct it was because its brevity rose from a revelation, an inspiration that came not of one’s logical deduction but was born of insight from the spirit. Jesus commends Simon Peter and his response.

Yes, Peter. Jesus affirms how he is solid and will be a major leader in the movement which will follow Jesus’ time on earth. That movement also will endure because of Peter’s rock-hard confession, this foundational premise of who Jesus is, the rock on which the church will stand.

Power in a Name

Rock. Names matter, and the name Peter means rock. Church . The word is only used twice by Jesus in this gospel, but never does it mean a place, a building. Jesus’ church is a movement, one furthered by those who confess what Peter confessed, by those gathered not necessarily in physical body but definitely in belief and spiritual perception. This rock-solid confession stands against the tension and destructive assaults on heaven by hell.

Heaven. Hell. Again, names matter. One carries the connotations of light and love, the other implications of regret, hate and separation from hope. Heaven’s keys granted to Peter and his confession will secure whether accepted or rejected, Jesus is identified as the Son of the Living God.

What’s in a Name?

This is huge, for Jesus as well as the disciples. But it’s one thing to proclaim who God is and another to live by it. The Twelve had yet to fully do that. Jesus knew this. So the Son of God told them, next time you are asked who I am, don’t say Messiah. Until their lives more so than their words could make that assertion, rock would be no more stable than loose gravel. Their lives would say what his life meant.

Meaning in one’s life suggests a source, a name. Names matter.

Matthew 16:13-20

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A Dogged Faith

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 00:22:50 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he refuses to meet our expectations,

not the other way around.

I f ever there is a portrayal of Jesus I never want to read, it’s this one. It’s the kind in which you either look for excuses (like who could ever excuse the Son of God?), or with which you are made to wrestle until you come up with explanations, honest ones that you’re forced to accept whether you want them or not. If nothing else, the passage proves Jesus’ refusal to meet our expectations, not the other way around.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Jesus is in a foreign place, away from his home territory of Galilee. In a real way, he was outside his neighborhood, in that part where “good” Jews don’t go. Whomever he might meet in that place was surely not of his kind. Canaanites were to Jews, the “other.”

When a Canaanite woman came to him begging for help, she had first to face that due to her religion, ethnicity, race and gender, she had nothing to recommend in and of herself to him. Add to that she had a “demon-possessed” daughter, and she was carrying a negative zero. All good Jews considered such illnesses characterized by mental illness and neurological dysfunction as possibly brought on by a parent’s sin, a spiritual issue carrying a judgement. Why should this rabbi and prophet pay attention to her?

He didn’t. Her cries, fueled by her desperation, had a decibel level somewhere between croaking and screaming. Jesus ignored her. As any behavioralist knows, ignored behavior increases its frequency. The disciples couldn’t stand it and ask Jesus to get rid of her.

Supremist Attitude

This is where it starts. Jesus tells her he was sent to just help the Israelites, not Gentiles. Gentiles, all non-Jews, the goyim, were the enemy of those who considered themselves the chosen people of God. She was not like them, like him and those of his heritage.

Jesus displays the attitude of one raised to not associate or see value in those who do not look like, worship like, have recent heritage and history like his, like mine, like yours. His attitude toward her confirms it as he doesn’t seem to hear her plea to save her daughter. If she had a son, would her value and her child’s have been different to him? Basically, if the oppression and injustice others experience isn’t happening to us or those we love, it generally gets dismissed.

Yeah, we’ve heard this before: Why doesn’t she go away? Or, why do they keep bringing up what happened years, decades, centuries ago? Just get over it, for goodness’ sake!

She persists. Throwing herself before him, she begs for succor and help. She relinquishes all dignity, making it clear this is going to take more than a “I’m sorry, and I’ll pray for you,” kind of response. Evidently the situation is not going to be resolved easily. Jesus has to make it very clear to her.

Demean and Destroy

He does. He also makes it clear what some people will do to segregate their kind from “those kind of people.” He tells her what she is to him with a racial slur. “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

Yes, Jesus calls her a dog. This “love your neighbor” thing apparently had some limitations. Women in this period, women particularly without resources and protection, were often victims of rape. Add in that intermarriage sometimes happened between Jews and Gentiles, (please don’t romanticize this; usually women didn’t get to choose their husbands). Both would result in mixed-blood births, mongrels, mutts, the Bs of the day. That’s how he sees her.

Good God! Jesus is racist! What’s going on here? The devil got to him after all. He’s sold out and will only pander to the crowd he’s garnered in Galilee. Yeah, we’ve seen this kind before. Looks like there’s a traitor in the Trinity.

Take a deep breath now. She’s been slammed and takes the punch where it lands. She knows what she’s up against, and she knows today is not the day to claim her full rights. Like more mothers than could ever be counted, she has first to fight for justice for her child. She’ll do what she has to do.

Faith That Fights

“Yes, Lord, but even dogs are permitted to eat crumbs that fall beneath the master’s table.” She meets him where he is in his own cultural context. Some dogs were allowed to hang around during the meals, small ones tolerated like pets. He’d seen it and knows what she’s saying.

She isn’t asking to change the world and all that’s wrong in it. She only asks something for herself, a crumb of compassion and healing considering all he had done in healing those of his own kind, sometimes just by touching the hem of his robe. (Matthew 14:36) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+14%3A36&version=NLT She gives him a perspective by which he can consider her.

It pays off. “Woman, your faith is great. Your request is granted.” Healing comes not by laying on hands or calling out the daughter’s demon, but by a mother’s faith. Her belief that Jesus was the only hope she had for the life of her daughter fueled her persistence. There was no way she could have given up. Because of her persistence, Jesus recognized her faith, a faith that demanded she be listened to in her plea for help, a faith that would sacrifice her own dignity and self-worth, a faith that would cross all human boundaries constructed to separate neighbors and enemies. She came believing he could help her and laid it at his feet.

Wonderful. But there remains a question. Why couldn’t Jesus just see her need and heal her daughter? Why did he put her through such turmoil to get what any person could see?

Was he testing her, seeing if she’d back off, reject him and his power? She didn’t. But why her and not the Roman officer who came asking for healing for his servant ? He also had great faith, but Jesus didn’t give him a hard time about it. Or was it because the Roman centurion was male and had power? (Matthew 8:5-13) This woman had no chance with Jesus if that’s what you needed to move him.

Good thinking. But consider this. Did something happen in Jesus in this incident? Was Jesus changed in his perspective that he was Messiah and Savior to all peoples of the world and not just these God-worshippers? It also makes you think that if you cry hard and loud enough, you can change God’s mind. But that would imply human justice is above divine justice, and God needs a shaking from time to time.

Or rather, was there something here that was inherent in Jesus’ ministry defined by his teaching, preaching and healing? All of these expressions are vital in how he brought a new realization of God’s love for the world. He knew as much as any the struggles of the oppressed, the poor, the sick, and the powerless. Yet, Jesus also knew that human desire for power and control over others could only be dismantled by his example. Whereas this Canaanite woman laid at his feet her dignity and worth, Jesus modeled that when persons in their pain are heard and valued, healing occurs.

Interestingly, Jesus could debate with the best of the religious leaders and always came out on top. Yet, it was a woman who showed him the fallacy in his initial position. He accepted it by her appeal to what was right for all persons. He knew it was based in what he could do, not in a dramatic exorcism of a young girl, but in a greater exorcism of injustice in the world, a change and reversal beyond the deep and heartfelt needs of a mother and her little girl.

Matthew 15: 21-28

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Storm Walkin'

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 20:18:48 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is how he calls people to walk with him

even though there's a bad storm going on.

You know, when life is at its worst, wise ones seek shelter from the storm. Jesus, part of your problem is how you call people to walk with you right in the middle of horrible squalls, hurricanes, gale-force winds, and tempests on the sea. How are we supposed to believe that everything will turn out all right with all that going on?

Meaning. Significance. Purpose. All necessary for the well-lived life. Yet, even if self-explained, understood, perhaps achieved, when unthinkable obstacles appear on the path, when innate ability is erased and “No Way” is the biggest sign in the road, when risks carry too much cost, what then? Inevitably, storms arise, what was a smooth sail is a vessel lifted and smashed on rocks by never ending waves, and emotions are drenched in fear. What kind of lifeline is left at that point?

Divine Turmoil

It’s understandable that Jesus would want some time alone. He’d had no real time to grieve John the Baptist’s horrific beheading by the order of Herod. The crowds would not leave him, always clamoring for healing of their bodies. Feeding more than 5000 people was a mind-blowing feat, but now it was time finally to get away.

It turned out to be his doing. Jesus didn’t want even the twelve around at that point. He was the one who’d told them to sail to the other side of the lake so he could have some solitary prayer. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but none of them could have known into what he was sending them.

Without apparent warning, the winds picked up, and waves challenged even the most seasoned sailors among them. Holding fast to the lines and praying the rudder wouldn’t snap, they knew they were in trouble. The darkness of the night swallowed up any hope of finding a shoreline. Grown men could only hunker down to wait for the storm to pass. “God, why did you let him do this to us?” went through their minds, froze their hearts, and became sobs in their throats.

Divine Calling

Then, like a specter rising from a grave, an image rose on the water. Likely, it seemed they were meeting death personified. But a voice called to them, a voice familiar and yet strange in its calmness given the howling of the wind. “It’s all right. It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus walked on the water toward them.

His best lieutenant, Peter, couldn’t believe his eyes. And then, for God only knows what reason, Peter asks, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water!” What in the world and all of the universe could have been going through this man’s mind? Did he think only Jesus would ask this of him? Was he under the impression if this was a delusion coming from his worst fear that he’d get no answer? Or did he think he’d entered a spiritual realm already in which the natural laws were amended? Regardless, Jesus said, “Come.” Over the side of the boat, Peter stepped.

No matter what he was thinking, Peter must have had confidence he could do it. Not the kind of confidence that comes from personal experience or witness thereof. The old rules of the sea were suspended, the waves would not sink him but bear him with sure footing, and walk on water he did.

Divine Terror

He did, that is, until he looked around. When waves taller than he were moving toward him, Jesus was obscured from his sightline, and the realization of what he was doing dissolved into terror. Peter began to sink, forgot how to swim, and shouted for Jesus to save him.

For much of Peter’s story, there is a how-not-to-follow Jesus theme. This wasn’t the first time he said a dumb thing or did a dumber thing, and it wouldn’t be his last. Forget he eventually became a hero of a movement that impacted the world in the most unlikely ways. There’s another side to his story. Yes, he was a royal screw-up for much of the time he lived with Jesus. But without his broken history, the world would not have a great example of growth and strength beyond oneself.

Peter didn’t just jump into stormy seas so he could give Jesus a wet hug. He was called, told to come into a situation no sensible person would even try. It bordered somewhere between utterly stupid and a risk only those who were adrenaline junkies would attempt. Whatever compelled him to get out of that boat took belief that there was a purpose in this life beyond himself, a purpose unknown at the time but in which he could have faith it was meant for God to know.

Except…he lost it. He lost his focus, he forgot the meaning and the calling along with the caller, he only saw the danger and felt the power that would sink him. And sure enough, he started to go down. Peter was not a pillar of faith in the moment. Yet maybe that is the most important part of his story, his moments of insight along with his worst moments of despair. Peter’s faith would not evolve into trust by intellectual assent as an untested theory. He had to come to the point of risking his faith, moving out on the water with only trust in the One who called him, to feel what it’s like to sink when distracted by the ridiculousness of the effort.

Divine Trust

Faith is not formed instantaneously, nor is it an ability given at birth, spiritual or natural. It requires a struggle of the will, fights against doubt and better judgement, often entails a battle with anxiety, and grows by risking it just for the sake of having more of it. For that target, Peter got out of the boat.

Yes, he sank, but Jesus grabbed him. He says the obvious, “You don’t have much faith. Why did you doubt me?” Don’t read that as an admonition. Both are standing on the water, the danger is gone, and it’s said as a playful jab, a teasing for this man who stepped out, sank, and now stands taller than the waves which would have drowned his soul.

Once in the boat, the winds immediately calmed. The disciples worshiped Jesus, but the miracle was not so much in wind and waves as much as in the stilling of a storm of life with expanded meaning, significance, purpose:

“Surely, you are the Son of God!” they exclaim.

Matthew 14:22-33

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Feeding Frenzy

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:35:37 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: He tells his followers miracles happen and multiple

by a few ordinary actions.

“You give them something to eat.” Jesus, let’s rethink this. There’s an impossible situation right in front. More than a few thousand hungry people. We’ve got next to nothing. And you’re saying we should give them something to eat? With that kind of talk, we’re wondering if this ministry is getting to be too much for you.

Pressure Stress

Granted, the last couple of days had not been good. A trip home to Nazareth brought rejection from those persons who had known him most of his life. Who did this guy think he was, teaching in the town synagogue, reputedly doing miracles, when his family were folk as ordinary as they were? Playing preacher before them didn’t sit well, and they weren’t buying it . (Matthew 13:53-57)

Really bad news followed right on top of that. Word came that Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, had met a gruesome end on the order of Herod Antipas, despot of the Galilean region. Herod had backed himself into a corner by promising his new wife’s daughter whatever she wanted for having performed an erotic dance at his birthday party. Her mother told her to ask for John’s head on a platter, and so it was delivered.

Once informed, Jesus beat a retreat into a boat so he could be alone. Besides his own understandable grief, he needed space to think out what the loss of John to his ministry meant going forward. Just as significant though, besides his own friends and family rejecting him, he also had to consider how political tyrants might want him gone as well. If ever Jesus needed to be alone, it was now . (Matthew 14:1-13)

Not going to happen. While some people wouldn’t accept him, there still was a major crowd that couldn’t get enough of him. Likely he was considered a better teacher and preacher than the credentialed priests were and that meant something. Others had real needs to be addressed, illnesses with no cures or treatments, symptoms that were not understood and even frightening in presentation. Many also were the losers of the world, those who had no chance of pulling out from unjust oppression but found hope in the one who joined sinners at dinner and called children to his knee. The gathered followers tracked him to the place where he disembarked. No rest for the weary this day.

Hunger, Helplessness and Hope

Maybe it was in Jesus’ own pain and hurt that he found enough compassion to meet them where they were. Likely, some of them came to him in order and reverence as he healed them in his way, every illness and disease. But knowing human nature, some were likely pushy and demanding, violating his space, telling him what he was supposed to do for them. After all, that’s how people are known to approach God even in prayer.

It was a long day, and in wanting to care for their rabbi as well as dissipate the crowd, the disciples tell Jesus to send them away into the villages to buy food for an evening meal. That’s when Jesus lost it. “You give them something to eat.”

He wasn’t even rational at that point. All the twelve had among them, maybe given to them by persons in the crowd as some accounts have said, was five loaves of bread and two fish. This crowd could fill a small arena. Crumbs weren’t going to go far. Helpless in the face of the impossible, the hopeless were looking to them. In the back of their minds, the disciples may have felt doubt saying, “This gig is almost up, you guys.”

Active Hope

But he said, “You give them something to eat.” Quietly, without much fanfare, Jesus moves in action which would be so ordinary and yet for which he would be known at open tables for centuries. After telling the crowd to be seated, Jesus first took the loaves and fish. Not much more than what was a good lunch for one, still it rested in his hands. It was his now, his to do with what he would, all he had, and his alone.

Rather than focusing on what was not, Jesus raised his face up, called out to heaven, and asked blessing upon this little fare in his hands. His prayer was not just for nourishment, for that would limit what needed to be done and soon require more. Jesus’ prayer wasn’t even for thanks in this meal, for gratitude usually comes only for good circumstances and expectations, not when trial demands building strength. Instead, Jesus asked a blessing of grace, grace that is extended when the offering is insufficient, when lives don’t meet the measure of good, when only divine intervention pulls through the undeserved.

Next, he breaks the bread. In doing so, there is a change in it. The bread is still bread, but no longer a full loaf, just a piece, a part of what was. Yet, it still is bread, carrying in itself that which chases away hunger, the kind of hunger that eats on itself making a being smaller and less than what it was. In its brokenness, it has power to feed many by restoring and transforming health and wholeness, giving life and growth.

Finally, Jesus directs the disciples to do as he asked. He gives them the broken food so they can give the people something to eat. By his taking the simple elements of this meal, praying a blessing of grace upon them, and breaking it into portions that would fill a need, these twelve servants can distribute and fulfill the missional task asked of them.

Multiplied Hope

Likely, the miracle didn’t happen until then. Everyone had enough food, as much as they wanted, yet it never ran out. Not until it was given could the small be made bigger than what it was. The miracle wasn’t in the quantity of the food feeding more than 5000 persons, but in how Jesus did not do everything by himself, giving others, the average and the ordinary, the believers and those who maybe could have more belief than they do now, a part in changing hope into a realized miracle. Twelve baskets of food were left over, full baskets that not only met a need but were multiplied beyond the wildest of expectations.

Miracles are meant not to only fill empty stomachs. The greater miracle fills a life which has been taken into the hands of God, blessed in grace no matter how little it is, broken and changed into something more than it is, and given for purpose beyond itself.

“You give them something to eat.”

Matthew 14:13-21

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The Good Trouble Kingdom

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 21:23:47 GMT

Jesus’ portrayal of the Kingdom of Heaven is not an easy one,

contrasting what should be against what is not.

You can’t say Jesus ever made it easy. This teacher did not spoon-feed his students the answers for the test. He made them think, the kind of thinking that requires challenge, debate and wrestling with his teachings. Likely it was in his storytelling that minds stretched the most, stretched them even into this present life lived so vastly different from his time.

Teaching Technique

On the surface, the stories have rustic settings, places where the tensions and drama of today are not staged. Bread is homemade, people stroll through fields sown with small seeds, good fortune comes both to those who work hard for it and those who just stumble upon it, and fish nets are pulled in full. The stories begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like…”

Jesus often utilized stories when he talked with the crowds, parables loaded with meanings drawing upon a moral. It gave his teaching mystery as he spoke of what the world is like as well as what the world could be. It made them think.

Implicit to “the kingdom of heaven” is understanding things aren’t perfect in the here and now. Yet, if you look for it, admit to it, the proverbial hell in a handbasket isn’t around the corner either. There’s much to be celebrated as well as much to be desired. The parables affirm it. It only takes a small amount of yeast to make dough rise and ready for baking, small mustard seeds grow into tree-size bushes, good things are found by accident in fields, prized pearls are discovered among good collections, and there are days when the catch is amazing. You may have to intentionally look for it, but the good in the kingdom of heaven happens just as frequently as it doesn’t.

Basic Injustice

As it is though, people often shut their eyes to what’s wrong not just in the world, but right around our own corners. Yet indifference isn’t the only contributor to the problem. More so are our practices and lifestyles which have a basis in oppression and inequality. Again, as it is, this unfairness begins right at the American kitchen table.

Sorry to say, but our society is addicted to sugar, fat, and salt . Modern busy lives require convenience that is afforded in fast, processed foods with quick meals rather than the thought and time necessitated for made-from-scratch home cooking. While providing this service, the food industry also capitalizes on the brain’s response to added ingredients that sustain cravings. People keep coming back for more and sales are sustained. We’ve all had that sense of “I just need to have _____.”

Diets based in these “needs” lead to poor health including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and more. When it’s an individual’s choice to do so, that’s one thing. But it doesn’t end there.

Food insecurity is a real issue in America. In this land of plenty, people live in places where it’s hard to get to a store to buy food. Supermarkets are reluctant to build in impoverished areas, food deserts result, and the disadvantaged don’t have transportation to drive to other areas. Tell yourself that’s not your fault if you like. Or look deeper into what happens.

Yes, this country aids those living at poverty levels so people can eat. Yet again, note how the shelves are stocked in low income areas that do sell food. Produce areas are small with little organic choices, meat selections are fatty, and the sugary selections are plenty and easy to reach. Healthy options are few, and those who can least afford poor health experience it most often due to their dietary consumption. Again, not your problem?

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like…”

Where is this kingdom of heaven in food deserts and food industries that keep people addicted and in poor health? Where and how can the average person make even incremental changes in these issues that destroy life?

Consider this: food banks and church food closets often rely on donations. The same goes for organizations that serve meals to the hungry and homeless poor. Without this support, this country would crash with the weight of those who would be sicker and dying from poverty. Every time bags and boxes of food are given to support those who don’t have enough to feed families, the elderly, or the disabled, the kingdom of heaven appears. It’s as small as a mustard seed, pearl, or seemingly undetectable as yeast in a bowl of flour. But for those in need, it’s treasure is as great as a net full of fish.

Just make it mean even more. Give food that is wholesome and healthy. Contribute fresh vegetables, bring in organic cereals, donate canned goods with low sodium. Let the kingdom of heaven support life in the best form possible.

Granted, it’s not easy, maybe costing more than you prefer, and it’s especially not easy when heaven contrasts what should be against what is not. When a man found a great treasure, he had to sell all he owned to get enough money to buy the field which held the treasure he found. And when the merchant found the prized pearl, he needed to sell all his stuff in order to buy it. Their sacrifice was worth it, but personal sacrifice was what it took.

Sacrificial Love

All true value is going to be costly. Yet sustaining life and health also sustains other values, like freedom to vote, equality of opportunity, pushback on cultural oppression that would revise and silence history. The kingdom of heaven is pained by injustice and stands in centuries of both small efforts and peaceful protest creating the “ good trouble, necessary trouble ,” as John Lewis declared, to bring about change both in hearts and systems such that all children of God know the love and provision of God.

So it is then, when the nets are full of fish of every kind, the good fish are saved and the bad ones thrown away. It’s a sorting that is not based on fairness or who gets to say what, but by the measure Jesus proclaimed of love for neighbor and love for enemy (Matthew 5:43-45) .

Jesus would go on to experience that “good trouble, necessary trouble” himself, calling out oppressive leadership and taking up a cross without resistance as he met a cruel death. In doing so, he reversed by resurrection what should not be to what is worth changing so the good yeast may permeate the dough and raise up a new world, the tiny seed will shade and give provision to those in need, the great treasure and prized pearl of love of God will be found and valued, and all kinds of persons may be caught into a new story of, “The Kingdom of heaven is like….”

Matthew 13:31-34, 44-52

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Weedy Wheat

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 20:09:41 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is for now he proposes

that both good and evil exist side by side.

There’s an aggravation that all gardeners and ground keepers face. No matter how careful in soil preparation and decisions choosing the right seeds or seedlings, no matter how well the area is irrigated or how kindly the sun shines, weeds are inevitable. It takes vigilance of a sort to keep them away either by pulling them out by their roots or utilizing a form of chemical warfare. Allowing these unwanted plants space to grow seems counterproductive to the work that has gone in and the hope of produce to come.

Good with Evil

Characteristically, that’s exactly what Jesus proposes. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” The disciples ask for clarification. It’s a simple story. Jesus came to plant good seed in the world, and those who have received his message are good seed. As it is though, in the world are also those who would destroy his message, planted by the evil one, that is, Jesus’ antithesis sometimes known as the Devil. The two seeds, good seed and the bad seed which would choke out the good seed, are permitted to exist side by side until end of the world, when the angels will remove this cause of evil leaving only the good seed in the kingdom.

Now most stories of good and evil build up to big battles. In all the fighting and clashing of power, both sides suffer big losses. Apparently though, Jesus does not want to risk harm for the cause of good, even when the predicted outcome is for good to triumph. So may the heroes of Marvel lay down their superpowers for the time being. Take a realistic view and do the best you can in the meantime. That’s just the way things are going to be for a while.

Question of Good and Evil

The cosmic questions of good vs. evil are not going to be answered today. But the personal issues and the greater issues of humanity must find a way to negotiate the question in our immediate time. Another way of saying it is,

“GOD, what is going on here!”

Take a deep breath and rant away. Tell God all that’s wrong in the world and in your world. Take as much time as you need. Just remember the three rules of anger: no one gets hurt, nothing gets broken, and you don’t get in trouble. Stay in those boundaries and let it fly. God is God and big enough to take it.

Done? All right, now think about this. Cheatgrass is a weed known in many parts of the world. It starts out growing like normal vegetation, but it eventually becomes invasive and is known as a noxious weed. Its prolific seed production and rapid growth make it difficult to destroy. The best efforts to do so can also harm desirable vegetation and are not necessarily organic friendly. Make the connection yet?

Look at it like this: sometimes what looks good is later revealed to be not-so-good. You choose __________. (Healthy tans, white refined flour and sugar, tobacco, prescription pain killers, “safe” herbicides, etc.?) What should happen when the righteous lifestyles of “good” people based on privileges unjustly oppress others? Or when centuries of anger explode such that someone does get hurt, things are broken, and people are in big trouble. Not to point fingers here, but what should happen when the bad seed has mixed into the DNA of the good seed? If the workers pull out the good-bad seed-weed, would much be left to harvest?

Separating Good and Evil

If you’ve read this parable story as one of God’s condemnation on the evil in the world, be very careful. We aren’t perfect. That’s why Jesus had to come in the first place so we would see ourselves for who we are and what needs to change, to be reversed in ourselves in the eyes of God. Pertinent here is the human tendency to condemn that in others which we don’t like about ourselves. Controlling people don’t like controllers, the ambitious are threatened by those who self-promote, the self-righteous have problems with honest convictions contrary to their own, and so forth. That doesn’t even cover those actions our society generally agrees shouldn’t happen. In others words, if you examine yourself closely enough, if you are willing to pull back the onion layers of who you think you are in this somewhat dysfunctional world, you very well may find the seeds of noxious weed in yourself.

That’s why there’s this time delay. In the end, evil will be weeded out. Those who reject the farmer and his sacrificial giving and instead promote the worst the world can devise will be identified. Be aware as well, judgementalism is not the same as accountability. Certainly, we should hold each other to moral and civil standards today.

Harvest of Good, Not Evil

Interestingly, cheatgrass is highly flammable, and sometimes it takes controlled burning to be rid of it. But Jesus is saying, not now. Jesus wants to save the good seed certainly. Yet, within us all is the need for time; seeds don’t spout immediately. Germination is necessary for growth. In that germination, the basic plant is formed, wheat or weed. Jesus wants the weedy part of lives to be separated out, for all that forms our regrets to be destroyed eternally. The angels one day will harvest the good growth that remains to “shine like the sun”, like wheat waving in the fields.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who plants good seed in his field.”

Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43

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Soil Maintenance

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:10:26 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is how he calls out those who think

they can play in the dirt and not get dirty.

If you get beyond some religious snobbery here, Jesus’ parable about a farmer who scatters seed is going to be a real challenge on more than one level. Maybe that’s why he told it from a boat, so he could make a fast getaway if needed. Earlier that day he already had a small tangle with religious lawyers and then even dismissed his own mother and brothers as being family to him. The dinghy he sat on not only created good acoustics for the immense crowd to hear him, but it provided a full view in case anyone might want to try something.

Surface Soil

Like most of Jesus’ stories which are told to illustrate a moral or spiritual premise, on the surface it sounds simple enough. For the disciples especially, it answers the question as to why some people don’t get it. Some people like the Pharisees as well as his own family had their doubts about what he was doing, and even John the Baptist of all people had questioned if he was the Messiah . (Matthew 11:2-11) In all of them, there were enough questions to go beyond honest doubt to full rejection of Jesus’ message and claims. His story prepared his followers for what to expect in the mission for which he was preparing them.

It’s a familiar setting, both in that context so heavily dependent on agricultural processes as well as for the dedicated organic gardener of today. All growers have to plant seeds. Still, the farmer in this story is either not very careful or overly generous with his seeding. He just throws it out and lets the seed fall where it may. Some of it lands on a footpath, some in shallow rocky soil, some right between thorns, thistles and weeds, and some in really good loamy dirt. It’s no surprise which seed survives and produces a good crop. What is unexpected is how the good-soil seeds multiply to the point of thirty, sixty, even a hundred times what was planted in total, including those seeds that landed in poor dirt. In the end, the farmer seemingly did not have to work so hard; just broadcast the seed everywhere he can, and the return of his labor still will be great. Bring in the harvest!

Well, we all know that Jesus wasn’t telling this story as a divine agricultural extension agent. Granted, he could spin a good yarn, particularly when it ended well for all concerned. The disciples though just had to ask why he couched his message in these kinds of stories. Jesus commends them for asking because they want to know what’s behind them, what is the meaning Jesus is giving in teaching this way. He had his reasons, some of them based in knowing how people remember the illustrations in sermons more so than the message, and some in being able to hide in the stories meanings from those who found them dangerous and subversive. But he doesn’t leave his friends without a clue.

Surface Depth

More than anything, Jesus wants them to know the seed represents the Good News, the message that God loves this created world and wants more than anything to have close relationship. But this created world isn’t totally accepting of God’s desire because of “the cares of this life and the lure of wealth” among other obstacles in hearing it. Simply put, for some it doesn’t take root and dies off.

Ok, that’s a message for the top twelve. Now, extend it into today’s context. Who gets to hear this parable? Mostly those who have heard and accepted Jesus’ message, who make themselves familiar with his proclamation that he has come saying, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me .” (John 14:6) It’s a call to both abundant life and eternal life, and all who call upon Jesus’ name will be “saved”, saved from the worst of themselves and saved to know the best of themselves as created by God to be. Saying this to the disciples and saying this to the “saved” sounds like it’s a big secret. The seeds on the bad soil don’t get it, and those who reject Jesus won’t know it. That’s the problem, a problem not only for those who hear this parable but a problem for those who hear and still don’t understand.

Deep Soil Work

Ok, back up a little. The seed didn’t do well in the poor soil, and the seed which fell on good soil did abundantly well. Anyone who has puttered in a garden understands that good soil doesn’t usually just happen. It has to be worked, and hard work it is. It means getting down in the dirt and pulling those weeds, struggling with rocks and stones, and lots of hoeing. More so, dirt needs support and raked into it must be the best forms of composting, aged leaves and grasses, vegetable peelings, and good baking in the sun for time to help it decompose. It’s more than a notion to build good soil, and it involves dedicated back breaking to get it fertile enough where the tiniest seed can spout and grow. The farmer can throw out any amount of seed and hope for the best, but if it’s a good harvest you want, you have to put the work in. Is this story then about the soil, or is it about the kind of farmer sowing seed?

Whoops! Anyone out there ever felt a little bit smug because she or he has checked all the boxes to be “saved”? Got your ticket to heaven punched, you’re in, and that’s all you need? Then this parable is NOT for your liking. Jesus is calling out those who think they can play in the good dirt and not get dirty in those last places a Jesus-fearer should be. It means walking those footpaths that are hard alongside others who find life just as tough. It means making friends with the loud ones and those who would take your money and not think a thing of it. It means being willing to dry the tears of those who have found themselves in life situations never imaginable and sharing counsel so rocky times are made smoother. It means watching out for those who travel in dangerous lifestyles where slippery slopes can take a person into deep fathoms. It means taking big risks in generous living so Good News seeds can be planted.

Yes, it’s risky but no less risky than what Jesus did himself. The friend of tax collectors and prostitutes, of the least, last and lost, of children and the child-like was the one who said go the extra mile for those in need, turn the other cheek toward one from whom you could require revenge, forgive seventy times seven, and love your neighbor but especially your enemy . God doesn’t limit the giving of grace to the safe and secure, the ones who will give good return on crops planted. So throw out that seed far and wide, on good soil and in places where hope seems limited. Be there in the middle of it, ready to fight with or fight against whatever keeps people from knowing and understanding God’s mercy and grace. May the kind of soil you work and the kind of soil you are produce a mighty harvest for the love of Jesus.

“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!”

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

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Child-like Wisdom

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 20:55:56 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he did not refrain

from using images that oppose each other.

You’re either going to love it or hate it. You’re not alone. Throughout the ancient writings known as the Bible, Holy Scriptures, God’s Word, Gospel, or whatever, a challenge is made to go deep to discern what is its message. If you want something easy to make you feel good, read that chicken soup book. This one is not for the intellectually lazy or the spiritually timid. It’s seeming paradoxes and contradictions call for heavy wrestlers who can take full body slams and climb up again for the next round.

Oppositional Teaching

For the one who called himself the Son of Man (whatever that means: male, relationship to a paternal figure, or a broad composite of humanity?), Jesus did not refrain from using images that oppose each other. At one point he tells the crowds, “How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square.” Due to their high mortality rate, you couldn’t count on children to be of any service now or a later return for your care. On both counts, they weren’t worth much emotional investment unless they survived long enough to work and bring in return. Otherwise, kids could be a real pain in the least or a liability in the long run.

Even Jesus seems frustrated with them. It’s an easy comparison with the crowd and their spiritual fickleness. They didn’t care for John the Baptist’s austere practices of abstinence and fasting. They said he was just no fun, even demon-possessed. Yet, they got all over Jesus and his disciples for feasting and drinking, calling them gluttons and drunkards and “a friend of the worst sort of sinners,” not to mention implication by association. Like children bullying other kids, no one who claims to be called by or from God gets a fair shake from the social stream of the day. Jesus seems to be really tired of their stupid criticisms.

You understand. We all know if you want to take someone down, you discredit them no matter what position they take. John and Jesus couldn’t win for losing. That’s how it works.

Simplistic Trust

In a sly move though, Jesus soon moves into prayer, a prayer that affirms those who hold on to simple faith, even that like the faith of a trusting child for one who loves completely. Those who adhere to this are the ones who will understand what the “wise and clever” can’t grasp. Jesus explained it this way: “But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it.” From simple, honest belief comes wisdom, a comprehension which encompassed a broad and full intelligence of both the human and the divine. This kind of insight produces a faith greater than investigative analysis which seeks its own ends rather than revelation of what is greater than oneself. It’s an exchange of the child-ish for the child-like. Jesus thanks God for these.

He can do that, for Jesus understands what God knows and sees. Those who are honest in their seeking, who accent to what God offers, will not be blinded by their own acumen, inclinations, and schemes. That openness affords them perceptions not available otherwise. And to these, Jesus makes a promise.

Freedom of Release

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Don’t we need that right now. Rest from tension and stress like we never saw coming. Rest from apprehensions about the economy and a war. Rest from political divisiveness that has nearly paralyzed our nation. Rest from the hate that spews out on neighbors caught by the injustices of personal and systemic racism. All these and so much more that’s been carried for too long and has frayed the psyche leaving doubt, conflict and unanswered questions in our amoral/immoral world.

We’ve tried our own diversions, but they don’t work. We say, “There must be more to life than this.” Jesus says, There is. “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you…” It’s another paradox. A yoke on cattle was used to both control its will and submit it to use. Why exchange one strain for another? The metaphor is a stretch.

Yet therein lies what Jesus has to teach. You’re going to be controlled by something, a master of some sort. Or maybe even many competing aims and ambitions. The question in life is which one will enslave you. Jesus’ choice offers purpose and rest, to be in communion with him as he takes on the burdens in life. It’s never a promise for a life of ease. It’s a promise of help on the journey, “because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.” The seeking and searching find a place to rest not by giving all the answers or erasing all pains, but by being with a God who accepts in grace who we are by what Jesus can do.

“For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Even a Cup of Water

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:39:33 GMT

It’s a mess out there right now, one side screaming at another. You may be feeling if you don’t choose a side, you’ll get caught in the middle with both sides pounding you instead of just one. It’s an absolutely pernicious world, no doubt about it. Jesus warned them…

It’s a mess out there right now, one side screaming at another. You may be feeling if you don’t choose a side, you’ll get caught in the middle with both sides pounding you instead of just one. It’s an absolutely pernicious world, no doubt about it.

Jesus warned them. The disciples were headed out on their own, charged with healing sick and proclaiming the kingdom of heaven was right there. But it wouldn’t be an easy sell. Even between family members, his message would be divisive. His biggest caution was, “ Be wary as snakes and harmless as doves ." (Matthew 10:16) It would be their best defense as they headed into the thick of a fight, where chins jutted just inches from another.

Yes, it can be a terrifying and menacing world, but to this fear Jesus spoke the first version of, “ Look for the helpers ,” wisely said by a friend of children and the child-like. “Anyone who welcomes you is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.” This welcoming, a broad form of hospitality, might not be found in a rally of supporters, but it would come from those who see in you more than yourself.

Regardless of status, whether it’s the established hierarchy of principle and the prophetic, the ones who toil in doing the next right(eous) thing, or the least of all, the most vulnerable, marginalized, victimized and oppressed in body as well as spirit, look for them. Find them. Welcome them. Give to them.

“Even a cup of cold water.” Even. Just a cup. Cold water, that’s it. All preceded with, “And if you give…” It’s an offering that’s humble but vital to life, a giving that quenches thirst and demonstrates love. Yet in this extending of what little one has to the little ones and all ones, there’s an extension of the healing of heaven, a hope that reveals each is loved by Christ and loved by God.

“And if you give…,” creates more. To meet someone in their own place and world, to extend a sign of welcome and love, to not discriminate between one or another but to accept all in the undeserved, giving grace of God, means relationships are started, friendships are made, and understanding begins. The Kingdom of Heaven then is near. In this, “you will surely be rewarded.”

With just a cup of cold water, no less.

Matthew 10:40-42

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Take Up Your Sword

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 21:24:51 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he’s upfront that following him requires knowing that your most basic relationships and values, for some even their lives, are going to be reordered.

Here’s a safe bet you didn’t hear these words preached last Sunday. Even if Jesus did say them, they wouldn’t sit well for a sermon on Father’s Day. Better just to honor those who have raised us to be good people, godly people, fathers who give so much of their life and love for their children. But not these words: “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. I have come to set a man against his father….”

Hey! Whatever happened to the Christ Child whose birth proclaimed, “ Peace on earth, goodwill toward men …?” Wasn’t this the guy who’d later say, “ Those who live by the sword will die by the sword …?” Doesn’t everybody say that Jesus did not come to be a military leader but a Savior? What’s with this talk of starting up some kind of family conflict?

The Trouble with Jesus: Push Back

If this makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Jesus first said this to his disciples. The Twelve were getting their chance to go do as their Master had done, cast out evil spirits and heal every kind of disease and illness . You’d expect they would be loved and find a lot of good press with that kind of ability. But Jesus knew what was waiting for them. As there were those who would just as soon as have Jesus disappear from the face of the earth, a similar dangerous response awaited them. “The servant shares the master’s fate.” Expect push back, and watch your back at all times.

The Trouble with Jesus: No Guarantee

Jesus understood. That is, God understood. What was going to happen to them would not go unnoticed. “Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it….So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.” That’s nice to know, but it’s not followed with any guarantee you won’t get hurt either. And it especially doesn’t sit well if you are trying still to wrap your head around what he’d just said before this: “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” For disciples of then and today, this doesn’t look too appealing.

You have to know this though: Jesus doesn’t promise pie in the sky or a big lottery win. Take it for what it is, a brutal honesty of what life following him means. This much Jesus does give: “If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my father in heaven. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.” Never does Jesus say any of this will be easy.

The prospect of being a fried fowl aside, what is Jesus getting at? What would the disciples tell people about who Jesus is and what he wants to do in a person’s life that would make someone risk one’s life for the love of him? The answer is in Jesus’ sword.

The Trouble with Jesus: Conflicting Loves

If nothing else, through the life of Jesus Christ is the activity of God in ways not expected or according to our agendas. God doesn’t bring a peace that’s known or even wished for, but a new vision that extends to those who are considered worthless, of not much value than even half a penny. God knows when the sparrows of the world fall and is not blind to their plight. God’s call to those who have blessings of opportunity and privilege is to be the ones taught as a servant by a master and as a student by a teacher who serve those whom nobody else wants.

Jesus’ sword will fight the battles found between those whose supreme affection would even stretch the closest of human relationships: parents, children, extended family of any kind, crew, tribe, or race. His message declares division for those who choose to “love more” any concept other than value and dedication of their best for this message of God.

Slow down right there. You know what this sounds like, don’t you? This kind of talk about walking away from your family is the basis of cult recruitment. People drank Kool Aid believing this kind of thing. Jesus is getting way too extreme here.

Sure, it’s extreme, sounds similar to what terrorists use to enlist revolutionaries. (Maybe this would sit better if we said this passage was an example of Jesus’ using the Hebraic practice of hyperbole to emphasize his point. You have to admit it does get your attention.) Did He really mean this like it sounds? Yes…well, that is, Love God first and above all. This isn’t a call to desert or deny your family ultimately. It’s in the “love more” that Jesus wants to be known.

The Trouble with Jesus: A Reversed Image

Yes, the trouble with Jesus is the conflict in the difference of loving God and neighbor or loving oneself and the desire to control this life. Held high in the air by its blade, Jesus’ sword takes on another image. “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you’re not worthy of being mine.” His kind of sword strikes at the core of any peace not centered in the desire of and seeking life close to Jesus. Later, his sword transformed into his cross.

In that reversed image, his sword flips and reverses one’s former priorities with a promise of a discovery in new purpose:

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it;

But if you give it up for me, you will find it.”

Matthew 10: 24-39

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Bipartisan Policy

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 01:30:51 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus was he recruited persons who were diametrically opposed to each other.

Jesus, we’ve been over this before. Maybe this will help you understand. You’ve entered into a time and place where there is great harassment and resulting poverty, disease, no hope. You are known for your compassion for these whom nobody else wanted and so used the greatest power you had, power based in love, to heal “every sort of disease and illness.” Gracious God, but their gratitude for how you changed these lives could never be great enough to repay. You ask only that people follow you.

Nice. Yet it wasn’t enough. A healed body is only a start. They needed a new way of life, a new way of thinking, believing, in knowing God. Your message was centered in that. This only comes by relationship, not by a mass produced slick ad campaign. (Ok, not in that era but it shows the futility of the effort otherwise.) So you say to your close crew of twelve, “The harvest is large, but the workers are few.” What’s needed is more workers spreading out with Jesus’ message of love of God and neighbor.

Now here’s the point. You mobilize your men to do just that. But imbedded in these twelve are the ingredients for more trouble than you have yet to bring on yourself. Couldn’t you, why wouldn’t you recruit better skilled and adept ones than these?

It’s the Economy, Stupid

Don’t take that literally but hear what it’s saying. You have to look beyond the obvious and see what’s underneath Jesus’ purpose and mission in sending out these particular twelve men.

No, sometimes they weren’t the brightest bulbs in the box. Often, they just didn’t get that Jesus as Messiah wasn’t what they thought. Yet, the one thing they had going for them as Jesus gave his marching orders was they were to move among people who were just like them. Crowds would be receptive to hearing a message from one of their own.

A good leader knows the limitations of his workforce. For now at least, Jesus says stay away from those who weren’t Jews as they were in ethnicity or faith traditions, such as Gentiles or half-breed Samaritans. For the time being, they wouldn’t be embroiled in prejudicial conflict. They weren’t ready for that. But he did empower them with divine authority to exorcise demons and heal “every sort of disease and illness.” The people would recognize who their leader was by that.

A Secondary Purpose

You’re right. These guys, even if they were all Jews, were diverse in background and what brought them to Jesus in the first place. Again, Jesus knew this could be an advantage. Several were fishermen. They knew how the Romans robbed their livelihood, and the people would see in them what they suffered in their own lives. So what if these guys weren’t Ivy-league graduates? These laborers would speak their language and command their attention. If you are going to build a movement based in relationship, you want these guys on your team.

Conflicting Interests

Yet, two of them were as far apart as you might imagine. No doubt they stayed opposite each other as they lined up when following Jesus or made snide remarks to their mission partners when they thought their leader wasn’t listening. But know this, each disciple was chosen for a specific purpose, and these two each had it in him to fulfil that.

Hated Tax Collector

One was Matthew to whom one of the records of Jesus’ life is attributed as author. He also had lived as a despicable collaborator with the Romans. Tax collectors were lumped with “notorious sinners” by religious leaders and the citizenry certainly concurred. Besides taxing a shark-sized bite out of profits from their labor, these taxes were not returned in benefits or infrastructure for the people. King Herod and Rome made out well by the practice. Not to mention how these creeps skimmed off extra for themselves. And of all people, Matthew had been one of these traitorous Jews.

Why recruit such a turncoat? Who better to demonstrate, testify to how Jesus could offer more than pockets full of cash but rather a heart healed as they were in body and limb? This kind of reversal is ultimately what Jesus offered, and he needed Matthew to live out and model its possibility.

Passionate Zeal

But pitted against Matthew was another who would have burned with hatred against him. Simon the Zealot is an obscure disciple, only mentioned in lists of the twelve. It is in being known as “Zealot” though his character and passion is inferred.

Zealot could mean he was adamant in keeping the Law of Moses and would have been the kind who adhered to the Law down to the least letter and punctuation in it. Tithing, worship practices, purity rituals were likely a huge part of his life. However, it was insistence that any form of idolatry, that is, putting any other or thing before God, be prohibited which would take precedence in his passion. To be fair, there is also some thought that the religious leaders and those who were such keepers of the law believed if all the Jews kept the law perfectly for twenty-four hours, the Messiah would come to restore them as a nation. Behind such a hope lay their passion, and religious fanatics might have been an understandable result.

Yet there is some thought that Simon’s passion as Zealot could be taken as more than just toeing the line on the 613 laws held over the Jewish people. While historical records are not clear on the timing of their formation, Zealots were a loosely held faction that eventually escalated into a religious-political party organized to overthrow the Romans.

Simon the Zealot could have been one or both of these when Jesus called him. Similar to Matthew, he would need a change in heart. Given the Zealot propensity for violence, Jesus’ call to turn the other cheek and love your enemy would have been a gut flip for the likes of him.

A Bipartisan Agreement

When Simon laid eyes on Matthew, he likely choked. Of all things Zealots hated, paying taxes to Romans was the worst form of idolatry. They considered the practice as conceding control to Romans and Caesars’ claim to be divine. This was not going to be a good mix.

Exactly. Jesus, this would be like throwing Democrats and Republicans, the far right and the far left, Jews and Muslims, Martha’s Vineyard with San Francisco Tenderloin district, Zelensky and Putin, maybe even the Eagles and the Cowboys into the same pot and lighting up the oil inside. What were you thinking!

Within God’s community, the kingdom of heaven as it is sometimes called, there will be many who look different and look at life from all kinds of ways. Jesus knew such a large harvest required all such kinds of character.

Maybe this inclusion of such different men and ideological backgrounds was a deliberate counterbalance of one with the other. Both perspectives were prevalent among the people, thus needed was an understanding and trust from where they were sitting and who was sent to speak to them.

Still, maybe by this deliberate teaming was part of their formation as disciples. Being charged to work for a common aim, the closeness it required could have revealed to them the others’ needs and what brought each to his perspective.

These twelve, called out of their common heritage as Abraham’s children, were not the same in any respect. Centered though in each was a relationship with Jesus, each knowing forgiveness from the worst of themselves to grow into and beyond what they’d never be on their own because of his love of them and those who need him in the worst way. The large harvest required of them to…

“Give as freely as you have been given.”

Matthew 9:35-10:8

A Power Transfer

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 21:47:37 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

Power transferred is power that reverses, raises, and restores the powerless.

Jesus, it’s like this. Some of us have to pollute ourselves by signing up with the less than honorable if there’s anyway we can have anything in this world. If not, we get trampled on as ones who have no strength, influence, even a voice to cry out. So here’s the question: what do you give that changes all that? How can following you make life good in some way?

Good question. Very good question. The world almost seems structured to either kill or be killed. Some get it all just by taking it all. Others only get strangled in a chokehold until they drop. Remember, Jesus was carefully watched from this perspective in his own day. And it wasn’t just a small group that kept a scope on him.

Some worshipped him while some decried him. Some believed him even as others rejected all he had to say. Some praised him and many passively ignored him. But wherever Jesus was, a crowd was either very near or not far away.

Questioned Power

They watched him constantly. There was no getting away from it. On the one hand, they knew an oppressive regime led by narcistic and paranoid leaders, the kind that would strip away rights for their own sick requirements. On the other, they had no recourse for even their own leaders controlled with laws that kept them under religious thumbs. The crowds, diverse in background, status, even political persuasion, looked to see if Jesus had it in his power to offer them something better.

Exchange of Power

If so, he went about it in a strange way. He picked as his deputies the most unqualified ever to lead a spiritual movement, and Matthew had to be one of the most tarnished. This Jew, despite his heritage and religious tradition, profited by cooperating with the Romans in collecting toll taxes on any trade moving through the region. Not only did these tax collectors rob their own people of fair opportunity in commerce, but they helped line the hated Palestinian tetrarch pockets. And if they demanded more money than the authorities required, that was just extra for themselves. As long as you had no loyalty to your tribe or moral conscience to impede the practice, you could make a very good living for yourself. Knowing the likes of his kind, Jesus stopped into Matthew’s office directly saying, “Come, be my disciple.” To anyone’s amazement, Matthew got up and followed.

You’d expect from here on out there would be a holy procession. Those anticipating it were disappointed. Instead, Matthew has a Jesus-party to which he invites his “fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners.” (We’ll leave the specifics of “notorious” to your own imagination.) That did it for the religious leaders. Eat with scum, then you must be scum. Birds of a feather sin together. Discredit this hero, and the crowds will go home.

Not so fast. If you have a problem with holier-than-thou attitudes, stop reading now. Jesus retorted, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he throws their own holy texts back at them. “Learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘ I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices .’”

Back up a minute. While Jesus didn’t call out Matthew and his friends for their failures, he does tell these religious leaders what their problem was. In their exclusive attitudes of with whom to socialize, that is, only of their own kind, he denigrated their rituals by which they held their prideful self-esteem. What’s more, it was beneath them to offer what God would offer any who come and repent, any who leave one life for another, any who would like Matthew walk away from the good life to a better life. “For I have come to call sinners,” Jesus says, “not those who think they are already good enough.” His call lay in a life of acceptance by forgiveness in the God-love of who you are now for what you will become in disciple-life.

Empty Power

Desperation though can sometimes change even hardened minds. And changed thinking can make all the difference. A leader of the local synagogue, no less, came to Jesus begging for a saving miracle for his little daughter. Possibly he was so desperate because she was his only child. Having sons would have made her loss less significant. He pleads, “My daughter has just died, but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand upon her.” With crowds surrounding him, Jesus agrees to go.

But somehow within that crowd was another female, this one much older, and for the most part, knowing a living death. For twelve years she suffered with a “hemorrhage,” a menstrual period that would not end. Likely covered and heavily veiled, she sneaked up behind him and “touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, ‘If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.’”

Finally considered ceremonially clean, she had to present herself to the priest with two offerings, one a sin offering and another a burnt offering. “In this way, the priest will make atonement for her before the Lord for her menstrual discharge .” Bad enough she was socially isolated for likely two weeks at a time, but also there was implication that she was sinful for having a period. Under such circumstances, women were subjected to lives lonely and dependent on the rigors of the law. There was no way to protest but to endure.

This was her danger. Should any in the crowd press against him, they may also press upon her. Would her need for deliverance from this illness matter to the crowd as much as what she had done to them? Her healing could mean her death if Jesus called her out.

Instead, this Jesus who knew but did not seem to care about ritual cleanliness, turns around and calls her, “Daughter.” He affirms her efforts and desire to be made whole by saying, “Be encouraged. Your faith has made you well.” She was healed.

Power Reversal

Jesus makes a connection between a synagogue leader’s daughter and the value of her young life with this woman who for years may have thought she would be better off dead than to live with this blood flow that drained her of the chance to have a life with any fullness. “Daughter,” he says, and all females, young girls and mature women, are touched in that place which distinguishes them as feminine. It is by faith that women are raised up, healed of whatever life gives, and receive a reversal of power that is only of God.

Later, among those who laugh at Jesus’ claim that the official’s little girl is not dead but asleep, he uses the power of God by taking her hand to restore her to life as well. In one day, Jesus bestowed a God-power on two females who could have been written off and forgotten by all around her.

Power Transferred

Power transferred is power that reverses, raises, and restores the powerless. We’ve seen it here for a despised man, a little girl, and a sick woman. It’s power known in healing that comes in more than a physical sense. It is the kind of power that redeems and restores any who in life will leave and follow Jesus. It is power just by his touch raising precious life when others see no hope. And it is power found in just fringes of faith which bring release from oppression.

The crowd carried the story.

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

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Viral Love

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 29 May 2023 21:40:34 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Worship allows room for doubt.

When the average person is at the mercy of politicians wrangling over the economy, when culture wars are fought over which books to ban in schools, when your heritage is either of the oppressed or the oppressor, where is the unity and harmony of God? Doubt becomes not so fluid, but more of a certainty that’s just the way the world works. Pandemic social distancing exacerbated the inequities of society and is here to stay. No heaven on earth here.

A Doubtful Reality

When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them still doubted!

At the least, you could say this is an example of the accuracy and veracity on the record of Jesus that doubters are mentioned. Remember, this passage reports Jesus’ appearance to the disciples after his coming to them alive following a bloody execution and burial. It’s crucial to Jesus’ story. A good persuasive document leaves no holes for attacks. You’d think the record would be something like, “They saw and believed and got right in line and etc..” (Today, of course, we’d need a good quality video close-up to seal it, preferably with several camera lens angles.) Admitting that some, right there when Jesus appeared, didn’t fully accept it though is huge.

To be fair, after all they’d been through, maybe some of them needed to do this. If this was so, they needed to examine their thoughts fully so they could deal with whatever challenges they would meet going forward. Was this figure a ghost-like spirit or phantom? Or were they afraid what they saw was only what they wanted to believe, something too good to be true? Or let’s give them the proverbial benefit of the doubt (sorry, couldn’t help it…) to say that the record shows they did not swallow everything thoughtlessly; they had to work through any kind of acceptance such that some were convinced more quickly than others. In brief, The Trouble with Jesus: Worship allows room for doubt.

Still, it began with worship. Whoever they saw, in whatever form, they worshiped. Not at all unusual, for who really understands God fully as she or he brings a devotion and honor along with varying degrees of belief? For some, that belief lies in an undeniable spiritual experience of God meeting another in the soul-journeys of life. For others, it’s the unmistakable realization that a power greater than oneself has had a divine hand in steering life circumstances that preserve and lead to wholeness and balance. And yet others, while not exactly viewing a viral video tape, have witnessed the impossible to a degree which bring some to their knees. All of it hinges though on what came next.

Final Directive

Jesus came and told his disciples,…

They had seen him, even worshipped him, but now Jesus came to them. He came to not as a surreal heavenly figure, not wrapped in ecstatic emotions, not even as they had known him in the same sense in which they had followed him for these last three years. Jesus came to them in an intimate nearness which revealed his fullness as God. He spoke of “complete authority in heaven and on earth.” Their purpose in this revelation and plan was now given as he told them, “go and make disciples of all the nations…”

Go: don’t huddle together anymore but stretch out to the world with my message. Make disciples: no one would know better than they what that meant, for these had answered when he called, “Follow me,” and so they would take that call to others. But there was more.

Three-in-One

Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Baptize them. Not by their individual assent and acceptance of God. Not only just to be washed, cleansed, forgiven of any and all separations from God and others. And certainly not for empty ritual into a religious organization. Baptize them in, that is, may they know the Divine mystery of God in three-in-one, and yet the only One, this holy paradox of Creator Father, Friend and Savior-Son, Spirit Counselor and Advocate.

That many can be one is a stretch of intellect, let alone faith. Doubt certainly seems an option. But as a body is made of millions of cells acting as one human being, why should the divine not be similarly constructed and revealed? When those cells act in harmony, there is health. So in the knowing of God and in being known by God through these many facets yet interacting parts, there is a unity between each one and everyone, bringing heaven and earth together.

Unity Through Love

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

So they would. They knew what they were up against. If Jesus himself died by the evil intentions of the powerful, these eleven disciples knew their fates would face the same. Not much has changed there.

Still, the message hasn’t changed either. It is met with Jesus’ new commandment, “ Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other .” As God is known in a communal sense, so Jesus’ message is to love in ways that do not separate and divide but brings a belonging to one another than extends beyond the individual. “ Do for others as you would like them to do for you .” It’s the link that blurs and erases differences and divisions and ties each to all. It never goes away.

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:16-20

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Peace Apart

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 22 May 2023 21:41:04 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: Though we live apart from him in a physical sense, his peace pours into lives like an overflowing stream.

Are you like this all the time? Saying one thing? Doing another? How can we understand you, let alone believe you, when you act like this? We need some consistency to be able to trust you. Otherwise, following you is as chaotic as any other choice. After all, we’re looking for peace, not more problems.

A Stubborn Mindset

Go ahead and shake your head. Sometimes, well, more than just sometimes, Jesus’ actions didn’t make sense. He told his own brothers he wasn’t going to the Jewish festival. The Levitical law said the men had to be there. What else could you expect from one who wasn’t apt to obey law to the tenth degree? Saying the world hated him, he ended the conversation with “my time has not yet come.” They’d heard that excuse before .

Changeable

But he went anyway. By going alone, Jesus was able to stay out of the public eye. Good thing. Jewish leaders were looking for him. Just stay low and safe. Fulfill your religious duty and get out of there. But he didn’t.

Inviting Risk

And being incognito wasn’t his forte either. By the third day in, he was up front and teaching in the Temple of all places. Jesus also couldn’t just stick to the script about God’s blessing and provision. Before long, he was saying people were trying to kill him. Actually, he almost did get arrested.

A Daring Comparison

But it was on the last day that Jesus really blew things wide open. He loudly and boldly interrupted the whole ceremony, telling people to come to him. “If you are thirsty,” he proclaimed, “come to me. If you believe in me, come and drink. For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.”

Now he did it. These whole seven or eight festival days had been about water: offering thanksgiving for rain, prayers for future rains, and a remembrance of how God provided the ancient Israelites water from a rock while they were in the wilderness. Jesus took it even farther; he declared he was the source of a “living water.” Those gathered there knew he based his claim from the prophets who said the promised one would make an appeal as he did now.

Thirsty? Need a soothing, hydrating healing from the chaos, the tension and divisive, destructive troubles of life? Come and drink from this overflowing stream, Jesus offered, a stream which would flow from the very Temple in which they stood, and a promise of an everlasting covenant of mercy and unfailing love. Jesus echoed the very words of ancient prophets such as Isaiah, claiming words of promise as his own.

A Hard Fought Peace

Let’s just say that day proved to be what we’d call another nail in his coffin, rather, in his own flesh. Jesus taught the people and tangled with authorities as he brought a message of hope and healed the sick so their spiritual understanding could be enlightened. But popularity with the populace didn’t protect him. However, in the end his execution would make for the greatest come back story in history .

Google “peace” and you’ll find it. For the most part, your search will reveal how people want it, need it, seek it in so many ways. It’s central to a life of significance and meaning, an assurance the path we live out will find purpose fulfilled as meant to be. Peace in the soul is difficult to define yet otherwise essential to one’s being. Jesus lived and died to bring this peace.

And then, alive and whole, Jesus stood among his petrified followers, who had been in hiding from those same Jewish authorities who threatened him before. “Peace be with you,” were the immediate words spoken to them. Peace: he spoke into their worst fears. Peace: their souls were right with him as with God. Peace: whatever the world might do, they would know a divine contentment. “Peace be with you,” he said again.

Quieting anxiety wasn’t Jesus’ aim though in these words. He was making room in their hearts and souls for what was next, a new purpose as he commissioned them to continue his ministry and message. Even as he would be apart from them in human form, they wouldn’t be separate. They needed to know God through a greater manifestation than could be known in an earthly expression of flesh and blood. One prophet to whom he had alluded described it like that water necessary for which the soul thirsts.

“ For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants .”

“Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Spirit, known as powerful and substantial as the wind. Spirit, breathed into them with the same life-giving breath produced at creation. Spirit, flowing like living water from a source more permanent than mountainside rock in the wilderness. Spirit, water that becomes a stream poured into all who accept Jesus’ time on earth, reversals of life, and eternal presence by the Holy Spirit. Spirit, not to be contained but a persistent river that finds a path to quench the thirst of those who need God’s love.

Peace be with you.

John 7:1-39 John 20:19-23

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If You Love Me...

Mon, 08 May 2023 16:48:17 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is he keeps putting two things out there:

love and rules.

If you love me, obey my commandments.

Ok, love needs boundaries. I get it. Boundaries protect people from controlling and using one another. Otherwise, this becomes a statement of manipulation, more like, Prove you love me by obeying my commandments. A healthy love and relationship is shown by respecting boundaries. So you’re saying this is how you want to be loved, how you want to be known, what you are assertively saying you want the relationship to have in it.

Commandments sound like they are orders. Do this or else. Still, prefacing it with love doesn’t mean it has to come off that way. You always offer choice, not insisting on it, not forcing someone into it. But to see things from your perspective, it’s life on your terms. Until you enter into another’s understanding, you can’t know who they really are.

You give that choice.

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.

You don’t give promises here that life will be grand if we do. But you do promise a Counselor, whom you call Holy Spirit. And you say that Spirit will lead into truth. Oh good, just what we need. Another proclamation of supposed facts coming from a holy spin doctors with slick marketing, fear-based fake news, and interference from a foreign state. You say the world doesn’t recognize this Spirit. Oh, but we do. We’ve seen this thing before. Happens all the time. Do I have to tell you everything we went through not so long ago during an election right in the middle of a global pandemic?

All right. You get this much. You don’t say find this truth out there like we usually see it on the internet, cable tv, social media platforms, podcasts, and blogs (allow me an exception with that one for now.) This is different. Truth for you comes from this Spirit you say is in us. If this Spirit is inside, something beyond conscience, really the essence of the soul, then that means my truth, who I am is what you’re dealing with. Not an esoterical, philosophical, universe-beyond-me kind of thing, but instead my core self.

I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

You’re not giving up on me then. If you know my core self, you know the good, the bad, and the ugly. But you won’t turn away. Love can go far but usually it has its limits when really pressed. When we realize that, we know our deepest fears and anxieties. Abandonment by those who should love us no matter what, but don’t. You want the kind of relationship that sticks for good. That’s love.

When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

So this isn’t going to last? You’re going to die? Thanks for the warning. That’s honest truth for you at least, why you made the point about abandonment and orphans. But life again? You in your Father, us in you, and you in us. Heads hurt for a long time with that kind of talk. It’s not like losing one’s identity in another. That’s a little dysfunctional. But it does mean a closeness, an intimate knowing of one another. You know me better than I can know myself, and I know you in all the ways you showed us. It’s compassion wrapped in Godly-glory, judgement tempered with grace, wounded flesh on a cross followed with new life.

Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me.

Loving you then is willingness to be in your truth. It’s being in a relationship that leads to fulfillment of one’s self and purpose. It’s being in community that lives such that “Thy kingdom come” is apparent in the love expressed for God and neighbor. It’s an abiding Spirit that remains within and is lived out by those who make the choice to obey your commandments.

John 14:15-21

“Love one another just as I have loved you.”

John 13:34

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A Reversed Order

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 20:59:16 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus: No god does this sort of thing. Wonder.

H ow do you get out of bed in the morning when the day, the world is still shrouded in darkness? Pictures of bodies who have known slaughter that accompanies war haunt the horizon. Grief has no solace when heavily-armed shooters senselessly take down the innocent in mass murder. Storms blow across the country ready to devastate lives in less than a minute. How do you rise when anguish and fear sink deep into your soul? Why should you open your eyes to pain that pierces whatever faith is left?

Gather Your People

Somehow, these did. Moving through an emotional fog which they knew would never disappear, the eleven disciples gathered, or rather they cowered, afraid for their lives. Still, they had a strange need to be with each other because they shared an intimate understanding of Jesus. Each had been called out of ordinary lives to be taught by their Master. If only in collective memory, by being together they could keep that part of him with them.

Likewise, the women followers did the same. Sabbath rest had ended, but no one slept. The horror of that Friday kept their vision full of Jesus’ blood and cries. The burial happened late in the day when there was no time to honor and anoint him one more time in death, what they knew would be their last act of love for him. With slim faith and less hope, they made their way to the tomb where they had seen him laid. If the Roman guards kept them away or if the huge stone blocking it proved immovable, at least they tried. Anything to help them feel in the end they had not completely abandoned him.

Let the Inexplicable Be Said

Into their consciousness appeared two men whose apparel was beyond white, clean, emanating a light not seen but moving. The women, knowing they were in an otherworldly presence, fell to their knees.

Step Back to Remember

Get some perspective with what’s going on. It had happened before. Late one night more than thirty years ago, a celestial messenger had entered human awareness announcing Jesus’ birth. The recipients that time were shepherds, of similar status as these women, poor maybe, without power, only meant to serve and take care of those who controlled their lives. “ For unto you is born this day…a Savior ,” the sheep keepers were told.

Now, when his story seemed over, once again these women had a message just as amazing, “Don’t be afraid! You are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He’s been raised from the dead.” Both terrified and beside themselves in joy, they hurried to tell the disciples when Jesus materialized on their path. Beyond thought and astonishment, they fell and held his feet in adoration and wonder.

The shepherds and the women were told the same thing: God is controlling this. While the message was beyond any they could have thought of or even imagined, the import of it was even greater. The promised Messiah had come, and what the Messiah had promised has now come true as well. The worst of all fear has been defeated. Death holds no sting .

As the shepherds ran to Bethlehem to find the baby lying in a manger, the women rushed to find the disciples. The good news both carried was not altogether believed. Those whom the shepherds told “wondered” at their story . Mary Magdalene and the other women were dismissed as speaking nonsense .

Be Amazed

Why does Jesus’ good news, the announcement of his birth as well as his resurrection, come first to those who are not considered the ones-in-the-know, the movers and shakers, the influencers of world and culture, the good people who do the right things? If knowing Jesus is knowing God, why doesn’t God tell first those who could do something about it and aid in its dissemination?

Jesus had told them almost near the start: “ God blesses those …who realize their need for him, those who mourn, those who are gentle and lowly, those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, those who are merciful, those whose hearts are pure, those who work for peace, those who are persecuted because they live for God.” He describes those who are perceived as poor, wounded and powerless as blessed, bringing joy to God. Who more so would receive and accept a message based in reversal, a turning around not necessarily of fortune but from a self-centered desire based in autonomy to an acceptance of a life based in love of God and neighbor?

Reverse What You’ve Known

What better way then to seal the deal? The finality of death was reversed to life that will not end as Jesus faced down death to come back to life again. In other words, the worst that the world could know, what Jesus knew by giving his life on a cross, is not how life ends.

So again, this Easter, how do you get out of bed in the morning when your whole day will be shrouded in darkness? How do you rise when grief sinks deep into your soul? Why should you open your eyes to a pain that shouts an absence of hope? Like Peter, do you want to believe but are not yet certain what Jesus’ death and resurrection might mean for you? Can you move forward into this day forward your own miserable faults and the heaviness of the world upon you?

Choose to Fully Wonder

Wonder how God did such an unbelievable, implausible thing as coming to the world in the flesh, as one who could be known, heard, spoken to face to face. No god does this sort of thing.

Be surprised that God knows who needs this message of good news, the poor who see no hope in their future and those who live poorly by what the world has done to them and by what they do to others. They are no different from shepherds or women regulated to lives of servitude or the Peters who never seem to get it right. No god does this sort of thing.

Most of all, be awed that God reversed what is the most devastating part of this life we live, the inevitability of death, physically, emotionally, spiritually. No god does this sort of thing.

No god that is except God in Jesus, risen from the dead!

Christ is Risen. Christ is Risen Indeed.

Matthew 28:1-10

Chalice of Blood And Tears

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 09:30:02 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus:

The one who was hoped to save the world is owned by the trouble of the world.

Jesus, let’s think about this. Now is your time, but it doesn’t have to be this way. You know what to do. Back off, let those holy frauds calm down a bit. Reorganize your plan. Yes, you are the Son of God. But this? Suffering, laying down your life at you call it? Acting the part of the sacrificial lamb? Why a bloody death of all things? Just tell people you will wipe their slates clean if they get behind you. No, this isn’t necessary. This doesn’t have to be. Why, oh God, why do you do this! Who in their right mind would follow a leader who acts the loser?

Shut up. This isn’t about success, at least as you know it. How could you? It’s never been done before; your strategic plans have nothing like it. By this point, what did you expect? Never was it said that Jesus ever bought into the go-along-to-get-along process of appeasement, a social greasing of the wheel. Jesus’ way is contrary, contrary in being a full reversal, opposite from expectations of achievement and contrary in how obstinate, stubborn, resolute he was in doing it. So for now, shut up.

Wine Becomes Blood

After breaking bread and lifting his cup with his closest friends, the hero no longer preaches, teaches or heals. He accepts that which he has come to do. Later, in a garden, he begs, cries, wails to God that his blood-filled cup be taken away. “ Let this cup of suffering be taken away from me …”

As a man, every cell of his being wants to run, flee, bolt, change this fate before him. He does not want to drink it, anxiety and anguish flooding his mind and body. “ Yet, I want your will, not min e.” Only because there is no other way this hope of the world known in the promise, “You will not die,” he drinks the cup of death and trouble.

Betrayed with a Kiss

The mob, religious leaders, and soldiers have their way, led by the traitor Judas. The conflict which had begun in one ancient garden builds to its impending climax in another. Judas acted. Was it from greed, disappointed ambition, a power play to force Jesus to act out and establish Israel as a contender among nations? Or had Judas at least heard, hoped that this new kingdom could be different, the kingdom of God? Whatever the struggle, in an ironic display of identification, he approaches Jesus, greeting him with a kiss .

Judgement

In a propulsion of events, Jesus is led through a dizzying series of trials and judges. The religious high council distorts, perverts, and falsifies his statements to charge him. Pilate, Roman governor of Jerusalem, tries to pass him off on Herod, governor of Galilee , but Jesus won’t satisfy him with a miracle show. Sent back to Pilate, a sweet deal is offered.

Every year during Passover, a Jewish prisoner was released. Barabbas, murderer and insurrectionist, was the first candidate, but Pilate, finding no real evidence against Jesus, offers an exchange. Free Jesus instead of Barabbas. The mob, stirred up by the conspiracy story of the Temple leaders, won’t have it. Only his blood will satisfy.

Crucify him!

Pilate caves rather than risk a riot. A whip slashes Jesus’ back, a crown of thorns is pressed into his scalp, his cross is laid upon him, nails and sword are driven into his flesh and bone, and the one who was hoped to save the world is owned by the trouble of the world.

Pilate, having futilely tried to wash his hands of his part in this rigged execution , attempts to distance himself further. He orders a plaque displayed over Jesus: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

See, can anything good could come from Nazareth?

As life seeped from his body, images may have flashed through his head. Days of preaching, teaching and healing, moments when his trouble kept a back seat as he reached in welcome the souls seeking new hope, new life. That day at the well he had offered his life of living water to a woman whom the world had used up and drained dry of whatever could be a better life. Now Jesus was the one who having given all he could now was the one who was depleted. For her and all those who had accepted his message, he gasped, “I thirst.”

Only mockery hears him. Soldiers offer him soured wine, not to numb his pain but to add to his sense of shame. For this trouble, he had lived, loved, and now met his destiny in the will of God. “It is finished.” His head bows.

“You will not die.”

That lie separated the finest the creator made from being with creation. Trouble followed, and its pain surfaces despite all the efforts to stop it. Death comes. All will die.

Therein lies the trouble with Jesus. He dies by those who would hurt, harm, control the world, especially the weakest and most vulnerable. In just a few hours the Sabbath laws take effect: thou shalt not labor let alone prepare a dead body for burial. Mutilated and crushed, our fallen hero is carried to the cave, and a heavy stone is placed at the entrance to seal his lifeless body. The Light of the World is extinguished. Trouble is over, finally.

For him as well as ourselves, we bow our heads and sob.

John 18 -19:42, Matthew 26-27, Luke 23

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Betrayed by the Best of Them

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 01:32:29 GMT

Before Jesus even got into town, they lined the road, spreading a carpet of coats, waving branches and shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Expectations were high. If only he had come to fulfill them…With too much popularity and too many attacks on the powers-that-be, Jesus wasn’t making it easy on himself. Sooner or later, someone was going to put a stop to this. As it was, it wasn’t only one.

You know, this just about sums up why you never really made it. Honestly, riding into town on a jackass! Your antagonists must have gone nuts with snide comments seeing this. Don Quixote got his inspiration from you, right? Jesus, delusional doesn’t even hint at what you were thinking. Let your crowds get silly over you. They’ll learn soon enough where you’re headed. Don’t expect them to cheer for you then. They’ll turn faster than a dizzy skater in a spin.

Crowds were everywhere, and if you hadn’t heard about him before, this week you couldn’t miss it. Before Jesus even got into town, they lined the road, spreading a carpet of coats, waving branches and shouting, Hosanna, ironically meaning, “Save us now!” Expectations were high. If only he had come to fulfill them.

All accounts record it. It must have been quite the procession. Everyone came out to see the spectacle of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a jittery donkey, not a battle-strong stallion. People spread their coats on the ground, and the road was strewn with leafy branches, all to make the ride smoother and keep down the dust. Clamorous voices called him a king, the one who would establish a new kingdom on the level of their greatest hero, King David. Best yet, he came “in the name of the Lord,” fulfilling what the ancient prophets had promised. Not lost on anyone was the celebration of Passover only days away, the commemoration of the Israelite deliverance from slavery and oppression by the Egyptians. Part parade, part protest, however you see it, God was on the move and doing it again!

You’re right though to ridicule it, this parody, a caricature of royal processions for which Romans were notorious. Their hero had never called up an army or plotted overthrow of the regime. While the people thought they’d only be saved by military rebellion and nationalism, Jesus had called to turn the other cheek and love one’s enemy. Instead, he was being promoted as everything he was not.

By Thursday, the strain was stretching him and the disciples. He had made a scene at the Temple , literally throwing out merchants who were gouging the faithful for Passover sacrifices. He healed people right there and sparred with the lead priests over the attention he was getting and where he thought he got the right to do what he was doing. He even insinuated sinners like prostitutes would have a better chance getting into heaven before they did . Calling them hypocrites, he charged, “ For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn him into twice the son of hell as you yourselves are .”

With too much popularity and too many attacks on the powers-that-be, Jesus wasn’t making it easy on himself. Sooner or later, someone was going to put a stop to this. As it was, it wasn’t only one.

The First Betrayal

Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, has lived in infamy as the betrayer of Jesus. Sizing up the situation, he could tell the religious leaders not only wanted him out of their hair, but even more so, permanently out of the way. With the deal of 30 silver coins, he only had to seize the moment . (Matthew 26:14-16) Jesus made it easy for him. Over the Passover meal, Jesus said, “One of you will betray me.” While Judas played at acting as a faithful follower, Jesus let him know he knew what Judas would do . From there, it was only a matter of a kiss to identify Jesus as the one the mob should drag away.

His Closest Betrayer

But Judas wasn’t the only one. Jesus also told the twelve, “Tonight, all of you will desert me.” Not being one to show himself by deed rather than declaration, Peter insists he never will. As he had been clear to Judas, Jesus was now just as forthright with Peter. “ The truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times .”

Before sunrise, while the kangaroo court assembled by the high priests were condemning him, Peter’s words were, “ I swear by God, I don’t know the man. ”

Was he denying that he had followed Jesus, or that the Jesus he followed was not the leader he thought Jesus would be?

An Unholy Alliance

Pilate, a Roman governor, was tasked with keeping Jerusalem and the Jews under control. The system allowed for them to have their religion as long as the Romans had a say in leadership. Ultimately, though the religious authorities wanted Jesus dead, they were not permitted to execute offenders of the faith on their own. While that morning Judas hanged himself in remorse after realizing where this was headed, and Peter along with the rest of the disciples abandoned him, Jesus was dragged in front of Pilate by the leading priests with charges he claimed to be King of the Jews, an indication he would overthrow the Roman government.

Pilate is caught in the middle. He can’t ignore such a charge, but he seems to have a handle on what these Temple tetrarchs were scheming. Seemingly looking for a way out, he urges Jesus to make a defense, but he won’t talk. It’s not what his accusers say, but rather the way they say it. They had been looking for a Messiah, but they didn’t want this Messiah. So they did what they could to do away with him. Thus, those set apart for holy office among the chosen people turned on him.

Meanwhile, Pilate tries again. He offers them a carrot. For the holy day, the Romans would release a Jewish prisoner. Figuring he could make them choose the lesser of two evils, Pilate offers the crowd either Jesus or the notorious criminal Barabbas. The priests though work the crowd to call for Barabbas’ release. Pilate can’t see what Jesus could have done that would be so bad for them, but the crowd, some of whom had likely cried Hosana earlier in the week, roars for more. “Crucify him!”

Pilate literally washes his hands of the matter as the crowd takes responsibility for Jesus’ execution. In an act of bloody mercy, Pilate orders Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. It will make his death come faster. To avoid a riot and to protect his job , Pilate orders Jesus’ crucifixion.

Betrayed by Abandonment

Torture and mockery follow. More beatings, a crown of thorns, nailed through flesh and bone, Jesus is crucified, a death designed to be slow, painful, smothering as lungs collapse and blood flows. The King of the Jews has taken the cup of bitter wine, the cup of his own blood, and life oozes out.

The only faithful witnesses to his demise are the women who followed and supported him, women to whom he’d given honor and status, now rendered as impotent as he. But even they stood watching from a distance, distraught and detached at the same time . The comfort they were called to give wasn’t available to him when he needed it most.

Even the sky felt it. A weird darkness fell around noon. Three hours later, Jesus calls to heaven, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ” He dies, abandoned in the will of God to take death upon himself, death that separates, rejects, leaves him alone with all that the worst of the world could do.

Was Judas the one who betrayed Jesus? Or rather, who along with Judas deserted and betrayed him? His best friends, the leaders of his faith, the fickle crowd, the prevailing political system, the women who had anointed his feet in adoration all had a part. Most heart wrenching of all though must have been his God, the very part of himself that had set this in motion since the first animal sacrifice in that garden .

To be covered in such shame that you can’t stand yourself is how he died. It was shame that was not of his own doing, but a shame Jesus accepted for himself that isolates one from love of God and love of neighbor. In this then, he knew a hell which he wanted no one to ever know.

But what of those who won’t accept what his death meant for them?

Would this be the ultimate in betrayal?

Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 26, Matthew 27:1-55

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Anger, Lust, Divorce, I Swear!

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 20:18:30 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus speaks in that place where the heart finds expression, in thought-life and resulting emotions, a messy place in which we live.

If ever there was a more contradictory personage, it had to be Jesus. Within less than the span of ten minutes, he says one thing and then goes off in another direction with it. You can’t just read his words in small chunks. The broad picture is the fuller canvas.

He’d just finished saying don’t misunderstand why he came. But then he takes the core teachings of the centuries and gives them a spin that would make any brain dizzy.

Oppositional Teaching

“You have heard that people were told in the past….”

Yes, we’re told often enough what’s right, what’s wrong, where to toe the line. After all, some of it was written in stone and the rest filled out by those religious sentries. No new light on this one.

“…but now I tell you...”

Wait a sec there, good guy. Didn’t you just say you came to “fulfill the law”, that is, keep it and stretch it so we’re bound even more by it? Where is this “but” going?

That’s so…and it’s not. The rules haven’t been changed that much, at least the ones that have to do with how you treat people. Murder still isn’t excusable, adultery can’t be justified, divorce could be contested, and your promises had better be kept.

Jesus, you’re not going to add to all that, are you?

Oh, but he does. But not like anyone but God would know. The Trouble with Jesus speaks in that place where the heart finds expression, in thought-life and resulting emotions, a messy place in which we live, When it breaks out in action it has the potential to destroy and separate people from each other and from God.

Selective legalism here is shot full of holes and sunk to the bottom. Familiar justifications and rationalizations are knocked out of orbit. With his kind of radicalized ethics, Jesus doesn’t erase the teachings of the law but restores its original intention to reveal the mind of God.

For now though, watch how Jesus dives into real life, where we all live and have to negotiate our relationships. Give him credit for showing how God enters into the complicated mess of our lives.

When You’re Mad as All Get-Out:

Are you angry against someone, really mad, like white-hot, can’t stand the sight of that person? Jesus knew that murder more often than not is precluded by antagonism and wrath, a hate that provokes and boils until it erupts. So don’t even try to go before God asking for forgiveness for yourself if you can’t reconcile with your anger and the one who is its focus. If you want relationship with God, tend to your relationships and the feelings you harbor toward them

Anger is an emotion that operates on emotional power. However, nurturing that power beyond its momentary reaction becomes dangerous when allowed to fester. In the end, it distorts and views others as of no value as if they should be removed from life itself.

Having a Fling, Playing Around, Hanky-Panky Cheaters:

You know how it happens. A side-long glance, a mental undressing, a fantasy in a private moment. Arousal takes over. Desire is placed where it shouldn’t. Doesn’t matter if nothing really happened, nobody even said anything, no outright suggestions were made. He said, cut off the offending member, even your eye or dominant hand. Adultery can take place in the mind as well as the bed.

In the eyes of God, marriage is the highest of all human relationships sealed in a covenant promise. It’s centered in love, faithfulness, valuing of one’s spouse before all others. Violation of that relationship happens in more than sexual activity.

Break Ups, Splitsville, Parting-of-the-Ways Partners:

Divorce. Not an option most of the time except in instances of adultery. You just can’t make a life-long vow and then walk away. If you keep the door open to leave, you’ll not have the commitment to stay. “If it doesn’t work out…” is not on the table.

For those hearing this right from Jesus’ lips, they understood how trivialized marriage was made to be. Women could be divorced just for being not the best cook in the world. Once she was out the tent door, she often had no support. While pushing back on this kind of gender oppression, Jesus also was insisting relationships are not to be dismissed just because they take hard work and understanding.

To State Under Oath

Finally, watch how you make a promise. Sure, “by God, I’ll …” seems to add a measure of power and potency to your statement. But the sacredness of words should never be risked. That remains solely with God. Let your Yes be Yes, and your No be No. “Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.”

Again, in that day most dealing took place by the giving of one’s word, not in writing. People were thinking that using heaven or earth or whatever appealed to them as having higher authority. Jesus here again raised the bar. One’s promises, oaths, vows sit upon the highest standards of personal integrity and in God’s eyes should hold no questioning or doubt.

Paradigm Change

“You have heard that people were told in the past….” What they were told still is in play. No change there. “…but now I tell you.” In typical fashion, he spins past the excuses, the rationalizations that lead to the offense. “ Guard your thoughts ,” was the proverbial wisdom. Jesus knew that if you never think it, you’ll never do it. The power of thought leads to emotion, desire, to broken relationships and broken promises.

So this is how Jesus teaches: he takes the outside perspective, what can be seen and observed, and turns it inward. He reverses the law turning its real impact from done deed to secret wish, connecting the dots. One is as bad as the other.

The broader picture he came to reveal is what is inside, where our motivations really lie, and how so very much new perspectives on what was said of old slam into the bottom of choices that are made today. Freedom of choice and will is always available; what drives it originates in the rationale and rumination behind it.

Ultimately, Jesus upholds and reorders relationships through upholding trust and compassion. Godly behavior begins with a heart oriented in love. By this, while recognizing on our own people can’t be perfect, Jesus demonstrated how to live into being the people God would have us be.

In this, Jesus fulfills the law.

Matthew 5:21-37

A No Good Kind of Christmas

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 18:42:41 GMT

Forget it. Christmas never delivers what it should. Again. A tripledemic of viruses are still hanging over us bigger than the blow-up Santa in your yard. People are sick of it, but don’t care if you get sick either. Parties, big dinners, caroling in the snow? And weeks later you’ll see another surge in virus rates. Inflation presses on, a war that never should have been has global effects, desperate people are clamoring to cross our borders. Oh, but shoppers charge their cards and dull the senses with commercialism. Your tra-la-la-la-las just aren’t going to sing anything good about this Christmas.

Oh, right. Please, please tell. What’s so wonderful about Christmas for us this year or any other for that matter?

God knows. God knows what you think Christmas is supposed to be. The thing is, God’s Christmas wasn’t all jingle bells and elves on a shelf either.

An Alternative Christmas

God knows and knows how we think things should be. The problem is, God doesn’t always work like we think God should. God had other plans. So what do we get?

Now there was this guy, Joseph, who was in a miserable quandary . Several months earlier he found out his fiancé was pregnant—and he wasn’t the proud father. He could have dumped her, no one would blame him, but that would have brought a different kind of guilt with it. Jewish law stated women found pregnant before marriage should be stoned. He must have cared deeply for her, for he decided to go ahead with the marriage. There also was a story about an angel who assured him all was good, so with only an insane kind of faith, he packs up the girl, Mary, and heads out on a three-day journey to Bethlehem despite her due date being not far off. The Romans didn’t give a Christmas fig about that sort of thing.

Christmas All Wrong

Christmas Comes to the Wrong People

Christmas happened, and it still happens. Our Christmas story this year once again is not the Christmas we want. We sit in this messy middle, wait for life to get back to some kind of normal, hope medical services and logistical supply chains can bring us an effective measure to fight this, wishing there would be a cease fire, if not in Ukraine at least on our own streets. But that’s not Christmas. We never get what we want for Christmas. That’s what we think God should do, and almost always, God never does.

In a real way though, this is likely the closest to God’s Christmas we may ever know. If we are still as church mice on Christmas Eve, we just might see a strange sight through the frosted windowpanes of our souls. God shows up, not how we want, not bringing us all we want. God’s plan is not to fix everything that is wrong in the world, but to meet all the wrong in the world with Love. Just as a baby, despite a birth that is all wrong, is held and received in Love. So whereas God shows up in the most unexpected forms, God shows up in the very form that the world needs most.

That is, when it seems the worst could or has happened, that’s when God shows up.

Christmas happens. Look for God’s love in the most unexpected, all-wrong, no good kind of places in your life. For in that space, God will show up.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill to all.”

Luke 2:1-20

Peace Talks

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 16 May 2022 19:07:15 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his kind of peace does not mean the end of conflict.

Five, do you hear me, FIVE mass shootings in one weekend ! Racism at the center of so much. A war that drives on and may drag the world into God-only-knows what kinds of horror. Inflation rates and gas prices the highest in decades. Not to mention incendiary voices in social media platforms and back streets raising the heat on all of it. Jesus, you talk of some kind of peace you give?

What do you really want here? A laying down of arms and everyone holding hands and singing, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love…?” Might make for a good video but don’t put your hope in that kind of faux security or escapism. We all know it doesn’t hold.

Just saying that for clarity’s sake. Life deserves more, and deeper work in it is what has to be brought to the table. This past weekend was a shocker even if we have seen it before. A consideration of Jesus’ peace is as necessary as it ever was.

Not Peace as the World Gives

Jesus’ peace is based in the concept of Shalom. Interestingly, he lived during a time of relative world peace known as Pax Romana. While the Jews knew full well it was maintained by systematic oppression, they had seen worse. Officially the world was not in war; all knew it’d never last.

Shalom is centered in wellness, a serenity of heart and mind resting in a confidence in one’s purpose of being and life. Even more so, it carries a deepness that desires it for others, for community. Thus, it is sometimes spoken as a greeting or farewell as a blessing to meet in relationship and hope despite eventual separation.

Jesus knew his best friends needed that. This was the last night he’d be with them. Soon they would witness his barbarous death and learn his betrayer was one of them. Only a strength beyond the circumstances in which they lived would sustain their souls.

Necessary Attachments

So how do you shake that when trials in life and undeserved pain smacks you? Where do you find your shalom, your peace then?

Better to learn it in the everyday rather than in the urgency of the moment. Jesus said, “All those who love me will keep my word.” Love is not an affection, a desire fueled by positive brain chemicals. Love is a calculated choice to live in attachment to another, to share and follow the principles of living dedicated to a lifestyle beyond oneself. That attachment produces a connection into the eternal. “My Father will love them, and we will…make our home with them.”

Activation

Those gathered around him that last night heard Jesus say this, but in truth, they were feeling abandoned. Without his presence daily before them, how could they carry on? Grief was beginning to settle in even now, and loss would consume them despite what the last three years had been in following him.

Grief needs to be met with an understanding that purpose in living continues and expands beyond what can be seen in the moment. As much as he ever did, Jesus understood. He met their lostness with an assurance that they would not be alone, that because of this love for him, God would provide a Counselor, an Advocate, a continuation in Spirit of who they knew Jesus to be as God.

Their Counselor would teach them, clarify for them what they had learned from Jesus. Beyond the teaching though, they would be reminded of even more, their understanding deepened of the extent of Jesus’ love in life, in dying, and in living again. All is made possible by the power of that Love desired for and given by the fullness of God as Creator, Son, and Spirit.

The Gift of Peace

Yes, the world is looking pretty bad. You can be swallowed by it into hopelessness. Circumstances though are not the end of the tale. Peace is not the end of conflict, peace, that is, centered in Shalom. Goodness for the sake of not annihilating one another is admirable but not enough.

The Spirit works in those who live in Jesus’ Love by demanding standards of goodness and justice even as whatever is wrong shouts all the louder. In caring for others, striving for a better world, an element of harmony sings a new song. Shalom invades the individual soul and unites the community beyond itself. It is the gift of Jesus’ peace.

“So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:23-29

Promise Fulfilled

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 15:57:56 GMT

The Trouble with Jesus is his words challenge our perspectives on things like money and how God would have it used for others.

Thank you and bless all those who sent in their thoughts on this passage from Mark 10:17-31. I brought this message on October 10 at Isle of Faith UMC . If you'd like to hear it, the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiChoSJU5nc&t=2714 (I start speaking around 42 minutes into the service, but if you skip the praise music, you'll miss a good thing.) Or you can email me (constance.hastings@constancehastings.com ) and I'll send you the sermon as a document.

Again, blessings to all who responded and especially to Pastor Will Clark for this opportunity to speak and share God's word.

Be My Assistant

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 18:36:37 GMT

The trouble with Jesus sometimes means we need to offer our collective voices

to begin to understand what it means to follow him.

This week I’m taking a break from The Trouble with Jesus Blog in order to move into another space. In a couple of months, I will be speaking on a Sunday morning (yeah, it’s a sermon but that sounds preachy, not me.) The lesson that week has its challenges. (So what else would I ever say when I write all the time about The Trouble with Jesus?)

Let me get straight to it. The passage turns on Mark 10:21. “Jesus felt genuine love for this [rich] man as he looked at him. ‘You lack only one thing,’ he told him. “ Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor , and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”

Here’s your chance to bring your voice to this passage. And this is where I need your help. In 50 words or so, what are your thoughts about what Jesus meant or was saying in this verse, especially the part I have italicized? I would like to use your (as in, collectively your) responses in this message. No one’s name or any identifying information will be revealed. Just email what you think by October 1, 2021. constance.hastings@constancehastings.com The message will be recorded in YouTube, and a blog posting with the link taking you to the recording will be made available.

Why am I asking for this help? Let me admit two things right now. I don’t have all the answers to the challenges Jesus brings. It’s only in faith and after much thought and emotional/spiritual wrestling that I offer this blog or whatever message I’m asked to prepare. That being said, I do want to hear your thoughts, beliefs, hopes and fears about Jesus. Only when I have your perspectives, even when based in the tension of doubt, can I speak to you with affirmations or directions you could choose to move.

Together then, we can learn.

In this company of voices, let’s give an answer to The Trouble with Jesus.

“Then come, follow me.”

Holy Doubt

183:803410090 (Constance Hastings) — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 15:21:04 GMT

Could it be that faith is not actually a fully convinced mindset? Could it be that to truly have faith an element of doubt, perceptions that rest in possibly not as much as possibly so, is necessary? Do faith and doubt exist not as opposites but as integral parts of each other?

The door was locked. The women had told them they’d been to the tomb, but Jesus’ body was not there. Instead, Mary Magdalene ran and found them with her message, “I have seen the Lord!” The disciples gathered, but still they locked the door. Likely, they had doubted her. Mary Magdalene had once been possessed with demons, so the story around her goes. After the trauma of three days ago, it would be easy to think she had relapsed into her old sickness, seeing what was not really there. Doubt was rational.

Rational except when the door of it was blown off. Despite the bolt holding it shut, a locked door was of no consequence when suddenly Jesus in the flesh was among them. “Peace be with you,” he said, showing them his scarred but fully healed hands and side. What had never been done before, what could never be explained with rational proof, had happened. His demise by brutal execution was now secondary to this new life that reversed death and its finality.

Joy doesn’t adequately express what happened to these friends who had hunkered down in fear for their lives. Certainly, they were thrilled to see Jesus alive again. But would they have reacted in ecstasy if they had in the least believed that Jesus would do as he had told them, die and return alive in three days? Instead, their doubt had slammed into their faith.

They weren’t alone. Thomas, one of the original twelve, wasn’t with them that night. When told Jesus was alive, he wouldn’t buy it. Furthermore, he wouldn’t accept just an appearance but declared he had to actually touch Jesus’ hands and sword-pierced side to believe it had happened. No ghost was going to change his mind.

Jesus delivered eight days later. Again, despite locked doors, Jesus appeared to the disciples, this time including Thomas. Like before, Jesus greeted them, “Peace be with you.” Peace: don’t be afraid. Peace: this isn’t like anything else you or the whole world has ever known. Peace: prepare to have all your assumptions and expectations reversed. Peace: lean in, accept what I have done. “Peace be with you.”

He invited Thomas to touch him literally in his points of pain. Jesus knew this was the place where Thomas’ doubt as well as so many others’ questions have had to pause, sort out in mind and soul if this could be. Only by fully accepting Jesus’ death can there be as well an acceptance of resurrection. One won’t have significance without the other. Faith must be linked with doubt for the two to become belief.

Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” He was the first to declare the divinity of Jesus Christ, not just as one who is a Savior whose death and resurrection bought a ticket to heaven, but as ruler over all that life may bring to us and all in life that needs reversal, even as we wrestle with our doubts.

Jesus acknowledges to Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me.” But there are those who perhaps have even more of a blessing than a physical revelation. To those who did not know him then and even more so to all the world that will come later, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Blessed are those who have not had the benefit of miracles and heavenly revelation. Miracles help some, but those who “come to believe” without them very likely have the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of a faith that has acknowledged doubt.

Jesus blessed all those -- from Thomas up to now -- who have managed to believe without the benefit of direct experience; all those, that is, who have managed to come to a faith that is not the opposite of doubt but which lives with doubts and yet still finds a way to believe.

It is in the not knowing how God does what God does that faith is centered, stretched and filled. But it usually starts with some honest doubt. Honest doubt leads to honest belief because the journey of faith is just that, a journey where we come to believe.

John 20:19-29

Constance Hastings

Many Rooms

The Trouble with Jesus: He makes us think and grapple until we spin around

﻿ and see things differently.

Risky Business

The Trouble with Jesus: Some interpretations make God small, a spiritual dispenser of bulletproof vests, a vending machine for safety gear. ﻿

Lions, Tigers and Bears…And Robbers

The Conundrum

Treacherous Travel

When God-Empty Becomes God-Emptied

The Trouble with Jesus: Humans are good at getting the facts straight

﻿ while getting the meaning wrong

Dreams Dashed

Hope Lingers On

Seen This One Before

The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Empty of God

God Emptied into Life

Holy Doubt

The Trouble with Jesus: Faith must be linked with doubt to become belief.

Locked Minds, Locked Souls

Doubt and Faith Collide

Concede to Both

The Better Blessing

“Blessed are the ones who believe without seeing.”

Where Faith Really Lives

Dark Morning of Wonder

The Trouble with Jesus: No god does this sort of thing. Wonder.

Gather Your People

Let the Inexplicable Be Said

Step Back to Remember

Be Amazed

Reverse What You’ve Known

Choose to Fully Wonder

The Deepest Part of Hell

The Trouble with Jesus: He wasn’t betrayed by just one guy.

The First Betrayal

The Shattered Rock

The Unholy Alliance

The Weaker Faithful

Last Acts

The Real Question

Do As I Have Done to You

The Trouble with Jesus: His kind of love isn’t safe. It’s not polite. It’s not about power. It’s dangerous, intimate, counter-cultural, an act of shared leveling power among all.

Slave Labor

Naked Love

Lower Than Dirt

But a Higher Love

Along for the Ride

The Trouble with Jesus: People have to see that real power he carried, the kind people always twist, before they’ll ever understand what he was really about.

Resigned Acceptance

Stage of Irony

Destiny

For Crying Out Loud

Sure, with God in my pocket, I should get all I want.

When God Waits

Grief Matters, Hits Hard

For Crying Out Loud

Cheap Charity/Second Sight

The Trouble with Jesus has to be read with a second sight, a reading beyond what you’ve seen before.

Land of the Free

Cheap Charity

Blindsight

Second Sight

Well of Truth

The Trouble with Jesus: His conversations don’t stay on the surface, sometimes pulling you deeper than you want to go. He drags you into the deep end before you even realize you’re swimming.

A Command Prompt

Discourse 101

Risked Condemnation: The Part She Didn’t Wanna Spill

The Grace in Truth: The Real Cup

24 Words

Born Again

By the Love of God

The Devil You Know

The Trouble with Jesus: a classic story of hero against antagonist. God’s beloved Son battled the total antithesis of who he was in a kind of hell.

﻿

The Bulldozer Prophet: Prepare the Road

Better the Devil You Know

Desert Dueling

The Ashes of Our Lives

and see things differently.

The Trouble with Jesus: Some interpretations make God small, a spiritual dispenser of bulletproof vests, a vending machine for safety gear.

while getting the meaning wrong