by Jonathan Manafo | May 9, 2018 | Sunday Conversations
When was the first time you lied? Do you remember? I remember the first time I wanted to lie…when I was 4 I accidentally stole some chocolate bars from the grocery store (an old school Dominion store at Yorkdale Mall)…at 4 years old…already a criminal. My brother and sister and I had to decide if we would tell my mom. The taste of Coffee Crisp and Aero were too great to handle. We ate them. And we lied. Or at least we didn’t let my mom in on our (my) criminal activity.
The temptation to lie is with us from birth, that is why we continue to work towards being people of truth.
In 2016, the compilers of the Oxford Dictionary declared “Post-Truth” the word of the year. Interesting isn’t it?
Two other buzzwords have risen to the top of the pile these past few years as well: “Fake News” & “Alternative Facts”. (I’m not going to comment on why)
In addition to Oxford Dictionary, it’s interesting that in 2017 a group called American Dialect Society declared “fake news” the word of the year in the US.
The origin of Fake News? A journalist found a small cluster of news websites all registered in the same town in Macedonia called Veles. They found 140 of these sites…all run by students who were making lots of money off them…all spreading news that was…FAKE.
Funny thing, they asked the Pope what he thinks about the origin of Fake News, and he said its origin is in the Garden of Eden…a snake fooling early humanity to believe something that was false. Classic (and great) answer.
I found out that Durham College (local school) teaches a class called the real truth about fake news.
What does this tell you about culture?
What does this tell you about our vulnerability?
What does it tell you about our discernment?
We have little regard for the truth. Why? Because sometimes the truth doesn’t get you ahead, but lying does.
Here’s the interesting thing about lying:
– Some people’s problem is they lie to others.
– More people’s problem is they lie to themselves.
OK. So why are we talking about lying?
We’re in the second week of a series in Proverbs 6. Looking at what, if anything, God hates.
The writer of Proverbs, in his wisdom and understanding writes these shorts lines about what God hates…or at least what he interprets God to hate…(6:16-19)
- Prideful Eyes
- Lying Tongue
- Hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart that devises wicked schemes
- Feet that rush to evil
- A false witness who pours out lies
- A person who stirs up conflict
If there’s a reason for God to hate anything, it’s because it doesn’t only hurt him, it hurts us.
You’ll notice that the writer uses parts of the body to make his point. Like tools or instruments, they can be used for good or bad.
Two out of these Seven lines in Proverbs 6 refer to lying. Think about it, two of the seven things God hates are in reference to dishonesty and false stories. By the way, false story is just another way to say…you got it, fake news.
LYING TONGUE. TWO WORDS.
Lying
Why do people lie?
- It doesn’t matter to them (lack of conviction)
- Lying = Control
- The truth may disappoint
- It’s just a snowball from another lie
- It’s not a lie to them
- They want it to be true (convince themselves)
Psalm 120:2 says “Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”
We know from the context of this psalm that this is in reference to others, but if we’re honest, we can attribute these words personally as well. God needs to save me from lying and deceit, from fooling myself to think that I’m ok when I’m really not, or that I’m falling apart, when I’m really not.
Proverbs 12:22 reads, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
We can list the multiple reasons why people lie, but here’s one really good reason not to…God hates lying.
Tongue
We can’t lie without words.
We can’t speak words without our tongue.
The tongue, as I’m sure we will all agree, is the hardest thing in our body to control.
We’ve learned this from experience. Who’s ever said something they regret? (all hands raised)
We also learn this from the book James. Listen to what he says about our tongue…
For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
Wow. James. Why so negative? Because it’s true. This is the power of your tongue…and in turn the power of your words.
– – – – –
The writer of Proverbs says that God hates a lying tongue…Here’s what God loves instead: Truth
Proverbs 23:23 says…
Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. (NLT)
Buy truth—don’t sell it for love or money. (MSG)
Jack Nicolson screamed (in A Few Good Men), “You can’t handle the truth”, But the writer of proverbs says, not only can we handle it, we have to do everything we can to get it.
If you’re going to consume anything, invest in anything, trade the farm for anything, let it be truth.
I love that Jesus says that he is the truth, that we worship in spirit and truth, that we can live by truth, that if we know the truth, that truth will set us free.
In the New Testament, Truth = Gospel/Good News. CS Lewis, when he came to faith, said that he believed the myth (story) of the Gospel to be true. He said that of all the myths he came across (he loved mythology), that the gospel was the only true one that resonated deep within his heart.
Who cares what the word of the year was in 2016 & 2017. Don’t let others put words in our mouth. If Post-Truth, or Fake News, or Alternative Facts get all the headlines, so be it. Let your word of this year and every year be TRUTH.
TAKE HOME :
Last week we said that the book of proverbs (ch. 6) is meant to help us in our relationships, our community, our work, our everyday life. Why does God hate lying? Because it ruins relationships, families, careers, marriages, friendships, neighbourhoods. God loves the truth because the truth builds up all those things that lying ruins.
So, what do you wanna be known for…by the people who know you best?
- Truth
- Honesty
- Authenticity
- Sincerity
- One who speaks truth, and does so in love
– – – – – – – –
small(er) group discussion:
Does our society have a problem with untruth? Where is the glaring evidence? Where is it more subtle?
Do you remember when you first lied? How about when you last lied? (kidding) Why are we tempted to lie?
What are the consequences of lying? What parts of our lives are affected most?
What about the tongue? We can’t lie without using words. How do you feel about what James says about the power of the tongue? The power of words?
End with reading and discussing Proverbs 23:23.
Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. (NLT)
Buy truth—don’t sell it for love or money.
by Jonathan Manafo | May 1, 2018 | Sunday Conversations
I held an informal survey on FaceBook this week. This is what I posted…
“If I should love what God loves…should I also hate what God hates? And if that’s the case…what does God hate? Hmmmmmmm?
While we’re on the subject, anything you hate…I mean, you absolutely hate? It can be light hearted or a more serious response.”
Here’s what came back
- Cats, Snakes, Onions, Liver, the 401,
- Sin & Potholes (a Montreal friend)
- Pickles and Ignorance
- Thanos (a fan of the Avengers)
- Not using the brain he (assuming they meant God) gave you to make wise decisions!
Anyone else wanna take a crack at it? What do you hate? How would you finish this line “I hate __________”?
I could’ve easily interchanged the word hate for dislike, but that wouldn’t get the same emotional response.
To quote the articulate queen of (not sure what style she’s landed on lately), Taylor Swift,
Haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate
But I’m just gonna shake shake shake shake shake
Shake it off
She has a good point to make. If people are sending hate your way, in the form of bullying or abuse, shake it off.
Now, as casual as we use this word, there are some serious things associated with it in a real sense.
HATE is real
HATE in and for people is wrong (but if you dig deeper, you’ll learn about why they feel this way)
We’d all agree that we want less HATE in the world and not more.
So how can it be that we stumble on a text in scripture that says God hates anything?
One thing we don’t associate God with is Hate. Why? Because he is LOVE. The Bible says he is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and more importantly, Jesus shows us that God is LOVE.
But what, if anything, can God possibly HATE?
Enter into the conversation, Proverbs 6.
Proverbs is considered a book of wisdom. Some see it as a collection of really wise sayings. It was a book that Israel used for practical & godly advice. If Psalms is a book for worship and prayer, Proverbs is a book of wisdom and sage advice. If Proverbs had a search engine to it, we can imagine people looking up words, the way like we do on google. Lying? Work? How do I deal with my grumpy neighbour.
This chapter (6) in Proverbs deals with a few things:
- Adultery & faithfulness
- laziness
- Envy
- Ants & hard work (fav text)
- Lending money
Some serious and yet practical things right? That in essence is Proverbs, real talk on real life issues.
Then we get to verse 16…
16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
That’s quite the list. Why such strong language? Because the writer of Proverbs wants to warn against painful consequences of both active & passive sin. The problem with these anti-virtues is that they’re disastrous to self and to others.
One important thing to see from these verses, is that there is a part of the body associated with each act? Eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet. And it ends with ‘person’. It’s like the writer is trying to tell is, ‘Don’t let your body engage in this behaviour, otherwise you won’t be too pleased with the person you’ve become.’
Let’s focus on the first one today:
HAUGHTY EYES
Two words: Haughty & Eyes
Haughty
Most of the Bible translations stick with this word.
Haughty is the negative side to pride. When we associate pride and sin, haughty might best describe it.
(Dictionary definition) disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious:
Pride can be positive too of course: taking pride in your work, taking pride in your family, self-respect or self esteem.
But we all know the downside of Pride. That kind of pride It is associated with arrogance, selfishness, and thinking less of others.
It’s one thing to be proud of your work, doing a good job, coming through in the clutch for your team. It’s quite another thing to be walking around proud in the sense that you feel entitled or that you somehow think you’re better than others.
This is why you’ll see Pride in the list of 7 deadly sins: for some, pride is considered the seed or the root of sin.
One word for sin in the NT is Hubris. This word is connected to and mingled in with pride.
“Hubris is the pride which makes a person walk away from God, and the arrogant contempt which makes him or her trample on the hearts of his fellow human”
As far back as people of have been wrestling with the idea of sin, they’ve assessed that pride lies behind it.
Came across this tweet last week…
Why do most people think that they:
live in the best country, cheer for the best team, listen to the best music, vote for the best party, have the best taste, are the best gender, know what is true, and take a stand for what really matters most? Wait…maybe I’m not the best? (TIM DAY, Twitter)
This leads us to the other word in this phrase…
Eyes
When you connect to Pride to vision, you get Envy. When you see the world through arrogance and not humility, the result tends to be Jealousy and Envy.
“The problem with envy & covetous desires is that they are never satisfied; there is no brim of the cup, no lip to the bottle. Coveting does not know what it means to wait, it only lives in the present, short sighted & narrow in scope.”
For the extreme case of this, read the second half of Proverbs 6. The writer warns the reader not to covet your neighbours spouse. (serious) We can be envious of anything that’s not ours. We first discover this in Exodus 20. “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.” Anything that someone else has is open in the game of envy and jealousy: car, home, job, bank account, position, etc.
The writer of proverbs is so adamant about this, he says that God hates it, along with pride.
WHY? Because it disrupts community. It breaks up relationships, it goes against all that God desires for humanity.
Pride & Envy, to say it lightly, God is not fond of these things.
– – – – –
Here’s what God loves instead; here’s what God would rather have us see the world through…
Humility & Contentment
May our eyes & hearts be humble
May our eyes & hearts be grateful
Romans 12:3 says, Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Humility is that virtue that thinks highly of others, not less of them.
Phil 4:11-13 says, I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Contentment is that virtue that knows what it means to be satisfied, to know when you have enough.
God loves humility & contentment. I need to love and possess those things too.
As I discover what God hates…it has to always lead me to what God loves.
I guess the question is this, what do you want to be known for? Pride & Envy or Humility and Gratefulness?
God hates brokenness more than we do. He hates things that drive a wrench in relationships and divides a sense community. If we’re honest, we hate those things too. The best way to combat that is to love things that build up, that encourage, that make our world better.
– – – – – – – –
small(er) group discussion:
Talk about the things you absolutely hate. First keep it fun and light, and then bring up some things that are more profound and serious.
How would you define the term, “God is Love”?
When the writer of Proverbs uses the words, “God hates”, does that feel right or does it bring on more questions?
What is it about pride and arrogance that God hates? Do you ever see this in you?
What is it about envy and coveting that God hates? Do you ever see these things in you?
What are some steps you can take to be on the side of humility & gratefulness?
End by reading Romans 12:3 & Philippians 4:11-13.
(Rom) Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
(Phil) I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
by Jonathan Manafo | Apr 11, 2018 | Sunday Conversations
What are you most afraid of?
Interesting question, wouldn’t you say? It’s one of those questions that gets you thinking? If you’re one who tends to dig deep inside your emotions, you may ask yourself this quite often. If not, then perhaps you don’t think of it or at least you don’t vocalize it too much.
We know about social phobias/fears
- Agoraphobia (open spaces)
- Acrophobia (fear of heights)
- Pteromerhanophobia (fear of flying)
- Claustrophobia (small spaces)
- Entomophobia (insects)
- Cynophobia (dogs)
- Astraphobia (storms)
- Trypanophobia (needles)
Think about the different things you were afraid of at different stages of your life: 5, 10, 15, 21, 27, 33, 39, 50, 61, etc. All different aren’t they? Some fears change with every passing year, other fears kind of stay with us for years.
Being human is to fear what might happen in the future. Animals fear things in the moment, in the present, but they don’t think about the future and all the bad (or good) things that can happen.
I recently read that most people fears may fall in these categories: failure, abandonment/rejection, intimacy, success, being broke, not being good enough. Not being good enough is possibly the root of all the others: affects relationships, work, success, future plans.
Having fear is natural, letting it stop you from moving forward is a tragedy.
We might not think to associate fear with Easter and the resurrection. Easter is a party, a celebration, a climactic and life changing moment in history. Yet…some of the closest to Jesus experienced fear…and doubt on and beyond resurrection day.
Twice in Matthew 28 we read these words, “Don’t be afraid”. They were said by an angel and by Jesus to the women who first discovered that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Verses 5 & 10.
These women had the right and the reason to be afraid, yet both the angel and Jesus himself said these very powerful words, “Do not be afraid”.
How do we hear those words? Do we take them to heart? Believe them? Respond to them? Or do we stay afraid…do we remain in our fear?
In John 20, another resurrection story, we read some other words that are essentially saying the same thing.
“Peace be with you”
Not once, not twice, but three times.
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Doors are locked. Disciples are afraid. Fearful of getting arrested because of their connection to Jesus. Jesus gets through the locked doors. (a bit of a mystery) Knowing they’re scared he says “Peace be with you” and then shows them his hands and side. Why? Because they needed comforting and assurance. This fear was in connection to the validity of what just happened. Death / Resurrection.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Here Jesus wants to renew their hope and devotion. He wants to ensure they’re still engaged in the mission. Jesus knows more than anyone that unafraid people are influential people. That fear holds us back, but courage moves us forward.
It’s like he’s saying, “Hey, I’m back, I’m alive, we’re back in business”
The Holy Spirit is in this text. Jesus ‘breathes’ on them. It’s like he says, “I wanna replace your fear with something greater, my Spirit.”
Then we arrive to the last section… (Thomas wasn’t with the Disciples when Jesus showed up a week ago. We find him with them a week later)
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Here Jesus is combating Thomas’s doubt. Thomas, like most of us, needs some kind of hard evidence that things are actually better. He needs to know why he shouldn’t be afraid. Jesus offers his wounds. ‘Hey Thomas, take your finger, stick it here, it’s me, this happened, I’m alive to tell the story.’
What I love about these exchanges is that Jesus addresses fear in two ways, external & internal.
- in two of the conversations, Jesus shows his wounds as a way to help them with their fear.
- In the middle conversation, he insists they need something in them to help them with fear (HS).
God knows exactly what we need to helps us overcome our fear.
This seems to be God’s pattern…
Way back in Isaiah (43), while Israel is in exile, homeless, waiting, growing impatient. Fear is naturally welling up. We read these amazing words…
1-4 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze. (NIV)
1-4 But now, God’s Message,
the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Saviour. (MSG)
So many good things to consider here: let’s just narrow it down to this:
God reminds Israel who they were, who made them, who formed them and continues to form them.
He says to them and to us, ‘you don’t have to be afraid’. Why? Because you are Known, you are Named & you are Loved.
Fear plays out in so many areas of our life: our work, our relationships, our education, our work in the community. Don’t let it hinder you, acknowledge it’s there, but then hear Jesus’ words to us, PEACE, Don’t be afraid, Fear not.
TAKE HOME:
Through out the Easter season, I read a little book from Walter Bruggeman, and I came across these few words about fear that wrap this up really well.
The unafraid are open to the neighbour, while the frightened are defending themselves.
The unafraid are generous, while the frightened feel the need to keep, store, and accumulate to make themselves safe.
The unafraid are compassionate and merciful, the frightened don’t notice those in need.
The unafraid are committed to helping the marginalized, the frightened only see them as threats.
The unafraid pray in the morning, care throughout the day, are thankful in the evening. While the frightened are often restless and dissatisfied.
PRAY:
May we be unafraid people – Making a difference wherever we go. May we see obstacles as opportunities; barriers as bridges. May we see people, not as the opposition, but as your created ones.
Remind us so deeply today that we are known by you, redeemed by you, and loved by you. May the fear inside of us be replaced by your Spirit, the spirit we invite you to breath into us.
May we walk out today, knowing that your perfect love drives out fear – full of courage to live the full lives you are calling us to live.
Amen.
by Jonathan Manafo | Apr 4, 2018 | Sunday Conversations
I love that the scriptures, with so many of its stories, is hinting at Resurrection…or at least what is implied with the Resurrection. The Bible is always slowly, but surely, leading us to Jesus, his death for the world, his resurrection…and our identity in those two things.
If there is no Resurrection, there is no church. Sure, Jesus died for our sins, but if he stayed dead, we’re not hanging out today as a church community.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17,
“…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (NIV)
“And if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever.” (MSG)
If there’s one thing you take home with you today it’s this, “The difficult story you may find yourself in, the wall you may have hit, the dark cloud over your head, is not the end. Your story is not over.”
If it means anything, resurrection means that the worst thing is not the last thing. (F. Buechner) And that wherever the cross is, the resurrection is near. (D. Bonhoeffer)
The Pope asked this question on twitter recently, “What would happen to us if God did not always give us a chance to start over?” Well, we don’t have to worry about that. He does. The Resurrection assures that.
Mark 5 has three stories that all hint at and point to the resurrection.
The first is about a man who is being tormented in his ‘inner spirit’. Some might call him possessed, others oppressed, but one thing for sure, he is in a prison and cannot get out of it. He see’s Jesus coming from a distance and yells out, “What do you want from me”. Jesus says, and I paraphrase, “I want to make you well, I want to set you free.” The story gets kind of wild, with Jesus exorcizing a legion (lots) of demons from this man, sending them into a herd of pigs and the pigs eventually running into the lake. Is there a mystery to it? Sure. Do I get it fully? No. But Mark has a purpose with this story: Jesus helps people in need, in pain, in some kind of prison. He delivers them and us. We know one thing for sure, this man was in a dark place, a lonely place, a prison, and by the end of the story, he’s dressed and in his right mind. He’s well.
The next two stories are weaved together. Mark starts us off talking about a 12 year old girl who has become deathly ill. So much so that they’ve already pronounced her dead. Her father, Jarius, comes to beg Jesus to heal her. Seems like Mark emphasizes this as to say that Jarius was a bit skeptical of it all, but pockets his pride and asks Jesus anyways. Wouldn’t you do the same if your daughter or son were sick and you thought that maybe someone could heal them?
This story is hijacked by another story. This one about an older woman who has been sick for 12 years. Twelve years of dealing with the same (serious) ailment. This woman figures that if she could just touch a piece of Jesus’ clothing, this would make her well. That’s a wild experiment if you ask me? But…she gets through the crowd, touches Jesus robe, and she’s well, healed, all better. If that’s not wild enough, Jesus actually knew that ‘power’ had left him. Another bit of mystery for us to ponder.
Mark quickly takes us back to the other story, about the 12 year old girl. Jesus follows Jarius to his home. He walks in, tells them that this girl is only sleeping, not dead, and then calls her to get up and start walking. Jesus calls to her saying ‘Talita Koum’. Meaning ‘Little Girl’ it’s time to get up.’ They are ordinary words you’d use with a little girl who’s sleeping (I’ve said them many times to my own daughter), but they bring this girl back to life. It’s as if Mark wants us to take note of the life giving power of God breaking into, and walking through, the ordinary details of life.
Three Stories – One take away
Every story is different.
– an oppressed man
– an older woman
– a little girl
– all dealing with different troubles
Every story is the same.
– all facing what they would see as the end or living with something they wish would end
– all encountering Jesus (in a different manner)
– all walking away with more life to live, with a new chapter to write, with a new life explore
Who are we in these stories?
- Sometimes we feel like the walking dead…no feeling, no purpose, oppressed, depressed, in some kind of prison…just like the first man in the first story.
- Some of us can identify with the older woman… dealing with the same issue, year after year after year, with no end in sight.
- Some of us, like the little girl, hit a wall of sickness, or bullying, or fear, or hurt. We didn’t see it coming. Every thing was great and easy for so long, and out of no where, we’re faced with something that feels like we’re dying inside.
These stories all point to one thing: Resurrection!
Everything Jesus did was a glimpse of what was to come. Every time Jesus healed someone it pointed to Easter. And Easter tells us this very important truth. Your story is not over. The worst thing doesn’t have to be the last thing. The darkness doesn’t need to be the ending of your story. Easter changes all that. There is more to come when you trust Jesus.
Don’t let your dark days rule you or your obstacles stop you. Jesus’ story wasn’t over with death, your story is not over with your struggle. That same resurrection power is there for us. New breath to breathe, new life to live.
– – – – – – – – –
I believe in the resurrection…that God wrangles victory out of actual, physical death. The cross taught us that. You can’t have anything more dead than a three-day old dead body, and yet we serve a risen Saviour. New life is always possible…well past the moment it makes sense to still hope for it. The empty tomb taught us that. I have enough faith to live a Friday and Saturday existence right now without fear that Sunday won’t come. It will come. And I am nearly certain it will surprise me, like the sun coming up in the morning. (Jen Hatmaker)
by Jonathan Manafo | Mar 27, 2018 | Sunday Conversations
In case you missed it, we have walked through a series we called, 8 Simple Lines. 8 lines that Jesus said as he started to teach what has become known as the sermon on the mount – Jesus’ hillside chats.
These 8 simple lines are counter cultural, upside down, kind of reverse thinking when comparing them to conventional thought.
If there’s anything Jesus did and said that was upside down, it was his death. When does dying ever move anything forward? Death is a stoppage in play, permanently. But this week (Holy Week), as we focus on Jesus’ sacrifice for the world, we’re reminded that it’s his death that launches us forward into new life.
Here’s where we’ve been so far in this series…
The 1st line? Blessed are those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty…
The 2nd line? Blessed are those who grieve what is wrong and unjust…
The 3rd line? Blessed are the meek & humble, who stoop down to serve others…
The 4th line? Blessed are those who hunger & thirst…after God and his values…
The 5th line? Blessed are those who show mercy…because that is the way of grace…
The 6th line? Blessed are the pure in heart…they will see God…
The 7th line? Blessed are the peacemakers…they’re identified as children of God…
(these are all recapped in Sunday Conversations)
This last line is more than a line. It’s more like a paragraph. Jesus ends with a bang – the most upside down Beatitude of them all…
Before we read it…let me ask you…
Have you ever gotten in trouble for doing something good? Penalized for doing the right thing?
– Tried to break up a fight and end up in the Principal’s office anyways…
– Tried to stop a disaster, but you ended up filthy and messy just the same…
– Defended an innocent person or party, you got hurt in the process…
Even though you won’t benefit immediately or may get roughed up along the way…we are called to do good, to plant goodness, to plant Jesus, etc.
Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” (niv)
“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all…” (msg)
With that in mind…the 8th and final simple line…
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(it doesn’t end there)
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Two things we notice:
– Just like the other lines…this is some backwards thinking…the most backwards of all of them
– There’s more than one line…it’s more like a paragraph…so this it’s either important or Jesus was longwinded. I’ll go with important.
Like every other line in this text/series we’ve asked the same question: Jesus, what are you trying to say…to them and to us?
Here are a few take aways…
Holy Trouble Makers
This is very consistent with Jesus’ other teaching we find in the gospels. He his constantly challenging us to live differently, to make a difference, to swim upstream (if you will), and to be counter cultural.
It’s almost like Jesus is saying “I want you to be Holy Trouble Makers”
There’s bad trouble and there’s good trouble. Better put, you get in trouble for doing bad things, rightfully so, but you also get in trouble doing good things.
Jesus is calling us to do good, even if it means we may get in trouble for it, or if the reward is not imminent.
I find it very interesting and fitting that this Beatitude about Persecution comes after the Beatitude about Peacemaking.
People who make peace, who fight for peace, who creatively and strategically manufacture peace are often the same people who are persecuted for it afterwards.
Martin Luther King was a good kind of trouble maker.
Mother Theresa was a good kind of trouble maker.
Clarence Jordan, a farmer/preacher/NT scholar, led a mixed race community in the 1940s. Against much opposition, he was determined to live out the Beatitudes and the nonviolent ways of Jesus that loved your enemy. He was a good kind of trouble maker.
We have lots of them today too.
When Jesus says, blessed are the persecuted, he’s saying, blessed are those who are willing to do what’s right, no matter what the cost.
Walter Bruggeman says something about this in his Lent reading guide, “Blessed is the church that does not easily come to terms with the present…knowing that the present reality is not good enough…God wants better. If you take that list of poor, hungry, weeping, persecuted, it means that the church is to be odd in the world, noticed in the community for walking to a different drummer.”
So be Holy Trouble Makers who walk to the beat of a different drummer.
Plant seeds of hope, peace, goodness, and all things pertaining to God’s Kingdom
What happens when and if we are persecuted? When and if we actually do get into some kind of trouble for doing good? For Jesus?
We are spreading and planting seeds of hope; seeds of goodness; seeds of peace; seeds of anything and all pertaining to God’s kingdom.
My Nonno (grandfather) used to make wine. And we had this press in the garage. He would squish those grapes to death…literally…they were not recognizable any longer. But soon after comes the wine. Soon after comes the drink.
There’s a mexican proverb goes like this, “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”
Pope Francis recently tweeted, “Jesus made Himself like the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to give life. Our hope springs from that love-filled life.”
This is of course inspired by Jesus’ words in John 12:24 where he says, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
These seeds grow into fruit that reflects the values of God’s Kingdom and the character of Jesus.
Jesus bookends the Beatitudes with the same promise “…for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven”
Poor, Hungry, Grieving, Persecuted…they all receive what is the most valuable – a place in God’s Kingdom.
In Good Company
This last thing from the Beatitudes might be my most favourite part of all 8 of them.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases it well… You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
I love, love, love, love this.
You know the saying, “You are who you hang around with”. Jesus takes this a step further. If you live in this way, being a Holy Trouble maker, you will be in good company. You enter into a the ‘good’ crowd when you live out these 8 simple (not so simple) lines.
Who are they? All the people we read about in the scripture who risked reputation and safety to do good. All the people who have made a difference in history in the name of Jesus: the peacemakers, the pure in heart, the holy trouble makers.
And…Jesus…he himself the good company we are a part of when we live with no fear of pain, poverty, struggles, persecution, but with passion for peace, good, righteousness, and living out the values of God’s Kingdom.
People who live out these 8 simple lines are associated with the person who first said them – Jesus.
Jesus, more than any person, went around as a HOLY TROUBLE MAKER, knowing full well that he would die for his cause, but he did it anyway, because he knew what the seed of his death and persecution would turn into – the church – the kingdom of heaven living in us and around us.
Mother Therese (a previously mentioned holy trouble maker) pinned these words to a wall in her children’s home in Kolkata:
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives, DO GOOD ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies, SUCCEED ANYWAY.
The good you do might be forgotten tomorrow, DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. BE HONEST ANYWAY.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight, BUILD ANYWAY.
People really need help but may attack you when you help them, HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth, GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY.
Back to Jesus, who’s mission eventually killed him. He came anyway!
(We might say)
Jesus, they’re going to hurt you, spit on you, misunderstand you, and kill you…
(He responds)
I’M GOING TO LOVE THEM AND SERVE THEM ANYWAY!
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small(er) group discussion:
Have you ever gotten into trouble for doing good? What did that look like? Was it worth it?
What different ways can you use to describe persecution? Knowing that others are persecuted far worse for the cause of Jesus elsewhere, what does this word mean to you?
Why is it interesting that Peacemaking is followed by Persecution is Jesus’ Beatitudes?
If there was a good chance you’d get into some kind of trouble, are you passionate enough about doing what God has called you to do anyways? What kinds of things are worth pursuing with persecution on the horizon?
Can you think of any Holy Trouble makers in history? Recent or not so recent?
When Jesus says we’re in good company? How does that make you feel? How much are you willing to identify with Jesus and his mission?
Read and pray through Galatians 6:9 as you close out your conversation.
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For some extra challenge and inspiration, watch this video on the final Beatitude.
