Good Morning friends,
One of the things I like most about Jesus was he never felt the need to please anyone. It wasn’t mean about it usually, but he was clear about what he thought was important and how he went about his ministry. If was often said that Jesus would have never gotten ordained by the Untied Methodist Church, he was too much of an non-conformist. He seems never to be concerned with the appearance of things, but always with the substance of them.
18 The disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees made a practice of fasting. Some people confronted Jesus: “Why do the followers of John and the Pharisees take on the discipline of fasting, but your followers don’t?”
19-20 Jesus said, “When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but not now. As long as the bride and groom are with you, you have a good time. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!”
21-22 He went on, “No one cuts up a fine silk scarf to patch old work clothes; you want fabrics that match. And you don’t put your wine in cracked bottles.”
Jesus announced all through the gospels that, “This is Kingdom Come!”. God had brought a new reality into the world, we just have a recognized it and get with the program.
You might ask, “what is the program?” From what I read it has always been the same for God’s people. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all of your mind, and with all of your soul, AND to love your neighbor as yourself. The prophet Micah thought is looked like this; to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. And God repeatedly says through the prophets, “I will be there God and they will be my people.”
So, what don’t we get. The gift is that the program is not specific do and don’t, but living in the Way of the Divine Presence with Justice and Mercy as a person in relationship with the eternal, infinite power of grace and creativity.
Yet, we want rules. I think because that way we can be right and someone else can be wrong.
23-24 One Sabbath day he was walking through a field of ripe grain. As his disciples made a path, they pulled off heads of grain. The Pharisees told on them to Jesus: “Look, your disciples are breaking Sabbath rules!”
25-28 Jesus said, “Really? Haven’t you ever read what David did when he was hungry, along with those who were with him? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, with the Chief Priest Abiathar right there watching—holy bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat—and handed it out to his companions?” Then Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to serve us; we weren’t made to serve the Sabbath. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath. He’s in charge!”
So, Jesus wants us to get the order of things right. It is the substance of our lives that is important, not the appearance. Everyone may have an opinion about the choices you make, however, it is only God’s perspective that counts. People Pleaser – NOT. God Pleaser _YES; a thousand time YES.
Blessings and peace,
Mary
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