Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Click here to go to the Bottom Line Meditations for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Godly Abiding Spiritually in Jesus Changes the Meaning of What we See Worldly When Not Abiding in Jesus.

Spirituality is our innate ability to feel the difference worldly or godly thinking makes to the way scripture translates to our daily life and relationships.

All Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God. He is the complete revelation of God’s will of grace for salvation. Grace is the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life.

The Gospel of grace is: rather than trying to be more faithful to become faithful, we become faithful by feeling the Faith God already has for and in us.

The Strength of Christianity is Grace

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Another name for Jesus is "Grace". Another name for God is "Grace". We are saved by GRACE. "Love" is not Love if it is not grace. This is true for "Faith", "Hope", "Joy" and all other theological words of significance in the scripture.

Until someone experiences the grace gift in their lives, all other theological words have no real meaning. Why not begin to use the word "grace" in place of "Jesus", "God", "the Spirit", "Love" and so on? It might seem inappropriate to do so. However, until it is actually experienced it will make no sense at all.

That is what this year is all about. Grace, did you get it?

Grace is forever. The Presence of His Grace is always in all of us. The Love of God has no choice. We have the choice to depend on the grace of God or to depend on something other than God to get what God has already given to us.

Pray this prayer from the Collect for this Sunday:

“Almighty God, restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

Now quietly move into God's Presence and pray the prayer again:

“Almighty God, restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

Did you feel the difference?

Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus Loved being human

The purpose of these meditations has not been to edify the reader but to help the reader know Jesus as The Word of God and know in your heart the Spirit of Grace. We feel The Spirit of His Presence the same way we feel the presence of the spirit of a loved one.

The basic question to wonder is: “Why did Jesus die on the cross?” There are deeply committed Christians who cannot understand why Jesus had to die on the cross because they look rationally at what He did. Spiritual understanding is, if there was any other way to do it, God would have done it. The question is: “How did He do it?”

The reason for the cross starts back in Genesis at the fall of human kind. It was a separation from God. Human beings cannot heal this separation. It will take an act of God. St Paul tells us why He did it: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus became Sin (meaning separation) who knew no sin (meaning immorality). He became like us; separated from God. It was on the cross when His cry of the pain of separation from God was “My God why have you abandoned me?” 

There is no other event in the history of Human kind that is evidence of God’s unconditional and inclusive Love more than the cross. Any other belief is based on theology, psychology, philosophy, or wishful thinking. It is true that He does Love us unconditionally but there is no historical evidence besides the cross. This fact comes from John 3:16: “God so loved the World that He gave His only Son.”

There is never any doubt in the mind of a Christian that God loved Jesus as much when He was in sin and separated from God as God did when He was with God. We become like Him, Loved by God, even when and if we are separated from God. We open our lives to this grace every time we become conscious of His Presence within us.

This event of the cross needs to be tied up to one more event to clarify it. It is almost unseen and irrational without the tie-in. It comes from Luke 24:40-42: “He showed them his hands and his feet. While they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said to them, have you here any meat? They gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb.”

Rational thinking sees Jesus asking for food for further proof of His physical resurrection. Spiritually showing them His hands and His feet was enough for them to believe in His resurrection. He asked them for something to eat because He enjoyed being with them.

Rationally it would be very difficult to believe Jesus actually enjoyed being human in this world. After the shock of this statement spiritually it makes sense. Yes, He loved all the People unconditionally and inclusively. But He also loved being human. God has always loved us. This was God’s time to be with us and He loved it.

After Pentecost, God poured the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts. Galatians 4:6 When we open our hearts we can experience this great Love He has for being with us. We know who He is, where He came from and where He is right now: here within us.

Some may have trouble understanding why Jesus would Love being human. Wonder the difference you feel in the Peace, Love, Joy and Wisdom of Jesus than when out and feeling unloved, insecure and unhappy. Every day when we experience His Love being with us we celebrate Christ the King Day.

“Almighty God, restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

Did you get the grace?

Take it with you into this New Church Year and then some!

THE DISCIPLE-SHIFT: The Virtual Small Group: Members share once a week with their group through the internet when a shift from being out to being in the Presence made a difference.