Jesus loves the little ones like ME, Part 2

When I said, "Jesus loves the little ones like me." at the end of my post yesterday, what I meant was that I am the abortion clinic worker, or I am the homosexual. Not that I'm gay, but that Jesus came for me and them, for us, for the whole world. I am not more "chosen" than them. I don't care what the professors in seminaries tell me about Calvinism and the chosen 144,000 of the Jehovahs Witnesses (which I just threw in there because of the chosen aspect of it all - unrelated to Christianity as we know it). Jesus came for the whole world.

When asked by a disciple why He revealed Himself to them and not the world, Jesus responded by saying, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him."

Anyone! Sure the disciples were special and blessed because they got to know Jesus in such an incredible way, but Jesus loved everyone and anyone. The Samaritan woman at the well was also blessed and her experience with Jesus was also life changing. Samaritans were considered half-breeds, but Jesus came for her. Who are the Samaritans of today? Please give me some examples. Probably homosexuals, or the homeless. Maybe it is the people who are on welfare that our society looks down upon so much since we are so consumerized. I am not saying that we shouldn't work. But only that Jesus came for them too. I am not better or more special, or even more chosen.

So much of what we have believed in modern Christianity is about me. Our worship is a lot about me.

Hold me, Heal me, Love me.
My personal relationship with Christ.
God has a wonderful plan for my life.
I could sing of your love forever.

We emphasize an intimacy with Jesus in our public worship and our evangelical lifestyle. Even in our witnessing to others. All of that is not so bad. But that should not be our focus. I don't know where in the Bible where Jesus practiced such things. It was so much more about others, and about community. I don't want to overuse the word community. It becomes numb after awhile to Christians who are used to thinking about their quiet time, or their personal relationship. Quiet times aren't bad. Reading and studying the Bible is an awesome and life changing thing. It's just not the only thing to think about.

Lastly, and then I will let you all digest what I have been thinking about for sometime, Jesus' followers thought that he was going to be the king that would lead them against the Romans who oppressed them. They thought that he was going to be the king of the Jews. The difference between his disciples and the Pharisees who had Jesus crucified was that his disciples believed in him and wanted him to be the king to save them, while the Pharisees did not believe in him and did not want him upsetting anything. They said that the sign over Jesus' head at his crucifiction should have read, "This man claimed to be King of the Jews."

So when Jesus washed his disciples feet, they were appalled at first, especially Peter. A king doesn't do that sort of thing. That's why Peter said, "Lord, you will never wash my feet."

Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesuss loved them enough to wash their dusty, dirty feet. That is something a servant would do.

What a radical example of how we are supposed to love others!

Jesus loves the little ones like me

People say you should love your neighbor as yourself, or you should treat others how you would like to be treated. But Jesus has a better commandment.

John 13:34 "... that you love one another; as I have loved you ..."

How much did Jesus love us? And maybe a better question is how did he do this?

Of course he died on the cross for our sins, saving us, but most of us will not love others this way. In a practical sense, however, Jesus gave us many examples to follow.

Jesus said that he did not come to this world to judge it , but to save it. If Jesus didn't judge, why do we judge people so much? (wait a minute, did I just make a judgement, ha. no, no, a mere question) Even on levels that seem ok to do some judging such as homosexuality, swearing, lying, or abortion; why do we do it?

An example of how Jesus loved and didn't judge was when there was a woman caught in the act of adultry. She lied, she was unfaithful to her spouse. According to Jewish law, she was to be stoned. The Pharisees wanted to trick Jesus. They asked Him what should be done. Jesus replied with love by saying, "Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone." The crowd dispersed and Jesus was alone with the woman. He looked at her and asked her where her accusers went. She said that they left. Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; now go and sin now more."

It's not like He didn't acknowledge that the woman sinned - he said "go and sin no more." This implied she sinned. But Jesus said he would not judge/condemn her.

How often are we like the Pharisees - quick to cast judgement/condemn others or groups of people? I am not condoning such actions as abortions or homosexuality. I just know that we are supposed to follow Christ's example of loving one another as he has loved us. If Jesus were here today in bodily form, he would not be judging those individuals or groups of people, he would be loving them. Not condemning them, but trying to save them from sin, just like he would be trying to save me from mine.

Remember the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is now.

Jesus loves the little ones like me.

Circumcision or not

I was reading the Bible yesterday and I had a few questions. I thought I would open it up to all of you to get your thoughts and opinions. Possibly, they can be backed by some sort of relevance.

In Acts Chapter 15 certain men taught that "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." So Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to discuss this with the elders. Paul and Barnabas reported many wonderful things that God has done with the Gentiles. But some of the believers still thought that they should be circumcised and keep the commands of Moses. Finally Peter spoke up and spoke of how God wanted the Gentiles to experience his Holy Spirit just as the Jews did, making no distinction between them. Peter said that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner. James added that the prophesy of Amos 9:11,12 had been fulfilled, and that we should not have them become circumcised but rather have them be free from sin like sexual immorality.

So they wrote a letter that Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas delivered to the Gentiles at Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia stating these things. When the churches received the letter they rejoiced with encouragement. At the end of Chapter 15 Paul and Barnabas get into an argument and part ways. Silas goes with Paul to Lystra where he meets Timothy at the beginning of chapter 16. Timothy was the son of a Jewish woman who believed in Jesus but his father was Greek. Paul wanted to take Timothy with him on his missionary adventures. Verse 3 of Chapter 16 is confusing me. Here it goes: ... And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. Verse 4 continues... And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

Now wait a minute. Didn't the elders at Jerusalem decide not to require circumcision? Yet Timothy was taken by Paul to be circumcised. He did this for a reason, but wouldn't it be a great opportunity for him to explain why Timothy didn't have to be circumcised, because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter was quoted back in Jerusalem (Acts 15:10) saying "why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" He is referring to the requirement of circumcision.

Paul probably had good reason for having Timothy circumcised, but I am unclear on what that exactly is.

Thanks for your thoughts.