tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70807775076331692332024-03-13T19:37:10.402-07:00Blue Collar ChristianityOrdinary people, who know Jesus - Acts 4:13Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-4998133937139531182020-05-03T12:52:00.000-07:002020-05-03T12:52:32.955-07:00What Do You Stand For? Good afternoon friends. There only about 27 of you who read my posts, so I think I have the right to call you friends. I am anything BUT an internet viral sensation. This one is for believers, so for the two atheists that read on occasion, you get the day off. When I spoke to you last in this arena I urged you all to represent Jesus well. I also asked you to stay away from drugs, but I was mostly being playful. I don't think my blogs are very popular within the addict community, even though I desperately wish I could be helpful to them.<br />
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Today I'm asking us to try and step back from ourselves and ask the question, "What do I stand for?"<br />
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Now, hopefully your instinctive answer is something like, "I stand for Jesus." or, "I stand for the Gospel." - or the Kingdom or something like that. Yet, indulge me for a moment. What is it that your life is really communicating? Do you know? Would it help to ask the people around you?<br />
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I have often heard the quote, "People are like tea bags. You don't know what's in them until you dip them in hot water." I have also heard it modified to read, "Christians are a lot like tea bags. You don't really know what's in them until you dip them in hot water." These are interesting times we live in, and in a very metaphorical way it's as if we have all been dipped in the cauldron. It has been equally interesting to see what has been coming out of us as a Christian community.<br />
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It really appears like we have an innate tendency to get wrapped up in the goings on of this world along with everyone else. I hope the tone of this doesn't sound harsh. It kind of caught us by surprise. (And if the whole believing church reads this blog post, I'm sure it will soon be rectified. :-).). I'm convinced that it is easy to lose track of who we are, why we're here and what we're here to accomplish.<br />
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In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells him, "Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them." 2Timothy 2:4.<br />
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I think we have long had a sense that we're not supposed to 'live the civilian life' in the sense that we aren't supposed to spend our life running after beer and women. Or if you're a lady...wine and men. Okay. Maybe not the men. Just wine? And something about a Christian driving a Lamborghini just feels irksome. Chasing wealth and privilege just seems unfitting for us. Even the world mocks us when they see it. Still, there are 'affairs' we entangle ourselves in that have little to do with being a good soldier of Christ.<br />
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We serve another kingdom. People in this world are dying, every day, and many are headed to a Christl-ess eternity. We're convinced that's bad, so we're here primarily to be what scripture calls elsewhere - ambassadors for Christ, or ministers of reconciliation. We are supposed to be here to do our best to see that the people in our lives come to be made right with The Father through Jesus.<br />
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Is that what you're actually doing with the life you've been given? More and more, we seem to be getting entangled in expressing how we think the government should handle the pandemic. Some of us think we should all stay home and expect the government and farmers to feed us for free until the virus magically dies off. Others think that we should just go about our business, let the old people die off and let the strong survive. There is a place and time to express our opinion on occasion, but it seems as if the issues of the world have actually become our cause and we're actively campaigning for our particular flavour.<br />
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If we represent Christ, at least part of the way we conduct ourselves is meant to be 'winsome'. Our message is to proclaim Christ, and Him crucified; NOT our particular brand of theology, resistance to gun control, vaccinations or the lockdown. I wish I knew what Jesus would say in all of this. He was often approached with the issues of His time, be it Israeli liberty, Roman taxation or divorce. All I know is this - His responses never seemed to sound like the rest of ours.<br />
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So what do you stand for? Ask the question. Get an answer. Stand for Jesus.Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-59907214241143485392020-04-19T12:26:00.001-07:002020-04-19T12:31:54.582-07:00"The Christian Response" to Covid-19 Ok. It's happening to me too, and it is frustrating. It seems as if there is nothing to talk about right now besides the Coronavirus. If you pick up the newspaper, it's on the front page. The topic has pretty much dominated my social media feed. Maybe if hockey was on, we could talk about that. But here we are. What else is there? <br />
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To be fair, I haven't written in years, but this whole crisis has us talking and thinking about the very basic issues of life. Before this pandemic, our culture was wrapped up in trying to discover the new 57 or so genders and how to tell which one you were. I didn't know how to engage with that world and had very little to say. I haven't discovered more than two sexes, but admittedly wasn't going around looking under anyone's dress. Now that we are back to talking about living and dying, I feel equipped to engage.<br />
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As you may have gathered, I'm one of those people who thinks there is a God. There is life available after this life and He has both made and shown us the way to get it. For those of you who are only going to live once, I'm good with that if you're really good with it. Some of us however feel that death is a tragedy; it wasn't meant to be this way and have found our way off this rock alive in Christ. So for those of us who are in Christ, how are we to navigate these times?<br />
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<b>Release the Panic</b><br />
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It's almost humorous to watch isn't it? Seriously - these are funny times. There is no shortage of the jokes surrounding the pandemic. In hindsight, one of the silliest facets of our time was watching people as they panic purchased large volumes of toilet paper. Last week there was a picture circulating on Facebook of a woman returning a whole shopping cart of toilet paper to Walmart.<br />
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Panic does not befit us. I am not saying that Christians don't panic. That would be wrong. We are subject to the same emotions as everyone else and often respond the same an the general public. I said it wasn't fitting. Our emotions aren't supposed to be our master. <br />
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We serve the God who sits on the throne of the Universe. There should be some comfort in that. He has a plan for how things are going to shake out in this world. He has promised to be with us, EVEN to the end of the age. No matter how dark these days get, and they will be dark, we can count on Him being there when we need Him most. We WILL die, yet as rough as the dying can be, He has defeated death itself. I'll put that paragraph in point form if you find it helpful.<br />
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1. He is in control<br />
2. He is with us<br />
3. He has a plan<br />
4. He has defeated death<br />
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Call them facts. Call them promises. Call them what you may. These should be reason enough to let go of the panic, even if the Holy Spirit has not yet worked to quiet our troubled hearts.<br />
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<b>Do What Needs Doing</b><br />
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I think resting in Christ allows us to let go of the panic, which in turn enables us to represent Him decently. Not everyone is panicked. While there are people panic buying all the flour and toilet paper, there are also a lot of people who see little need to respect the times. I had a person last week tell me, "I don't believe in all of this". They were bitter that their life had to be so inconvenienced, just because a few old people were dying. <br />
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I wasn't alive during the bubonic plague, but much has been written about how believers responded then. Although many were just as panicked as the general populace, many were also observed to care for the dying, subjecting themselves even to death. Some of you have responded similarly now. You have felt God nudging you to continue to serve or volunteer for health care in some capacity. Nobody has thanked you for responding to God's call, so I'll say it here. <br />
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Thank you.<br />
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So is that it? We should all sign up to volunteer at a Covid testing clinic? I know that what I say next won't help guide everyone of us in navigating their role during a global pandemic. I trust however that it's useful enough.<br />
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<b>Do the most responsible thing given your situation.<i></i></b> (Even if you could die)<br />
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The "even if you could die" clause is important here. God has a history of calling people to do what needs doing, even in the face of death. I think of Moses. I think of Gideon. I think of the disciples. I think of Paul. I think Jesus died doing what needed doing.<br />
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Staying home MIGHT be the most responsible thing for you to do. Going to work might be the most responsible thing to do. Making masks, delivering food; these could be the responsible things given your context. Who is around you and what needs do you see that you could meet?<br />
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Whether we live or die, may Christ be glorified through us. Represent Him well.<br />
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That's all for now. Stay in school and don't do drugs. I forgot. Times have changed. You can't go to school anymore. So...<br />
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Just don't do drugs. <br />
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:-)Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-82630988017319813922020-04-10T08:30:00.000-07:002020-04-10T11:18:41.860-07:00Why Good Friday is Good Today is Good Friday. It is April 10, 2020. If you are reading this today, you are living in one of the more uncertain times of human history as we face the Coronavirus. I thought it timely to remind us in this present crisis of why Good Friday is Good. It's a day where Christians remember the death of Jesus. So it can seem sort of weird, that we'd remember such a thing as a 'good' thing. We don't typically think of death as good.<br />
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<b>Our Debt</b><br />
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In Canada, our nation is under a form of what we call 'lockdown' to try and battle Covid-19. Any services or businesses that are not considered to be essential are ordered to be shutdown. Roads are still open. Grocery stores still sell food, but you can't watch hockey, because there are no hockey games to watch. So much of Canada is living, using hydro and eating - depending on "the government" to support them for the time being. Within all this, we are amassing an enormous amount of debt.<br />
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Whether we know it or not, each one of us has a spiritual debt. There is a God. Some of you might want to fight me on that, and it's ok. But you haven't died yet have you? For those of you who have been dead for a while, you already know that there's more than this life, but you likely didn't make it to the judgment yet. <br />
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We have wronged God. The Bible word for doing wrong against God is called sin. There is a God and we owe Him what can called a sin-debt. And it's huge. It's beyond what you can pay. If you've lived life not even believing in Him, imagine how large it must be if you didn't even know what He wants. <br />
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We can handle these things a little easier when they are part of fiction. If you've watched the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, you can likely hear the words of Davey Jones as he tells Sparrow, "You have a debt to pay..." It becomes a little more aggravating when we talk about it in the God conversation because our conscience knows there is a reality to it that can't be easily swept aside.<br />
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And out of that debt, you, I - every one of us will die. (even if you think this is a fairy tale.)<br />
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<b>Our Separation </b><br />
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Sin is more of a relational thing than it is a moral thing. (It does tend to have a moral component. So don't get all bent out of shape if you missed my use of the word, "more") You've been wronged in some way, by someone. Haven't you? It may be something big. It may simply something they said that bothers you. Whether your grievance is large or small, it creates a space between them and you. It can be a certain topic that you can no longer talk about with them. It could be that you don't want to see them as much as you used to, or perhaps you want them out of your life. Whether large or small, there is a separation that exists between them and you.<br />
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Out of our sin, a similar separation exists between us and God. The danger being, it can become permanent; a forever kind of permanent. Some of you don't mind the separation. You don't much like Him anyway. I like Him, so I don't understand it. But I get it. Others of us don't KNOW that we are separated from Him, and that is quite common too isn't it? Many of us harbour sour feelings towards others who simply don't know. They don't know you're upset with them. They don't know why you don't want to see them or why you don't respond to their calls or texts like you used to.<br />
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When we've been wronged, we generally have an idea of what we want from them now. Even if we want them dead. (Hopefully not). We want them to apologize. We want them to pay us back. We want them to acknowledge how they've wronged us. Whatever we want from, we expect it to be rectified on our terms.<br />
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Fortunately for us, God isn't an immature bitter grudge holder. He has shown us the way back. He has revealed, "His terms".<br />
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<b>Our Way Back</b><br />
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You might want to try to be right with God however you think is best. Good luck with that. If that's your approach, I beg you. If I know you....give me a list of people who have wronged you. And I'll ask them to try to get right with you in some way OTHER than what you want. It's a dumb idea isn't it? <br />
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The nature of our sin-debt and separation is such that you and I are unable to rectify the situation. Jesus paid it/dealt with it on our behalf. Peter described it this way,<br />
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"<i>He (Jesus) bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed</i>" 1 Peter 2:24<br />
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I guess if you don't mind your separation, this is simply "religious information". I just ask that you seriously ponder what it might be like were the separation to be locked in indefinitely.<br />
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If you never knew, but are thinking you want in, THAT is the Good News of Good Friday. There is a way in; and it starts today. Accept the payment made on your behalf - the payment made by Jesus on the cross. Then choose to follow Him. If you don't know where to start, try picking up a Bible and reading the book of John to begin with. It's easily accessible online if you can't find or don't have one.<br />
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If you are already in Christ, then be encouraged. Today is a truly good day. We grieve, we mourn and we remember, but thank God there is a way! Our debt has been paid in full. We have right standing with the King of Kings.Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-28446832004587614582018-08-19T13:06:00.000-07:002018-08-19T13:08:33.967-07:00My Final Pep Talk... <br />
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I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow our summer is nearing it's end, and with that - so is our time together as a team. As I reflect on our season together I've been thinking about the kind of things I hope you will carry with you from your time on the team.<br />
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I do hope that you have grown both in your knowledge and love for the game. Soccer is a great game. It's often referred to as "The World's Game." Wherever you find people and an open patch of grass, if you bring a ball and throw it down you'll likely find someone who's willing to kick it around with you. I do enjoy the game, largely because it has given me the chance to work with you, yet there are some things I hope you take with you that go beyond the game; things that have the potential to help you as you continue through life.<br />
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<b>Teamwork</b><br />
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You will likely spend much of your life on some kind of team. When you go back to school in the fall, many of you will have to work on group projects at some point. When the time comes to enter the workforce, you will likely find yourself working with or for other people.<br />
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Working on a team can't be all about you. Teams made up of people who are really there for themselves generally don't work, and they really aren't much fun be on. There are times when you won't get the role or position you want. I hope that when those times come that you will be as willing to give your best where you are needed, just as you were for me and your team this summer.<br />
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Your willingness to work together, to do what needed to be done ESPECIALLY when it wasn't what you wanted, was what made this team so fun to coach and to play on.<br />
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<b>Sportsmanship</b><br />
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If you're honest, none of you really much care that I'm a mechanic, or that I'm good at what I do. You likely aren't much impressed that I'm an elder at my church. You do care how I treat you. It matters that I do my best to give you equal playing time. It matters that I'm really on your side. The point is this:<br />
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<i>Who you are is much more important than what you do or accomplish.</i><br />
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If you're a jerk, few people on your team are impressed by how many goals you can score, your ability to deke out the other team or perform a bicycle kick during the game. It's great if you can do those things, but what matters more is how you relate to other people.<br />
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Our most talented players this season carried themselves with a quiet humility. You have likely played on teams with people where that wasn't the case. They were good for sure. They knew it, and they made sure everyone around them knew it as well. I'm so happy that's not the story of our team.<br />
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<b>Perseverance</b><br />
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You were with me until the end. Literally. All 17 of you were there for our final day together. Throughout the season, I never sensed that you gave up during a game, even when it became obvious you weren't going to win.<br />
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Please keep that. Hold on to it and face life with it. Learning to keep going starts now. It starts where you are in grade 7 and 8. A lot of life can be hard. Maybe at school you're scared to give a presentation to the class. Muster all the courage you find and do it anyway. Don't allow surrender to be the thing you turn to and don't let it become the pattern for your life.<br />
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Even when life gets really hard, even when it seems you just can't win - play on. There are times to quit and move on, but don't surrender JUST because it's difficult. Very few things that are worthwhile come easy.<br />
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<b>You Matter</b><br />
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For all of my talk about teamwork, and how it's not about you - You Matter.<br />
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I haven't taught this to you like I have about teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance. I hope however that you've 'caught' it. I hope you could tell that you matter to me. I hope you could tell by the way I made a point of greeting you when you came on the field. I hope you noticed the way I tried to connect with you, even if I did seem sort of lame and awkward about it. I hope you heard me cheering for you when you made a good play.<br />
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You matter to your family. They bring you out each week. They come when they can to watch you and cheer you on. They even wash you stinky soccer shirts that you fill with sweat on Thursday night.<br />
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You matter to your team. Each of you has helped to make the season what it was, and no matter how confident you are about your ability, without you - this team would have a big hole.<br />
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And If you'll hear me out....<br />
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You matter to God. <br />
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I'd be happy to elaborate on that, but will leave it there for now.<br />
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<b>Thank You<br />
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I suppose there are other things I could have done with my summer. There's always something to watch on YouTube. I also have a lot of video games I could play. I can't however imagine spending my summer any other way. Having the chance to get to know you, to put on my blue shirt every Thursday night and hear you call me coach has been far better than any vacation I could have planned. Thank you for making this a joy filled summer.<br />
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I hope I have the privilege of being your coach again someday.<br />
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Coach Kevin<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-55158518244891590762017-02-01T17:06:00.000-08:002017-02-01T17:07:12.846-08:00January's Over We've arrived at the end of our time working through John's Gospel. As wonderful as it may be for you to have read my writings, what you have gleaned through John is more important. (And I hope you have) If you have read through John, I would be interested in hearing what stood our to you. What do you see in Jesus? What remains with you now that you are finished? Consider letting me know by leaving a comment.<br />
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Different individuals view the Bible in different ways. Some think it's a book that allows people to be controlled. This kind of philosophy isn't unusual and is even a common theme throughout <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAMUv22y1og">The Book of Eli</a>. Is that how John's writings came across to you? Did his words find a way to make you vote for a certain political candidate? Honestly, I find that thinking odd. If there is a theme to John's writings it isn't to vote Republican or conservative. The theme clearly is this - Jesus is King! Follow Him.<br />
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Whatever you decide regarding Christ as you move on, know that I haven't been here trying to convince you of some obscure theory surrounding things that happened billions of years ago. As we've looked though John, we have looked at a person and events well within the span of observable human history. In spite of this, there are still many skeptics and you may very well be among them.<br />
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If we are parting ways and you think this has all been a fairy tale, I'll give you one final piece to ponder. When we consider that John's account was written within the timespan of recorded history, the events he spoke on were either deniable or verifiable in their time. Had this been a fairy tale, the people who read it would have had the chance to do their own writing and say, "The stuff these Christians are talking about never happened."<br />
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As we look back on antiquity we find something different. We don't find early writings saying that there was no Jesus. What we do find are writings that say, "That's not the way it happened". We see the very things that John was trying to teach us. He made it VERY clear that not everyone believed in Jesus; that many people had a very different take on who He was. <br />
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The Gospels of Matthew, a Mark, Luke and John are the stories that have prevailed and they have prevailed largely due to their consistency with each other and their acceptance in their time - something we know from their available manuscripts. If you want to find other accounts of Jesus' life that are inconsistent and that we're not accepted in their time, then you will have to look elsewhere. I'm not about to help with that.<br />
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Thank you so much for journeying with me. I hope you have further to go with Jesus. Let me know how I can help with that.<br />
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KevinKevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-48157299593478676952017-01-30T19:28:00.001-08:002017-01-30T19:28:13.319-08:00Last Call<b>John 21</b><br />
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“<b><i>He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep</i></b>.” John 21:17<br />
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Some people look at this passage as if Jesus is rebuking Peter. Other’s see it as if He is giving Peter some much needed guidance. Whatever tone you think would fit this conversation, Peter had went back to his old lifestyle. Jesus had spent approximately 3 ½ years teaching Peter how to be a fisher of men, but he’s back on the boat making a living casting nets.<br />
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In Peter’s life specifically, Jesus wanted him to leave his career as a fisherman to pursue the kind of ministry he had just been trained to do. God has called or might be calling some of you to do the same and it can certainly be a very uncomfortable “career path.” If you aren’t a career pastor, ask yourself this question: Could you reasonably expect to make your living on none other than the voluntary offerings of God’s people?<br />
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I fix cars for a living. I don’t really worry about my job security all that much for two reasons. 1. I can rely on the fact that cars break down. They just do. So as long as people have cars, they will need them fixed. 2. I also know that people value their cars much more than they support the work of Christ in the world through the church. What that means is, I know their car will break and I know they will be willing to pay me to fix it. If God has called you to serve Him vocationally – thank you for trusting Him in that. <br />
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Jesus charge to ‘Feed His Sheep’ was both a specific commission over Peter’s life and a general call for all of those who have truly believed in Him. Becoming part of God’s nation isn’t merely a spiritual transaction whereby we resume life as if nothing significant has happened. When we are His, so long as we remain here in this life we have the privilege of being ambassadors of the country of Jesus. The church is therefore kind of like a foreign embassy, not representing Russia or China – but God most high.<br />
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You likely haven’t had Jesus sit you down and tell you to feed His lambs. Would it help were He to do so? Likely not. The language of His commission to Peter didn’t spell out in specifics the kind of tasks that he would have to pursue. I surmise that even after being redirected, Peter still had to think, process and pray over what exactly he was to do. I hope it reasonable to assume he would have given some thought to what Jesus had been preparing him for up until this time in his life.<br />
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Maybe the question we have to answer is this – How does Jesus want you to represent Him in this world? If you are working that through, you’re already well underway. If you’re just starting to answer the question, I won’t place on you a specific task other than to live out the simple relationship to which we are called. Spend your effort reading, studying and understanding God’s Word. Talk your observations over with other believers and make time to worship God and pray to Him. Then.....do what comes out of that. I know this process is too elementary to be impressive, but give it a whirl.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-92209581627438907582017-01-29T18:31:00.000-08:002017-01-29T18:31:54.850-08:00Why<b>John 20:24-31</b><br />
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“...<b><i>these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name</i></b>.” John 20:31<br />
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And finally we see his heart; John’s heart. We are near the end of his firsthand account of Jesus’ life and I hope we consider it a privilege to know why he took the time to write it out. It’s between you and God whether you respond the way John had hoped. He wrote in the hope that you (and I) would:<br />
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1. Believe Jesus is The Christ<br />
2. Believe Jesus is the Son of God<br />
3. That by believing, we would have life in Jesus’ name<br />
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It isn’t as if John wanted us to receive 3 separate things, like a toaster, a baseball and a new kitten. I’m just listing them so as to address the implications of each.<br />
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<b>Jesus is The Christ</b><br />
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“Christ” is a title. It was another word used to describe the deliverer, or Messiah. The Jews generally looked towards the Christ as being someone who would restore Israel to her sovereign place among the nations. God’s purpose for the Messiah was much grander – all of humanity.<br />
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Depending on your worldview, you might not think humanity is in need of saving. We are indeed making progress in many ways. There are facets of life however that our advancement simply cannot help with. We are medicated more than ever and medicine has its place, but we’re really losing ground to anxiety and depression. We have more communication tools at our disposal than ever before, but are increasingly disconnected from one another. Feel free to believe that we are not falling apart, but you do realize that we have no solution to our own mortality. The Christ was to reconcile God with mankind. Try inventing a pill or an app that does that. Jesus is not just “A” deliverer, but “THE” Messiah, once for all time.<br />
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<b>The Son of God</b><br />
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God’s love for the people He created prompted Him to send His very own Son. I love a few people. I do not love any of them enough to give them my son. As God’s Son, Jesus is uniquely situated to represent us before The Father as well as The Father to us in a way that no other can. The Christ had to be The Son. Anyone else would merely be a representative.<br />
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<b>You May Have Life in Jesus’ Name</b><br />
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If I tell you Jesus wants you to have life now, how would you interpret that? He does care about your life now, but that doesn’t mean that by believing you will be healthy and wealthy. As for this life, I think the implications for faith in Jesus have more to do with receiving the peace, strength, hope and perseverance in the midst of life. It’s not just life that John is referring to: It is life in Christ’s name. Our life, our identity is to be lived out in Christ. His name is the name we are to be known for. His name is the flag that represents our lives. If we are His, we are to be known primarily as His, not for our “own” accomplishments. As for the life after death, He’s taken care of that too.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-27243169817485845682017-01-28T19:34:00.001-08:002017-01-28T19:34:13.585-08:00Sent<b>John 20:1-23</b><br />
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“<b><i>Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you</i></b>.” John 20:21<br />
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The God of the universe cares about all of humankind, all throughout human history. In ages past, He sent different kinds of people to reveal Himself, many of them being known as prophets. During John’s lifetime He chose to reveal Himself perfectly though His very own Son. But what about now? He came. He died. He rose again. He published a book, hoped it would fall into your hands, prayed you’d be competent enough to understand it and then left us. Such is not the case.<br />
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Having risen, He gave His disciples this charge. He sent them, just as His Father had sent Him. It sounds like a simple enough statement, yet it carries with it profound implications. They were to be sent by Jesus, AS Jesus was sent by the Father. They were called to represent Christ to the world among their generation, just AS Jesus revealed the Father while He was among us. So what about now?<br />
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Perhaps it’s you. I say, “Perhaps”, simply because I don’t know who you are. The baton of being sent is one which is passed to all who are authentically followers of Jesus Christ. I do want that for you, but respect if you desire otherwise.<br />
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It reads like a command, but for the believer smells more of privilege. There is no greater honour than to serve the One who made the universe and the One to whom which all people answer to. When you really are convinced that Jesus is Lord and the He alone holds the keys to forever, it shapes your life’s ambition. Any responsibility comes not because we are so charged, but because we dearly love people. There really is no other assurance beyond this life apart from Jesus. So for the disciple, the going has very little to do with obligation but everything to do with the privilege of their position in Christ and a genuine love for the people they know.<br />
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If you don’t want to be sent, then you probably aren’t. If you do, you may wonder where it is you should go and what it is you should be doing. For the purpose of this short blog post, I would say – Do what you can. Spend your time reading His Word, in prayer with Him and talking it out among His people. Do what comes out of that. I am convinced that He really is alive and is quite capable of leading you and me if we are willing to simply live out our relationship with Him.<br />
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Who you are matters far more than any program you could run, any charity you support or the specific cause you lend your name to. If you are sent, your credibility among those you serve hinges primarily on your character and integrity. If we fail to be a people deserving of trust, the ministry we have taken on or the church model we have chosen will matter very little.<br />
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It seems that John went. We don’t know everything He did as a disciple, yet we do know that He took the time to write down what he knew about Jesus. The going hasn’t died with John as Jesus continues to send His people today. I have done my best to respond to that call, which is why you are hearing from me this day. I pray that you would also discover the privilege of being sent in Jesus’ name.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-71131001841241238332017-01-27T18:39:00.003-08:002017-01-27T18:39:38.252-08:00I Was There<b>John 19:28-42</b><br />
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“<b><i>He who saw it has born witness – his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth - that you also may believe</i></b>.” John 19:35<br />
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Sometimes I’ll hear people say that all this stuff about Jesus is made up. I don’t know what to do with statements like those. I suppose if you completely disregard the things that were written about Him by people who lived in His day, then I guess you could continue to think that this was all a fairy tale. Besides these – people who actually knew Him, people who were there – who do you expect would have written about Him? Seriously.<br />
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Let’s think about the context of John’s words. We are reading about a Jewish carpenter in the region of Judea, under the occupation and dominion of the Roman Empire. He led no revolt against Rome. He held no public office and neither did He have any known political ambitions or affiliations. He had a few large gatherings, but as best I can tell, he only had a hundred or so devoted followers here at the very end of His 3 ½ year earthly calling. In His time, few in Roman or Jewish culture would have given such a person even a footnote in their writings. Historians occupy themselves with events of greater significance such as war, politics, catastrophe and such; not the antics of a Jewish carpenter whose ministry lasted all of 3 ½ years. <br />
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When we read John, we aren’t reading a news report. We are listening to a man who had firsthand knowledge of the life and death of Jesus. He tells us, “I was there. I saw it with my own eyes and I know what I saw.” He’s not a teacher asking us to believe things that happened billions of years ago. We are sitting in on the words of a person who was there on this very day. If that doesn’t do it for you, nothing will. Will it? <br />
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If we accuse John of being a liar, what could we suppose his motivation would have been? Was it an elaborate setup designed to help establish America’s political system? If you watch enough conspiracy videos on YouTube, you might have heard such. There was nothing for John to profit from taking the time to write His account for us. Because of His devotion to Jesus, he spent his later years being exiled on the island of Patmos. With no reward other than persecution and isolation, I don’t see what would motivate him to contrive a Christ-hoax.<br />
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The very things that John describes to us here give us cause to lend him some credibility, some consideration that he was in fact on the scene. He tells us that when the soldiers pierced His side, blood and water flowed out. In our modern day, we know that blood is largely made up of water and that it can separate over time. One would not expect a man in the first century like John to know the science of it well enough to make up such a tale. So there is little room to conclude that what he tells us is anything BUT personal observation.<br />
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I have little control over what you really believe. Can I ask you a favour though? If you aren’t willing to listen to the man who was there, would you please give that same level of criticism to everything else that you read? It’s only fair.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-90842906992170921532017-01-26T19:09:00.001-08:002017-01-26T19:10:31.423-08:00Moving Forward Together<b>John 19:1-27</b><br />
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“<b><i>When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home</i></b>.” John 19:26-27<br />
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This was Jesus’ final request –sort of. This was a statement; a statement that expressed His desire for His mother and His disciple during these circumstances of their respective lives. The woman was losing her son, the disciple his teacher. Christ’s hope for these two summarizes, in a way, His work on the cross for all of humanity: life–that we would both receive and live it.<br />
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Jesus wants us all to receive eternal life, but part of that includes beginning to live it now amongst His people. Suffering such a great loss, like Jesus’ mother and His disciple, can be debilitating. Losing a son can especially consume us with an inconsolable form of despair. It is the sort of wound that few completely heal from. <br />
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It is much easier to write this than it is to live out what Jesus calls us to. There is a place and a time to mourn, but it is not intended to be the house we live in. He called His mom and His disciple to recognize what they had in each other. They mourned. That is for certain. Yet within their mourning they were meant to regroup, rise from their tragedy and press on. <br />
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Lamenting our losses often has the effect of shutting us down. Our minds tend to encircle the pain, reliving it moment by moment as we further isolate ourselves from what lies before us. We have not been made to live solitary lives. I guess you are allowed to do so if you choose, but believers are called out of that. At the very least, we are called to be an integral part of His family, otherwise known as the church. <br />
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We are to have hearts that are tender towards each other–empathetic hearts of flesh rather than hard and cold. Christians are called to look at each other as if they are their brothers, sisters, moms and dads. If we take on that attitude amongst us, it should also translate into our caring for one another in very practical ways, just as the disciple took Jesus’ mother into his own home.<br />
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Healthy relationships require both heart and action. They require at least one person taking the initiative to reach out and the willingness to continue cultivating the relationship. In the case of this passage, it required the disciple providing a home for his teacher’s mother. One would hope that she repaid the gesture by helping care for the home.<br />
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None of us can truly care in this way for the whole world. Jesus didn’t ask His mother to be a mom to all of His followers. Likewise, we can’t be there for or provide for everyone who walks into our lives. We are however responsible for some. Who is before you now? Maybe you don’t “feel like” reaching out. Perhaps the cost seems too great, or your personal wounds and losses have left you curled up in the fetal position. Now might be time to look at what you do have, regroup and learn to live again; if not for your own benefit, but for the benefit of the ones Jesus has placed in front of you.<br />
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Life brings with it much loss and disappointment. Do yours hold you back from receiving and the life God has called you to?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-61723615311508927102017-01-25T19:59:00.001-08:002017-01-25T19:59:36.590-08:00You're What?!?<b>John 18</b><br />
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“<b><i>Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”” </i></b>John 18:25<br />
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If Peter were merely a sports fan, I suppose this story would read differently.<br />
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“You are a Toronto Maple Leaf’s fan. Aren’t you? They suck!” Reluctantly Peter replied, “Yes I am. But we’re in a rebuilding phase.”<br />
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Life really is about Jesus. Any other allegiances we have in life can find some place, or support in this world. When we have a favourite sports team, we wear our colours proudly, even amongst those who support the opposition. When we belong to any of the nations of the earth, it’s understandable when we wave our flag. Of all the things we can be associated with in this life, allegiance to Christ carries with it an odd kind of stigma.<br />
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It’s not too difficult to admit to our coworkers that we “go to church”. We can comfortably tell our peers that we spent the evening with our Bible study people, life group or youth program. However, if we begin to literally talk about being a follower of Jesus, the conversation gets very real. I remember early on when I became a new believer and I was telling my best friend what had happened to me. His words were these,<br />
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“Oh. You want to talk about religion. Do you?” <br />
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The conversation became significantly more uncomfortable after that. Had I merely become a communist, I think the dialogue would have been much more pleasant. Our relationship soon met its conclusion, not because either of us wanted it to, but we truly could no longer relate to one another. I hadn’t simply changed my sports team, political affiliation or preferred brand of running shoes. I was a new person who had chosen to be a part of a kingdom from some unearthly region.<br />
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Everything else has its place here. The Nation of Christ is the only alternative kingdom to that of this world. All other devotions fit somewhere within the spectrum of humanity. If we just wanted to be a part of a different culture, we could pack up and go. If we decided that the Netherlands know the right way to govern, we could buy a plane ticket and learn the language.<br />
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When we follow Jesus, there is no flag to wave and no soccer team to cheer for at the World Cup. There is no embassy to run to or military to defend you. There’s really nowhere to run to but Jesus – no other defense or refuge other than God Himself and His people. I know I’m not selling this very well and I don’t intend to. Being associated with Jesus doesn’t win anyone credit within this world now any more than it did for Peter on the eve of Jesus’ trial. Peter caved. We often do as well.<br />
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Peter made a very short sighted decision, one which he soon came to regret. We can either learn from Peter, or imitate him. One kingdom will endure and one will pass away. Which do you identify with; Jesus or the world?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-19245364677672848622017-01-24T19:08:00.001-08:002017-01-24T19:08:07.935-08:00Take Me<b>John 18:1-24</b><br />
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“”<b><i>I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one</i></b>.”” John 18:8-9<br />
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How reliable is Jesus? If we are going to follow Him, what assurance do we have that we can count on Him? The very way of life shows us repeatedly that we just can’t trust anyone completely. Very few friends remain with us throughout life, and even family relationships can prove to be fickle. There are various reasons why we abandon others, and why others walk away from us. Sometimes we fail to live up to the expectations of others. Many relationships are just....hard, and we conclude that it just isn’t worth the effort.<br />
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As we look at Jesus, think if you will on what He mindfully walked into in order to keep His own. He’s is rapidly approaching the very end of His life as He willingly surrenders to Judas’ mob. When faced with this level of danger, people generally have one of two instincts that prevail – fight, or flight. Peter and the disciples gallantly demonstrated both. Peter’s first call was to draw the sword, and once he learned that this wasn’t the way of Christ, chose to flee. If fighting isn’t an option, then it’s time to run.<br />
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Jesus did neither and we are told why He willingly offered Himself over to be tortured and killed. He did this so that He wouldn’t lose any of His own. I believe this quality about Him deserves at least two responses: 1. Admiration for who He is. 2. Something to call us to.<br />
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<b>Admiration for Jesus</b><br />
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A decent person might lay down his or her life for someone they love. At times we find the courage to surrender all for something bigger than ourselves, such as our nation or even a great cause. Christ offered up His life not for some great people, but for the deserters, even the very coward who couldn’t bring himself to be identified with Him. That is the sort of devotion He has for His own, for each of us if we would let it be so. This selfless quality deserves our gratitude and devotion.<br />
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<b>Something to Call us To</b><br />
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Here we are given a different way to approach life itself. Maybe you don’t even want this. In a world where we generally fight or leave, here we see what it looks like to endure through hardship. I’m a flight kind of guy. When things get hard in my life, my first compulsion is to give up and move on. <br />
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I believe our world generally sees more value in standing up and fighting for what you believe in. We fight for our causes. We fight for our rights. We fight to have our country our way. I don’t even know what our world would look like if we stopped fighting.<br />
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The model Jesus gives us should be one worth aspiring to. He willingly laid down His life not only for His own, but the whole world if they would receive it. His was a way of love, commitment and sacrifice. What do you do with that?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-30604166947891205462017-01-23T19:24:00.003-08:002017-01-23T19:24:46.991-08:00What Jesus WantsJohn 17<br />
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"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. - John 17:20-21<br />
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One would think that a man's final words as he faces the end of his life would capture what really matters most to him. As He prays here on the very eve of His crucifixion, we have the privilege of having a glimpse into what mattered most to Jesus. I read this chapter to some of my closest friends last evening and they all agreed that what Jesus wanted most, was for His people to be one.<br />
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It shouldn't be too hard should it? It isn't like He was asking for the world to come together in unity. He simply wants His people to be one. It would be another matter for Him to ask liberals and conservatives to come together, PC users and Apple users to unite, Americans and Russians to bind together or Maple Leaf and Habs fans to join hands. He wants the church to be one and that shouldn't be such a big deal, because they are already supposed to be on the same team, are they not? I had said earlier that the Kingdom of God is made up of people who really want to be a part of that kingdom.<br />
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When I speak of "church", I'm really just talking about people. Sometimes we get together in our homes and sometimes a bunch of us get together, put up a building and hire a musician to lead us in song on a Sunday morning. It doesn't take too long to look at the church and see that we are anything but united. We come together in different forms for sure, but we are also fragmented in many ways. If you live in North America and live in a large urban centre, you might notice that there are so many different kinds of institutions or denominations. Christians are fragmented to where Christianity is kind of like a religious Baskin Robins. If you live in a small rural community, you might be blessed and only have one "kind" of church.<br />
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This is not what Jesus wanted. He wanted His people to be purified by the truth. The truth was supposed to help bring about our oneness. I don't know how to describe what has happened. Some of us have likely been too stubborn to listen. Others of us really do want to know but we really don't see things the same way as the people next door and can't find a way to work through it together.<br />
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What I do know, is that we desperately need what Jesus is asking for. We are a people made up from all different walks of life. We consist of individuals from different cultures, languages and race. We have different careers, political convictions and hobbies. It seems like the very way of living works to tear us apart, from the pleasures of this world to even the very real cares of life. The diversity of our makeup pleads for the grace to truly become one. <br />
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If you are among the people of Christ, what is holding you back from experiencing the kind of unity He wants you to have with the rest of His people? Are there places where you resist the work of His word and His Spirit? <br />
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If you are on the outside looking in, I understand if you've been disheartened at how fragmented Christians can be. I hope it helps to know that Christ isn't pleased with it either. Please don't blame our failings on Him, and I won't judge you by the people you associate with. <br />
Deal?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-3208719618556334782017-01-22T19:08:00.001-08:002017-01-22T19:08:28.679-08:00I Have Problems<b>John 16</b><br />
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"<b><i>I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world</i></b>." - John 16:33<br />
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'I'm leaving you. Oh. And you will be excommunicated from you community and people will want to kill you.' These are among the things that Jesus shared with His disciples in order for them to have peace. As I sit down to write to you this evening I can't help but wonder how in the world this was supposed to be helpful. Normally when we are looking for encouragement we want to hear that everything is going to be okay. Yet our encouragement is wrapped up partially in the promise that we will have trouble in this world - and severe hardship at that.<br />
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Jesus has warned them in advance of things to come for the purpose of preparing them, and as discouraging as it may have sounded at the time, I can't help but think how utterly damaging it would have been had He promised them nothing but sunshine and rainbows. Imagine if you will, that you were told that life was going to turn out great for you. How then would you process your reality when you found yourself ostracized from your community with a bounty on your head? There are only two conclusions you could come to. 1. You were deceived. Or...2. Your Christ never saw it coming. In any event, your troubles would be debilitating since you've either been duped by a manipulative con, or sold out to a wanna-be fake god.<br />
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This was not the case for these men. They were soon kicked out of their religious community, and 10 of these men went on to die as martyrs for their allegiance to Christ. So His pre-emptive warning really would have emboldened them. They could trust Him. When they faced the flames or their own cross, what foresight He had! This was no swindler nor fraud, but The Messiah.<br />
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With that sort of foreknowledge, it would be reasonable to conclude that His other promises could be trusted. For example, He really has overcome the world. And if we are His, these trials won't last forever. For the believer, our troubles lose their permanence. We do have trouble in this world. Life is much easier for some people than others, but I know of no one who has found life to be without difficulty. Hardships accompany life and our God is a God who understands the messiness of it and calls it as it is.<br />
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The peace that He promises here isn't the kind of peace that the world tries to sell us. It would have us believe that we can find peace when we have enough money. Or maybe if we get a girl, then things will be fine. Or if you could just find more time to relax and get away to do the things you enjoy, like fishing or sitting on a sandy beach somewhere. That would be peaceful. Right? The peace that Jesus is offering is a security within the chaos. It is steadfastness within the storm, knowing we'll not only outlast the current thunder, but death itself.<br />
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They are the swindlers who try to sell us snake oil when they preach a god that will make you healthy and wealthy. If you're looking for a god like that, you aren't looking for the real God, not even a god who is based in reality. If we're seeking after all this world has to offer, then it isn't Jesus we are in fellowship with. God loves the world, yes, but it isn't the system of the world, rather the people He created that He sent His Son to rescue. This world is dying. Don't go down with it. Walk with The One who overcame it. Choose Christ.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-27985807109632033102017-01-21T19:34:00.001-08:002017-01-21T19:34:08.234-08:00Love As...<b>John 15</b><br />
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“<b><i>This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you</i></b>.” John 15:12<br />
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Until this moment, Jesus hasn’t given us many rules to follow. He hasn’t given us much in the way of a code of ethics or things we can or cannot do. It seems that He has spent most of the time healing people and teaching that He has come from The Father. So here it is - His first command. “Love one another”.<br />
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It’s an odd command. It would be easier would it not, to have some other kind of instruction? Wash your hands before you eat. Don’t wear hats ‘in church’. Love one another. It is well beyond the scope of a one page letter to describe the kind of love He wants us to have for each other, but fortunately He described the kind of love He meant and it is this, “as I have loved you.”<br />
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So how did Jesus love His disciples? Did He love them the way the world thinks of the word? Certainly not. In our world, we have been convinced that loving a person involves approving of whatever it is they do, so long as their actions aren’t criminal or something. (and sometimes even then) His love was not that kind. Here are a couple of things that His love was...<br />
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<b>A Sacrificial Love</b><br />
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His kind of love was a life laid down for His friends. It is well and good to have happy and pleasant thoughts towards those around us, yet it is not the type of love He is commanding for His people. He is speaking these words on the very cusp of His death, the example being that our love for each other is meant to be a sacrificial love. Real love lays down it’s time, its finances and on occasion, even its life.<br />
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<b>A Faithful Love</b><br />
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Two chapters earlier we read this, “...having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1 Faithfulness goes beyond, “not cheating on your spouse’. It actually has much more to do with showing constant support or loyalty. This isn’t an intellectual study. A faithful friend is someone who sticks with you. <br />
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These are what are supposed to characterize believers, a faithful/sacrificial love. If you are on the outside of faith, I know you don’t always see that in us. I am sorry for that. I wish I could fix it. I will confess here and now that we just aren’t that faithful to each other. It takes very little for our own to move on to the “church down the street”. We leave each other when we don’t like the new pastor, get frustrated with how the youth ministry is organized, bad decisions from leadership or even the style of music they play on a Sunday morning. We don’t have to be faithful in North America, because we can just follow Jesus in our own way, or we can usually find another group of believers who will be happy to take us in.<br />
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I know the church falls far short of what we are called, but if something about His command seems right, would you give us a chance?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-6723874463158982902017-01-20T19:57:00.003-08:002017-01-20T19:58:45.979-08:00A Nation:Only For Those Who Want It<b>John 14</b><br />
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“<b><i>Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me</i></b>.” John 14:6<br />
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Is Jesus for everyone? The word, “inclusive” is one of the popular terms of our day. We do everything we can to make our schools, our workplaces and culture a place where everyone is embraced. These words of Jesus appear to stand in definite contrast to the society we are trying to build here in the western world. “No one comes to the Father except through me.”<br />
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In southwestern Ontario, if a person were to ask the way from London to Toronto, no doubt the response would be the Highway 401. Thomas asks how to go where Jesus was going. There is no road, no shipping lane, airport, or teleporting device to get him or any of us to where Jesus is. In very clear terms, Jesus tells Thomas that He Himself is that way, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him.<br />
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Yes. I suppose in a way that is exclusive. Well, it is and it isn’t. I find we can generally handle most truths so long as they aren’t linked to God. Imagine that my phone number is 111-111-1111. What will happen if you dial 111-111-1112? A couple of things could happen. You might end up with a recording explaining that the number you have dialed is not in service. Or you might reach someone else only to find that you have the wrong number. You will NOT however reach me.<br />
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It is imperative that you have the right number and that you dial it properly if you want to reach me. We can all handle that truth, can’t we? Is it exclusive? Not really. Anyone who has my number can call me. Still, somehow when we start talking about God we completely lose our heads. We can handle the phone number thing, but, start talking about only one way to the Father, and our minds have a meltdown.<br />
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Jesus really is for everyone. It’s also fair to say that not everyone is for Jesus. And you know what? They don’t have to be. That’s how it works. God is busy building a nation of people who actually want to be a part of that nation. He is not building a kingdom for people who don’t want to be a part of His kingdom.<br />
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Oddly enough, even this is tough for us to comprehend. We like to complain about our government and our leaders. We often talk about how other countries do things better – places like Holland. I was watching a video tonight that highlighted a specific people group who refused to stand for their national anthem at a public gathering. The Kingdom of Heaven isn’t that kind of kingdom. It is expressly for those who really want to be a part of it and who aren’t too stubborn to dial the right number.<br />
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Jesus is the way to the Father. If you don’t want to go there, I understand if you choose to take another path. Jesus went to prepare a place for those who want to be with Him. Where do you suppose you will stay otherwise?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-164494797533808052017-01-19T17:57:00.002-08:002017-01-19T18:00:55.792-08:00"It's Not My Job"<b>John 13</b><br />
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"<b><i>When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them,“Do you understand what I have done to you?</i></b>"John 13:12<br />
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Do you understand?<br />
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I'm not completely sure that I do. I don't think it's entirely about washing feet. The kind of service He demonstrated among His disciples was to be a way of life for His followers, not a religious ritual for them to observe. I didn't live in first century Judea, but let me take my best stab at what's going on here. Jesus was meeting a very really and practical need for His disciples. <br />
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Life then wasn't as it is now. By what we gather, these men weren't driving around in their personal automobiles or taking the bus. They walked pretty much everywhere. Even if they had bathed recently, their feet would typically be rather dirty. Imagine if you can, not only the Passover feast, but any gathering where you have dirty sweaty stinky exposed feet. Foot washing was normally the kind of thing that would have been done by a household servant.<br />
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Jesus did this in spite of the fact that He was their Teacher and Lord. The King of the Universe bent down to wash the feet of these grown men, one of whom He knew would soon betray Him. He tells us quite plainly that He did so in order to give us an example to follow. <br />
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So much about life is about us. With His example in mind, if we even consider ourselves to be one of His, we can't live as if we are the center of the universe. That's why I don't get it when people think that if they get right with God that it will eventually make this life better for them. I've had those thoughts myself, so maybe I do get it just a little bit. Yet if we look not only here, but the very pattern of his life - we aren't following a Person with a big bank account and an easy lifestyle who spent winters in Florida. He generously offered His life consistently and even in these final hours to other people. So if you're reading my writings and maybe thinking of starting at a church hoping that God will get you a girl or make your issues go away, then look again.<br />
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As we gain authority or position in life, it can be tempting to think that we no longer need to do those dirty little jobs. We really don't wash feet any more, but what about when you see trash in your workplace? Is it someone else's job? Even if there is a person hired for that purpose, would it be beneath you to stoop down and pick it up? None of us are too good to do anything. We never become so valuable that the needs of those around us cease to be our obligation. Jesus the Teacher, Jesus as Lord, the Judge of both the living and the dead; wrapped a towel around Himself and bent down to do the filthiest job at hand.<br />
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I guess if you don't want to follow Jesus, then you're free to live for yourself and have as much fun as you can before you die. Even so....Isn't there something right about Jesus? Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-19739733852777288732017-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:002017-01-20T20:17:26.739-08:00Feeling Our Way Through Life<b>John 12:27-50</b><br />
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“<b><i>So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light</i></b>.” John 12:35-36<br />
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Without giving you too much detail, sometimes in the middle of the night I have to go to the bathroom. I know I’m not alone in that. When I do, I often wrestle with deciding whether or not to turn on the light. I normally decide against it. I prefer to believe that I can find my way around the house after living in it for the past 20 years. I should know how many steps I need to take to the living area, how far to head right towards the hall and how long before I reach the door. I usually do succeed. There are others times that I hurt myself, either stubbing my toe or stepping on something hard.<br />
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Jesus claims that He is the light. He tells us to walk in His light so that the darkness would not overtake us. What does that sound like it means to you? The people I think could most relate to what it feels like to live in darkness might be those who struggle with anxiety, depression or mental illness. At least, those have been what I would call the darkest times in my life. So is that it? Come to Jesus and He’ll take the mental demons away. I don’t believe so.<br />
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My pride is what compels me to walk in the dark. I should be able to picture the house in my mind by now and navigate by memory. Instead, I stick out my hands and try to ‘feel’ my way around. Likewise, it’s equally insulting, if not more so, to be told that we need Jesus if we are to navigate through life without stubbing our toe or stepping on the LEGO.<br />
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Christians aren’t the only people who think they’ve bee enlightened. In fact, I believe most of us walk with a sense that we’re surrounded by people who JUST DON’T GET IT!!!! At least, that is the impression I get behind a lot of what is posted on social media. Some atheists I know tell me their minds have been opened. I’m sure people of the world’s religions believe they have reached a sort of enlightenment.<br />
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So what do you think of Jesus’ claim to being the light? Here in North America, we have less to do with Jesus over time. As a believer myself, I cannot be convinced that we are becoming more enlightened. There is nothing about our political landscape, how we treat the environment, or mental fitness which would suggest to me that we are progressing. Instead, our culture reminds me of how I navigate the halls of my home in the dark - By Feel<br />
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Feelings are everything to us. The entertainment we consume is contrived largely to impact our emotions; fear, love, sexual arousal or joy. We enter into and exit out of relationships largely because of how we feel about the person. You can even sue someone if they hurt your feelings bad enough. We vote for politicians just because we don’t like the other candidate.<br />
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You might be okay with charting a course through life by sticking out your hands and feeling your way, hoping you won’t step in anything. Or maybe you’re sick of it and are happy to hear that there is another way to live and it’s a life lived with eyes wide open. Walk in the light. Follow Jesus. <br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-47666777416294639262017-01-17T19:35:00.001-08:002017-01-17T19:35:19.668-08:00What Do You Worship?<b>John 12:1-26</b><br />
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<b>“<i>Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of her perfume</i></b>.” John 12:3<br />
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As we picture Mary anointing Jesus’ feet, we capture a beautiful moment of what Christians refer to as worship. Of the many ways I have heard worship defined, I know of no more concise an explanation that the one offered to me by the pastor who led me to Jesus.<br />
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<i>Worship is the expression of love and adoration for our God.</i><br />
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When we speak of worship in church-world, we generally use the term to describe our time spent in music or song. I’m not about to pronounce judgment on the cave dwellers who seem to use the term primarily within the context of music, mostly because I often do so myself.<br />
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Worship isn’t an exclusively Christian thing; rather I propose that we all worship something. We were created to be a people of worship and have continued to be so throughout human history. Left to our own we are predisposed to worship anything I believe, BUT God. We are a species having substituted our affection for God for the trappings of His created world.<br />
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We love money, so we do what we can to get as much as we can, keep all we can and then sit on the can. That is our worship. We love sex and romance. That’s why we love to listen to music or watch movies which scratch that itch. That is worship. We love our sports. Our affection might prompt us to wear team swag, buy season/single game tickets and maybe even paint our faces. This is worship.<br />
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There may be a part of worship that can be summoned or inspired, and we desperately try to accomplish this in our church settings on a Sunday morning. Yet I am of the opinion that worship simply comes out of who we really are and what we truly value. This is what we see in the lady Mary. We see a woman who is immensely grateful for what Jesus has done in her life. Jesus had brought her brother back from death itself. To put her offering into context, a denari is worth about a day’s wages. If you take a couple of weeks off per year for holidays, her gift would amount to approximately one year’s wages.<br />
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Our love for God is expressed in virtually all we do in relationship to Jesus. We worship when we listen to His word. We express our love as we walk in obedience. We live out our adoration when we tell others about what He has done for us.<br />
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If you want to know what your life truly worships, just track the money. Our heart is where our treasure is. Maybe it’s in your house, garage, your closet, the bank or even your belly. I won’t be one more Jesus guy to try and get you to give your money to my cause. Keep your cash if it’s so precious to you. I will ask you this;<br />
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As she dumps a full year’s wages on to the feet of her saviour, do you suppose she’s wondering if it’s tax deductable?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-57526420533866020502017-01-16T19:40:00.000-08:002017-01-16T19:40:21.779-08:00Seeing Isn't Believing<b>John 11:28-57</b><br />
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"<b><i>Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done</i></b>." John 11:45-46<br />
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We would have the right to question The Bible’s legitimacy were we to make different observations about life and faith in the lives we live, than what we see as we read the account of Jesus as written by the people who lived in His day. We do not find such a discrepancy between the writing of John and the human response to the works of Christ in 2017. Seeing is NOT necessarily believing.<br />
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I've heard people say that they could believe in Jesus if only they saw some kind of miracle or something. If you've ever said or though something similar, know that faith does not automatically follow having observed His work. We see this principle clearly at work through the raising of Lazarus.<br />
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Many did in fact believe. Many others did not. There is nearly always a way to find an explanation that reinforces what you already believe. I suppose the easiest way around this account in its day would have been to write it off as a hoax. These Jesus followers must have contrived an elaborate scheme. The Christians have tried to sell the world a tall tale. <br />
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This is bigger than an issue of worldview. It would seem that these people who went to tell the Pharisees actually thought the event to be legitimate; their opposition to Christ being completely independent of whether or not Jesus really raised the man. He had been dead four days, the matter being a very public affair. Their resistance reveals something significantly greater than worldview, or personal observation. It isn't about those things. It is about allegiance. They just don't want Jesus to be who His works testify Him to be.<br />
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For all of the discussions we have today surrounding God - whether He's real, whether or not something is a miracle - I am convinced that this is truly what lies at the heart of the debate. Our resistance has less to do with reason, research, philosophy or observation, but infinitely more about if we really want Jesus to be the One sent by God to make humanity right with Himself.<br />
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The temptation is there for me to spend some time telling you about the people I know who have been healed from cancer, or the crippled man who was healed while on a trip to Israel. I know both by experience and the reality of Lazarus's story that going there wouldn't be what it takes for you to cross the line. Whether you trust John's story or even me has everything to do with what is going on in your own heart.<br />
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If you're fighting this I ask you to consider what motive a guy like me or a fellow like John would have in contriving such a great conspiracy. I have no money to gain if you sign on. I am not a politician soliciting your vote or a celebrity trying to gain a following. John's faith cost his own freedom, ending up in exile for his beliefs. <br />
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You may not have seen or recognized Christ's work in the world today. I assume you have the humility to recognize that just because you haven't observed something does not mean it didn't happen. I simply ask that you wouldn't be naive enough to think that seeing His work is necessarily what it would take to believe. If you're looking for a story and you trust me, leave a comment. I'll try to find the time to give you a story or two. (or maybe I’ll try to sell you a book)<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-38964085513413280142017-01-15T17:43:00.000-08:002017-01-15T17:43:26.700-08:00Jesus Is...<b>John 11:1-37</b><br />
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"<b><i>I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this</i></b>?" <br />
John 11:25-26<br />
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In the first few chapters of our time in John, I spent a significant amount of intentional effort saying that Jesus isn't someone we turn to because He can do wonderful things for us. I made sure we all knew that believers still get sick and die. We still have the normal problems of life here on earth, while having the added benefit of being alienated from the world.<br />
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We see that truth rather clearly in the story of Lazarus. Lazarus knew Jesus. He really did. Sometimes within our current setting, we wonder if we really know Jesus; if our relationship is actually real or not. In Lazarus's case however, there was no ambiguity about their mutual connection. As his sisters sent word to Jesus, they described their brother as 'he whom you love'. So as we look at this unfold, there is no room to question whether or not Lazarus knew Christ.<br />
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In spite of this, he died anyway. It happens. Have you ever prayed hard for something, only for God to say no? Deathly ill, Lazarus's sisters sent word, directly to Jesus Himself. Still he perished. It can be difficult when God does that. We see here in the Bible the Son of Man - the God who can bend heaven and earth with but a word. It is tempting to think that being right with such a God would allow us the privilege of having a free pass through at least some of life's trials. Death comes, and came regardless.<br />
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If it were you, would you ask why? Do you suppose knowing why would be good enough? Although Christ didn't give a 50 verse monologue on why He let Lazarus die, in this case He did indicate that it was for the disciples benefit, and likely ours. They needed as do we, to see and to know something imperative about who He is and what we can count on in Him.<br />
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He is the life and the resurrection.<br />
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When we say that one shouldn't seek after Christ expecting Him to solve life's ills, that is not to say there are not benefits to knowing Him, or nothing we can count on by our association with Him. If you're hoping that Jesus will make you healthy and wealthy, I have no idea of what Jesus will do with that. Some people who turn to God do get healed. God also seems to bless others financially sometimes. I will NOT waste my time writing about that. If money is so important to us, then there are numerous financial advisors we can turn to for help.<br />
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Here in the life, death and new life of Lazarus, we find that which we can bank on as it lies at the core of what Christ came to do. He is life itself. He came that we too might have life in Him. Although we see death all around us, He is not a God of death. In fact it grieves Him.<br />
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I can, you can, and indeed WE can all bank on this in knowing Christ: That even though we die, we will live. As great as it that Lazarus was brought to life, I don't think the life He's ultimately referring to is merely longer life here on earth. It is not more of the same, but true life, abundant life, glorious life, a forever life spent in real relationship with Him. That excites me. You?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-36272258508241880632017-01-14T19:51:00.001-08:002017-01-14T19:51:57.914-08:00"What do you want from me?"<b>John 10</b><br />
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“<b><i>For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again</i></b>.” John 10<br />
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What does the world want from you?<br />
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Your answer to that question will likely vary greatly depending on who you are, your place in the world or even your gender. As for me, I’m a balding, middle aged working class male. From my vantage point, it feels like the world wants me to work so it can take my money. There is never any shortage of companies, groups or individuals holding out their hand. “The government” wants me to work so that I can pay taxes. Don’t ask me to account for where it all goes from there. The tech world keeps inventing new gadgets to catch my attention in order to grab their piece of the pie. There are also many other real needs and charities in the world vying for my attention. My employer wants me to be productive and useful. I even have people show up at my door, or call me on the phone to try and scam me.<br />
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So how about you? Maybe you are an attractive 20 something young lady and every guy that walks past you on the street thinks he has the freedom to look you over. You’re a teenager whose parents and teachers feel that you owe it to them to get straight A’s or lead your volleyball team to win the championship. You’re a mom and everyone expects you to do everything, from cooking, cleaning, washing, driving around the kids, and that’s after a full work day. Whoever you are, it can seem like there is no shortage of people who want your time, your money, your support, body, mind and even your vote.<br />
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This world has conditioned us to take all we can, protect what we’ve acquired and give back as little as possible. It comes as little surprise then how we have a difficult time understanding and receiving Jesus. In a world where everything is built to take from us, how difficult it is to process a man who came to lay down His life for our benefit. One might think He would have been a refreshment come into a parched land. Yet the taste of Him was, and is it seems, so alien that we are too apprehensive to consume. He is the ultimate outcast, resembling nothing of what we have observed in this life.<br />
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As we read through John, we have yet to arrive at the place where Jesus lays down His life. He tells us here in John 10 that this is exactly why He came, and it is for this very reason that the Father loves Him. It should compel us to love Him as well.<br />
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If you are to look at Jesus for who He is, why do you suppose any person could be so reviled by Him? We have much cause to be disappointed in other people here and now, be it within or outside of the church. There is little room for accusation towards a man who came to give His life as a ransom for many. .<br />
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The world has not been so kind to you and I as to deserve the level of devotion it demands of us. He said that His sheep recognize His voice. - What do you hear when He speaks?<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-53014827203472003992017-01-13T18:00:00.001-08:002017-01-13T18:00:12.239-08:00Who Sinned?<b>John 9</b><br />
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“<b><i>As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind</i></b>?” John 9:1-2<br />
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You don’t have to be a believer to ask, “Why?” Why is this happening to me? <br />
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Seeing a blind man on the side of the walking path, the disciples wondered the same for this man. Why? Why has this happened to him? These Christ followers knew a little bit about stuff like God and sin. No doubt they had been taught that death and suffering came into the world through sin, since we see a glimpse of what they believe in the assumptions they make regarding the man’s blindness. Certainly he was in this situation out of sin. Their only question was whose sin it was, this man or his parents?<br />
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It can happen, and the disciples knew as much. Sometimes our sins really do ruin our lives, and even kill us. Few sins so clearly demonstrate this than sexual sin, as sexually transmitted infections continue to plague our world. The sins of others can also affect us. If this article is read widely enough, certainly some of us have known or lost loved ones at the hands of a drunk driver. If you don’t know, God isn’t big on the getting drunk thing in the first place, let alone getting behind the wheel. Sometimes the answer to the why, really is sin.<br />
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The infectious nature of sin goes even beyond these. It brought with itself into the world what many Bible teachers call the curse. Even when our sins don’t have a direct consequence, we still fall under this curse. We get sick, just from the general death, sickness and decay in the world even when it isn’t a direct result of sexual immorality or any other act of disobedience. We get cancer, and I can’t think of too many ways that cancer comes from sin. It’s just part of the curse, and we don’t get it from telling one too many lies. Sometimes the why is simply from the general curse itself.<br />
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This blind man however was blind neither from his sin, his parent’s sin or even part of the curse. If you are in a place in <br />
life where you are asking why, this may or may not be of comfort to you. At times our suffering is an opportunity for God to reveal His goodness. He is a God who loves us, sees our needs and chooses to demonstrate His compassion towards us. Looking at the life of Jesus as He interacts with humanity, it’s difficult to miss His care towards us. This man’s condition was just such an opportunity for Christ to display His goodness.<br />
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As we walk through life we don’t always know the why. As much as we ask the question, I generally doubt that the answer itself has the ability to satisfy us. What I am convinced of is that Jesus is the only one who has the capacity to either redeem us or display His work in our lives. If we have sinned, the consequences generally stand, but there is forgiveness for sin. If we languish under the curse He is able to intervene, yet has additionally made a way for us to receive life eternal. If your struggle is an opportunity for Him to work in your life, I hope you can find the strength to hold on until He does.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-32761343969065527662017-01-12T18:36:00.001-08:002017-01-12T18:36:21.486-08:00Consider Christ<b>John 8:31-59</b><br />
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“<b><i>Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed</i></b>.” John 8:34-36<br />
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I don’t believe His audience really understood how Jesus’ words applied to them. I wonder. Do we?<br />
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Jesus has been speaking to the Jews, declaring to them that He can set them free. As we look at the conversation between Jesus and the Jews, they really didn’t have any sense of how they had been enslaved, and what being made free would look like. Little has changed in the 2,000 or so years since His time. We still have little sense of how we are enslaved ourselves.<br />
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Christ talked about being a slave to sin, and that He and He alone can set us free from that bondage. When we process what He meant by sin, it goes much deeper than ethics or morality. The specific sect of Jews He was addressing were a people who strove after moral excellence rather fiercely. They even made up more rules to follow than what was found in the scriptures themselves. I’ll hear atheists say that you don’t have to believe on God to be a decent, moral person. And they are quite right. Consider this in light of the fact that Jesus is directly confronting a people group who were known to be among the ethical and moral elite of their time, and still He calls them the spawn of Satan. vs 44.<br />
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Sin goes much deeper than the dirty little acts that we keep from mom and dad, and off of social media. Neither does the freedom He speaks of imply that we won’t be tempted to do that naughty thing again. PLEASE get that!!!! I meet different people who tell me that they tried to follow Jesus, but He didn’t magically stop their temptations. If that’s what you think faith in Christ is supposed to do, you’re headed for disillusionment.<br />
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Sin is the defiance towards God Himself and it shows itself in different ways. It reveals itself when we push back against what He wants for us. We fight against His commands, and resist any suggestion that we take His Word seriously. We use reason and argument to defend why His Word doesn’t apply to us today. <br />
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The way we feel about and respond to Jesus Himself is probably the best indicator of whether or not we are living under the kind of slavery that Jesus is talking about. It’s acceptable in some settings to talk about God in a general sense or even about going to church. As for ethics, I believe the bulk of humanity prefers to believe they are good and decent people. Yet if you bring up Jesus at work or at school, the conversation gets real, very fast. Try it sometime.<br />
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There are many people who are fine with and even embrace their aversion towards God. They look at their slavery as their prize and crown. If that describes you, I don’t know what to say. I guess I hope you can enjoy your defiance for as long as it lasts, but it won’t last forever. Do you want to come out from it? There are many more who live under this kind of oppression, whether they have sensed it or not. Perhaps you have had a sense of it, a weight of sorts, but just couldn’t put a name on it. Why fight so hard against the One who made you? Consider giving up the rebellion. Consider Christ.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080777507633169233.post-80291582065634877592017-01-11T19:41:00.001-08:002017-01-11T19:41:40.519-08:00Authentic Mercy<b>John 8:1-30</b><br />
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“<b><i>Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more</i></b>.” John 8:11<br />
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If these words from Jesus don’t sound unusual, perhaps you really haven’t thought about them. There is something drastically different between the mind of Jesus seen here than what is lived out among humanity.<br />
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With regards to sin, we generally fall into one of two camps as to how we treat people. The word ‘sin’ simply means disobeying God. For today’s discussion, let’s just talk about the things we consider to be wrong. Sin is not synonymous with ‘wrong’, but it might help us to get what’s going on if we do so for now.<br />
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When a person does something that we believe to be wrong, we generally respond very much the way we see the Pharisees treating the woman caught in adultery here in John 8. Something in us wants to throw stones, usually not literally, but metaphorically. Throwing stones was an act of judgement and condemnation, and our action is chosen or altered depending on the situation. If a political candidate is found to be a sexist pig, the stone you throw might merely be casting your vote for his opponent, or you may feel compelled to speak against them on social media. If a man is found to be a pedophile, you might want them locked up. <br />
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Apart from the way of Jesus, there is only one other way I’ve observed how we tend to treat others who do what’s wrong, and that is to condone the action itself. It has the appearance of being the loving thing to do. We have the capacity to embrace the individual, so long as we are persuaded, convinced in our conscience, or honestly believe that the actions of that person are fine. It’s a nicer form of conditional love.<br />
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Where else have you seen the attitude of Christ, but Christ Himself?<br />
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“No. I don’t approve of your sexual practices. Neither will I condemn you. Sin no more”<br />
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There is nothing in me that can be reasoned to think that Jesus is fine with this woman cheating on her husband. (As a side note, I’d like to know why her partner wasn’t brought forward) Living out this attitude of Christ is a tough gig. It’s difficult even to try and have His attitude. It’s also a challenge because even if you and I were capable of dealing with wrongdoers in this way, the world we live in would be rather inhospitable to us. The angry Pharisee types would accuse us of being unjust. The permissive condoning types would accuse us of being hateful.<br />
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Which are you? Do you get riled up at people who do wrong? Do you have to condone a person’s actions before you embrace them? Can you call sin – sin, embrace the person and call them to what is right? Jesus didn’t come to condemn, but to seek and to save. Don’t misunderstand that to mean that He’s fine with everything done by us, because He really isn’t.<br />
Kevin Abellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04944002689927908930noreply@blogger.com0