The Older Brother

Luke 15:28-32

The prodigal son humbly walks home, the whole village throws a huge party... and his older brother sulks. 

"Father, listen to me. I've been serving you faithfully, day in day out, for so many years - I can tell you the exact number too - but you've given me nothing. Aren't I more important? Haven't I proven myself much more? You should be celebrating me.

"But instead you're celebrating this worm that's crawled home. Do you know what he's done? He can't be trusted. I can't believe you're doing this -he's just going to do it again. He should be getting justice - what he deserves. I will not come to this 'party', because it's wrong. It's an insult to righteousness. He needs to know how bad he is."

Jesus keeps mentioning these people who've "grown up" in the faith and are bitter, or are invited to the banquet but say no, or started out following Jesus but hadn't figured out the cost. It's been a kind of secondary motif running through these stories about the lost being found.

I guess what this says to us is that there will probably always be people who've grown up in the faith but can't get with the program - whoare bitter, unforgiving and jealous of the more rebellious, "not as mature as us", lost-who've-been-found people. There are probably some in every church. We've got some in ours.

I think what Jesus basically says to these people is,

"Hey, what's the problem? You're still my son [or daughter]. Get over your issues and get with the program. We're celebrating here. Look at the amazing things that are happening! Lost people are being found! Blind people can now see! My kingdom is being built. We're having a wedding FEAST and you're invited. Are you coming?

Get over it and celebrate with us. Christianity is about celebrating, not sulking.

Are you coming?

Stand Out

Matthew 23:11-12

"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty." - Jesus

I used to think this was saying "Don't stand out. Good Christians don't draw attention."

But I think Jesus is actually making the point that if we humble ourselves and serve others, we will stand out, because this is different to normal.

Think of the surprise the disciples got when Jesus washed their feet. And accepted Judas' kiss. And walked to the cross.

Jesus stood out. And his kingdom does stand out on these points. And we will too, if we live like humble servants, care for our enemies (who else does that?), look to advance others instead of ourselves, pray hard, dream big for our world.... We'll stick out like a sore thumb.

Here's the paradox: it doesn't work when we try to stand out. That's just like the rest of the world. It only works when we try to live like Jesus, and don't care about being noticed.

There's no award for the best Christian in the world. We just love.

Lily playing cricket

 

Lily's World

Lily: What doing, Daddy?
Me: I'm flossing.
Lily: Why?
Me: Because when you're older, it helps to get stuff out of your teeth.
Lily: I want some foffs. I older now.

I could take 21 of em

Encouraging Article

Small-Church Youth Ministry

My youth group now? A big numbers night for us is...I shouldn’t tell you. What does it matter, really? Okay, just for the sake of comparison, a really big night for us is 10 kids, or whenever we have to pull up another couch when we’re hanging out in our Coffee Café. With everything else I have to do to serve my church, I have maybe five to eight hours a week to offer our youth group. And it’s just not enough time.