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December 16
Red Letters: Why So Complicated?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 @ 1:19 pm by Josh Burcham
I’ve read these verses over and over again and have blogged about them numerous times, but as I read this section of God’s Word I noticed something interesting. And I’m guessing you might have missed it as well:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
”When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34
Now these are Jewish people and sacrifices and burnt offering are the focus for forgiveness and God’s graces. They were sacred. Jesus came with the message of Love God, Love people. And it floored the people in the crowd. The end of of verse 34, “And from then on no on dared ask him any more questions.”
Matthew 22:46 puts it, “No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.”
613 Jewish commands summed up into two. Following those commands was simple, they didn’t have to remember any longer, they just had to do. Love God, Love People.
The simpleness floored them. “No one was able to answer Him a word…”
Why do we still try to complicate Christianity? Being a Christ-follower is simple, Love God, Love People. Lets keep it simple and start living those commands.
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October 1
Red Letters: What Happened?
Thursday, October 1, 2009 @ 10:01 am by Josh Burcham
Jesus is preaching His first sermon and it happens to be on a mount. Probably why people call it, His sermon on a mount. I know, I’m a funny guy. Okay, that was pretty lame. Anyways, a little into His message, Matthew 5:13-16, he says this:
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
September 30
Red Letters: Temptation
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 @ 7:56 am by Josh Burcham
Let me start here and it might sound funny at first, but stick with me. The Bible, God’s written word to us, has some power – Hebrews 4:12, but keep in mind it’s God speaking to us. The power isn’t found in the words or the book. The power is found in God. I might be crucified for those last couple of statements, so let me prove my point. I’ve seen too many people have great habit of reading their bibles everyday, yet never see Jesus in their character. It is as if the Truth has no power in their life. Now, why is that? I credit it to a hard heart, but that is another post all in it self. When reading the Bible we need to keep in mind that Truth’s power comes from God. You can spend your entire life reading the Bible, living a good life by obeying what it says to do, but completely miss it’s power. Now slow down and really read this next part. You’ve heard it before, but think about what it means…The Bible is God written word to us. The creator of the Universe wrote Truth to you! Now that’s cool.
On to the Red Letters, Matthew 4:1-11: the temptations of Jesus:
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July 3
Red Letters: Following Jesus
Friday, July 3, 2009 @ 9:45 am by Josh Burcham
I find this set of verse mind boggling. The amount of faith that is present, I wish I had a small piece of that type of faith. Red letters today is looking at Mark 1:16-20, Matthew 4:18-22 and Luke 5:1-11. The story of Jesus calling four fisherman to ministry.
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. Mark 1:16-20
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11
These men’s lives would never be the same. They took a small leap of faith, something that seemed irrational and irresponsible and God took them to place they never thought they would go and grew them into people He called them to be. These men were fisherman and fishing was their livelihood and their families livelihood. They had responsibilities and duties that people were counting on them to complete and they left them all behind when Jesus called. “At once they left their nets and followed Him.” They didn’t weigh the pros and cons, they didn’t pray about it for months; they knew what Jesus had called them to do with all the unknowns and followed. That is faith that I want to have!
But Josh, they had Jesus talking to them. Their situation was different. Was it? Some man they hadn’t heard approached them and said follow me and they did. He told them to throw their nets to the other side and they did. Jesus spoke to them and Jesus speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. We need to stop limiting God because of our responsibilities, routine, assumptions, guilt, failure and fear (Wild Goose Chase
Father God, I asking for this faith. Father God, I ask for the courage to fulfill your dreams for me. Father God, I ask for strength to complete the work you have set aside for me.
June 14
Red Letters
Sunday, June 14, 2009 @ 12:22 pm by Josh Burcham
Not every story from the Gospels is recorded in each Gospel. So when I come to a story that is recorded in all four it tells me something. It was big. It was something God didn’t want me to miss. Jesus’ baptism is one of those stories. I’ve talked about it before, because this story blows me away. Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22 and John 1:29-34: (more…)
June 10
Red Letters
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 @ 10:42 am by Josh Burcham
I’ve been reading through a chronological Bible (Fred and Jenn gave me when I graduated high school, Fred wrote a great note in the front of it) over the last couple of weeks, starting in the Gospels. Today I read the accounts of John the Baptist in all four Gospels and since I’m on this calling kick I pulled the following out:
• God was at work way before I got on scene. Luke 1:57-80
• I am used for a bigger plan. My part might be small in the grand scheme of things, but still important.
• My calling isn’t easy and will pull me out of my comfort zone. Mark 1:5-8, John 1:19-28
• I don’t have to fulfill my calling, but I miss out on my blessings and living a full life.
• There will be times that I will fail. But they get me ready for something great.
• True joys are just around the corner (I don’t read this section until tomorrow, but it is too good to not share now). Matthew 3:13-17
• I serve a great and good God. Who doesn’t need me to fulfill His plan, but chooses to use me anyways. A broken sinner… used to advance the Gospel.
John the baptist in the grand scheme of things role was to fulfill prophecy and because he listen and obeyed he had the chance to baptize Jesus. Seriously, how cool is that?
Can’t wait till tomorrow. I’ve talked about it before here on the blog, but I get to talk about it again. I’m stoked. See you back here tomorrow.
