Luke 9:57-62 ~ The Kingdom of God

 

ANTIOCH

You have your little Judea, your better Syria, but ahhhhhhhh Antioch. You've arrived. This is the Place. Beautiful Antioch. Twenty-one times, the New Testament says 'Antiahhhhhhoch'.

Who was here?

1. Barnabas, Cousin to John Mark, Mark's gospel, with Peter to the end. Barnabas took some of the oldest Scriptures to India.

2. Simeon, who was called Niger, This is the Gospel. This is the first Civil Rights Movement. This man took the Gospel to Alexandria.

3. Lucius of Cyrene,  Simeon, probably traveled with Mr Libya. They are taking the Gospel to the Next Continent.

4. Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch  You are "Absolutely" in trouble for running around with Christian infidels if you are a pal of Herod. This Herod is Herod Antipas. A lesser known Herod? Oh, noooo. This Herod is put on the throne by the census taking Emperor Augustus. Nephew of Caesar. King since 4 B.C. Married to his sister-in-law Herodias, this Herod is rather Touchy. One is in Danger, traveling with the Christ Disciples

Giving a whole new meaning to - "Men the Roman Empire is upset who are running around Proclaiming Jesus as God."

5. Saul. Believe me, they were not grubbing around in Antioch. Paul was one of the best educated at the Temple by Gamaliel - himself. Paul had the best credentials.

Later...

6. John - This is the first man adopted by the incredible Sacrifice of Jesus. He is now the son of Mary, Mother of God. Plenty of courage. John stayed to the last breath of Jesus Christ.

These tile Mosaics - are they found in Judea - yes, thanks for thinking of this - yes, they are found in Caiaphas - High Priest Home. "Worship no 'Image'".

Antioch tells us - Living was not just hand to mouth. Not desperate times and desperate measures to worship "Something". Telling us just like Paul's superior education. Peter's superior style of living and gracious house.  Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch - not just the men who could squeak under the prosecution wire. Not just the outsiders.  The Light of Jesus Christ was reaching across Impossible Borders and Boundaries. Not just Susanna, wife to Herod's Steward.





Antioch, northern Syria, near the Turkish border. 300 B.C., Antioch was a very important political and cultural center of the Hellenistic East and one of the great metropolises of the Roman Empire.

Howard Crosby Butler, Princeton professor of Art and Archaeology and the founder of the School of Architecture, led a series of archaeological expeditions to Syria (1899-1900, 1904-5, and 1909). The collective aim was to record the remains of ancient buildings and settlements. The results of those expeditions were published in several volumes that remain standard research tools for the study of late antique architecture in Syria. Some of the buildings are from 200 A.D. He discovered a city blended from 200 A.D. to 500 A.D.

Although Antioch was mentioned in many literary sources, very little was known about the physical city until 1932, when a consortium of institutions led by Princeton University conducted the first of seven seasons of excavations that would eventually uncover a remarkable wealth of finds, expanding our knowledge of the metropolis and its culture. Despite the challenges posed by the fact that much of the ancient city had been buried by up to 10 meters of soil washed down from the slopes of Mount Silpios, which towers above the town at the east, the excavations there
and in the surrounding area we're able to uncover the remains of more than
80 buildings,
including two theaters,
six public baths,
a hippodrome,
and two major churches.

In addition to these public buildings, some of the porticoed streets for which Antioch was famous in antiquity, were unearthed, along with numerous residential structures.

200 A. D.


Butler deemed this suburban residence a villa of a well-to-do family from nearby Bostra. The huge residence, measuring ca. 80 x 60 meters in plan, was later transformed into a village. Symmetrically organized around a central courtyard, the entire complex, including the residential wing, was enclosed by a high stone wall. The focus of the residential wing was a large (10 x 10 meters) two-story room, internally divided by a large arch resting on massive engaged piers. Probably introduced for structural reasons, internal transversal arches of this type became ubiquitous features of residential buildings in Syria.

Luke 9:57-62

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 

59 To another He said, “Follow me.” 

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 

60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 

62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

Who else went to Antioch? If you looked late in Jerome's life for him in Rome

 - you would have just missed him. He retired young to ... Antioch!  Ahhh, Beautiful Antioch.

St. Jerome. Jerome feast day of 30 September, c. 342 – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Catholic priest, confessor, theologian, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. 

 Jerome is well known, for 1,700 years, for his translation of the Bible into Latin, the Vulgate and his commentaries on ..... the whole Bible. Jerome created a translation of the Old Testament based on a Hebrew version, rather than the Septuagint, the miraculous work from memory of scholars. 

Jerome's list of writings is extensive. Jerome wrote polemical and historical essays, always from a Christian perspective. Not entirely out of the ordinary, as this was the Beginning of Christianity approval.

Jerome was known for his teachings on Christian moral life, especially to those living in cosmopolitan centers such as Rome. Often, he focused his attention on the lives of women and identified how a woman devoted to Jesus should live her life! Jerome.... loved friends, fellowship and women. He had close patron relationships with several prominent female ascetics who were members of affluent senatorial families.

Due to his work, Jerome is recognized as a saint and Doctor of the Church by the Catholic Church, and as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Anglican Communion. And he retired rather young and went to.... Antioch.

Ahhhhhhh, LORD!

Matthew 22:29

Jesus answered and said unto them, 

“Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. When we quote Scripture, it is important to be sincere. Jesus, in Luke 9, told these men not to fulfill the path seemingly God had given them.  David, and his men, ate the bread of show bread from the Temple, for hunger.  Jesus and His Disciples ate grain from the field as they walked, on a Sabbath.

People say today, find your truth. Not Biblical.  I know my step-grandfather, as an Episcopalian Priest, angered his family when he would announce something like taking another job, that God had told him. One of the things Scripture would tell us about.

We are told that Scripture is living and active - by the Lord Himself.  As we read Scripture with open hearts, we find new verses come alive to us. And in the same way, we should know all the Scriptures to not be judgmental.  Or uninformed to say, do what you think is right, in the Book of Judges we find chaos because, "each man decided for himself what was right." 

2 Kings 22 is about King Josiah. Judah had fallen so far from God, when Josiah decided the Temple was not even maintained. As they cleaned the Temple, they discovered the Book of the Law. And just as Jerome cared for women, they discovered the Book of the Law and needed someone to interpret this.  They had to search up someone with prophetic ability.

2 Kings 22: 14, 15  - 18-20

 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. 15 And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me”

Continues to

 18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 19 because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.

Knowing the Scriptures is God of Love. Not just all about just knowing a phrase and gluing it like a phylactery to one's forehead. In the Book of Acts, Philip is asked to explain Scripture. And he does with a baptism as well. And then Philip is parted from the new believer.  God intends the new believer to act upon the Word of God and to do like Elijah and hear the voice of God in his heart.

To discern God's will, and to have peace. The father, seeking healing for his son, cried out to Jesus Himself, "Help me, I have faith, help me to have more." 

Jesus calls His Holy Spirit, Help, Helper and Comforter.  To serve God, Scriptures always tell us the world has trouble, but to know like 2 Kings 22, to seek to please God - is - to please God.

Abba, Father,

We pray as the Gulf and oceans cool,

the weather will come to us

in relief and gently.

And as we deal with one another.

Gently and to ask respect

and brotherly love.

Bless this Nation,

and worldwide,

to regain

Jesus and know

the Scriptures

and His Love.

Jesus is the Lord

and is working,

we ask in this prayer,

in the Highest

Name of Jesus 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thanks be unto the Lord

and His Blessing

to all who Love Him

bringing

more Heaven to earth

Romans 12:9 ~ Love must be sincere †

 

We all have so many things we want to see life and culture, family, loved ones and friends turn the corner back into the days Graced with So Much of God's Favor.  We don't want to hear how many friends Johnny Carson or Obama or Late Night TV has.  Not how well-connected means a joyful, unafraid life.  We look to today and find what Joy God has given us - so much sincerity. So much honesty.  No bravado of all is sunny in the garden always. But knowing God will give us Strength to feel His Holiness near us, giving us the ability to all things with Jesus Christ as the Lord, Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. 

Because we all have so many things 

we want to see life and culture, family, loved ones and friends turn the corner back into the days Graced with So Much of God's Favor, we are all praying for God to be gracious to us, like the Blessing in Numbers 6.  Culture is colliding. Is this right - is this wrong - who will 'win.'  And because of these questions, in social media, not in Church Services, people get into it. And 'it' is the appropriate word. 

We are in a time similar to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, when family is threatened, trade or income is threatened and weather is just scary. And this is echoed in the revival of John Wesley and his brother, Charles Wesley. Gin Lane, when hard liquor found itself invented, it was as strong as the Opium Wars in China. And more sweeping than the Opioid addiction we have seen in our lifetime.

So close to home, this occurs, we know Both Wesley brothers were both Anglican and Methodism or Methodist.  Both. And they lived and worked not only in England, but in America, arriving in Savannah in 1735.

Gin Lane. This is when your mother isn't getting you to school, or fed or bathed, on time due to her addictions. Your dad is gone because of substance and money. Your home offers no hope. Your family is embarrassing. You have no business showing your face in Church because Holiness does not surround you and your lips have been taught to be unclean.  So unclean. And your dad or uncle or grandfather hates the Christians for being rude, cold, embarrassing and demeaning. 

And some of this you'd have to agree with, because, God is God of Love and anyone falling short of making God's mercy - is a hypocrite. Even if they feel divine on perfect judgement. And the cycle of hopelessness is made perfect.

The nature of Church is this: God's Word. 

When we look at what the choices are for Christians, the Churches growing

adhere to the Word of God.  Israel has peace when the Word of God is the Leader.

How to do this? Read the Lectionary every Church Service. And include the part of the Lectionary in the Sermon. A wide portion.

Ta da.

And in a time of re-awakening, not everyone who shows up is going to be Marilyn Munster. 

In fact, some of the people who look like Grandpa, and underneath all the dressed up splendor, is not going to be all that - spiffy.   Some might look like Jesus' great-great-grandmother Rahab. Or be as kind as Grandfather. Son of Heli.  And that son of Perez, we all know the story.

When Augustus sent the Taxation Census to Pregnant Mary and Joseph and the rest of the Realm, Augustus was making marriage legal to slaves - of any age, childhood or not, or sex. To those cut off from inheritance for the ease created in easy divorce, the drop this bad idea marriage.  And Jesus was aware of the laws surrounding the day. Very aware.

Jesus is never recorded in dragging out even the demonic from Church.  But He would send them to the pigs for a joyride. Love the person.  Jesus never threw out a drunk.  He never ran down a witch. He didn't grab up the woman caught in adultery and throw her to the ground. Jesus didn't like Religious Posturing and Power, nor inappropriate Power Seeking or Money Grabbing. Not even in demons acting up.   Jesus stated what was sin, Jesus then quit talking about the sin, and spoke of the goodness of repentance. He didn't want muck raked up for conversational theory.  He stated what was sin. Jesus was not known to point to a name or a person and scream out this that portion of the Bible to embarrass them. Jesus Christ just opened the Heavens and earth to a new opportunity to be truly clean, declared righteous. 

John Wesley didn't personally embarrass people. Why? Not only is this the opposite of Jesus, in Gin Lane, any thrown insult will land very, very close to home and heart. 

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  

Let's take this out of fictitious characters and speak about life.  3 Names. 

The first is Leon Trotsky, the man Lenin followed to incite Russian Revolution. Leon Trotsky said if they destroyed the Church and threw out the Scripture, the truth, then the moral compass was so BENT, the people would do or listen to anything in fear based cowardice. This is what we stand for when we stand for the Lord. We create a harbor, a safe place, where Love can dwell and children and family have the hope of a future.

The next name is Irma. Irma was a neighbor of ours, during my pre-teen years, in a small town. And she went to Church with us every week. Communion, worship, The Love of the Lord.  Then coffee donuts and long tables where everyone spoke to each other for an hour. A whole lot of coffee and a lot of donuts. Irma lived about 5 houses from us. And Irma loved Charlie's Bar.  Irma was approaching 70 years old, or older, and she was a public alcoholic.  Irma was sweet and fun and kept the alcohol for later in the evening, starting or thereabouts between home and Charlie's Bar. Nothing about Irma wasn't fun or sweet.  And Irma would appear for a visit. My parents drank and my father was an alcoholic, but he was more the type found in the movie, "Second Hand Lions."  My father employed the work force of the county, they forged steel hand tools for Sears and Roebuck.  He was the President of the company, based out of Dallas.  People generally treated my family with kindness.  And Irma would appear at least, as my father said, "Three sheets to the wind." Not at Church. Just our house.

And they had a ritual with Irma. Hello, Hello, Hello, glad to see you, come in, come in. Take your coat. My mother was just about to fix hot tea. Would Irma like tea or hot coffee?  And Irma would stay for at least an hour. All that was missing were the donuts. My parents loved to talk about history, art, anything fun. And we would sit and have tea. Everyone was having a good time.

After about 3 years, one day, I was in High School, one of the louder mouths, was laughing, "Hey, Did You Hear, Drunk Irma Died! She fell in a Snowbank, OUTSIDE HER OWN DOOR! AND DIED!"  I whirled around and I said, are you right, did this happen, oh, not Irma, Older Irma, on our street? She died, no, she didn't die! Oh, Not Irma. And Burst into Tears. Which of course made idiot, the loud mouth, embarrassed.  And he said, what kind of mother do you have that you are friends with IRMA? Your mother must be an idiot. He did, of course, know my mother, who was nothing of the sort.  I said, "My Mother is a Christian and Irma was at Church with us every Sunday of every Sunday and Our Church Loves IRMA. And you are an idiot. What kind of mother raises an idiot like you?  Maybe your mother can go to Irma's funeral and prove she has some compassion. I doubt YOU want to go."

He was astonished Irma went to Church so much. And I said since you have been up and down the hallway proclaiming, this, go home and ask your family if you are going to Irma's funeral. It will be at the Episcopal Church on 4th Street.  Which ended the conversation. It helped I had tears coming down as we said all this.

And now, today ish. We were in another small church. I did needlepoint not so perfectly, and we had been doing this for 2 years in our group of 12 ladies. We were introduced to "Arenosa." Names have been changed to protect the innocent.  Within about 2 weeks, it was obvious we were dealing with someone who drank.  And she didn't show up all the time. Our Pastor's wife sat down and said, ok, we all understand the drill. This is alcoholism and I think you all can handle this. She had remembered the history of Irma, from conversations.  No one said much because it wasn't comfortable at all to be around Arenosa.  Arenosa also drunk dialed and screamed. She had odd stories about childhood and children.  And it began to be obvious that the White House Biden Military Appreciation Day of public nudity wouldn't offend Arenosa. In fact, she was like my mother's good friend, who began to call people at home from Bible Study to pressure people to accept the current political opinions or be warned of public Comments.

What happened? Prayer. And eventually, The Lord made His path so filled with goodness, that goodness prevailed. In both situations.  Yet, Gin Lane has to be invited to allow Goodness to Prevail.

There isn't a reason to hope for Revival and throw out the Munsters.  

Because Jesus said we are all too far from being God and His Glory. It's above our pay grade.  Jesus said stick to His Word. We should and we will.

Today, we have some Blessings. The people who are asked how and why and what of recovery of this worldwide Pandemic - don't promise easy fix the planet. Don't promise they are braver or more perfect. And in the honest imperfection of the Word of God, find we need God Himself to give the Way. The Truth. The Life.

Today we witnessed the Power of God to lift us past what hurts. To sing praises to God, makes us so Strong. Real Comfort, the Love God gives us.  And this was from Amy Grant and drew all the people up. Authentic. Sincere. God is Love. 

Find our Blessings and don't forget the Wheat and look at the problems. 

Romans 12:9

Love must be sincere. 

Hate what is evil; 

cling to what is good.

2 Corinthians 6:6,7

In purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; 

in the Holy Spirit 

and in sincere love; 

7 in truthful speech 

and in the power of God; 

with the weapons of righteousness 

in the right hand and in the left

1 Peter 4:8 

Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, 

because love covers a multitude of sins

 [it overlooks unkindness 

and unselfishly seeks the best for others].

2 Timothy 1:3

I thank God, whom I serve, 

as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, 

as night and day I

 constantly remember you 

in my prayers.

1 Timothy 1:5

The aim of our charge is love 

that issues from a pure heart 

and a good conscience 

and a sincere faith.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You, Jesus

John 14:6-10 ~ the Father Who dwells in me

 

Still uniting people.

John 14:6-10

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me. 

 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. 

From now on you do know Him 

and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”


9 Jesus said to him, 

“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. 

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 

10 Do you not believe 

that I am in the Father 

and the Father is in me?

 The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, 

but the Father who dwells in Me 

does His Works.

Hebrews 1:2-3

In these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.

 After making purification for sins, 

He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High

I've been to few concerts, audiences, Rock Concerts and comedy acts since the Pandemic.  But tonight we were so blessed to see Amy Grant. One thing I've noticed since the Pandemic, people want to know - - - how did all of this upheaval touch you.  Steve Miller spoke of coming to terms with knowing so many people who have passed on. Realizing his own mortality and calling this invitation to eternity, as being on "The Big Ol' Jet Airliner" that will land on the other side. Louis Black spoke of his fear... and germaphobia... and making his first trip into Walmart. Science and human logic won't save us.

No one speaks with bravado and stands up to say that they have handled all of this perfectly. Instead, we find, like John Wesley and Charles Wesley, that all of us have fallen short of the Glory of God. And like the Scriptures, we want to know about the wisdom of Love prevailing, hope enduring and Jesus the King.

And really, the comfort I've seen given from serious faces is about not being the answer, but discovering the Love and Truth of God's Promises.  From faces that want to be sincere and authentic.  And do not have all the answers. 

Amy Grant spoke of her very serious bicycle accident and reuniting a grown family. The perils of being honest about pain, good intentions, life tragedies. Her upbeat songs went into the times life has trouble.  And her band, with her for years and years, understood and stood with her, having lived this time of accident, uncertainty and recovery with her.  And then Amy spoke of music lifting us to God. Amy began to sing the songs we know her, so capably, so beautifully, Praise God and Bless the Lord.

The mood, the band, the Joy of hearing about God lifting us up. Doing the impossible.

And of all the times I have been to hear the well-known, famous, this was the most Comfort, from Amy Grant. The Promises of God fulfilled.

All the people, witnessing this beautiful evening, began to again feel the Strength of the Lord pull us all up. The Joy of the Lord is really our strength. When we know God is for us, we understand Peace. Joy. Love. Mercy.

Tonight, we reached the Victory in finding Comfort. 

The Joy of understanding what we feel in our faith, what we stand for. The Comfort of God's Promises for me. For you. For Believers today and the people we pray for.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †