Were is the Good News?

“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come."

Matthew 24:9-14

Jesus has just finished teaching in the temple where he silenced the Sadducees and Pharisees. He reminded everyone that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. Then Jesus called the Pharisees and scribes hypocrites, blind guides, snakes, and a brood of vipers. And for good measure he told his followers that the temple would be destroyed. This is not how to make friends! Although Jesus did quiet his critics with his authority and knowledge.

Once Jesus left the temple and was sitting with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, they asked him when he will come back and what will be the signs of the end of this age. This is when Jesus gives them the news of what they can look forward to as His followers in the above quote. The disciples must have been thinking, "Great, I left my family, my home and my job to be tortured, hated and killed! What have I gotten myself into?" Not only will the disciples lives be miserable but there will be famine, war, and earthquakes. Sounds inviting, no?

But this is what I am stuck on..."this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world..." The good news, what good news? You just said there will be war, famine, earthquakes and I am going to be hated, tortured and killed. If that is "good" I hate to see what "bad" is.

"But the one who endures to the end will be saved." It is such a small sentence in the midst of all this, but there it is...full of hope. Full of everything that Jesus' life and ministry is about. That little sentence is what we Christians hold onto when we are in the midst of our own misery and the world's chaos.

Even though I fail daily at loving God and my neighbor, even though I am a hypocrite, I have the good news. Jesus calls us all out for our failings, but then says don't be afraid, endure and you will be saved. 

How do I endure? I cannot do it on my own, I must let Jesus do the work for me. I must trust Him and not be led astray. I must pray and persevere in my effort to love God and my neighbor. Most of all I must remember that Jesus died for me, for all of us!

Lord, in the midst of chaos, misery and pain let me remember the good news. Give me the strength to love You, my neighbor and myself today and every day. Give me a discerning mind and heart that I may not be lead astray. Help me to build up the endurance needed to love until the end. I ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.     

Note: The entire reading I was reflecting on is Matthew 22:23-24:14.

Cleaning with Jesus

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”

Matthew 21:12-13

It's time to clean! Not the house, although that needs to be done too. It's time to clean my heart and mind. Sweep out all the useless stuff: anger, fear, impatience, self-doubt, selfishness, etc. These things take up space, energy and time. Just like the sellers and money changers in the temple they are robbing me of God's glory.

The divine came as Jesus to walk among us, show that God lives in us, wherever we are and whoever we are. God's home is in you and me; our bodies are the temple of God! If this is true, and I believe it is, than we must care for our bodies - mind, body and spirit. That means we need to clear our minds, bodies and hearts of those things that prevent us from knowing, feeling, being God's grace.

For me to know God's grace and share God's grace I must be a house of prayer. I mustn't let the robbers (anger, fear, selfishness) make their den in my heart, mind or body. When I pray I let Holy Spirit clean out all the junk which clears the temple, my body, opening me up to be the person God created me to be.

This is a daily pursuit as each day brings new challenges, allowing anger, fear, self-doubt, etc. to creep back in. Each day must start and end with prayer to keep the temple clean - to allow God to work in and through me.

Lord, this is the day you made and you made me for a purpose. Clear my body, mind, and spirit of those things that would rob me of Your glory. Fill my heart and mind with the love of Christ, the courage of Holy Spirit, and the mercy of God so that I may live into the person you created me to be. This I ask in the name of Jesus, your son and my savior. Amen.