Loving Jesus Style

What is Justice? But justice for the Christian is not about freedom, or liberty, rights, individualism, or the pursuit of personal happiness. When that is what justice means to the Christian, that Christian has adopted Western values as the standard by which justice is defined. Christians can’t let the U.S. Constitution (or John Stuart Mill or Karl Marx) define what “justice” means. We have to define justice in a way consistent with what Jesus meant by “kingdom”. – Scot McKnight “A Community Called Atonement” Matthew 25:37–40 (NRSV) 37  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38  And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39  And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40  And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members...

To Do a Great Work A humble knowledge of oneself is a surer road to God than a deep searching of sciences . . . If only such people were as diligent in the uprooting of vices and the planting of virtues as they are in the debating of problems there would not be so many scandals among the people, nor such laxity in our churches. At the Day of Judgment, we (Christians) shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.  The Imitation of Christ – Thomas A Kempis James 1:22–25 (NRSV) 22  But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23  For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24  for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25  But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. Meditation:  ...

In a few hours or a few days the Supreme Court will make announcements on some very controversial cases. Gay Marriage among other things appears to hang in the balance. And balance is the very thing I want to address today. When the cases were argued earlier the entire internet seemed to turn into a vast ocean of commentary for and against. Matthew 22:36–38 (NRSV) 36  “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37  He said to him, “‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38  This is the greatest and first commandment.             If we do not keep God first in our hearts during times of dispute and anger we run the risk of losing our witness for Jesus. If people look at us and see only what we support or what we don’t support they miss seeing in us the one thing that Jesus says they should see. They miss our total and complete love...

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13–18 (NRSV) 13  Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14  But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15  but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16  yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17  For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18  For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, Meditation:             Peter in today’s scrip...