02/07/2024
Less Transactional and More Transformational
Sunday, we talked about how easy it is to fall into a ‘transactional mindset’ when it comes to relating to other people. Jesus wasn’t a fan of looking at others in terms of what they could do for him. In fact, he was much more likely to wonder what he might offer to them.
The question we need to ask ourselves this week is this:
“Who are the people with whom I choose not to come into contact with, because they really don’t have anything to offer me? How might I cool Jesus’ anger by responding to them differently than I have up to this point? How do I move from making Jesus mad to making him glad?
I came across a quote by Spencer Kimball, who said—
“Love people, not things;
use things, not people.”
When you relate to people based on what they can do for you—when you try to determine what value they will bring into your life—you might as well be buying a new laptop at Best Buy, a new gadget on Amazon, or a new car at the dealer. You’re asking, what it costs me vs. what I get in return. That is the wrong thing to do with other human souls. Another author wrote, “Sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.”
People aren’t things to be used,
They aren’t toys to play with,
They aren’t tools to be used to fix something broken in our lives,
They aren’t trophies to collect,
Nor are they competitors to compete against—
We are children of God. Each and every one of us are eternal souls put here according to God’s purpose and plan. To treat anyone as anything less than this is to make Jesus mad, and to demean the image of God in which they were created.
Archived Posts
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.
What Was the Crowd Celebrating on Palm Sunday?
I came across this list which feels a little like a "Greatest Hits of Jesus' Ministry". I share it with you today for your inspiration and edification. Enjoy!
The Best Kind of Trouble-maker
While working on this last week’s sermon I was looking through Phillip Yancey’s excellent book—The Jesus I Never Knew—when I came across a section that I found profound. It didn’t quite fit my sermon, but it caught my eye enough that I copied it down.
Practical Tips To Avoid Judging Others
When I research a sermon, such as Sunday’s message on judgmentalism, I always try to think through some practical steps or tips in how to implement God’s desire for our lives. I rustled together a herd of ideas this week and I offer them to you.
The Shepherd, the King, and the Rescuer
God has got a long list of names, but some of those names are better than others. There is a small child who thought God’s name was Harold since the Lord’s Prayer includes the phrase “Hallowed be thy name.” When you think of all the scriptures that are most likely to be memorized you would have to include Psalm 23, The Lord’s Prayer, and John 3:16. The danger for us is our tendency to focus on the wrong thing.
Old Jokes Are The Best Jokes
Sunday morning, we took a look at Jesus’ command to make our enemies into neighbors and loving our neighbors as ourselves. One of the obstacles to doing this is our growing sense of tribalism—whether it’s a political, socio-economic, or even theological tribe.