Mark 3:20-35: The Family of God

Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps of The Salvation Army on February 17, 2008; Swift Current Corps on February 22, 2015; 614 Warehouse Mission on 06 May 2018; Alberni Valley Ministries on 21 April 2024 by Captain (Major) Michael Ramsay

To view the 2008 Nipawin and Tisdale version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/mark-320-35-family-of-god.html

To view the 2015 Swift Current version, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2015/02/mark-320-35-family-of-god.html

To view the Toronto 2018 version click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2018/05/mark-320-35-family-of-god.html

 

Today’s passage is about family. I have been thinking about family lately. Move announcements were this week and each year there is the potential that we can be moved. We were told that we are able to stay here for one more year. This is the longest our family has stayed in one town and even the longest that we have stayed in one province since Heather was born. And whenever we do move – especially if we have to move provinces again – this time will be different; we won’t be taking our who family with us. It is challenging enough with children in Chilliwack and part-time in Victoria as well as parents we don’t seen nearly enough on this Island here. I can’t imagine what it will be like when we move again, this time away from and not with family.

 

Mark 3 is about family – Jesus’ family. 3:20: “Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.” Verse 21, “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’” (Sometimes family thinks that about us.)

 

Jesus is portrayed here as almost a workaholic.  He is working late and he takes his work home with him and his work right now is casting out demons and he has a lot of work to do.

 

Can you imagine the scene? It is dinnertime. He comes to a home to eat with his closest disciples. There is so much going on. There are so many people crowding into the house that they aren’t even able to take time to eat. There must be people everywhere and Jesus is working away: he and his disciples are ploughing through people healing them, casting out demons and doing what needs to be done.

 

His family no doubt is worried about his health. They are no doubt worried because he’s not eating anything. They are no doubt worried because he is not taking enough time for himself. He is just working, working, working – without a break – this can’t possibly be healthy, can it? Is it any wonder that his mother and brothers, throw up their hands when they hear all of this and say, Verse 21, “He is out of his mind” – “he’s crazy” – “he’s nuts.”[ 1]

 

Jesus’ family decided that it is time to go and take charge of him. They are going to make him rest and take care of himself. (Now this is interesting because the Greek word KRATESAI is actually the same word that is used when the police go to ARREST someone; so, this is serious.) They are concerned about him and if Jesus won’t take care of himself, they will take matters into their own hands; they will take charge of him because, as they understand it, “he is out of his mind.”

 

“He is demon possessed,” the teachers of the Law say. “He is [even] possessed by Beelzebub…the prince of demons,”[2] Verse 22 records the learned, esteemed, intelligent, and respected teachers as saying – “[It is] by the prince of demons [that] he is driving out demons.”

 

So this is interesting. Both Jesus’ family and the religious experts agree that Jesus is not acting normally here. He is out of his mind; he is demon-possessed. And again, in this crazy scene, we can probably understand what they are saying to some degree, can’t we?

 

Jesus understands and he answers the teachers who –unlike his biological family (cf. 3:31-32)[3] - are right there, near, or even in the house with him and his disciples. Jesus understands what they are saying.

 

Now what the Pharisees might actually be doing here –unlike his family- is probably more than just looking out for his well-being. What they might be doing is probably more than just mocking him or writing him off. What they might be actually doing is gathering evidence or at least inspiration to formulate an official charge against him.

 

In our society today we think nothing of people using the language of demon-possession and witchcraft: we hear it everyday on social media, TV, radio, in pop culture and in casual colloquial language. There are witch stores on the corner here and regular witchy or psychic fairs in town. It is so common that many times we don’t even twig when we hear about witchcraft but it was different in Jesus’ day (cf. Dt. 18:10; 1 Sam 28:9; 2 Ki 19:22; 2 Chr 33:6; Micah 5:12; Na 3:4; Gal 5:20).

 

Witchcraft is a serious crime. It is a sin punishable by death (cf. 1 Sam 28:9).[4] These religious teachers cannot be left to make these remarks unchallenged. It must be addressed. They are in essence accusing Jesus of divination, of witchcraft, of sorcery, and in those days people won’t let that go unchecked. And Jesus won’t let these accusations go unchecked; he speaks to them in a couple of very short parables or metaphors.

 

Vs 23ff: “So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: ‘How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.”

 

Think about it in terms of our world today…Think of Libya, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia. There is also Ukraine: Hundreds of thousands are dead and still dying and millions fled and still fleeing after our allies toppled their elected government in a coup and now it has escalated beyond what anyone could ever have imagined. The country is divided. It is broke, fighting at first civil war, and now a proxy war between Russia and the US. Divided countries cannot stand: this is what Jesus is saying in this parable. A divided house cannot stand.

 

And this is the kind of thing that is playing out in our very houses here today. If husband and wife aren’t on the same page, how can their children grow up in the strength of a solid family? If mom won’t stop yelling at dad and dad does stop coming home altogether, how can their daughter learn to be kind to her future husband and how can their son learn to stick it out when life gets difficult? If the house is divided, how can it stand?[6] Between 1965 and 1988, Canada's divorce rate went from being one of the lowest among industrialized nations to being one of the highest.”[7] Divided houses do not stand.

 

This is what Jesus is telling his accusers. He is saying that if he is on the same side as Beelzebub, if he is on the same side as the devil, he wouldn’t attack him because then he would be destroying himself. If Jesus were working for the devil why would he cast devils out? He wouldn’t. He doesn’t.

 

There can be many reasons and motives for the Pharisees to accuse Jesus of working for the enemy but he lets them know that their argument doesn’t make any sense. Jesus uses the analogy now of robbing a house. Jesus says that, Verse 27, “In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.”

 

If Jesus were on the same side as the devil, why would he even want to rob the devil of his prize? He wouldn’t. If he was working for the devil, then he would not be freeing this man from Satan’s power; because by casting out the demons, he is weakening the Republic of Evil and in the process strengthening the Kingdom of God and when one is at war, one tries to kill one’s enemies and not one’s allies. Jesus is showing those present that indeed he is intentionally attacking the devil’s dominion, freeing his captives, liberating his territory and Jesus is reminding us that no one intentionally kills with ‘friendly fire.’ If Jesus were on the same side as Satan, he says in this parable, he would not rob him of his prize. Instead, as Jesus is more powerful than Satan, by freeing the demon-possessed man, he binds the metaphorical strong man and robs his house.

 

Jesus makes his point. We realise divided houses cannot stand. Houses cannot be robbed without first taking care of the security guard. But Jesus doesn’t stop at making this point. You’ll notice that this story doesn’t end here. Jesus has some strong words for the people who are accusing him of working for the Beelzebub. He says, Verses 28-30, “I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”[8] He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

 

Jesus is warning the Pharisees not to say he is demon-possessed. He is telling them point blank that all other sins will be forgiven – EXCEPT for blaspheming the Holy Spirit – He says that there is no sin as bad as this one that they may be committing here. Calling the Holy Spirit evil, rejecting God in this way. There is nothing worse.[9]

 

But what about Jesus’ family? Remember that as the Pharisees said ‘he has an evil spirit (v. 30)’, his own family said that he was ‘out of his mind (v. 21)’ and they came to take charge of, or even ‘arrest’ him; what about his flesh and blood relatives? What does Jesus say when they arrive to ‘take charge of him (v.21)?’ Verse 31. You’ll notice that they even don’t come in. It says that they are still standing outside. They don’t even come into where Jesus is working. They don’t come in to arrest him, to take him home. They, instead, want Jesus to come out to them. People who do that, they can’t be up to any good, can they?

 

Jesus’ family, vv. 31 & 32, send someone in and the crowd tells Jesus that his family- his flesh and blood – those who think he’s out of his mind for doing the will of God – those who gave birth to and those who grew up with him – Jesus’ family is here. The crowd tells Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

 

What does Jesus reply? This is important to our story. Jesus replies, verse 33ff, “‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’…Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.’”

 

Jesus denies his mother and brothers. Jesus doesn’t go out to his family in this story. He denies them. His mother and brothers are not supporting Jesus doing the work of God and he is not acknowledging them.

 

Just like Jesus told the Pharisees, that “whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven” because they said he has an evil spirit. He says of his mother and brothers, who went out to take charge of him, “Who are my mother and brothers?” They are not those who are my flesh and blood if they are opposing the work and the will of God!

 

My family, Jesus says, is “whoever does God’s will.” In our passage here today, the author of Mark has revealed a great truth to us. The family of God is not necessarily the educated, the theologians, the scholars and the pastors. The family of God is not necessarily those who are born into the churches, Christian families and their loved ones.[10] The family of God is quite simply those who do the will of God, which, of course, we discern as we pray and read Scripture.

 

So today, as we have looked at divided houses –those of the parable: of the Jewish teachers,[11] of Jesus’ own biological family – as we have looked at these divided houses, I think we need to consider something ourselves. Are we really members of the family of God, or are we more like some of the others represented here?

 

Are we like the Pharisees? They knew a lot about God, probably more than anyone but they thought they knew better than Jesus. Do we think we know more than God? Do we reject, by our words and/or actions, that Jesus Christ is real? Do we treat what he says and what he does as if it is not truly of God?  This is what the Pharisees did in today’s story. Are we like them?

 

Or are we like his biological family? They grew up with him. They knew him but they wanted to ‘take charge’ of him. Do we ever want to ‘take charge’ of Jesus, like his family whom Jesus even refused to acknowledge in this story? Do we ever try to ‘take charge’ of Jesus and mold him to our idea of what Jesus and God should be rather than to let him make himself know to us? This is what his biological family was doing in this story. Are we like them?

 

Or are we like his true family, his real family, the family of God? …the disciples and others with them here who were doing what Jesus was telling them to do? Do we in our daily lives discern through prayer and Scripture the will of God, and seek to do it?  Because it is only then that we will we truly be Jesus’ brother and sister and mother. It is only then will we truly be a part of the family of God. And this is what Jesus wants. He wants us all to be members of his family and heirs in His kingdom.

 

Let us pray…

Acts 1:12-26: Show us Which You have Chosen

Presented to TSA Alberni Valley Ministries, 07 April 2024, by Major Michael Ramsay

 

To read a version of this sermon presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 19 May 2013 click here: Sheepspeak: sermons, articles, and papers: Acts 1:12-26: Show Us Which You Have Chosen (sheepspeaks.blogspot.com)

 

To read a version of this sermon presented to Toronto's Corps 614, 20 Sept 2015, click here:   http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2015/09/acts-112-26-who-have-you-chosen.html 

 

1) How do we choose an important employee, manager, CEO, etc.? (Resume, ability)

 

2) How do we choose the Head of State? (Heredity: intense job-training programme from the moment they are born)

 

3) How do we choose the Canadian Idol, talent show winners and politicians in this country? (Popularity contest AKA an election)

 

4) What is the traditional way that one decides whether the one they fancy truly loves them or not: ‘she loves me, she loves me not’? (Removing leaves from a flower)

 

5) How does one decide which team is going to start with the ball in Canadian football or in a soccer game? (Coin toss)

 

6) How does one decide where to transfer Salvation Army Officers? (Prayer and fasting?)

 

Near the conclusion of Acts Chapter 1, the disciples who have gathered in Jerusalem – about 120 of them – are faced with a choice that needs to be made: they decide they need to choose a successor to Judas. This raises a few questions.

 

1) The first question: Who is Judas?

2)  Why do they need a successor to Judas?

3) The most important questions inherent to the text: How should we make the important decisions that we have to make in our life?

 

We have started studying Acts in our Tuesday night Bible Study; so, in answering these questions, let's review a little bit at the context of our pericope. Acts is the second book written by the author Luke to his friend Theophilus. Can anyone tell me what is the name of the first book Luke wrote to his friend Theophilus? (Luke.) The book of Acts is a sequel to the book of Luke. It is a continuation of the story: The book of Luke tells about Jesus and his followers prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Acts picks up the story from where Luke finishes off.

 

We read Acts 1:1-11 in the meeting today. This recaps what Luke had earlier written to Theophilus. Acts 1:1-2, ‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.’

 

Luke then tells Theophilus that Jesus reminded the believers to stay in Jerusalem and wait for God to fire the Holy Spirit off like a starter pistol, equipping the believers to run to the ends of the earth sharing this Gospel of Salvation with everyone they meet (Acts 1:1-11).

 

This brings us to the first of our 3 questions: who was Judas?

 

Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ inner circle of disciples. Judas was the treasurer for the group. He as placed in charge of the disciples’ money. He is remembered as Jesus’ betrayer. He led the Romans and the priests to Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss. Then Jesus was led off to be killed. Then, with the money he was paid for helping arrest Jesus –Verse 18 –bought and field and killed himself. (Acts 1:18-20; but cf. Mt 27:3-10).

 

This is sad and this brings us to our second question: Why do the disciples need a successor to Judas?

 

They don’t replace any of the other disciples when they die; so, why do they need to replace Judas when Judas dies? Jesus tells us that “at the renewal of all things,” his twelve disciples will “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:30). OT Scriptures, in particular the psalmist, also speak to this: Psalm 69:25, 109:8.[1] John, in the book of Revelation writes that at “the consummation of God’s redemption as a ‘Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God’, having twelve gates with ‘the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’ written on them and twelve foundations with ‘the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb’ written on them (Revelation 21:10, 12, 14).”[2] Israelite tradition, Jesus’ teaching and subsequent Christian thought and belief record that the apostles have a role still to play at the resurrection of the dead. Jesus says that it is their job to judge the tribes of Israel after the resurrection of the dead.

 

So then, it is not because Judas died that he needs to be replaced because he will be raised on the last day with all the rest of us and none of the other disciples were replaced when they died. It is because Judas abrogated his responsibility, he forfeited his position as one of the twelve judges of Israel when he betrayed Jesus - who is Israel and the world’s Messiah - and then took his own life.[3] This is why they need a twelfth apostle. As a side note, this is probably where originates the idea that we should have 12 people sitting on juries to determine innocence or guilt in court. Also some people say they chose wrong – that Paul is actually the twelfth but, of course, God doesn’t make mistakes and Paul doesn’t meet the basic criteria laid out in this chapter.

 

In our text then the disciples have before them then two viable candidates who do meet the criteria, Acts 1:23-26, “Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, ‘Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Luke records that these people who are gathered together in Jesus’ name when it comes time to make a decision pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.”

 

This is important and this brings us to our third and most important question today. How do we make important decisions? 

 

When our family was called by God into full-time ministry with The Salvation Army, it was a tough decision. We were first called as urban missionaries in Vancouver’s infamous downtown eastside. Susan and I had two small children then. I had businesses both on the Island and in Greater Vancouver; but my home; Susan, the kids; and our extended families were all on the Island. I loved my businesses. I would have to give up my businesses that I founded and raised almost like a first child in order to enter the ministry and we would have to leave our long-time friends and extended family.

 

We had to make a decision. We could make an economic decision and stay on the Island with our house and our businesses or we could say, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two [options] You have chosen.” We could make a family decision and stay near the children’s grandparents and at that time great-grandparents or we could pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” We could make a sentimental decision and stay by all that we have ever known and loved on the Island or we could pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” As we are here today we obviously took the latter option as our way forward. Praise the Lord; we followed Him into the mission field.

 

But our reliance on God is not a one-time thing. There are still many more decisions that each and every one of us are faced with everyday in our lives. And every time that we are faced with a decision we have to decide whether we are going to try to decide on our own or whether we are going to trust God to show us the way and then follow Him.

 

Every year the Army has to declare whether we as Officers are going to stay in our communities or whether we are going to be transferred. In any of these situations any of us can just try to make up our own minds and say to the Lord that we are not going to do what you or anyone else says; we can just rely on own devices to make the decision ourselves whether to accept our orders or not; we can tell the Lord to please bless the decision that we are about to make. But really - no matter how skilled we are at making decisions - it is much better to instead pray like the disciples in Acts 1, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” And then we need to wait to see how He actually responds.

 

When we don’t do this we can be tricked into making the wrong choice. I remember once when I was living in a different part of the country, there was an election. I prayed. I looked at the various candidates in my riding. I checked out their resumes and past experiences and there were two of the myriad people running who seemed to have the prerequisite qualifications for the position, so I picked one and voted for him. He was elected but no sooner was he elected then he immediately betrayed those of us who voted for him by joining an opposing political party. He ran as if he belonged to one party so everyone who voted for him thought they were voting for a member of political party 'A' but as soon as he was elected, before he was ever even sworn it, he defected to political party 'B'; so in essence political party 'B' had the only two viable candidates in that riding in that election. No matter how much effort I put into casting my ballot, like everyone else who voted for this candidate, I was betrayed.

 

The disciples, in our passage today, have before them then two viable candidates to replace the one who betrayed Jesus, Acts 1:23-26, “Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, ‘Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Luke records that these people who are gathered together in Jesus’ name when it comes time to make a decision pray, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.”

 

This is important. How do we make decisions that need to be made in our lives? Do we attempt to make up our own minds or do we -like the disciples here- correctly attempt to discern the will of the Lord.

 

The disciples, they don’t pray, “Lord please bless our decision making process” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.” They don’t pray, “Lord, please help us to make the right decision” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.” They don’t pray, “Lord, show us what we should do” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.”

 

Do you see the difference? The disciples, they don’t call a big meeting and pray for God to bless the proceedings and then make up their own minds anyway after pouring over all of the resumes, conducting interviews, checking references; they don't make the decision all on their own and then ask God to bless it. Quite the opposite, they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.”

 

So what about us? When we are faced with life’s choices how do we decide what to do? Do we pray and then make up our own minds or do we ask for God to show us what he has already decided and keep our eyes and ears open to see what he is showing us? This is the end to which I would encourage us today. Whenever we are faced with a critical decision let us each seek the will of God in our lives and let us each pray as the disciples prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have already chosen.” And then let us actually wait for His answer. I know that as we do, He will show us what He has already chosen for our lives.

 

Let us pray.

 

www.sheepspeak.com

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[1] Cf. Robert W. Wall, ‘Acts’ The New Interpreter’s Bible 10, (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2002), 49-50.

[2] Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Acts/Exposition of Acts/Introduction: The Constitutive Events of the Christian Mission (1:1-2:41)/D. The Full Complement of Apostles (1:12-26)/2. Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (1:15-26), Book Version: 4.0.2

[3] Cf. William H. William, ‘Acts’, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, (Atlanta, Georgia: John Knox Press, 1988), 23.

[4] I. Howard Marshall: Acts: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 5), S.71

[5] Cf. Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Acts/Exposition of Acts/Introduction: The Constitutive Events of the Christian Mission (1:1-2:41)/D. The Full Complement of Apostles (1:12-26)/2. Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (1:15-26), Book Version: 4.0.2

[6] Cf. Simon J. Kistemaker, ‘Acts’, New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007), 68.

 

Lessons from New York: James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 2:11-18, Matthew 28:18-20 & more

Presented to The Salvation Army Warehouse 614, 18 March 2018 and Alberni Valley Ministries, 23 April 2023, by Captain (Major) Michael Ramsay

Today is the day after St. Patrick’s Day so I thought that I would start off our time here with a little St. Patrick’s Day quiz. (ANSWERS BELOW)

1. Where was St. Patrick born?

The place is part of which contemporary country?

a)      Ireland

b)      Scotland

c)      France

d)     Saskatchewan

2. What was the nationality of St. Patrick's parents?

a)      Irish

b)      Scottish

c)      Roman

d)     Martian

3. What is the traditional colour associated with St. Patrick?

a)      Blue

b)      White

c)      Green

d)     Orange

4. What object to St. Patrick famously use to share the gospel?

a)      Clover

b)      Shamrock

c)      Rainbow

d)     Snake

5. In Eire what would one call criminal who comes down with a skin disease?

- a leper con

1 (b), 2 (c),  3 (a), 4 (b)

We know basically the story of St. Patrick, right? He is the one credited with bringing the Gospel to Ireland. He is famously known for using the shamrock as a metaphor for the trinity in his evangelistic efforts and he is mythically credited with driving the snakes from Ireland – this was probably a euphemism for driving paganism from the country by introducing them to Christ and Christianity.

St. Patrick was born in what is now Scotland, the wealthy son of Roman parents in the 4th Century. He was kidnapped and taken away from his family to Ireland. He escaped and then later voluntarily returned to Ireland bringing with him freedom in Christ to the country in which he was held in captivity. Can you imagine? You are kidnapped by terrorist, you escape, and then you return to the country and the people that kidnapped you trying to point each and every one to salvation. That is what St. Patrick did. He gave up everything so that his captors and kidnappers might be free. This seems a more important thing to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day than green beer, leprechauns, and pots of gold!

The North Eastern US in general and New York in particular has a long Irish-Catholic history. We just returned from spending March break in New York, so today on this St. Patrick's Day weekend, I thought that I would share some lessons I recalled in New York.

LESSON 1

• Matthew 5:43-45: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

• Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

• James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

My family and I really were blessed to visit New York this week as my children were on a break from school. It was a bit of a drive from Toronto but we don't mind, we are used to long drives.

It is great we got to see the Brooklyn Bridge, the Barclay Centre (where the Islanders play – they were a favourite team of mine in the early 1980s), 5th Avenue, Broadway, Times Square, and Central Park, among other places.

We walked around outside quite a bit and enjoyed ourselves - and then it got cold. Have you noticed how things can change in an instant? A day can be perfectly enjoyable and then it becomes too cold (or too hot) and all of a sudden everyone's mood changes. The scenery hasn't changed. The neat things to see and do haven't changed. The monuments and parks haven't changed. Your enjoyment however can change quite a bit if it all of a sudden becomes windy and cold!

This is like life in general. Life happens to every one of us. We all have many exciting and enjoyable things to experience just as we have many trials and toils to endure. The difference is how we experience these situations. If we focus on ourselves, it is like we are inviting a cold wind into our day to make us miserable in the midst of all the wonderful sights around us. If we, however, focus on Christ, we will also notice others and have our hearts warmed and our lives enriched by his love as we take in all that He is doing around, in, and through us. Today let us take Jesus up on his offer of pleasant warmth and comfort in the midst of everything we are seeing and experiencing in this life. Lesson one: Romans 12:12, Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

LESSON 2

• 1 Peter 2:11-18: Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor [President], as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

18 Slaves [Employees], in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 2:11 again: Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

It was a lot of fun seeing the sights in New York. We had never been there before and our family really enjoys learning about the history of places as we visit them. We read every plaque we see and visit as many museums as we can.

We went to Buffalo, New York before we went to New York City. In Buffalo we saw plaques and monuments to US President Fillmore. He was from Buffalo; he was the last Whig President. We saw a monument to President McKinley who was assassinated in Buffalo. We saw a statue of President Lincoln. I put a Salvation Army 614 toque on him for a picture; we did this unknowingly on or near an anniversary of one of his massacres of indigenous peoples. (Lincoln, sadly, was responsible for many brutal acts and a lot of death and destruction). We saw a monument to Canadian and American friendship noting that our two flags should fly side-by-side for eternity but, alas, they had Ireland's flag flying instead of Canada's. (This was ironically on the same day that our Canadian government mixed up the Belgian and German flags).

In New York we saw monuments to President Roosevelt and others and we visited the New York Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Many great things have been accomplished by Americans. Some of the things celebrated by some of the monuments, however, were things that offended my Canadian sensibilities. But here is the thing: I am just a tourist. I can't vote in US elections. I can't change their laws or their culture. I don't have the rights of a US citizen and I shouldn't because I am not one. Even though many Canadians seem to forget it in this day and age as in both our social and mainstream media, we weigh in on their domestic policy as if it were our domestic policy. It is not. They are a foreign country. I am a tourist. When I am there, I am a gracious guest and I do not forget that I am no more than that.

It is the same in our life here on earth for those of us who are Christians. We need to stand up for Christ and we need to serve him. We can't get drawn into audiaphoron, matters of spiritual indifference - things that have no relevance to his eternal kingdom. I have seen Christians detract from the policies of Christ by promoting INSTEAD the policies of Conservatives, Liberals, Republicans, or Democrats as if Christ supports any of these parties over the others:  he doesn't! (They should support him!) We should support him! We need to serve Christ remembering that if indeed we are Christians our allegiance belongs to him for - just like us last week in New York - we Christians are just visiting until we return to heaven or until Christ returns to earth as Lord of it all. Let us not forget where our Citizenship belongs.

Question for reflection rather than response necessarily: how can we act as Christians in an other than Christian world?

LESSON 3

• Matthew 28:18-20: Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This week was our family’s first ever visit to New York City. It is not that long of a drive from here in Toronto. In the past few months we have also driven to Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, Niagara, Buffalo (and flown to Victoria).

When we are in those places, the world comes to life. In Montreal, Quebec, and Kingston, our history and identity as a people (as Canadians) is revealed and we can understand it in ways I never could if I never stood on the walls of the Quebec Citadel or looked out over the plains of Abraham.

In New York, we experienced a lot of American culture. It is really quite something to see one of the cultural centres of the US: so many of their TV shows, movies, and figures of their culture are set right there. We were able to walk through Central Park, see the Statue of Liberty, stand in Times Square and see so many other things that we recognize from their songs, books, and music. Like a great children’s book pointed out to me once: their thanksgiving history (and other history) is much different than ours. And so it is even the more amazing to see things like Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, 5^th Avenue, and ride the ferry to Staten Island.

All of these sights mean a lot more when you actually experience them for yourself rather than just seeing them in movies and on TV. I have a much greater understanding and appreciation for New York than ever before now that I have walked its streets and experienced it with my family.

This is the same with Jesus. Jesus is as real as any of the places we have visited. The more time we spend walking around with Jesus and getting to know him with our friends and family, the greater we will love him. He wants us, he does want you to come see him and spend time with him. As you do, even more than visiting a new city, I promise your life will be much better for it. As such, my final encouragement for you today is this. If you have never experienced the joys of Christ before, I invite you to accept his offer as tour guide, host, and saviour today. I promise you will never regret it.

And that concludes the lessons God affirmed in me this week in New York.

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