What To Do When Jesus Annoys You

Our church is taking part in a study called the Amazing Race, and as a church we are reading through the New Testament together until the end of the year.  I thought I'd post my thoughts on the days readings, and I'd love to hear what you have to say.  If you don't attend SCC, I'd still love to invite you to read with us, and weigh in with what you are learning as well. 

Today we read Luke 12:35-14:35.

The stories we read today mostly center around Jesus and the religious leaders squaring off.  At this point, the religious leaders want Jesus dead.  They just don't see any other way to stop Him from ruining everything.  They know it, and Jesus knows it.  

What strikes me is the number of times Jesus heals someone, and does it on the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is Saturday, and it's the Holy Day of the week for a Jewish believer.  The religious guys had developed a ton of rules on how you are supposed to rest.  They had effectively turned rest into a full time job.  One of the things they didn't want done was for anyone to be healed on the Sabbath, because that was work.  Remember, God gave us a Sabbath day so we could rest and keep our bodies, minds, and souls healthy.  But if someone tried to heal someone's body, mind, and soul on the Sabbath, that was wrong in their minds.

So, Jesus just goes ahead and does it.  

It doesn't make them happy.

Obviously, we don't have the legalistic issues that the religious leaders had on working on the Sabbath.  But we do have issues with Jesus.  Sometimes He wants me to forgive people, even when they haven't asked for it. (Actually, that's all the time.)  Occasionally He will ask me to be generous with stuff that I want to keep for myself. (Well, He expects that everyday, to be honest).  He can get crazy from time to time and want me to tell myself "no" about some action I want to take, and use self discipline. (That is really an expectation of His all the time.)  I mean, sometimes He annoys me.

Just like He annoyed the Pharisees.

It's all about whose Kingdom we live in.  That is part of the reason you have the Kingdom discussion in the middle of all of these stories.  Who is in charge of my life, of the religious leaders' lives, of your life, anyway?  That is the big question.

Today, right now, take some time to talk with God about what it is that He does, expects, or commands that bugs you.  Be honest, He already knows.  You have nothing to lose.  At least you don't if you admit it.  Act like everything is fine, and you'll find yourself mad at Him for healing people all around you, when you can't seem to be healed.  It's your, and my, choice.

Why Do Your Kids Act Like They Do? - a new post for parents and parents to be

As parents, it can be so tough to discipline our kids.  I remember when I was growing up, I was pretty convinced my parents enjoyed it.  At least, it always seemed to be easier for them than it was for me.  But that didn't last long.  As soon as I had to be in charge of a youth group, and be the one handing out discipline, I realized what an incredibly heavy burden it can become.   Then later, as a father myself, it has only grown even tougher.

But I also know how important it is.  I work with students every week who are not given enough discipline at home.  They are allowed too much freedom, and given it too early.  Parents, I promise, I understand how hard it is, how exhausting it is, how defeating it can feel.  But it is SO incredibly important.

In 1 Kings 1, David is dying.  One of his sons, Adonijah, decides he will be the next king.  So he begins to set things up to make it happen.  There is a very interesting set of verses in the story for us to look at:

"5 Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.

6 (His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.) "

Do you catch what is going on there?  David never disciplines his kid.  This story is seen over and over in David's family.  The king who is called "a man after God's own heart" doesn't discipline his own kids.  The one who took Goliath on head first, who built a world super power in a tiny land, who survived assassination attempts and countless wars, he chooses not to discipline his children. It's understandable.  He is giving his heart and attention to so many other things, he ignores his own families needs.

But at what cost?  Three of his sons try to take his kingdom.  They all die.  One of his daughters is raped by one of his sons.  His family is constantly in disarray.  It's horrible.

The same holds true today.  We can short cut discipline because it's hard, because we want to be cool and loved, because we don't do it well, because it makes us feel icky, or a thousand other reasons.  The truth is we are simply delaying the pain.  It will come back, and it comes with interest added on.  

I want to encourage all of us as parents; lovingly, carefully, thoughtfully discipline our children.  Jesus tells us to make disciples of all nations.  Deuteronomy six tells us it starts at home.  The word disciple and the word discipline come from the same word.  

If you want some resources to help with discipling your kids well, contact me or Evan Casey, our children's pastor.  We'll point you to some good tools.  If you love your kids, discipline them.  God does, so should we.