Marturo’s blog

John 14:1-6

In old Jewish times, when a man was interested in marrying a woman, he would first go to her father with a proposal.  Next, he would go back to his own father’s house, and build a new room onto it, where he & his new bride will live.  Once finished, he would return to the bride’s father and ask him to look at the new room. If her father approves of the room, the man will then return to his bride, and then bring her back to their new home.

In the context, Jesus is explaining to His disciples that this is not the end, but the beginning of something great…they will see Him again, He will bring them back with Him to His home (Heaven), and be with Him forever…it’s a marriage proposal.  But what opens this passage up to discussion is when Thomas asks, "No, Lord, we don't know.  We haven't any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" And Jesus replies, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." 

I can imagine the disciples mocking, “Way to go, Thomas…just tell Jesus we don’t understand…you remember what happened last time with the talk about the bread!” or maybe, “Good thinking, Thomas…see if Jesus will draw us a map!”  "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  That’s a nice map…no turns, just straightforward and to the point. 

But many refuse to believe this claim by Jesus.  Instead they want curves, shortcuts, secret passages, and for every path to lead to the same destination.  Now granted, I can understand their reasons for wanting to disagree…why they so badly want to believe that there are other ways to Heaven other than through Jesus.  Some have friends/relatives who’ve died before coming to know Jesus, and so want to believe they’ll go to heaven; or they know people who are doing such great things for others and so expect to see them in Heaven for their good works; Some even want to believe it, but are afraid of “offending” people by having to tell them of God’s Good News about Jesus Christ being the only way.  So in response, instead of straight out saying, “God, you’re not fair!” they explain it away, often using theology and scripture out of context to support their claims, such as explanations of God’s grace or the misuse of Baptism; or John 3:16 to claim God’s love for all His creation, but they leave out verses 17-18; even 2 Peter 3:9 where God’s will is that none should perish (yet they leave out the last part about God taking His time because He wants them to repent).  But Jesus didn’t only say that He is the Way, but also the Truth and the Life.  Jesus is giving His credentials in this passage:

• To get to the Father, one must know me, because I am the Way to the Father.
• The way to know me is to listen to the Truth (I am the truth...listen to Me).
• Once you listen to me and come to know me, then you will have Life.
  

If we take out 1, then we must take out all 3.  And if we take out all 3, then Jesus is neither, our message is void, and as Paul said, “we should be pitied most above all.”

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Nobody comes to the Father except through me.”  Before Jesus, there was no other way to the Father.  But now, Jesus has drawn a map and it leads straight through Him.  So how were people saved before Jesus walked the earth?  By listening to the Truth and knowing the Way, they received Life.  For Jesus said, "The Father and I are one."  Those who had a close, knowing relationship with the Lord, knew the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Today, Jesus has asked us into a commitment relationship based on true love...marriage.  How can anybody argue this passage to be anything other than an invitation to true love?

  The first Sunday of every month is a day of celebration and excitement for me.  Why?  Because it’s the day when most churches partake in Communion, a.k.a., “Eucharist”.  Although I’m not sure everybody “gets” what it’s actually all about.  I mean, it’s not just a free meal, and it’s not just a coming to the table, or the partaking of the bread & grape juice...in fact, Communion is about SO much more.  Let me explain:

  First of all, in old days (Old Testament times), when a nation wanted to wipe out somebody completely, they'd make it so that even their name wasn't remembered.  But at communion, Jesus (and His name) is to be remembered. 

  Also, in the culture at Jesus’ time, people mostly just ate with friends, and their friends were often peers.  But Jesus' friends weren't peers.  And the fact that He ate with sinners and such outcasts, expresses Jesus making friends with them at meal-fellowship, and also points to the eschatolical age (the end days), when the outcasts will be (and are now) invited to eat with the Lord, as friends. 

 Speaking of outcasts, let’s take a look at the motley crew and outcasts that Jesus chose to associate Himself with regularly:  The 12 Apostles.  Other than the fact that Peter & Andrew had the same parents, neither of the 12 really had anything in common...I mean you had fishermen (religious rejects), a tax collector (scum of society), a Zealot (believed in forceful conversions), 2 guys with really bad tempers, and a thief (in charge of the money, no less), just to name a few.  If not for Jesus, you'd never see them together.  But that’s the point, for the only thing they had in common, was, Jesus.  And after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, it was Jesus who held them together even as friends. 

  So in the same way, taking communion together brings us together at the table as friends, and as siblings in Christ as we join the Lord at meal fellowship.  So even if we have enemies, we make them friends with us when we have fellowship with them at the table, because its sharing at the table with them, and also because it's sharing at the table with them in the presence of the Lord, as HE eats with us, too.  It's really pretty deep when you think about it...especially when you recognize how important meal fellowship is to the Lord.  For in Revelation 3:20, Jesus tells the struggling Church, "look, I'm standing at the door, knocking.  If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me."  Eating at the table with Jesus, in fellowship.

 Now let’s look for a moment at the word, "Eucharist":  "Eu-Charis-t"

“Charis” in Greek means "Grace".  So the Gentile Christians at that time couldn't even say the word "Eu-Charis-t", without being reminded of the Grace of God that bound them together as the Body of Christ (Maybe that’s connected to why they call the prayer before meals, “saying grace”?)  I also heard a story once that the early Church believed so strongly in the Body of Christ, that after one house church would partake of the elements, somebody would take that same loaf and cup to the next house church so that they too may partake of that loaf.

I loaf, 1 cup, 1 Body. So taking communion is not only partaking with other believers, but also with Christ.  The Last supper was the last time that Jesus would eat food on earth...the next time He'd eat would be in Heaven.  So it's suggested that when we partake in communion in remembrance of Jesus, not only are we remembering Him, but actually eating WITH JESUS at the table...as His friends…together,

 ---Marturo

I was just thinking about a conversation I'd had with an Evangelical-Lutheran Pastor once about Baptism.  He told me of a story his Bishop told him:

People are treading water and drowning in a body of water.  Then Jesus comes by with a boat, and lifts each person into the boat (baptism is getting into the boat).  Now, the people in the boat have a choice...they can either help row, or kick back in the bottom and relax...doesn't really matter which it is, for they're in the boat, and (according to the Bishop) being in the boat means you're saved. (So in other words, the boat actually represents the Kingdom).

I guess that's a pretty good description...if you believe in cheap grace, and that baptism = salvation.  But I don't.  And one thing that I was reminded of in prayer was that Jesus was also baptized.  So was Jesus outside of salvation? No, of course not.  But then why, according to the Bishop's example, did Jesus need to be baptized?  Also who was rowing the boat, and who helped Him in?  And technically when you think about it, would Jesus really need a boat?

Now, we've all heard the term "Blood is thicker than water."  But I like to look at something one of my seminary professors said: "Water is thicker than blood."  This is because it's that water of baptism that we're all united into the Body...the Church...the fellowship of believers.  We're saved by the blood of Jesus, and we're united with one another by the water of our baptism.  But salvation comes only through a relationship with Jesus Christ, not from baptism.

So why did Jesus need to be baptized?  Even John the Baptist was confused when Jesus told him that he had to baptize Him.  Many people (pastors, commentaries, etc.) have said that Jesus was setting an example for us: He was born of a woman, grew up as a child, had a relationship with the Father, was baptized, took Eucharist, died, and was resurrected.  So His baptism was an example to us, sort of as a process to set into motion.  But I have a different suggestion (which came to me in prayer this early morning):  If we're to look at my professor's suggestion that water is thicker than blood, as well as Paul's words, that we're united together in Christ through baptism, then maybe the reason Jesus needed to be baptized was so that He too would be united with us in baptism.  For if (since) Jesus is the Head of His Body (the Body of Christ), and we (those of us who've accepted & entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ) are all members of His Body, then wouldn't it make sense for Him to be baptized, too?

As for the decision of the new crew in comparison with cheap grace and salvation:  I think Judas is a good example of somebody who decided not to row.  John mentions in 12:6 that Judas continued in his old ways of stealing.  So then, because of his lack of dedication and participation in the Body, Judas ended up being unfaithful to Jesus, fell away from Him, and traded Him off for silver coins...now, we don't really know what happened to Judas after he committed suicide...is he now in Heaven or Hell?  We know the Apostles called him a devil & got what he deserved, but yet he did walk with Jesus, was baptized by Jesus, performed miracles, etc...but the point is, he didn't row.  So, as the saying goes, was he "in the same boat" as the others?

As I was looking through my files to see what to post next, I came to this one.  As I began to read it, I glanced at the date in the header.  It said, "06/25/08".  Now, that's today!  So I looked at the date that it was saved last, and it said 2005.  So here's the question...how did today's date end up in the header?  Now, I know what you may be thinking...maybe I changed it by accident; or maybe there's something that updated it to today's date.  But when I closed it out, it didn't ask if I wanted to save it, which is what it would've done if anything had been changed.
  Now here's the freaky thing...I typed and saved this file on August 27, 2005 at 9-something pm.  For whatever reason, I typed today's date in the header, and today, I happen to open it. 

  So I thought I'd better post it.  Who knows?  Maybe the Lord had me put that date in, I didn't notice it those 2 1/2 years ago, and wanted me to post it today.  Either way, it is a mind-blowing experience.  So here's the message:

The sacrificial system in the past, nobody seems to understand.  God set up rules for His people, but these rules, God knew they weren’t going to be able to keep 100%.  God knew from the beginning that they would mess up. 

Originally, the punishment for messing up was death.  If you messed up, you had to die, it was that simple.  And God was no less tolerant when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.  Those were the rules…you break them, you die. 

But God knew we’d mess up, even before He even gave the Law.  So God gave us a way out of the punishment: Burnt Sacrifices.  If we wanted to live after messing up, we could please God by killing a certain kind of animal instead of dying, ourselves.

God set up the sacrifice system as an act of mercy!  But the people didn’t see this.  Instead, after a while, people sacrificed animals as an act of religion.  They’d taken God’s awesome gift of mercy, and turned it into a regular thing they did…as if on a schedule.  It became routine…meaningless.  I believe that's why God said through Isaiah, “Enough with your meaningless sacrifices!”  God didn’t want routine motions.  He didn’t want sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices.  He wanted people’s hearts.  He wanted people to be so sorry for what they did that after killing and burning this other creature, they’d then realize that it should actually be them on the hot coals...they deserved that verdict, and at least try not to commit this act against God again (or ask God to help them to not sin).  It’s something where people should be thankful to God…praising Him on their knees and faces that it was the life of this animal instead of their own that was taken for their sin!  But their hearts were not in the sacrifices.

Remember, in the Garden, what are now wild beasts, lived among humankind in peace.  In Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good that the human should be alone; I will make him a helper as a partner.”  And verse 19 tells us that in response, God created from the ground (same as the human) “every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the human to see what he would call them.”  It was after this that the human realized there still was not a helper as his partner.  So God created the female human.

The point is that God values the lives of the animals, too.  Adam valued the lives of the animals, and we, as decedents of the first human, should also.

Also, when God flooded the Earth, He made sure that several pairs of clean, and 1 pair of unclean animals were among Noah and his family on the Ark.  They were not saved in order for us to sacrifice later…God cares for them as well.  We should too, as Adam (the first human) did.  Yes, we were created to be above the animals, but they are God’s creation, too.

I suppose you could say, the Israelites began killing the animals for the sake of the kill, not for the sake of sustaining life.  In the same way that poachers today kill animals solely for their financial purpose, God’s people killed animals for the sake of the kill, solely for their selfish purposes.  There is no honor in killing as a poacher does, neither was there honor in sacrificing for the sake of keeping up their “required duties”.

God wanted the people’s hearts, not their sacrifices.  He wanted them as His people, and to be their God…He wanted to be as God and humankind were before the first bloodshed in the garden (Genesis 3:21).

Jesus was the last and final (required) sacrifice…the most perfect of them all.  Once and for all, for the sake of all of humankind, Jesus took our place, instead of that of a wild beast.

Maybe one of the things God was hoping for was that we would come to understand the seriousness of the sacrificial system by having a human die for us.  Maybe in the same way, God was trying to help us understand His care for the animals by comparing it with the death of a human for the same reason.  But then, Jesus wasn’t just any human…Jesus was and is God.  God came to us and took the place, not only of the animals, but also those of us who should have been on that cross instead of Him.

See?  All throughout history, God was saying, 'you belong on that sacrificial altar.  You should be there, not this animal.  It was your fault, you are the guilty party here, and therefore you should die.'  But because God loves us so, He gave us a way out by allowing us to replace ourselves with an animal of His choosing.  And He later replaced us by dying, Himself.  This was not as a way of escape from our guilt, but an act of mercy concerning our guilt.

The animals were part of God’s act of mercy.  Therefore, we should not make the same mistake our ancestors made.  Don’t make God’s act of mercy something to take for granted.  God wants our hearts…He’s always wanted our hearts.  We need to give them to Him, full-heartedly.

---Marturo

So I have this genealogy program for my computer called "Legacy".  Sure I'm researching my own family, but today I wanted to do something different...record the genealogy from the Bible.  Some time ago I recorded onto paper the descendants from Adam to Jesus.  I mean, I've got pages of paper taped together for charts, footnotes, and color-coding.  But today, I finally took the time to digitize them.

Now I know how often times when we read the Bible, we get caught up in the genealogy passages.  Just when you're getting into an exciting story about a battle, you get to a 1/2 page of who's the father of whom.  Boooooring, right?  But I'll tell you, if really take the time to look at it, you're sure to find gold (or other interesting elements) in this information!  For example:

Did you know that there was a guy who lived over 900 years (before Noah), and it wasn't Adam?

Also, somewhere in there there's:

• A guy who married his step-mom
• Some 1st cousins who wed
• A brother and sister who married and had kids
• I believe it was Aaron's wife who was 2 generations younger than him
• A son of Jacob who hired a prostitute in his mourning for his late wife
• One brother killed another because he raped their sister (all kids of David)

And finally, you may want to remember, um (snapping my fingers), what's his name.  No really, the Bible blocked his name out.  See, in the old days, if somebody was to be completely destroyed, then not only were they killed, but their names were also blocked out of the history books...forgotten completely.  So to this day he's known as the "unnamed son".  So there was this guy...um....well anyway, he "cursed and blasphemed the Lord's name", and the Lord smite him.  So you may want to keep in mind the next time you say the Lord's name in vain, just how serious God was when He made it a commandment.  And the next time you come across the descendant-passages, write some down.  They may just help you understand more about what's actually going on.

I bought a book today called, "Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado.  I've only read 3 chapters so far, but I'm really enjoying it!.  In it, Lucado helps us learn ways of allowing God to work with us and remind us of who we are to & in Him by relating everything to the story of David.
  For example, when David went up against Goliath, although everybody else focused on Goliath's credentials, armor, and size, etc., David's focus was on God and God's glory.  He had no doubt that the Lord would bring victory against this "pagan who mocks the Lord".  And in this, we learn that if we focus on the giants in our lives, we'll lose to them, too.  So instead, we need to keep our focus' on the Lord.  There's a saying he uses:

Focus on giants - you stumble.
Focus on God - your giants tumble.

In the 2nd chapter, Lucado goes over the anointing of David as king.  He explains that God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint somebody new whom He has chosen, for even though Saul was still in office, God no longer considered him king. At the feast with the town's elders and the family of Jessie, Jessie calls his sons in one at a time.  Each one, Samuel thought the Lord had chosen, but God continued to turn them down.  With all the eldest brothers present, Samuel asks about the 8th child.  The word they used for David means not only youngest, but also lowest in status, or rank.  David was the runt in the family...the little guy whom wasn't seen as much good for work, so they put him with the sheep.  But then when David finally walks in, God says to Samuel, "Arise, anoint him, for he's the one I've chosen."

We're reminded that people look on the outside: the color of hair, chest &/or butt size, education, height, weight, bank account and salary, size of your house, color of skin, make of car, type of clothes you wear...do you have a good face for TV or for radio?  But God saw in David what nobody else took the time to notice...God saw "a God-seeking heart."  While others measure the outer appearance, God examines hearts, and "when He finds one set on Him, He calls it and claims it." (p. 18)

I can't really tell you much more about it without it becoming a source for cliff notes, so I'll stop here by saying, if you're dealing with giants in your life, or seeking justice, then it's really worth the read.

Yesterday I received great and exciting news from a close friend that has turned the tables on our situation.  I also heard from another friend whom has an attorney-friend near me who confirms my previous close friend's news!

It's not easy to do when you have so much fear of the unknown going on around you.
 
My wife & I have been praying every day since this event (a good discipline that we'd like to continue infinitely).  Yesterday, a Christian-friend of my wife took us out to lunch.  Afterwards, they did some window-shopping as I ran some errands (the Lord's blessed us with some financial help) and got a haircut.  Then in the evening, we worked out at the gym.

  I haven't forgotten anything that happened.  It may sound as if we're just trying to become busy, but in fact, we're both deeply mourning those whom were left behind, as well as the injustice committed.  My wife and I have just given up everything going on here to the Lord.  It's tough though...REALLY tough, especially since I'm not receiving any phone calls or emails from any of our friends from among the place of this terrible event...makes me wonder what lies are being told in order to keep them from wanting to, which burns from within even more because I want to say something.  But my wife continues to remind me that Jesus is working on this, and I just need to stay out of His way.  Plus, taking things into my own hands would only make things bad.

  I'm currently in a situation where I'm crying out to God for justice.  I've been wronged big time, and due to a threat, am not able to defend myself.  I so badly want to fight back that it burns up from within me.  I want to tear my clothes in anguish, pour ashes over my head, and punch the ground that has cursed me.  I want to take a stance against these people and say, "NO! You're not going to spread your lies about me!  You're not going to mislead others in order to save your own face!"  I want to pray for God to strike them down, demolish their evil deeds, and cause everyone to see that it is in fact the enemy, Satan himself, who is behind their behavior.

  But no matter how difficult it is, I must refrain from doing so.  No matter how badly my heart is ripped apart when people text or call me to learn of what's happened, because they trust me and know that I will straighten out all the rumors going on around about me, the threat from a certain couple of people prevent me from doing so.
 
  "Why, oh Lord!? Why have you put these people into power?  And why have you allowed them to trample and stomp over me, your servant?"  I cry to Him for justice, and I want it NOW.

  But my wife reminded me of what Joseph said to his brothers..."What you meant for evil against me, God meant for good."  She also encouraged, "Let them sin against God, not you.  The Lord will have vengeance, but in the Lord's timing, not ours."

  I think that what stops me from doing what my emotions are telling me is when she said, "Let THEM sin against God, not you."  I must remember that the Lord brought us here according to HIS Will, and He knew that this would happen.

  I'm not trying to preach to you about trusting in God.  I just want to share my struggles with you so that you might be encouraged, for it's one thing for a Christian to tell another to trust in God, it's another thing for a Christian to take his own advice when Satan attacks him head on, and it's still yet another thing for me, a Christian, to share with you my journey as I struggle with stepping to the side and allowing the Lord to do His Will...in God's timing.

If you don't know what I mean by "Love Languages", then I strongly suggest you read Gary Chapman's "5 Love Languages".  Love languages are what needs to be communicated in order for us to feel worth, or loved.  Granted, he's written several books focusing on several types of people in several types of relationships, but I'm talking about the purple book he wrote that got the ball rolling. 

Now, since reading the book, I've been able to recognize these particular gifts in people:
'Words of Affirmation', 'Quality Time', 'Receiving Gifts', 'Acts of service' (when we do things for them, they feel loved),  and 'Physical Touch'.  But I've also noticed some other languages that aren't in the book.  For example, my Italian grandmother enjoys cooking for people.  When we compliment her, she acts as if it's no big deal...even complains about something about it herself.  But if we don't want to eat her food, she feels rejected and closes up...so it has nothing to do w/ the words we say, but weather or not we receive her act of service.  But since this title is already taken, I call it the language of service...she feels loved and worthy in her service to us.  I've also noticed others w/ a similar type of gift.  For instance, when we ask some people for help, they're flaming w/ excitement to help, even going out of their way and bending over backwards.  Some call this hospitality, others call it a savior role or obsession.  I call it the language of necessity...they need to be needed and feel worth/loved when asked for help.

So I was thinking today, "what are God's love languages?"  Some may say "all of them".  But I have to wonder about that.  Of course, it may also have to do w/ who your god is.  I on the other hand am I'm talking about the Lord; God of the Jews & Christians; maker/creator of everything that exists.  So here's what I think:  I think God's love languages are "Quality Time", "Service", and "Necessity".  Here's why:

One of the main differences between the Patriarchs and the rest of the people in the Old Testament is that the Patriarchs all had a relationship with God.  Adam, Eve, their son who was lifted up, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, God's prophets, Daniel...they often talked with God, walked with God, and made it a point to remain in vertical communication with God.  There was a relationship there...Quality Time.  And we know that a majority of God's people didn't, have this relationship with God, for throughout the Bible, we also read about God's continuous request for them to 'repent, come back to me, and I'll dwell among you"....'we'll be together.' That's why I believe that Quality Time is one of God's love languages.

"Service"  Jesus said in John 16:24: "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."As long as it's in Jesus' name, He'll give it to us (I'll go into what it means to ask "in Jesus' name" another time).  God likes to give us things when we ask (please be careful not to abuse what I'm saying though). God likes to bless us, and so I believe that one of God's other love languages is the language of Service.

Finally, "Necessity".  I think God needs (or at least wants) to be needed.  We know from Ezekiel 33:11 that it's not God's desire that anyone shall perish, and that God cries out to His people all throughout the Old Testament to come back to Him and to realize how much they actually need Him.  We also know that God wants us to ask Him for things.  But notice also what lengths God went through to help us come to Him...to help us to be with Him...for God came down in the form of a man (fully God, fully human), lived among us, died with our sins laid on Him, and was resurrected so that we may be with Him.  As a result, we may spend quality time with him, we may go straight to Him, we may be with Him forever, and all we have to do...is ask.