Luke 6:43-45 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ⁴⁴A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. ⁴⁵A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

⁴⁶“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN – Rebel Without a Cause

Don’t judge me!  How often have you heard those words.  But the interesting things is that as Christians we are called to judge.  Of course we are to be good judges and fair judges.  Because we are also called to be judged by others.  But we are called to be able to discern between right and wrong and to do what is right and avoid what is wrong and tell others to follow suit.  We aren’t to be oblivious of the world or to ignore other peoples behavior.  Instead we must live as holy examples for others to see and recognize as followers of Jesus.

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In the right hands a wrench can build an engine, a pen can write an epic, and a paintbrush can create a masterpiece.  But when it comes down to it, all those things are inanimate tools.  But what if the tool had a life of it’s own.  What if the brush could cooperate with the artist and help create a unique work of art together?  What if the Artist could put the brush in motion, and let go, and watch the paintbrush go on creating?

I know that sounds weird.  But we have a Master who wants to do amazing things with us, and we are not inanimate objects.  We are living, breathing, thinking, beings, with a will and creativity and desire.  So the real question is, how can you cooperate with the Master to create something beautiful with what he has made you to do?

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What’s life all about?  The things you do?  The places you go?  The people you know?

Or is it who you are?

Or does it go even deeper than that?

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If you could transform into anything, what would it be?

If you could transform into anyone, who would it be?

If you could transform your own life into something new, how would it be?

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They say that the only sure things in life are death and taxes.  What a crazy thought!  You were born into this world, and all you can really count on is that the government will take your money and you will die.  Sounds pretty hopeful.  Doesn’t it?

What if I told you that you can be sure of something in life that really is hopeful?  Would you be interested?

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Jesus is alive!  I don’t know about you, but I think that’s the best news ever.  And it’s crazy to think that the King of all creation ever had to die in the first place.  What kind of God would die for a bunch of wicked, rebellious, peons?  He certainly didn’t have to die.  He could wipe us all out with a snap of his fingers and completely get rid of the mess we’ve made of things.  But he hasn’t.  He sacrificed himself to give us the hope of finding a brand new life in him.  What an amazing gift.  He must really love us!  And we can count on him and all the promises he made because he is alive.  Praise the Lord!

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We all know that Jesus was brutally flogged and then nailed to a cross to die a terrible and painful death.  But the kind of suffering and death he went through was not that uncommon in his day.  Lots of people were flogged, and crucifixion was a normal tool for Roman capital punishment.

What makes Jesus death way different (besides the fact of his innocence) is that Jesus died voluntarily.  If a bunch of trained soldiers tie you up to a post and proceed to whip the flesh from your back, there’s probably not much you could do about it.  And if your limbs are connected to wooden beams by iron spikes driven through your hands and feet, what are you going to do?  But at any point, Jesus could have snapped his fingers and stopped it all.  I doubt you or I would have the strength and commitment to endure that kind of torture for more than a few minutes if we had the power to end it.  But Jesus held strong for hours of gruesome pain and suffering until his body couldn’t take any more and finally died.

Praise the Lord for his dedication, because otherwise none of us would have any hope.

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When you were a kid did you ever get in trouble?  What did your folks do about it?  Did you deserve the punishment?  Did it help you learn to do better?  Has your life benefited from correction or discipline?

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CHAPTER ELEVEN – Why Does a Dog Wag Its Tail?

I love it when a plan comes together.  And one of the really cool things about God is that he has a great plan.

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