Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Today, Knute Larson encourages both Pastor and parishioner. He will tell us how the non-pastor can be a delight to their pastor. There is a charge to be engaged spiritually as well as in relationship. 

 What is wrong with this scenario?  A two year old goes tearing down the halls of the church, and the mother declares, “Stop running, here comes PASTOR LARSON.”  Only Knute could come up with the solution he proposes to this scenario.

Can one extend the hand of friendship to those in the pastorate? Are they leaders or fellow strugglers?  What role does kindness play in how we treat our shepherds?

Join Pastor Knute and me on the shores of Lake Michigan today.  You will hear the heart of a pastor from one of the all-time-best-pastors.  You will be thinking in a new way about this aspect of church life by the time the winds quit howling.

 Bewithme.us is our website.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Deezer, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

Imagine discussing something that 1000's of churches have found useful.  Imagine literally talking with the guy WHO WROTE THE BOOK and INVENTED ABF's.  You don't really have to imagine.  Today, we are going to do it.

Join me as I discuss a way of doing fellowship in the church with Pastor Knute Larson.  His book is Growing Adults on Sunday Morning or The ABF Handbook.  His idea is an organizational juggernaut that incorporates care, fun, service, teaching, and the one another's into a group of people in the church.  He calls it Adult Bible Fellowship.  It is more than a Sunday school class.  It is a connection mechanism for both discipleship and growth.

Listen as Knute Larson speaks to his passion for fellowship, care and growth.  He addresses the challenges that fight against this idea of gathering.  Jesus thought of the idea of gathering, and Knute brings it home.  We are privileged to have him for 7 minutes today.  Please listen!

We finish the end of the gospels today in John and Luke.  Unfortunately, we didn't exactly start at the beginning.  What kind of a knucklehead doesn't start a multi-episode epic at the beginning?  George Lucas and me, that's who.  I'd like to 'finish' the gospels from the start to where season one began in Luke chapter 7.  Complete the cycle.  Please join me.

The doings of Jesus were not all written.  If they were, the "world itself could not contain the books that would be written."  Just think about that for a moment.  I wonder if heaven will be like that as we get even more new information about Jesus.  As if this isn't enough!  A world of books can't contain him, but 1 very special book, the Bible is more than enough for a lifetime of revelation.  The "finishing" (Ha!) of the gospels today just points to the vastness of mystery and exposure in this one book.  Perhaps this is a podcasters dream: never ending material.

As the disciples were parting from Jesus they were of great joy as they returned from the ascension.  He went with His resurrected body.  He blessed them and WHILE he blessed them he parted.  I love that picture of Jesus blessing as He went.  

I too bless you as we finish the gospels and the chronological life of Jesus.  See you tomorrow.  Please share the podcast.  

Jesus tells Peter he's going to die in a way that his abilities will be lost, he won't be doing what he wants, he won't be where he wants, and even he won't be wearing what he wants.  Even amidst all of this loss, FOLLOW ME to the end.

Peter is probably pretty rattled.  Appropriately so.  His counter:  HEY, what about THIS OTHER GUY?  What about John?  Why is his path different than mine.  What if it is "easier?"  What if it is more difficult?  

Jesus rebukes and refocuses:  "If it is my will...what is that to you????? You, FOLLOW ME."  ie:don't major on the other guy.  Major on following me.  Ask the right question:  What does it look like for me to follow Jesus in my particular situation; in my life's path?

Are you following Him?  Or are you playing the comparison game?  Listen and find out.  Then share this podcast.  Thank you so very much for your 7 minutes of attention.

America (and probably the country you might be listening in) is all about 

• doing  what I want
• when I want
• where I want
• wearing what I want
• heading in the direction I want

Peter finishes a wonderful "do you love me? Yes I love you. Feed my sheep" time with the Lord.  It just had to be a highlight or dare I say THE highlight of his life.  It is intimate, a restoration, a pursuit by the Lord and it is repeated 3 times.

1 second later, Peter is told he won't get to do what he wants, he will be out of primary control, he won't get to do what he wants with his hands or his legs.  He won't get to make independent decisions.  He will lose or have abilities taken away.  He'll be heading toward death not more life.  I got news for you:  at a certain point in your life SO WILL YOU.  This could be capture and persecution, or it could just be the ravages of aging.

So here is the great challenge and charge:  "Will I be enough?  Will you follow me? Will you GLORIFY me during your final chapter?"  Could "doing what I want" be wrestled into "I will glorify you this day as I lose abilities, independence, volition, ambulation, and even life itself?"

Listen 7 minutes for an answer.  Please share.  

Peter has betrayed the Lord.  He has repented, but is waiting for restoration.  He's run to Jesus.  He's hurled himself into the sea towards Jesus.  He's ready, and now, after breakfast, he gets his chance.

I am charmed that a huge offloading of responsibility is predicated by LOVE.  Do you love me?  Yes!  Then do this stuff.  It is the stuff I used to do and is most precious to me.  Now I am going to have you do it.   But first, but primarily: love me.  Yes, I want you to know my omniscience, my diety and my Lordship.  But first, be in loving relationship with me.

We demonstrate our love for Jesus by loving God's people.  Here, the primary emphasis is on loving Jesus first.  Let's keep that in mind.  Let's make it a joy for those who pastor over us.  They are charged with some stuff that is near and dear to Jesus' heart as the great Shepherd.  Let's make their job easier.  Let's run to the battle of restoration.  That's pretty hard.  Let's run to the battle of loving and being loved by God.  Frankly, that is hard too sometimes.  Finally, let's serve His church in whatever way He will have for us.  That's probably hard too.  We are doomed if we don't get the love part right.  Love first.  Everything else second.  Love and serve His church by thinking about who to share this podcast with.  write me and I will put the on the list:  [email protected]

153 Fish gave their lives today so you could understand this revelation.  Let's not let their lives go to waste. 

In the gospel of John he edits the Lords 40+ known miracles to just 8.  This is the last one. He lines up 153 fish, packs them together and then lets themselves be caught but not break the net.  They count them, because they know this is the world record.

Jesus, at least today is recognized in this last miracle, and in the circumstances of Him on the beach.  They recognized Him.  They identified Him.  And then my favorite part, they THREW themself (Peter) into the sea.  Hurl yourself at Jesus.  Always a good plan.

If today the good Lord should reveal Himself to us in circumstances or in His word, let's not let the moment go un-recognized.  Seize the opportunity.  Hurl all of you at all of Him.  Believe. Act like you believe. Throw yourself in the sea. Hurl yourself at Him.  Don't let 153 fish go to waste.  Please Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or other podcast host.  Send this podcast to somebody.

The last sentence of the Gospel of Matthew.  It had better be good. ;-)

Guess what, it is!

Today God asks the IMPOSSIBLE again.  He asks that we be involved in a process that initially connects (belief) and then strengthens connection (sanctification) of a holy God/all powerful/all creating God with a sinful puny mankind and womankind.  Only God could even remotely handle this kind of work.  The AWE part of this is that He even bothers with us.  What is man that you are mindful of him?

We are a difficult people.  I am a difficult people.  Even in this tremendous TA-DA passage, there is a comma, and then "and some doubted."  Not just one. Some.  After all of this!

I am with you always.  There it is.  Without this, all the tasks are impossible.  So there is tasks, but there is ta-da; there is jobs but Jesus; there is work but WITH; there is going, but  getting; there is some busting your butt but there is the BEHOLD.  I am with you always.  If you get this, you will need four Kleenex today.  Share this podcast.  It is a good one because it is based on the Good One.

We look at a guy who doesn't believe today. Not just neutral unbelief. Active unbelief.  Jesus describes him as DISBELIEVING.

It is Thomas, who when we last heard from him was ready to go to Jerusalem and die for Jesus.  He went a long way south since then.

He gets a RESCUE mission from Jesus.  In the context of this epic moment of Jesus rising from the dead and giving the Holy Spirit to mankind, there is this one lost sheep that garners Jesus' attention.  Jesus goes and gets him in a very tender way.

When it is all over, Thomas makes the strongest statement possible as to the divinity of Jesus. He declares exactly what he believes.  He declares the identity of Jesus as God.  It could not be stronger.

Who of us doesn't have a Thomas-like person in our worlds.  Yes, Jesus can rescue the unbelieving.  Jesus can go and get the DISbelieving.  Would you please Lord!

Share this podcast with the believing, the curious, and the disbelieving.  

After the resurrection all four gospels have a commissioning.  The disciples get a JOB and a BENEFIT PACKAGE to facilitate the successful completion of that job.  The Job is to go and expand the borders of an invisible kingdom.  Go to the edge of the spiritual wilderness and push the invisible border around a probably uncooperative knucklehead.  Make the kingdom a little bigger by enveloping that person in a blob by belief.  

This of course is IMPOSSIBLE.  This is a miraculous, invisible, improbable process that no amount of arguing will accomplish.  We have a task.  We have a job.  We have a part.  We have some faithfulness to enact.  But it is way above our pay grade.  God MUST WORK.  A neat passage in 2 Cor 3:5-6 says we are insufficient and not competent for this job, absent the Holy Spirit. 

So in the sending, there is an equipping with the Holy Spirit. This cannot be underestimated.  The world has been waiting for this busting out of the Holy Spirit since Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden!!! The benefits are access, intimacy, indwelling, decentralization of location, open minds, open eyes, conviction, guidance, truth, helping, Helper, not leaving us as orphans, and God making His home with us now.  

You'd best desire this if you haven't yet.  You'd best desire more of this if you have. Thank you for sharing this message with someone on either side of that border.  www.bewithme.us