Looking throughout history and our current times to see God providing a way for what he has called of us, even when it seems impossible or unlikely.

Mary is chosen. John the Baptist is chosen. The Shepherds in the field are chosen. Focus on what it means to be “the elect” or chosen by God. Abel’s offering chosen. Abraham chosen. Jacob chosen. This has nothing to do with who gets in to Heaven, but those blessed by God to bring his generosity and goodness to everyone around them.

This week, we focus on the forgiveness of God, restoration, and redemption. Zechariah doesn’t believe and loses the ability to talk. Mary isn’t believed and nearly divorce and publicly shamed. They are both given a restoration and sing a poetic song of praise. Throughout the Bible, God’s generous with forgiveness and restoration. We talk about the coming of the Messiah is to renew all things, restore humanity and the planet toward the Eden ideal.

In this message, we focus on Jesus teaching on looking toward birds and flowers, not anxious and worrying. God has an abundance and takes care of his creation. (Why do people then go hungry? Other people hoarding resources, unfortunately). But Jesus gives life more abundantly, drink of him for living water. John 3:16 everlasting life. But what does that mean? To the Jewish culture of the time, eternal life wasn’t beginning after death, but in the present. The picture is after the fall, we are living death, like zombies. The everlasting life, abundant life, well spring of life, in Jesus and his resurrection power here and now is new life in the Kingdom of Heaven here and now.

Moving from Thanksgiving to Advent Season at the end of 2020... it's a tough season globally. Here we discuss being honest and real with God, about unmet expectations, and seeking his help to balance gratitude with grief.

Jesus has taught the first will be last and the last will be first, the greatest in his kingdom are the servants, and has responded to his disciples bickering about who is the greatest by telling them to be like children. He's also foretold his death three times now. But still, the mother of James and John approaches Jesus and asks for her boys to sit at his right and left hands when his kingdom comes in glory.

' “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” '

Matthew 20:1-16

'Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.'

Matthew 19:13-30

https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.19.13-30

'When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.” '

Matthew 19:1-12

https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.19.1-12

Kairos 10 - 18 Imagine Jesus Flipping Revenge Into Forgiveness (Zoom Recording) by Kairos Community