Meeting God in Everyday Life: Knowing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Meeting God in Everyday Life

Jesus vividly taught the reality of life and how we live in response to that reality. “Everyday life” is not in contrast with spiritual life. It’s life that knows that everything we experience from ravens & lilies to our most disturbing anxieties & fears and our highest aspirations are always within the active, creative presence of God. It’s distorted when our sense of the “everyday” gets cramped. God is pushed into a “religious” portion of life – special, limited. Jesus wants to elevate our sense of “everyday,” of ourselves, to know unified reality of God.

Jesus teaches how to live not by a set of ethical rules, but by helping us see the deep reality & beauty of everything in God (Truth) and by calling us to live in accord with that great Truth.

We want to compress our ‘reality’ to things we control, including our gods. We get smaller! He challenges us beyond our own vision of the possible – to see and live in God’s reality.

Mt 28:16-20 opens our eyes to God’s reality in Jesus and the Spirit. We share in God’s quest. Yes, it’s a challenge. We all become learners of Jesus. We’re given a plunge, participation in God’s identity, depth, community, unity – learning reality from the inside. We hold on to Jesus’ instructions in live into them. Father, Son, & Spirit are with us every step of the way.

God’s Invitation for Us to Share in God’s Life

In the history of Christianity, so much emphasis has been placed on guilt and the threat of punishment, that we miss the heart of Jesus’ invitation. Sin carries its own destructive power by distorting our lives and making us petty, cut off from reality of God. The very nature of God welcomes us into a new vision of ourselves, even in our limitations.

John 14:15-23. Jesus calls disciples to take his instructions as a challenge. God will give an Advocate/Paraclete/the Spirit of True Reality. He’s with you, in you. Jesus comes to you. “You share my life.” I’m in the Father. You’re in me. I’m in you. All woven in love. We love God as God, creator of all life, center of reality/truth. Jesus is the face of God. He defines God’s nature, instructions, love. Holding on to his message is the transforming adventure of free devotion. Father, Jesus, & Spirit all make their dwelling in disciples. True life.

Ephesians 3:14-19. Paul in prison has learned this great vision and lifts believers up to see it. Jesus gives an open door to the eternal, universal in God. This world is powerful, and it takes strength to enter. That strength is from God’s Spirit within us. We respond by trust in God’s faithfulness in Jesus. That faithfulness is God’s powerful, solid reality of Love. That love is the life-give soil that nourishes the roots of our life, the bedrock foundation that makes our very vulnerable lives unshakable.

As we’re opened to this reality of love, we begin to see its vast dimensions and its delight. It’s always beyond us but calling us always further into new experiences. This is the pearl of great price that Jesus tells of. We hang on to Jesus’ extravagant teaching that calls us into this world of love. We explore and learn, always as disciples. This is how God fills us up.

It’s not by mastering rules or good advice for doing things right in our closed-in world of our control. It’s realizing reality is so much bigger and living into that Truth. You are so much bigger! Our life is now alive with God’s life/Spirit, living every day in our everyday life.

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Advent 3: God With Us - Just One Small Change

The Surprise and Challenge of “God with Us”

Mt gives Jes’ genealogy but incredible birth with challenging choices. What you already know and what God makes possible. What kind of world do we live in? What’s possible? Luke: Mary’s faith. Matthew: Joseph. “With child of the Holy Spirit” – “just man,” “end betrothal.” In few words Mt. encapsulates the disruption and challenge of Jesus’ birth. Joseph could withdraw – fear. Like Mary he had to be open to having his own life marked in ways he couldn’t control. He believes, acts. He doesn’t get to name this child. The name is common – Joshua, Yehoshua, “Yahweh saves.” Jesus fills the meaning: He saves his people, deals with sin, the brokenness of humanity – all shown in the, deceit, violence, injustice. In Jesus, Joseph is shares in what God’s doing – his salvation!

Mt takes us deeper pointing to Isaiah 7 and the sign God gives through a maiden giving birth. Not a prediction but a parallel / resonance. In both, kingdoms clash. God acts. Birth is sign. Ahaz’ faith fails; he sells out. God’s challenge & grace continue. Can faith now be different?

One Change: Lifting Up the Meaning of “With”

Matthew emphasizes “God with Us.” He wants us to think about Jesus filling that meaning. God had been “with” his people. But now the “with” becomes direct, incarnation, God’s face.

It reaches back to God’s loving choice to create, to plant something of himself in us, his Image. God chooses to interact with us in time and history with its changes, shares with us. God chooses to deal with us in love rather than perfection, immutability. He acts in grace. So God come in flesh, human, us. So vulnerable. So beautifully God. Impossibles unite.

Human is not enough. Teaching & morality won’t save. God must intervene. As God, what Jesus does for us transforms who we are, to bring us to truly be children of God.

Jesus brings God’s transforming reality of holiness, self-giving love, & grace into the middle of human self-focus, self-deception. On Sinai God appeared in thunder, fire, trumpets, earthquake – as needed. Only in Jesus can the face of God be seen. The complex oneness of God who makes us for relationship, trust, and love, who wants our maturity, wholeness.

God with Us ... Us with God!

Jesus brings our ordinary life into God. The day by day existence he teaches in the Sermon on the Mount: anger, truth-telling, desires, honesty, anxiety, judgment of others, serving money & stuff, being peacemakers, etc. This narrow way of love is the excellent way!
God risks to be with us. Jesus is Lord, creator, judge. He serves but isn’t our servant. He loves, transforms, challenges, changes us, saves us. We want control, but he won’t be controlled. He wants to be with us, not at a distance. Go into the adventure. Into our true identity.

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Expected King & Waiting People

The Big Question!

Lk leads us with crowds through Nazareth, Capernaum, Opposition, Calling, Sermon. Centurion’s faith, Widow’s son: “Great prophet, God visiting his people.” Leads to John’s question with revealing reflections. John is in prison for courage against Herod Antipas. He is training his own disciples. He’s loves the desert, fasting. Jesus is at banquets, not fasting, etc. John told of him with fire and judgment.

John knows Jesus, but he’s disconcerting. Jn sends his question directly to Jesus: ‘Are you the one who is coming?’ Israel’s story & scripture throb in its words.

An Answer in Deeds that Challenge Us to Recognize God

Jes could say, ‘Yes, I am.’ ‘How could you ask?’ But Jes understands the question & knows the answer changes the world. He answers with actions. But even marvels must be a language to be an answer. Jes enacts words of Isaiah, Malachi. etc.

Jes’ deeds say God’s ancient promises are here. Only the Messiah/God could do it. God’s image comes to new, surprising clarity. Very disconcerting. Don’t stumble!

Looking for a King in the Wilderness

Jes knows the crowds carry the same question/quest. They went out to John looking for a Messiah, an anointed King. Jesus pushes them to think deeply. They went into the wilderness seeking... What? A reed (Herod)? King? A prophet! John’s own identity partly answered his question. He was gateway to a new era. He welcomed ordinary people, soldiers, tax collectors. Last prophet of the old, pointing to new.

Pharisees rejecting John led to rejecting Jesus, refusing God’s good purpose for them.

John and Jesus, Different, Caricatured – Both Come from God

People want God to be tidy with short clear answers. Who is coming? John came. Jesus came. Very different look, sharing the same great event, different roles.

People had ready boxes for them. But what God is doing is vast, complex, real, beautiful, life-giving. You have to see it, live inside it. Wisdom & justice shine.

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