//The good news of Caesar

In the 1st century, Christians found themselves living as a subversion to the powers and politics of the kingdom around them.  They saw themselves as bringing in a new Kingdom, one that has existed since the beginning of time, but was crashing into this world, bringing hope, light, and True peace.  They preached the Good News of Jesus Christ, which in the 1st century, had some very steep implications.  It meant that they were opposing Caesar.  They had a different King.

In the 21st century, Christians have chose live with and within the powers and politics of the kingdoms around them.  Christians now travel, not carrying the Good News of Christ, but preaching the good news of Caesar (now namely Obama or McCain). We are trading the Hope of True hope, light, and peace for the empty hope that can be found in politics or a politician.

May God's Kingdom, not man's, truly come.

//Stuff

Why is it that when we exspirience being around people of such great poverty or people that may lack the basic needs for survival, we come back to our over cluttered existance and are thankful for all our stuff?
We so often are thankful for all of our things.
Yes...it is incredibly important to be thankful, I praise God for the food, water and a place of shelter he has so graciously blessed me with.

But I believe that Christ invites us to ask a new question, one that isn't easy to answer.

.::Why do I have all of this stuff, when others don't even have food?

When will we see the hurt in our world, we need ask ourselves that question...
It is not a guilt thing, guilt gets us nowhere.
It is not about pride in doing good, pride is death to us.
It is not a works theology, for we are saved only by the Grace of God.

.::It is about following.

Following the God of compassion and love, of grace and peace.
We are His followers.
He leads us to the homeless, the sick, the rich, the hungry and the thirsty, because they are his children too.
And he desperatly wants them to come home.

Next time we come home to our warm bed with all of our stuff (we americans like to call this stuff "blessings") consider and contemplate the words of Paul:

You will be made rich in every way
So that you can be generous on every occasion,
And through us your generosity will result in
Thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11

//Grace and Peace