A House Divided

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  16

My Reflection on Verse:

A house divided is a rough situation for all involved.  When two or more people in a house cannot be on the same side friction is caused.  Sometimes there will be more on one side and will use their power to make the other side do what they want.  There are often hard feelings formed over time.  Distrust begins to grow because there is always a struggle going on.

We see this every day when we watch or listen to the news.  We hear opposing sports teams, government parties and religious denominations fighting each other.  Our humanness leads us to take sides and then persuade others to believe what we now believe.  What is amazing is that a lot of times we do not originally believe what we now accept as truth.

When we read this scripture we might be wondering why Jesus is saying that people will find conflict with each other.  We talk about Jesus and we talk about love.  How can Jesus also bring along conflict?  Again we are assuming that it is Jesus that has caused the conflict.  What we miss is that Jesus comes bringing love, yet we n our humanness decides to take sides.

Jesus offers the gift of salvation.  Yet, we are the ones that accept or reject the gift.  It is in this action that conflict arises.  Whichever choice we make we have made a decision on what side of the conflict we are going to stand on.  Some of us will pick Jesus and when we do we are on his side.  Yet, if we do not choose Jesus we stand against Jesus. There are two major conflicts that arise from this choice.  One battle we face is an internal conflict the other is an external conflict.

We have to first face the internal conflict within ourselves. We have to realize that once we become Christians our whole lives change.  No longer are we a part of this world.  We are to live our lives in service and worship of God.  We are to leave our old ways behind and take on our new life.  In the process of accepting Jesus into our life we become new creations.

Our mind will try to tempt us to do the things that we did in the past.  Yet, our sprit will tell us to live for God.  We will daily struggle with this conflict.   We do not have to face these temptations on our own.  We have Jesus in our life and we only need to ask Jesus to help us and the help comes.  We have to remember that we are not what we used to be before Christ.  In this new life, we have to ensure that we listen to our spirit not to our humanness. 

When we fall to our temptations we need to ask Jesus to forgive us.  We need to then strive not to fall again.  Yet, this is where it gets very tricky.  We are not perfect we are forgiven sinners.  Therefor we will succumb to temptations over and over again.  Yet, as Christians our goal should be to stride toward not following our temptations.  We need to focus on serving God. 

We need to know that because Jesus knows that we are not perfect Jesus not only forgives our past sins but our future sins.  Jesus’s blood covers all our sins.  Yet, this doesn’t mean that we should go out in the world and sin.  Instead we should strive every day to live without sin.  Once you realize that the internal conflict is a daily battle the more prepared you become to fight it.

The second battle is an external battle.  We will see people who we loved and trusted do things which harm us.  These are our friends and families who have not accepted Jesus into their life.  There will come times when they will try to convince us to go back to our old way of life.  The problem isn’t that they are not fighting us instead it is our way of new life that they are fighting back against.  They do not have the same saving grace in their life and they cannot understand how we are so free. 

We have to see that we are a representation of the love that they have not found in their own life.  We have to turn the other cheek.  We have to make sure that we do not give into temptation.  We have to remember that we need to always keep our eyes on Jesus.  He will help us through these struggles.

Even when people rise up against us physically we can call on Jesus.  Do not assume because you have Jesus in your life that you will not face physical challenges.  These physical challenges when they come from our friends and family seem to hit our moral much harder than an outsider.  Yet, we have to remember to keep focused on God just.  We have to remember to have the same faith and strength as Job.  No matter what happened in his life he did not lose his strength.  We need to keep that in mind as our loved ones come against us. 

We also need to remember is that they are not coming after us.  They are attacking Jesus which has changed our life.  We become a part of Jesus’s family when we become a child of God.  Those that do not accept Jesus are often jealous or mad at the new self that we become.  They desire the same peace yet, they choose not to accept it from God.

Questions:

Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  What battle are you in today?  Are you focusing on Jesus to help you through it?  Do you need to ask Jesus to help us overcome the struggle that seems impossible for us to handle?

Worship Jesus in Reverence

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  15

My Reflection on Verse:

We have to worship Jesus with reverence.  Jesus even though born of a woman is God.  Though Jesus was fully human, Jesus was fully God.  There are so many times that we get wrapped up in the birth and death of Jesus’s human body that we forget about the spirit which was God.

We have to remember that even before Jesus was born in a physical body he was God.  Jesus was with God and a part of God before the formation of all the Heavens.  John made it clear in his Gospel that Jesus was and forever will be God.  We have to accept this to fully understand that we must worship Jesus with all reverence.

We must remember that we need to worship Jesus for he came to Earth to be born so that he could live like us.  He walked this Earth and never once sinned.  Jesus then taught us by example how to live our life.  He taught us to respect others and to be there for those that others have turned away. 

Jesus then took the road to the cross.  Jesus could have easily have stopped the crucifixion at any moment.  Jesus loved us so much that he let his body be beaten.  He felt the pain as the nails pierced his hands and feet.  He felt the agony as he hung from the cross his body slowly slipping away.  He then did the unthinkable he looked up to God and said forgive them because they don’t understand what they are doing. 

The Spirit of Jesus returned to Heaven.  The Spirit or God part of Jesus never died.  Being God meant that the spirit of Jesus returned to Heaven.  The body being human passed away.  No longer was Jesus in pain.  No longer was the Spirit of God confined to the body of humanness.

This could have been the end of the story.  Yet, Jesus took it one step further.  Jesus’s spirit came back to the Earth.  It entered the body that just days before died.  It was at this moment that Jesus fulfilled all of the things that had been foretold.  Jesus came back to life so that we may understand the power of God. 

It is through these actions that we receive the gift of salvation.  With that said we know how important it is to worship Jesus.  We need to respect Jesus with all of our heart.  We need to worship Jesus with our whole body, mind, and spirit.  Jesus gave all so that we can have all.  Praise the Messiah.

Questions:

Do you accept Jesus as your savior?  Do you accept what Jesus did for you?  Are you worshiping God with reverence?

Do not be Self-righteous

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  14

My Reflection on Verse:

When this is first read it seems contrary to the other Gospels.  God teaches us to pray, fast and to give alms.  Imagine doing these three things to be seen.  Isn’t that what the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing?  They were in the public view making their sacrifices known to all.  They were actually being self-righteous instead of pious.

When we boast about our prayers as if we are more in tuned with God because of our prayers we are causing people to walk away from God.  I want us to think about this a second how many times do you pray on your own.  Do you pray most of the time in public?  See many of us do not even consider when we ae openly praying people may feel as if we think that we are better than them.  There are times to pray in public.  Yet, if you are praying in public for attention you are living outside the will of God.  So be careful when you pray in public if you are doing it for others to see remember that this action is not for Jesus but for your own self-righteous behavior.

When we boast about the times that we fast we are outside the will of God.  Fasting should be a time in which you commune with God.  A time of reflection and meditation that helps you grow closer to God.  Yet, how many people brag about the times that they meditate and fast.  People who boast because they spent so many days fasting to get closer to God are actually doing the opposite.  Doesn’t this make the person self-righteous?  If they had fasted and meditated and kept it to them wouldn’t the fasting led to greater commune to God.  Yet, instead of keeping to ourselves we go out and share it.  Think about how many people who have felt less of themselves because they haven’t fasted like others that they know.

When we boast about helping poor we are not doing what God wants.  Should we not help the poor in secret?  Are we giving out of a heart of joy instead of a heart of boasting?  Think about the people that you see that make a public display of helping others.  Doesn’t it make you feel that you are not doing what you should do?  Doesn’t it also make you feel less than helpful because you might not be able to give what the other person gives?  You think that your gift is not helping.  When you give wanting people to see what you have given you are affecting those that give what they can give no matter how small.  You are showing that you are better off.  God calls us to give to the poor in quiet.  We need to help those that need poor without boasting.  When you give to those that need help in secret you make a bigger impact than when you want others to know what you have given in a public display.

The last part of the verse helps further explain why you should not be self-righteous.  When you are served something you should consume it without pushing it away saying that this is against my religion.  When you tell someone that you cannot eat something because of your religious beliefs you are actually telling the person that they are not as religious as you.  Imagine meeting someone for the first time and trying to witness to them.  They are trying to learn about God from us.  Would this not make them think that they cannot ask Jesus in their heart because of the words you say?  Your words are powerful making sure that you are not speaking out of a self-righteous goal.  Instead speak with the heart of God and you will see more people will accept god because of the way you have acted.

All in all what we are to learn is not to do things so others can see it.  We are to be careful of what we say because it can turn people off of God.  People need to know that we are also sinners who have been forgiven by God.  When you present your story this way you are making a much bigger impact than someone who brags that they are doing things that are more Christian like than others.

Questions:

Do you do things because of a Christian heart?  Are you doing things so people can see what you are doing to help others?  Are you boasting about what you are doing?  Are you keeping the things that you are doing for God between you and God?

Who Do You Say I Am Like

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  13

My Reflection on Verse:

Jesus asked who you think I am like.  Imagine having that question asked to you.  Who would you say Jesus was?  Would you acknowledge Jesus as the Savior?  Would you be like the disciples who didn’t fully understand who Jesus was?

The disciples had walked with Jesus.  They had lived with Jesus.  They had learned from Jesus.  Yet, they truly didn’t understand what Jesus would be for them.  They accepted that he was the Messiah.  Yet, they didn’t understand what Jesus would do for them.

We have the knowledge of the past.  We know what happened that day Jesus went to the cross.  Yet, do we truly know who Jesus is to us.  Do we know that Jesus is the salvation that we need?  Have we accepted that Jesus is our Messiah?

It is important to remember that Jesus came for each and every one of us.  Jesus came for those that have passed.  Jesus came for those to come.  Jesus is the Messiah of the world.  Yet, how many of us do not understand this.  How many of us miss the saving power of Jesus’s death and resurrection?

The disciples would soon learn all that we know.  They would learn that their teacher would die to make them free.  They would learn that Jesus was not only a man but the Messiah.  They learned Jesus would free them from their sins.

In this moment there were two things that we learn that dispelled beliefs at the time this manuscript was written.   First Jesus was not an angel.  Many people at this time thought that Jesus was an Angel in human form.  This was challenged by this question.  What we and others learn is that Jesus is not an Angel.  Secondly, Jesus was not just a human philosopher.  People at the time had a hard time accepting that Jesus was both human and God.  This goes right to the heart of those that thought this.  Jesus was not just human but was part of the trinity of God.

We also have to ask the question about why Thomas was pulled to the side to be told special things.  I think this is like many of us that are given gifts by God.  He believed that he was not wise enough or important enough to answer the question.  We need to understand that Jesus picked him to receive this special moment because of this humbleness.  We need to remember that we are also like Thomas.  We will only receive gifts from Jesus if we approach it humbly.

Questions

Who do you say Jesus is?  Have you accepted that Jesus is both Human and God?  Have you accepted that Jesus is the Messiah?  Have you given your life over to God?  Are you willing to accept the gifts that God wants to bestow on you?

Turning to Those Which Live a True, Just Christian Life

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  12

My Reflection on Verse:

We know from the Gospels that Jesus had prepared the Disciples for the time that he would no longer be with them.  We can question if they really understood what Jesus was saying.  We can imagine that they were confused and shocked.  They thought Jesus would always be with them. 

They had to have questions about who the next leader would be.  Who would they go to ask questions?  Would they be left on their own without any leader to guide them?  Who would be good enough to replace Jesus?

The fact is that we too have the same questions.  We have moments that we wonder who I can go to ask questions.  We understand that we have the Bible to go by.  Yet, we often have questions that we want to discuss with someone.  We have issues that we feel we need to talk to someone about.

Jesus makes it clear in this saying that we can go to when we need to ask questions.  Jesus shares with us who we can go to when we are troubled and need advice.  We need to go to someone who is a true Christian.  We need to turn to someone who not only talks the talk but walks the walk.  We need to go to someone that communes with God in prayer and meditation.  

We all know someone that we have trusted when things get rough.  Someone that you can go to and not worry about what you tell them.  We all know someone that you can talk to and know that they will give you advice that will benefit you.  We know someone that has lived the life of a true Christian that studies the word and is willing to share their knowledge with you.

I know for me I have had a few people that I could turn to in those moments.  Several of them have passed from this world to their reward.  I know without a doubt that they are saints in Heaven.  They shared love and truth with all who came to them.  They provided guidance without judgement.

I worried when they passed where I would turn to now.  Who could I go to and discuss my concerns.  Who would I find that would give me the Christian advice I needed? I was not shocked at all that God provided the person that I needed in my life.  I am able to ask questions and know that they through their studying of the word are there for me.

I have also been humbled by those that come to me for advice.  I cannot explain how humbling it is to know that someone trusts you enough that they count you as a person who can help them understand God’s will for their life.  I never thought that I would be one of these people.  Yet, I have noticed over the years that more and more people have considered me this person in their life.

Then as I think about it I know that the people that I have turned to have felt the same way.  A person that is truly living in the will of God will be humbled when this happens to them.  It is nothing to brag about instead it is something to thank God for.  It is a gift that God has granted.

I know that when the disciples asked this question they couldn’t imagine anyone who could replace Jesus in their life.  I am also sure that they were shocked when the community started treating them as sages and advisors.   Can’t you only imagine Peter the first time someone came to him for Christian guidance.  He knew that he had betrayed Jesus in the bleakest of hours.  Yet, he now had the responsibility to guide someone and to give back to Jesus.  He had to be very humbled by this. 

Questions:

Who can you go to when you need to ask questions?  Are you someone others can turn to in their time of need? 

The One Shall Become Two

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  11

My Reflection on Verse:

The Earth will never be the same because of the life of Jesus.  Jesus changed the world as we know it.  What we thought we knew as the truth has been replaced by the actual truth.  We have come to the understanding that we were never truly alive because we did not have Jesus in our life.

It is not until we accept Jesus into our life do we realize what we always needed.  It is in that moment that we change from being those who are dead in spirit to being alive.  Nothing that we ever understood before is the same.  We are given the knowledge between Good and Evil.  We understand what we need to do and what we should not do.  Our life will never be the same again.

We have to understand that we will have gone from a person that lived in darkness to a person that is now in light.  The Holy Spirit lives within those that accept Jesus.  We are no longer of one spirit but of two.  We have the Human Spirit that desires things of this world.  We also have the Holy Spirit that directs us to the things that we should desire.

It is this connection between Jesus and ourselves that changes us forever.  We further are exposed to what the Good News means in our life.  We also learn that we are to spread the word of God throughout the land.  What we were doing is changed forever.  Therefor our old ways disappears and our new being appears.

Questions:

Have you accepted the Light into your life?  Are you ready to serve God openly?  What do you need to do to put away your old self and accept to walk in the light of Jesus?

Fanning the Flame of Good News

Ancient Manuscript: Gospel of Thomas

Saying:  10

My Reflection on Verse:

We can compare this saying to the process of planting.  In the past the first step of clearing the field involved setting the field on fire.  The fire then would burn down the brush that was left over after the plants were picked.  The fire would be a very controlled burn because the farmer would keep a close eye on it.  The fire would be contained in a certain area until all of the field’s leftovers were burned. Then the field would be ready to be planted.

The fire that was started for the harvest of Christians came with the birth of Jesus.  Jesus’s birth was the preparation for the harvest.  Without the birth there would be nothing to be harvested later.  The birth of Jesus led to the ministry, death and resurrection.  All of these would lead to the great harvest of Christians.

Jesus is the farmer who was watching the fire.  He was making sure that the right information was shared to those that would listen.  Jesus taught those around him so that they would have the knowledge that they would need.  Just like the farmer is able to increase the flaming in one area Jesus was able to flame the Good news.

The death of Jesus is what contained the flame.  Those that had walked with Jesus would soon come to understand what Jesus had been teaching them.  They would come to understand that Jesus had to die for them to be saved.  He wasn’t dying in vain instead he was dying so that we would understand what we truly needed in our life.

Jesus is watching the fire that was started now that he has risen from the grave.  The resurrection led to the overseeing of those that would spread the word.  Jesus is able to help those that came to accept his gift of everlasting life. The Resurrection is the part of the story that we have to understand is the step needed to make sure that the fire would not just distinguish.  Now the fire is spreading in a very controlled and methodical way.

We as Christians are responsible for the next stage of the fire.  That is taking it throughout the land so others can come to know Jesus as their personal Savior.  We know the Gospel and we need to share it to those that need to hear it.

Questions:

We have to answer this question what happens if we do not spread the Good News?  Who in our life do we need to share the story with?  What would have happened to us if we were never told the story of Jesus?