What motivates how you live? What motivates the choices you make or do not make in your life? What are you moving away from and what are you moving toward in your life? What is your primary mover, your purpose, your driving force, your why, or your motivation for your life?

As followers of Jesus, we are called to move away from what brings about death, judgement, and loss, and we are to move toward what brings about eternal life and gives eternal purpose.

In his first letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote to his young disciple Timothy, encouraging him to live in light of eternity, saying, “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12, ESV).

Not all opportunity and choices are equal or have the same weight of eternal purpose or the lasting reward of eternal life. We are to flee from meaningless pursuits, empty decisions, and damaging choices that bring about death and judgement and we are to pursue that which brings about eternal life and eternal purpose.

Have you ever lost something important or valuable? How have you responded to loosing something that you love? What makes loosing something or someone so frightening or serious? What is the appropriate response to loosing something or someone important?

Most of us have experienced loosing something or someone important or valuable to us. Some of us have even been lost ourselves.

The important thing about lost things and lost people is they can be found.

In Luke chapter fifteen, Jesus told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons in response to the tax collectors and sinners who were all drawing near to hear him, and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:1-2, ESV).

In The Parable of the Lost Sheep, the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep and finds the one lost sheep. Jesus says, “And when he [the shepherd] comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:6-7, ESV).

In The Parable of the Lost Coin Jesus says, “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?” Jesus concludes the parable saying, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10, ESV).

What kind of choice is discipleship? What are we choosing when we choose to be followers of Jesus?

Being a follower of Jesus, a disciple of Jesus, is choosing God’s life for us over and above choosing our own way of life. When we choose God’s life for us, we choose to really live.

In the fifth book of the law, Deuteronomy, God spoke to Moses and the people of Israel, saying, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, ESV).

Following God and his law leads to life and blessing.

Is it difficult or easy for you to be at the center of attention? Are you comfortable in low places of simplicity and humility, or do you require visible honor and places of prominence?  What is humility and how do we pursue humility in our lives?

At the heart of humility is a true understanding of ourselves in light of who God is. Humility is seeing God and others as being greater than ourselves. We should seek humility and to be honored by God above self-honor or the accolades of others.

Jesus speaks of humility in the parable of the wedding feast in Luke 14:7-11, saying, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11, ESV).

We can think too highly of ourselves, exalting ourselves, and be humbled; or we can humble ourselves before God and others, allowing God by his grace and generosity to exalt us in our humility through his humility and goodness to us.

What is the most difficult door you have ever had to step through? Have some of the hardest doorways to go through led you to the most beneficial places?

It is often the case that the most difficult doorways to enter through provide some of the moist rewarding destinations and opportunities.

In Luke’s gospel account Jesus “went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (Luke 13:22-23, ESV).

Jesus taught them saying, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’” (Luke 13:23-25, ESV).

What is discipline? Why does discipline matter? How important is it to be disciplined? Is it important for our faith to be disciplined? In what ways is discipline a part of discipleship, holiness, and maturity in our relationship with Jesus? 

At the root of discipline is instruction, correction, or teaching. Discipline helps move us toward holiness and being more like Jesus. To discipline means to teach.

A disciple is a learner or a student. Students and learners grow and mature and move toward holiness. When we are corrected, we learn and we grow. When we learn and we grow we become more holy. And when we become more holy, we see God more clearly as we become more like him. 

Discipline is essential for the disciple of Jesus. 

Are we afraid to serve God and his kingdom? What does serving God’s kingdom look like? What reservations or fears do we have related to serving God and his kingdom? 

It can be frightening and difficult to serve God and to do his kingdom work in the world. It can be costly to serve God and to do his kingdom work. 

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:32-34, ESV). 

God does not want us to be afraid. God wants to give us his kingdom. If we were not afraid and if we trusted God’s kingdom provision, we would serve God with our lives without hesitation, reservation, or fear, and no matter the cost. 

What is your true net worth? What riches do you have? Are you content with what you have, or do you want more? Are you rich toward God, or do you keep all your riches for yourself?

God has blessed us with so much. We have everything we need and then some. Even though God has provided so much for us, we can have the tendency to want more and to not share what we have.

In the Parable of the Rich Fool, in Luke 12:13-21, Jesus warned of covetousness, saying, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15, ESV).

We are not what we own. Covetousness leads to us wanting what is not ours and leads to be owned by what we own. We can possess our possessions or we can be possessed by our possessions.

Do you pray? How do you pray? How are you supposed to pray? Are you persistent in prayer?

As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to pray. In Luke 11:1-13 Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, saying “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:1-2, ESV). It is not if you pray, but when you pray. Prayer is assumed for the believer.

We are supposed to pray to God as our Father. We are supposed to ask God for his kingdom to come, for what we need, for forgiveness of sin, for forgiveness of others, and to be led away from temptation. (Luke 11:2-4, ESV).

We can approach God in prayer as a friend who cares about us and our needs and who will meet our needs when we come to him.

Jesus said this about prayer: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13, ESV).

How many things are you juggling in life? How many plates do you have spinning? Are you anxious and troubled over many things? If you had to choose just one thing, what would it be and why? What is the one thing that is necessary in your life?

We are very busy people. We all have many different responsibilities and facets to our lives. We live full and hurried lives where we juggle many different elements of family, work, relationships, hobbies, finances, managing the different aspects of our days, weeks, months, and years. We have a lot going on. We are anxious and troubled about many things.

Many things are our reality, but only one thing is essential and necessary. Many things call for our attention, but only one thing is really worthy of all our attention and affection.

Distraction and business is easy work, bur simplicity and focus require difficult work.

Such was the case with two sisters, Martha and Mary, in the time of Jesus’ ministry. Martha was busy and distracted from Jesus by serving and conducting many tasks with great anxiety and trouble, while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching. Mary put herself in the position of a disciple of Jesus, sitting at his feet and listening and learning, while Martha was filled with bitterness and resentment which grew from tasks of ritualistic obligation and a darkened heart of approval seeking, rather than a humble heart of selfless service.

Luke’s gospel account tells us, “Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42, ESV).

Who does God send out to do the work he has given us to do? Why does God send us out? How does God send us out? What are some of the challenges of being sent out to do God’s kingdom work?

God sends all of his followers to do his work. God sends us out because the work is plentiful and the workers are few. God sends us out to do his work and to be a part of what he is doing in his kingdom work the world.

As followers of Jesus, God calls each of us into his harvest field as laborers. We experience God’s presence and blessings as God uses us and we bear witness to the power of God and to the presence of God as he uses us for his purposes and kingdom work.

The Gospel of Luke tells us, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” (Luke 10:1-2, ESV).

What is true religion? What is true life? What is God calling each of us to?

God is calling each of us to salvation and to life everlasting. When we lose our lives for God’s sake, we find our life in him.

True religion and true life begins with denying ourselves, taking up our sufferings, and following Jesus.

As Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24, ESV).

When we lose our lives for the sake of Jesus, we find our true life in Jesus.

May we find true religion in the salvation Jesus offers as we take up our cross and follow him and as we find our true life hidden in him.

A Collect for the Second Sunday after Pentecost, or the First Sunday after Trinity (Proper 7): “Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

Is God ever alone? What relationships does God have? What is God’s relationships like?

God has never been alone. God is always in a loving and reciprocal and interdependent relationship with himself, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is always selflessly and sacrificially deferring to himself in an outpouring of love as he glorifies himself in perfect loving relationship.

God’s Spirit guides us into every truth as he reveals himself to us in love. God reveals himself in love and invites us into this loving relationship of God.

Jesus promised, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15, ESV).

Do you need help? What kind of help do you need? Do you have all the help you need? Are you willing to ask for the help you need? Are you aware of the help God has given you through his Holy Spirit?

We all need help at some point in our lives. Sometimes we are aware of the help we need and other times we are not aware of the help we need. Many of us struggle to ask for help when we are overwhelmed or in need.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promised, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17, ESV).

What does it mean to keep your word? What does it mean to keep God’s word? Can we keep our word without keeping God’s word as followers of Jesus?

We are each called to keep God’s word in obedience to him as followers of Jesus. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only.

The book of James tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, NKJV).

When we keep the word of God we are true to God and true to ourselves. When we obey God, we live in integrity with God and with ourselves.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21, ESV).

Why does God call us to love one another? How does God call us to love one another? Who are we supposed to love? In what ways are we to love one another?

God calls us to love our brothers and sisters. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Love is a high call, as old as the laws of God given to Moses in the days of the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness.

In the Book of Leviticus, the law given to Moses tells us, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:17-18, ESV).

God calls us to the high calling of love. When the world is filled with hate, God calls us to love and to reason. When others are seeking revenge and are holding grudges, God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35, ESV).

How do we know God loves us? How do we know God is with us? How do we know God is caring for us? How does God love us? How is God with us? How does God care for us?

We can know God loves us, is with us, and is caring for us because God is a good shepherd. God loves us like a shepherd loves his sheep. God is with us like a shepherd is with his sheep. God cares for us like a shepherd cares for their sheep.

In the days of the wilderness wanderings when God was leading his people into the promised land, Moses, a good shepherd of the sheep and of the Israelite people, gave his leadership over to another good shepherd leader, Joshua.

“Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, ‘Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:15-17, ESV).

God desired to love his people, to be with his people, and to care for his people, like a good shepherd loves his sheep, like a good shepherd is with his sheep, and like a good shepherd cares for his sheep.

Do you remember how you came to know Jesus? Do you remember who led you to know and receive Jesus? Who was the first person to pray for you and to help you to know Jesus?

As followers of Jesus, each of us have a testimony of how we came to know Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, formally Saul, came to know the risen Lord as he encountered him on the road to Damascus. God blinded Saul for three days and gave him a vision that a man named Ananias would come and lay hands on him in prayer.

God spoke to Ananias and asked him to lay hands on Saul and pray for him. The Book of Acts tells “There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’” (Acts 9:10).

Ananias obeyed God and prayed for Saul and baptized him, even though he did not understand why God was asking him to do this, even when it seemed dangerous to do so, and even when it seemed far-fetched and out of the ordinary.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us, “Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.” (Acts 9:17-19, ESV).

What are your insecurities and doubts? Do you struggle with security and belief in your relationship with Jesus? Do insecurities and doubts rob you of the life God intends for you?

We all experience insecurities and doubts at some point in our lives and in our relationships, especially in our relationship with Jesus. We have insecurities and doubts in our faith that rob us of the life and peace God intends for us to have.

In John’s gospel account, John tells us that he is writing so that people would believe and have life in Jesus. John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31, ESV).

John writes these powerful verses after the account of Thomas’ insecurities and doubts which were swirling around in his head about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thomas was being robbed of joy and life in the face of his insecurities and doubts. Thomas said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25, ESV).

Jesus responded to Thomas with compassion and grace as he met Thomas in the upper room and calmed his insecurities and gave strength and confidence to his faith. Jesus invited Thomas to believe and to receive the secure and faith-filled life that he had for Thomas. “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:26-28, ESV).

Are you a renter or an owner? How do you see your role in this world? Are you a steward or a lord? Do you pay your dues?

As followers of Jesus, we are stewards of God’s resources and we are stewards of God’s kingdom in the world. We are tenants. We are servants. Each of us are renters, not owners of God’s creation. And we are called to give God his due as his servants.

In the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, in Luke 20:9-19, we see tenants who do not want to meet their obligations as tenants, but they want ownership and they want to strip the vineyard from the vineyard owner.

Luke tells us Jesus told this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed” (Luke 20:9-10).

Like these tenants, we are called to give the proceeds of our fruitfulness to the vineyard owner—God, but we do not always submit to God in obedience, and we do not always give God what is due to him. We want the benefits and the ownership without the service and without the responsibility.