WHY IS JESUS HOMELESS?

In Malachi chapter 3, God told His people:

⁹     You are cursed with a curse,

     For you have robbed Me,

     Even this whole nation.

¹⁰     Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

     That there may be food in My house,

     And try Me now in this,”

     Says the Lord of hosts,

     “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

     And pour out for you such blessing

     That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Wait.  Wait. Before you rehearse the same clichéd and selfish response, read it again.  Only this time, listen to what God actually said. 

WHY did God say He wants the tithe?

That there may be food in My house

Food for whom?  For you? 

Dude, you ain’t hungry.

Food for whom?  For God?

God already said: 

Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?  Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.  (Psalm 50: 13, 14)

So who’s the food in God’s house for? 

It’s for those people who don’t have food:  the needy.

This prosperity passage isn’t primarily about how to get money from God.  It’s about the church’s obligation to be a house of ministry and outreach to the least of these.  That’s the kind of house God wants.

Build the temple, build God a house, the Lord commanded in Haggai 1: 7-9.  But build Him a house in which He feels comfortable.     

Build God a house in which Jesus has what we all expect to find at home:  food, clothing, shelter, and company.

And how do we provide food, clothing, shelter, and company to God in His house?

Read Matthew chapter 25. 

^37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ^38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ^39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ^40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’  

The church is supposed to be a storehouse out of which God’s people help the needy and the lost.  The church--- a church is NOT supposed to be a showcase for our own aspirations to affluence.

We talk and sing about a Jesus who was not found with the rich and great in palaces or in the grandest temples.

But, we expend our energy and treasure building personal palaces and the grandest churches we can or cannot afford.

We lament how few people find Jesus when we preach and worship in those expensive places.

But we talk about and sing about how Jesus WAS FOUND with the poor and the sick, the lowly and the sinners, NOT among the rich and powerful and self-righteous.

So, maybe it would be easier to for them to find Jesus where we are if we built more homeless shelters instead of larger sanctuaries.

Maybe Jesus would be found in our fellowship halls if we used them to feed the hungry instead of ourselves.

Maybe the reason people can’t find Jesus in the churches we build is that we didn’t really erect them for God.  

We bought the places for us.

Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head because the houses we’ve built in His name are places where He doesn’t feel welcome.

The reason so many churches can’t cover their overhead is that we’ve built houses in Jesus' name but left Jesus outside and homeless, and God has gotten tired of paying for houses in which He doesn’t feel welcome.

And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9: 58)

So if we want God to

open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Then we should repurpose our buildings to make Jesus feel more comfortable in all of his homeless, hungry, needy, incarcerated, sick, and impoverished glory.

Then Jesus would come on in; and the lost would be able to find Him where we are.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Miles Chapel CME Church (5220 Myron Massey Boulevard) in Fairfield, Alabama;  executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO);  and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

You can help support this ministry with a donation to Miles Chapel CME Church.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to  

Miles Chapel CME Church

P O Box 132

Fairfield, Al 35064

Audio of sermon: MY FATHER’S HOUSE

On the day of His resurrection, what did Jesus want?  After 33 years of earthly life and 3 days of death, what did Jesus want to do more than anything else?

Reconsider Luke’s two accounts of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, because the answer may change------ everything.

The sermon is called:  MY FATHER’S HOUSE.

Listen well.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer, and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church and the executive director of SAYNO (Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization) in Montgomery, Alabama.

Call  334-288-0577
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

Subscribe to my personal blog  www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com .

You can help support this Rev. Graves’ work by visiting his personal blog and clicking the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.

Or send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail should be addressed to:
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

A PSALM FOR FAMILIES

When Your disciples asked You

to teach them

to pray

You taught them to begin

“Our Father Who Art in Heaven”

Our FATHER

Of all the ways You could present Yourself

Of all the ways Jesus could present You

You named Yourself our FATHER

Thank You.

Now, restore to us the joy of fatherhood in Your name

Restore to men the joy of leadership

Of responsibility

Of being the protector

Or being the provider

Of being there.

Restore to us the joy of being husbands and fathers and the first priest of our families

Fathers in Your name

You brought forth life from nothing

Out of the womb of the earth You birthed us all

Thank You.

Now, restore to us the joy of motherhood in Your name

Bring back the joy of bringing life

Of nurturing

Teaching

Caring

Restore the joy of womanly grace

And of being the first love in our homes

Restore to us the joy of motherhood in Your name

When we Your children went so wrong that You saw us headed to death and condemnation

You chose

Of all the ways you could have intervened

To manifest and send to us Yourself as Your child as Your Son

Thank you.

Now, Lord, restore to us the joy of childhood.

Give our children peace

And dreams

Hope

And security

Give our children laughter without malice

Play without corruption

Discovery without destruction

Protect them from themselves

Deliver them from the enemy who makes them enemies

Of themselves

Bring back the joy of childhood

In Your name.

When we were broken by sin

You gave Your Son to make us whole

And Your Holy Spirit to remain with us

And in us

To empower us to live wholly.

Now, fill our families with your Holy Spirit

Where we are broken,

Split

Divided

Separated

Estranged

Or strangers

Heal us.  Make us whole.

Restore the lost joy of loving one another.

Empower reconciliation

Enable restoration

Cleanse our tainted hearts

And renew our wronged spirits

Give your Holy Spirit to us

And restore to us the joy

Of family

So that we may remember Who made us

And in remembering fulfill

The first blessing of Creation

And reflect Your image

In our FAMILIES.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com

Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To listen to sermons and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can help support this ministry by clicking the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.

Support by check or money order may be mailed to

Hall Memorial CME Church

541 Seibles Road

Montgomery, AL 36116

A WORD TO THE WISE. Proverbs 31: 13. "She's Got Work to Do"

Proverbs 31: 13     She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.

Proverbs 31:13.  The American concept of a “stay at home mom” is fascinatingly unbiblical.  The Bible does not teach this idea--- at least not the way we generally interpret it in America.

The Biblical ideal is a woman who brings value to the family.  Yes, she is a woman who brings good, godly VALUES to the home; but right now I’m talking about how she brings personal, spiritual, emotional, and financial VALUE.

What the Bible depicts would be more accurately expressed by the phrase “WORK from home mom.” 

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is an entrepreneur, a shrewd negotiator, a manger of resources.  She’s a BOSS.   And she loves the role.

She has domestic skills, but she is not a mindless domestic.  She is comfortable in the sewing room and in the boardroom.     (Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good complement to the ideal man who can afford a Mercedes but also mows the yard and changes the oil.)

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 works with her mind and with her hands  just as the man was doing when God made woman, back in Genesis chapter 2.  
God’s design for husband and God’s design for wife are perfectly matched to bring value to their home.

The Bible does not exalt the image of a woman just “staying” at home  because she isn’t allowed to go do anything.   Go back and read again Titus 2: 4, 5.  Older women are commanded to mentor younger women and to

… teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (King James Version)

A “keeper,” not a stayer.  A “keeper” was a guardian, a protector, the commander of the gate, the inspector of goods, the first line of defense until the army could get there.  A boss. 

A wife’s job is to help her husband bring value to the home.   
Much love to those women who can do that from the home address.   But the value has to come in, even if you can’t “stay” at the house and get it.

(And that is the difference between a Biblical housewife and a cultural trophy wife.)

Sometimes a woman has to go beyond the home to get that value and bring it back.   She has to go bring it from afar. (Proverbs 31: 4)
But home is still homebase, still headquarters, still the place where she comes back to stand with her husband, pool what they have, and build something greater.
At least, that’s how the Bible puts it.

I’ve kept you long enough, sister.  Go on, girl.  You’ve got work to do.

--Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and leadership development.   

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

Proverbs 31: 13. "She's Got Work to Do"

Proverbs 31: 13     She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.

Proverbs 31:13.  The American concept of a “stay at home mom” is fascinatingly unbiblical.  The Bible does not teach this idea--- at least not the way we generally interpret it in America.

The Biblical ideal is a woman who brings value to the family.  Yes, she is a woman who brings good, godly VALUES to the home; but right now I’m talking about how she brings personal, spiritual, emotional, and financial VALUE.
 

What the Bible depicts would be more accurately expressed by the phrase “WORK from home mom.” 

 

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is an entrepreneur, a shrewd negotiator, a manger of resources.  She’s a BOSS.   And she loves the role.

She has domestic skills, but she is not a mindless domestic.  She is comfortable in the sewing room and in the boardroom.     (Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good complement to the ideal man who can afford a Mercedes but also mows the yard and changes the oil.)

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 works with her mind and with her hands  just as the man was doing when God made woman, back in Genesis chapter 2.    God’s design for husband and God’s design for wife are perfectly matched to bring value to their home.

The Bible does not exalt the image of a woman just “staying” at home  because she isn’t allowed to go anywhere or do anything.   Go back and read again Titus 2: 4, 5.  Older women are commanded to mentor younger women and to

… teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (King James Version)

A “keeper,” not a stayer.  A “keeper” was a guardian, a protector, the commander of the gate, the inspector of goods, the first line of defense until the army could get there.  A boss. 

A wife’s job is to help her husband bring value to the home.   

Much love to those women who can do that from the home address.   But the value has to come in, even if you can’t “stay” at the house and get it.

(And that is the difference between a Biblical housewife and a cultural trophy wife.)

 

Sometimes a woman has to go beyond the home to get that value and bring it back.   She has to go bring it from afar. (Proverbs 31: 4)
But home is still homebase, still headquarters, still the place where she comes back to stand with her husband, pool what they have, and build something greater.

At least, that’s how the Bible puts it.

 

I’ve kept you long enough, sister.  Go on, girl.  You’ve got work to do.

--Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116