Denver Community Church

February 5, 2017: Heavy and Light – Michael Hidalgo

Paul speaks multiple times in the first chapter of the “praise of his glory.” This is one of those things we can say, talk about, use in conversation … but how often have we ever stopped to ask the question, “What is the praise of God’s glory?” Well the most simple way to describe is by saying that we have the opportunity and responsibility to live in such a way that when people see us they will praise the glory of God they witness before them.

But that still doesn’t quite answer it, does it? So maybe we can try to explain glory. The word in Greek is doxa which was the word used to translate the Hebrew word kavod. Both speak of something massive or heavy; something that carries a luminous majesty that upon seeing it we know it is far more than we are. That is glory … and here Paul speaks 3 times in eight verses of God’s glory. It speaks toward something heavy, serious, real, tangible, bigger than us. And this is what we long for – to be a part of something bigger. We live in a world that is lite – offering us cheap momentary thrills and products that continue to waste away. But glory … now that is something that will last – and we are caught up in it. Thank God!

January 31, 2016: The Reason We Give (Community) – Landon Lynch

Jesus’ teachings on wealth and poverty seem offensive to our modern Western individualistic mindset. I mean “sell everything and give to the poor” would be irresponsible. And why would we not “store away in barns” since we need to be sure we are able to provide for ourselves in the future when we are old. And how exactly is God going to clothe us if we are not thinking about the fact that we need clothing on our backs? And every time we think Jesus is a little out of touch we only prove we are more in touch with our world and culture than his heart.

 

What we cannot miss is that Jesus called people into a new community - a new social order. His last command to the rich young man, after he tells him to sell everything – is “follow me.” It implies a new way of living in which generosity is a part of the whole. And this is what is so challenging about Jesus. 

 

His call is not just a private change of morals or philosophy. His call is into a new community which changes the meaning of family, success and wealth. He understood true wealth was not defined by cash, but by the how rich a person was “toward God” measured in relationships, faith and generosity. This is why those who gave away everything found more than they first had, and why Jesus understood he had many mothers, brothers and sisters.

 

Perhaps the reason we struggle so mightily with generosity is because we have no real experience of true community.

January 24, 2016: Always With Us – Michael Hidalgo

Without question one of the most often quoted passages of Scripture regarding poverty is, “The poor you will always have with you.” Not only is the verse quoted with zero regard to context, but often quoted as an excuse for shrugging off poverty. The problem is, it takes very little time at all to recognize Jesus was not saying this as a way to ignore the poor – just the opposite.

 

Jesus is at the table of a leper and a woman, in an amazing act of service, anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume. Perfume that would have cost her most everything she had to get. This story takes place in proximity to the poor – as a leper would have been. Jesus’ assumption seems to be that if we are his followers we will always be around the poor. But when we have little proximity to the poor we find this verse hard to understand.

 

And Jesus’ quote was not just a passing thought. He quoted from Deuteronomy where two things stand out. First, there need not be any poor among his people, but if there is we are to to be generous and open handed toward them. All this makes me wonder why we misuse these words of Jesus about caring for the poor as a way to not care for them.

January 24, 2016: Always With Us – Dave Neuhausel

Without question one of the most often quoted passages of Scripture regarding poverty is, “The poor you will always have with you.” Not only is the verse quoted with zero regard to context, but often quoted as an excuse for shrugging off poverty. The problem is, it takes very little time at all to recognize Jesus was not saying this as a way to ignore the poor – just the opposite.

 

Jesus is at the table of a leper and a woman, in an amazing act of service, anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume. Perfume that would have cost her most everything she had to get. This story takes place in proximity to the poor – as a leper would have been. Jesus’ assumption seems to be that if we are his followers we will always be around the poor. But when we have little proximity to the poor we find this verse hard to understand.

 

And Jesus’ quote was not just a passing thought. He quoted from Deuteronomy where two things stand out. First, there need not be any poor among his people, but if there is we are to to be generous and open handed toward them. All this makes me wonder why we misuse these words of Jesus about caring for the poor as a way to not care for them.

January 17, 2016: A Special Place – Scott Oppliger

Jesus never glorified poverty for its own sake. However, Jesus did reflect God’s special heart and love for the poor. This is one reason why he tells the poor they are blessed (for the term “poor in spirit” see 1 QM 14:7, http://www.qumran.org/js/qumran/hss/1qm). They hold a special place in the heart of God, and we know this from the many commands in the Hebrew Scriptures given to the people of God to care for the poor. 

 

Over and over again, God’s interest is ensuring the widow, the immigrant, the orphan and the poor are provided for by his people. In fact, Jesus states one of the reasons he came to “proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4). If anything, this teaches us that we, as the people of God, ought to be those who have a special heart and love for the poor – just like God.

 

This is important, for we live in a day and age in which many who identify as Christians seem to have little concern for the poor at all. In fact, some even accuse the poor as being lazy or entitled or as though poverty is their own fault. Anytime we assign something other than mercy, compassion or love toward the poor we are not imitating the heart of God.

January 17, 2016: A Special Place – Landon Lynch

Jesus never glorified poverty for its own sake. However, Jesus did reflect God’s special heart and love for the poor. This is one reason why he tells the poor they are blessed (for the term “poor in spirit” see 1 QM 14:7, http://www.qumran.org/js/qumran/hss/1qm). They hold a special place in the heart of God, and we know this from the many commands in the Hebrew Scriptures given to the people of God to care for the poor. 

 

Over and over again, God’s interest is ensuring the widow, the immigrant, the orphan and the poor are provided for by his people. In fact, Jesus states one of the reasons he came to “proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4). If anything, this teaches us that we, as the people of God, ought to be those who have a special heart and love for the poor – just like God.

 

This is important, for we live in a day and age in which many who identify as Christians seem to have little concern for the poor at all. In fact, some even accuse the poor as being lazy or entitled or as though poverty is their own fault. Anytime we assign something other than mercy, compassion or love toward the poor we are not imitating the heart of God.

January 10, 2016: Give It Away Now – Michael Hidalgo

How much is enough? How do we know? How do we recognize it when we have it? And what if we have more than enough? What then? These are questions humans have considered for centuries and one that did not escape Jesus. In fact, several times he gives a very direct suggestion about what to do with not only our excess, but with all we have. His command was simple: Give It Away.

 

In Jesus’ day, many believed one showed their righteousness by their willingness to give toward the needy and display a generous heart. Jesus went further and encouraged his people to take their giving to new heights. He seemed to believe the single best thing anyone can do with their wealth is give to the poor. This giving is ultimately an “investment” into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

This is important for us to consider as we live in a culture that frequently encourages us to consider what we will do with excess. Not only that, many of us have disposable income. And the question begs, “What are we doing with the extra?”

January 10, 2016: Give It Away Now – Landon Lynch

How much is enough? How do we know? How do we recognize it when we have it? And what if we have more than enough? What then? These are questions humans have considered for centuries and one that did not escape Jesus. In fact, several times he gives a very direct suggestion about what to do with not only our excess, but with all we have. His command was simple: Give It Away.

 

In Jesus’ day, many believed one showed their righteousness by their willingness to give toward the needy and display a generous heart. Jesus went further and encouraged his people to take their giving to new heights. He seemed to believe the single best thing anyone can do with their wealth is give to the poor. This giving is ultimately an “investment” into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

This is important for us to consider as we live in a culture that frequently encourages us to consider what we will do with excess. Not only that, many of us have disposable income. And the question begs, “What are we doing with the extra?”

January 3, 2016: It's Not All Good – Michael Hidalgo

In Jesus’ day there were basically two socio-economic groups: the rich and the poor. As much as the Hebrew Scriptures allude to the fact that those who were righteous were given many blessings by God – that tune had changed by the time Jesus was born. Due to the political climate in the first century, many in the Jewish world questioned whether or not one could actually be rich and righteous.

 

Jesus furthered this question by observing that it is impossible for someone to serve both God and Mammon (possessions but also functions much like idols did in the OT). By doing this he marks out that far from being a mark of Divine favor, wealth actually is the thing that makes it hard for one to enter the kingdom of God.

 

Jesus frequently points out that wealth is dangerous and should be treated as such. A message we must heed today. From the shouts of “God Bless America” to the assumption that making money and career success is always a good thing … we are blindly steeped in the belief that wealth is good. Jesus warns otherwise.

January 3, 2016: It's Not All Good - Landon Lynch

In Jesus’ day there were basically two socio-economic groups: the rich and the poor. As much as the Hebrew Scriptures allude to the fact that those who were righteous were given many blessings by God – that tune had changed by the time Jesus was born. Due to the political climate in the first century, many in the Jewish world questioned whether or not one could actually be rich and righteous.

 

Jesus furthered this question by observing that it is impossible for someone to serve both God and Mammon (possessions but also functions much like idols did in the OT). By doing this he marks out that far from being a mark of Divine favor, wealth actually is the thing that makes it hard for one to enter the kingdom of God.

 

Jesus frequently points out that wealth is dangerous and should be treated as such. A message we must heed today. From the shouts of “God Bless America” to the assumption that making money and career success is always a good thing … we are blindly steeped in the belief that wealth is good. Jesus warns otherwise.