Imagine your a disciple of Jesus – I hope that’s not too difficult. But I’m not saying a disciple today. You were right if were thinking of yourself as one of the 12, or 70, or 120.

Imagine you lived in the expectant times of Roman rule and you were following the one who just might be the one prophecy foretold.

The day you just witnessed was amazing. Your master spent the morning teaching in a way that no other Rabbi dared teach. Rabbi’s traditionally quoted the sayings of other Rabbi’s and juxtaposed opposing opinions to point to the truth that was held in the tension.

Jesus didn’t do that. He taught as one who had authority. He said to consider yourself happy when everyone else would consider you pitied. He said if you’re angry with your brother its the same as murder and if you look lustfully at a women its the same as adultery. He taught about loving your enemies and avoiding the pomp in your oaths, your prayer and your fasting. He said to store up your treasures in heaven and not worry about your life. He said to not judge, to ask, seek and knock. He warned about producing good fruit…

it was the first time he taught like this… it was the first time anyone taught like this.

Then He followed up talking about the Kingdom with showing the Kingdom at work. Jesus came down from the mountain and healed a man with leprosy. From a distance, He healed a Centurion’s servant. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law and then drove out spirits with a word and healed all the sick brought to him.

At the end of the day you get into a boat with Him to sail to the other side of the lake. He curled up on some pillows and went to sleep. You helped with the oars and considered the amazing day you just witnessed, still a little perplexed at what He taught.

You felt the cool wind blow in off the mountains from the Mediterranean and you knew what would happen as it mixed with the warm air around the lake. Jewish history didn’t product a slew of sailors. It’s first was… well, Jonah.  And later Paul would go to sea and get shipwrecked.  Solomon had a trading fleet, but it was mainly outsourced. Jehoshaphat  tried to do the same in his reign, but they never set sail.

Still, you’re probably a fishermen, and you know the lake, and you didn’t need the waves to come crashing over the side before you knew their could be trouble. So by the time the waves had almost swamped the boat, you were downright panicked.

And Jesus was there at rest in the storm.

Let’s learn how we can as well. What are your thoughts on how we can?

We are to honor the honorable, but the Bible also tells us to honor those who should be honorable, but who may not always act honorably:

Father and Mother (Exodus 20:12)
Wives (1 Peter 3:7)
Widows (1 Timothy 5:3)
Kings (1 Peter 2:17)

These all make sense to our current definition of honor and the Bible promises if we honor our parents we will have a full life in the land God has given (Ex 20:12) that’s a bonus!

But our current definition allows us to dishonor those who aren’t honorable – and not all of our parents, or wives, or leaders have been. And the Bible doesn’t let us live with that excuse.

In fact, Peter challenges us with revolutionary living:

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
1 Peter 2:17 (New American Standard Bible)

Let’s be clear here: the king, who Peter was telling the first readers to honor, was most likely the one who ordered his death.

Why would the Bible tell us to “Honor all people”?

It’s what the Father has done for us.

Honor is when one changes the relationship with another. It’s when you raise someone up to your level. This is what the Father did for us when we became part of His family and He seated us in heavenly places.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-6 (New Living Translation)

I’ll draw this out over the next few posts. Love to hear what you think.