http://terrykyllo.com Exploring Authentic Life in God's Reign of Mutuality Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:49:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Copyright © TerryKyllo.com 2011 tkyllo@terrykyllo.com (TerryKyllo.com) tkyllo@terrykyllo.com (TerryKyllo.com) http://terrykyllo.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://terrykyllo.com 144 144 Exploring Authentic Life in God's Reign of Mutuality TerryKyllo.com TerryKyllo.com tkyllo@terrykyllo.com no no http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-surprising-messiah/ http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-surprising-messiah/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:22:48 +0000 tkyllo http://terrykyllo.com/?p=92 http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-surprising-messiah/feed/ 0 0:29:28   Matthew 16:21-28 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter[...]   Matthew 16:21-28 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? ‘For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’   tkyllo@terrykyllo.com no no http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/takeupyourcross/ http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/takeupyourcross/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:18:27 +0000 tkyllo http://terrykyllo.com/?p=88 http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/takeupyourcross/feed/ 0 0:29:41   Mark 8:27-38 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of [...]   Mark 8:27-38 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’   tkyllo@terrykyllo.com no no http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/god-is-not-fair/ http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/god-is-not-fair/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:03:51 +0000 tkyllo http://terrykyllo.com/?p=84 http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/god-is-not-fair/feed/ 0 0:29:37 Matthew 20:1-16 The Labourers in the Vineyard ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vin[...] Matthew 20:1-16 The Labourers in the Vineyard ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’     tkyllo@terrykyllo.com no no http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/charlie-gets-to-heaven/ http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/charlie-gets-to-heaven/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 04:27:25 +0000 tkyllo http://terrykyllo.com/?p=65 http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/charlie-gets-to-heaven/feed/ 0 0:09:33   Charlie was very pleased to be in heaven. Dressed in the same white gown as everyone else, he had tears in his eyes as he realized that he had made it. God had recognized his conversion and his life of faith had been impressive if not impecc[...]   Charlie was very pleased to be in heaven. Dressed in the same white gown as everyone else, he had tears in his eyes as he realized that he had made it. God had recognized his conversion and his life of faith had been impressive if not impeccable. He was not in hell, as he had often feared. But his self-control and dedication had won him the ultimate prize of grace. He found his place in the great choir naturally. He just knew where to go. He simply knew what to sing. Every one of the hosts of the saved gathered around the image of God and sang from their deepest being. All their voices melded and blended into one great song that rose and fell, punctuated by deep silences, with song that moved between earth-shaking power and mystic sweetness. To the sound of each note God’s very image danced and moved and the light from God changed hues and intensity. Such was the glory of God. It was all wordlessly blissful and everything that Charlie ever dreamed of. It seemed to continue for an eternity until his voice caught in his throat. As he was singing from the core of his being in resonance with God and the entire heavenly host when he thought of Chandra, his wife. Chandra had never felt the same way about religion as he. She had grown up in a family that used religion like a drug to mask the deep pain of her father’s verbal abuse and to excuse it. As an adult she kept the church and even God at an arm’s length, but was surprisingly tolerant of Charlie’s newfound faith. He knew she was not in heaven. It was easy to know. All you had to do was look at another person and you could read their life and being.  You knew them. You could think of any person you knew on earth and you would find yourself, among all those millions of people, next to them. But when he thought of Chandra, the life they shared, the love they made, and the friendship that grew between them, she was nowhere to be found. He could see, as if she were before him, her wedding dress on the day of their marriage. But she was absent and that is when his voice faltered. This was not like some church choir where you could lip sing and not have anyone notice. Everyone was very much aware of every else’s voice and saw how the image of God resonated with each one. When Charlie stopped singing a void developed in that mighty choir. Heaven itself was dimmed. Everyone was looking at him. God’s presence was focused on him. With tears for his beloved wife he turned his back on the heavenly host. He turned his back on God. He didn’t stop until he got to the central square of heaven, where two gold streets met. When he got the center of that square he sat down and wept. He had been so focused on his own salvation, he had forgotten all about her and the damnation she must be experiencing. As the song ended he felt thousands and millions pass him by on their way home. When the crowds had passed he felt some others sit down with him. Twenty-three others were sitting in the square with him, tears streaming down their faces. No words were necessary. He could see, as if he were the other people, the ones they missed. He could feel their grief. The image of God arrived at the square, waiting for an explanation. Charlie said, “I can’t sing while Chandra is in hell.” “I am a just God, and I cannot forgive those who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior,” said God. “You said that you would wipe the tears from our eyes, and yet here we weep for our beloved ones,” Charlie replied. “There is no one more sad for Chandra than I am. But my justice cannot be questioned,” said God. “Without my justice the universe would cease to exist. Hell is the necessary consequence of choice. People must be held accountable for their choices. If you want someone to blame for Chandra’s punishment, it is Chandra. She made her eternal choice.” Charlie felt suddenly enraged by this idea. “Eternal punishment is not justice, it is needless torture. You are responsible for creating a universe that [...] Story tkyllo@terrykyllo.com no no http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-churchs-one-foundation/ http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-churchs-one-foundation/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 04:20:51 +0000 tkyllo http://terrykyllo.com/?p=62 http://terrykyllo.com/2011/07/the-churchs-one-foundation/feed/ 0