“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” 1 John 5:1-8

“Blood is thicker than Water”

You probably think this means you should always put family ahead of friends. In fact, it originally may have meant the opposite. The full maxim was “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,” with covenant referring to friendship. In other words, it was your friends—your blood brothers, if you will—who were with you through thick and thin.

When we think of blood covenants, we often think of the mafia. There is a code in the mafia where they were originally organized in “La Cosa Nostra” — “family” divisions and structure with enacted procedures for resolving disputes. In Italian, Kozaˈnostra means loosely “our thing”. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct. For the Mafia, the blood of family is thicker than the covenant of association, but their understanding of “family” goes beyond the general understanding of family.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary on 1 John 5:8 says this:

“For our cleansing there is in and by Christ Jesus, the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Some think that the two sacraments are here meant: baptism with water, as the outward sign of regeneration, and purifying from the pollution of sin by the Holy Spirit; and the Lord’s supper, as the outward sign of the shedding Christ’s blood, and the receiving him by faith for pardon and justification. Both these ways of cleansing were represented in the old ceremonial sacrifices and cleansing. This water and blood include all that is necessary to our salvation.”

My friends, in the sacraments of baptism and holy communion, we believe and trust that through the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we receive the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. What is necessary is our trust that Christ does this for us.

Pastor Dave

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” Luke 11:37-44

“To Get One’s Goat”

This odd phrase has an unusual meaning — to irritate or annoy someone. The origin comes from horseracing. Jockeys used to place goats in the stables with their horses. Why? Apparently this was said to relax the horses. However, competitors would remove the goats of their rivals to spook their competitors’ horses, hoping they would consequently lose the race. So if you were devious enough to do anything to win a horse race, you would stoop to “getting your opponent’s goat.”

Jesus always seemed interested in getting under the skin of the Pharisees – or at least he tried to “get their goat”. He would use them as an example of how not to live in relationship with G-d – or point out how smug, pretentious and sanctimonious they were when it came to understanding their stance in relation to, and their need for G-d’s love and forgiveness. As such, Jesus used them as examples — but not positive examples.

We all have known many kinds of people. There are two types of people I want to mention in particular — those who try to get your goat — and those who are sanctimonious. I must say I prefer the former, and not the latter. With my odd sense of humor, I find it fun to try to get someone’s goat. But, I do not like being “the goat” — like the Pharisees in Jesus’ teachings.

The good news is that Jesus will never make us the goat. Jesus has your back, and will always be looking to provide just what you need so that you can live as best a life as you possibly can hope to live. Will we always get want we want? No! But, why should we be so sanctimonious to think we will always get what we want? What G-d wants most from us is a humble and contrite heart – ready to be loved and forgiven – and to share that love and forgiveness.

Pastor Dave