Attention anyone who might be reading this blog, I am moving it to the church website to make it easier for people who are checking out the church to find.
You can find my new blog at this link: http://www.ybfree.org/reading-through-the-new-testament/
Sorry for the inconvenience, please continue to read your Bible and follow along at our new location.
Do me a favor.... send me a comment from the new site letting me know that you found it!
Please!
In Christ,
PR
Monday, February 22, 2016
Friday, February 19, 2016
John 6
By now, the feeding of the 5,000 is a familiar story. It is interesting though, that in this account it says that Jesus didn't question the disciples about how to feed the people because He was looking for ideas....He was testing them. I suppose the Lord still asks us questions today that He already knows the answer to, as a means of testing us.
There is a fair amount of time in this passage devoted to the idea of becoming part of the body of Christ. Without understanding that Jesus was speaking of spiritual things, "eating and drinking His body" would be hard for anyone to understand. I'm sure even those who hung around had their doubts.
Several key things in this passage: 1. there is a form of grace that overshadows us before we become Christians. It's function is to allow us to recognize that we are in need of salvation, and that Jesus is the means of being saved. You can't become a Christian unless God favors you with this grace. In church speak, we call it "prevenient grace" (it means "the grace that comes before").
The question that must be asked then is this: "who does God favor with this grace?" Does He pick and choose? Some scholars from throughout the ages believe that God decides who to shower with this special grace. It follows then, that only those people can become Christians. The rest have no real hope of ever accepting Christ. In fact, without prevenient grace, they wouldn't even want to.
I believe that prevenient grace covers every person in the world. John 3:16 says "for God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His one and only Son, so that WHOEVER believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life". That phrase doesn't appear to limit prevenient grace to a select few. Anyone can respond to Jesus.
Having said that, there isn't a guarantee that the prevenient grace will always "overshadow" us. God doesn't have to give us unlimited chances to accept Him. He could withdraw the grace, and if He does then our hearts would become "hardened". There are several examples in Scripture of God "hardening" the hearts of people so that they wouldn't respond to Him. God did this so that His will would be carried out. For instance, He hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and in the New Testament, it would appear that Judas's heart was hardened. Keep in mind that God may very well have allowed prevenient grace to pour back over Judas after he had betrayed Him. And, if Judas responded with contrition and humility, he would be saved just like anyone else. Personally, I think that Judas was sorry for what he had done, but I don't know that he repented. Sadly, I don't think we will be seeing him in heaven. If we were going to, then why would Jesus have allowed the 11 to chose another person to take the place of Judas? And if there would then be "13" disciples, why are there only 12 names recorded on the foundation of the city? (Revelation 21:14) No, I think that Judas squandered eternal riches for the lure of worldly wealth and fame. And even if he did get the chance to repent, he must not have.
There are two types of people who follow Jesus. The first type follow because they want to be fed, entertained and part of the excitement that surrounds Him. There are times when it is great fun to walk with Jesus. Seas part, fire falls from heaven, sick people are healed, demons are cast out, waves are calmed. But there are other times when it is not so popular, when the whip cracks over your back, or when the crowd turns violent and ugly. There are times when food is scarce and beds even more scarce. That's when the second type of person who follows Christ is revealed. You see, they are along with the crowd who surrounds Jesus during happy times, but when the hard times come and the larger crowd falls away, these stalwart disciples remain. They may not always understand why events have turned, or even if they will make it though alive...but they echo the words of the disciples
"Lord, who else can we turn to? You have the words of eternal life. We believe, and know that you are the Holy One of God."
a fellow believer,
PR
There is a fair amount of time in this passage devoted to the idea of becoming part of the body of Christ. Without understanding that Jesus was speaking of spiritual things, "eating and drinking His body" would be hard for anyone to understand. I'm sure even those who hung around had their doubts.
Several key things in this passage: 1. there is a form of grace that overshadows us before we become Christians. It's function is to allow us to recognize that we are in need of salvation, and that Jesus is the means of being saved. You can't become a Christian unless God favors you with this grace. In church speak, we call it "prevenient grace" (it means "the grace that comes before").
The question that must be asked then is this: "who does God favor with this grace?" Does He pick and choose? Some scholars from throughout the ages believe that God decides who to shower with this special grace. It follows then, that only those people can become Christians. The rest have no real hope of ever accepting Christ. In fact, without prevenient grace, they wouldn't even want to.
I believe that prevenient grace covers every person in the world. John 3:16 says "for God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His one and only Son, so that WHOEVER believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life". That phrase doesn't appear to limit prevenient grace to a select few. Anyone can respond to Jesus.
Having said that, there isn't a guarantee that the prevenient grace will always "overshadow" us. God doesn't have to give us unlimited chances to accept Him. He could withdraw the grace, and if He does then our hearts would become "hardened". There are several examples in Scripture of God "hardening" the hearts of people so that they wouldn't respond to Him. God did this so that His will would be carried out. For instance, He hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and in the New Testament, it would appear that Judas's heart was hardened. Keep in mind that God may very well have allowed prevenient grace to pour back over Judas after he had betrayed Him. And, if Judas responded with contrition and humility, he would be saved just like anyone else. Personally, I think that Judas was sorry for what he had done, but I don't know that he repented. Sadly, I don't think we will be seeing him in heaven. If we were going to, then why would Jesus have allowed the 11 to chose another person to take the place of Judas? And if there would then be "13" disciples, why are there only 12 names recorded on the foundation of the city? (Revelation 21:14) No, I think that Judas squandered eternal riches for the lure of worldly wealth and fame. And even if he did get the chance to repent, he must not have.
There are two types of people who follow Jesus. The first type follow because they want to be fed, entertained and part of the excitement that surrounds Him. There are times when it is great fun to walk with Jesus. Seas part, fire falls from heaven, sick people are healed, demons are cast out, waves are calmed. But there are other times when it is not so popular, when the whip cracks over your back, or when the crowd turns violent and ugly. There are times when food is scarce and beds even more scarce. That's when the second type of person who follows Christ is revealed. You see, they are along with the crowd who surrounds Jesus during happy times, but when the hard times come and the larger crowd falls away, these stalwart disciples remain. They may not always understand why events have turned, or even if they will make it though alive...but they echo the words of the disciples
"Lord, who else can we turn to? You have the words of eternal life. We believe, and know that you are the Holy One of God."
a fellow believer,
PR
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Luke 9
I wonder why Jesus told the disciples not to take any spare clothes, money or even a walking stick? I suppose it was because the absence of those things made them more likely to stop in towns and look for assistance. For most of us, asking for help is hard to do. We would rather make our own way, and do it ourselves. That's going to be a problem for the disciples, whose mission is to connect with the local people. I need to remember this when God strips away something that I know I need. It could be that He wants me to interact with someone, and this is how it's going to happen.
You've probably seen the sign hanging beside someones desk. It says "failure to plan on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part". It seems like that should be right, but when compared to the actions of Jesus it falls short. Speaking literally, I don't think Jesus ever had an emergency. I don't think he ever panicked. But when the crowd failed to bring along food for themselves, Jesus made it His problem. The sign over Jesus' desk would read "your problem is my problem. Your emergency is my emergency". That's what love says. Love says "I care enough about you to be inconvenienced by whatever is going on in your life."
I wonder, how many miracles are unused because modern day disciples have decided that the people should go elsewhere to find help for their needs?
18-22: How could Peter confess that Jesus was the Messiah, and then hear Jesus plainly say "I will be killed and will come back to life after 3 days" and then...see Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah, hear a voice from heaven....and still deny Him three times? This is the human condition before we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Fear and doubt and weakness overcome us. Praise the Lord that the Holy Spirit now has come, and we never have to collapse like that again!
23-26: This passage outlines the main thrust of the Christian life once we accept Christ. Self must die. It doesn't die easily, nor should it die all at once, because it is so intertwined in our character that it would probably kill us to have it removed all at one time. Piece by piece it is sliced away, and as it goes Christ replaces what He removes with His perfect nature. The good work of the Christian is to engage in the battle of surrendering self to Christ. As He reveals areas in our life where we don't match His character, we surrender those areas to Him, and through His power they are defeated, removed and replaced. Amen!
49-50: We should follow this advice for people who aren't part of our "denomination". Too ofter we are prone to focus on our differences instead of our similarities. The Church should be (and is) ONE. There is only ONE Church. Any denomination that preaches Jesus Christ accurately is part of it. However, I don't think this sentiment should carry over to people who don't accept the clear authority of the Bible. The New Testament has much to say about dealing with false teachers...some of whom sounded good, but had impure motives on the inside.
51-56: This is the human mistake that gave us the Crusades. "If you don't accept our teaching, and become like us, then we will kill you". That's completely unhelpful and not productive. That sort of mindset has never drawn anyone to Jesus and it never will. If our message is rejected, then we should simply move to another place that is willing to listen. I suppose that this thought doesn't consider any political motivation or advantages, but then again....should it? So what if it is in our best political interest to be involved in the region...if the message of Jesus is rejected there, let's move on and find somewhere else to be. Let the receipt of the message be our key indicator on whether or not we will interact politically.
Moving forward,
PR
You've probably seen the sign hanging beside someones desk. It says "failure to plan on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part". It seems like that should be right, but when compared to the actions of Jesus it falls short. Speaking literally, I don't think Jesus ever had an emergency. I don't think he ever panicked. But when the crowd failed to bring along food for themselves, Jesus made it His problem. The sign over Jesus' desk would read "your problem is my problem. Your emergency is my emergency". That's what love says. Love says "I care enough about you to be inconvenienced by whatever is going on in your life."
I wonder, how many miracles are unused because modern day disciples have decided that the people should go elsewhere to find help for their needs?
18-22: How could Peter confess that Jesus was the Messiah, and then hear Jesus plainly say "I will be killed and will come back to life after 3 days" and then...see Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah, hear a voice from heaven....and still deny Him three times? This is the human condition before we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Fear and doubt and weakness overcome us. Praise the Lord that the Holy Spirit now has come, and we never have to collapse like that again!
23-26: This passage outlines the main thrust of the Christian life once we accept Christ. Self must die. It doesn't die easily, nor should it die all at once, because it is so intertwined in our character that it would probably kill us to have it removed all at one time. Piece by piece it is sliced away, and as it goes Christ replaces what He removes with His perfect nature. The good work of the Christian is to engage in the battle of surrendering self to Christ. As He reveals areas in our life where we don't match His character, we surrender those areas to Him, and through His power they are defeated, removed and replaced. Amen!
49-50: We should follow this advice for people who aren't part of our "denomination". Too ofter we are prone to focus on our differences instead of our similarities. The Church should be (and is) ONE. There is only ONE Church. Any denomination that preaches Jesus Christ accurately is part of it. However, I don't think this sentiment should carry over to people who don't accept the clear authority of the Bible. The New Testament has much to say about dealing with false teachers...some of whom sounded good, but had impure motives on the inside.
51-56: This is the human mistake that gave us the Crusades. "If you don't accept our teaching, and become like us, then we will kill you". That's completely unhelpful and not productive. That sort of mindset has never drawn anyone to Jesus and it never will. If our message is rejected, then we should simply move to another place that is willing to listen. I suppose that this thought doesn't consider any political motivation or advantages, but then again....should it? So what if it is in our best political interest to be involved in the region...if the message of Jesus is rejected there, let's move on and find somewhere else to be. Let the receipt of the message be our key indicator on whether or not we will interact politically.
Moving forward,
PR
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Mark 6
In this passage you could almost feel sorry for poor Herod Antipas, who was tricked into beheading someone he respected. Don't bother. The whole family is a real piece of work. Here's what I understand about them.
Dad (Herod the Great) killed two of his sons leaving his granddaughter with no father. So, he betroths her to one of his other sons (Herod II...some believe he was also called Herod Phillip). Because of her genealogy, her marriage to Herod II moved him to successor of Herod the Great. However, the oldest son of Herod the Great, (Antipater) protested this, and Herod II was demoted. Then Antipater tries to poison his father and take the throne..but it fails, and he is executed. You would think that Herod II would take the throne, but no...in the last days before he died Herod the Great removed his name from the will, apparently knowing that he had knowledge of what was about to happen. Instead, he puts another son in his place (Archelaus) who is declared incompetent by Caesar a few years later. Herod Antipas ends up in charge of a quarter (or more) of the original kingdom. One day while Antipas is visiting Herod II, he falls in love with his wife...yes, they would be some shirt tail relations. The problem is: he is already married to a princess from a very powerful kingdom to the south, the Nabateans. Once they get wind of Antipas' affection for another woman, they call their princess home, and declare war on Antipas. If Herod Antipas would have listed to John the Baptist, a war would have been averted, and many lives saved. Instead, Herod Antipas loses the war.
Like I said, the family makes the rest of us look like model citizens. From what I can tell, they were models of greed, lust for power and selfishness.
On a far more refreshing note, we have the encouraging accounts of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and his walking on the water. Interestingly, if this had happened in modern times all the news channels and the newspapers would have been reporting what was going on with Herod Antipas. Scarcely anyone would have noticed Jesus changing history, except for a few stray reports....probably on page 4 or 5. I suspect that the same thing is true today. While we are fed a constant diet of politics and wars and Hollywood controversies, Jesus is making enormous changes in the lives of people around the community, and around the globe. We just don't hear about it.
Verse 52 catches my eye this morning. How could the disciples not understand the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000? Is it even possible to miss that? And even more scary...what miracles is Christ doing right in front of me...perhaps miracles that I am a part of..and I don't even realize it?
Do you think it's possible to be used in an incredible way by God, only to miss it yourself? It was certainly true of the disciples...because their "hearts were hard". So I guess the solution for us is to constantly pray that God will give us "sensitive hearts". By sensitive I mean hearts that are so tuned in to Jesus' speaking that they can pick up His whisper. God shouldn't have to shout to get our attention!
Praying for an ear attuned to heaven's voice,
PR
Dad (Herod the Great) killed two of his sons leaving his granddaughter with no father. So, he betroths her to one of his other sons (Herod II...some believe he was also called Herod Phillip). Because of her genealogy, her marriage to Herod II moved him to successor of Herod the Great. However, the oldest son of Herod the Great, (Antipater) protested this, and Herod II was demoted. Then Antipater tries to poison his father and take the throne..but it fails, and he is executed. You would think that Herod II would take the throne, but no...in the last days before he died Herod the Great removed his name from the will, apparently knowing that he had knowledge of what was about to happen. Instead, he puts another son in his place (Archelaus) who is declared incompetent by Caesar a few years later. Herod Antipas ends up in charge of a quarter (or more) of the original kingdom. One day while Antipas is visiting Herod II, he falls in love with his wife...yes, they would be some shirt tail relations. The problem is: he is already married to a princess from a very powerful kingdom to the south, the Nabateans. Once they get wind of Antipas' affection for another woman, they call their princess home, and declare war on Antipas. If Herod Antipas would have listed to John the Baptist, a war would have been averted, and many lives saved. Instead, Herod Antipas loses the war.
Like I said, the family makes the rest of us look like model citizens. From what I can tell, they were models of greed, lust for power and selfishness.
On a far more refreshing note, we have the encouraging accounts of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and his walking on the water. Interestingly, if this had happened in modern times all the news channels and the newspapers would have been reporting what was going on with Herod Antipas. Scarcely anyone would have noticed Jesus changing history, except for a few stray reports....probably on page 4 or 5. I suspect that the same thing is true today. While we are fed a constant diet of politics and wars and Hollywood controversies, Jesus is making enormous changes in the lives of people around the community, and around the globe. We just don't hear about it.
Verse 52 catches my eye this morning. How could the disciples not understand the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000? Is it even possible to miss that? And even more scary...what miracles is Christ doing right in front of me...perhaps miracles that I am a part of..and I don't even realize it?
Do you think it's possible to be used in an incredible way by God, only to miss it yourself? It was certainly true of the disciples...because their "hearts were hard". So I guess the solution for us is to constantly pray that God will give us "sensitive hearts". By sensitive I mean hearts that are so tuned in to Jesus' speaking that they can pick up His whisper. God shouldn't have to shout to get our attention!
Praying for an ear attuned to heaven's voice,
PR
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Matthew 14
Have you ever had one of those days when you just wanted to be left alone? Wouldn't it be nice once in a while to completely "unplug" from all your daily demands and your routine and just spend a little quiet time by yourself?
When Jesus heard that John had been executed by Herod, he just wanted to be alone. Probably to cry out to God and to be sad. I don't think there's anything wrong with withdrawing from the rest of the world for a brief time to grieve, or to reflect. But the crowds that surrounded Jesus wouldn't let it happen. As soon as they heard him say He was headed for a remote place, they started walking around the lake so they would be there when he came ashore. No peace for Jesus.
When I need down time and I don't get it, I get cranky. I notice today that Jesus didn't. Instead, when He looked at the crowd He was filled with compassion. Jesus wasn't encumbered by a sinful nature that demanded His attention. He was able to be selfless (although I am sure He was tempted to be selfish).
Thinking about the difference in our reactions, it's really my selfish desires that distract me from helping others, or feeling compassion for others.
If Jesus had chased the crowd away, and said "my good friend was just murdered and I need to be alone for a while" we wouldn't have the miracle of feeding the 5,000. I never thought about it like that before.
Maybe when my day doesn't seem to be going the way I want it to, and I feel like withdrawing, I should pray to be less selfish. Maybe a significant miracle is about to unfold right in front of me and I don't even know it.
The recount in Mark 6 about Jesus walking on the water really grabs me. Here in Matthew we don't have the verse that says "Jesus was about to pass by them". Mark has it. In both places it says that the boat was a considerable distance from land when evening came, and it was being tossed around by the waves. Jesus must have seen this... but He doesn't stop praying to go to their rescue. In fact, He stays where He is until somewhere between 3 and 6 am....then He starts walking across the lake..and is about to walk right by them...except they see Him and become even more afraid.
Maybe the lesson here (beside the obvious lesson about keeping your eyes on Jesus when you get out of your boat) is that Jesus didn't promise that we would never have problems. He didn't come to the rescue of John the Baptist. He didn't appear to be coming to the rescue of the disciples. He knew they had no reason to be afraid. My guess is that John wasn't afraid at all. The disciples were, and Jesus came to them because of that.
Remember this the next time you're having a hard day, or when you are struggling in general. Jesus didn't promise it would be easy....only that it would be worth it. Everyone is going to have some problems...but Christians are going to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus when the problems of this life are over. "It will be worth it all...when we see Jesus".
Some lessons are learned inside the boat....some require you to get out. This passage seems to have both!
Blessings,
PR
When Jesus heard that John had been executed by Herod, he just wanted to be alone. Probably to cry out to God and to be sad. I don't think there's anything wrong with withdrawing from the rest of the world for a brief time to grieve, or to reflect. But the crowds that surrounded Jesus wouldn't let it happen. As soon as they heard him say He was headed for a remote place, they started walking around the lake so they would be there when he came ashore. No peace for Jesus.
When I need down time and I don't get it, I get cranky. I notice today that Jesus didn't. Instead, when He looked at the crowd He was filled with compassion. Jesus wasn't encumbered by a sinful nature that demanded His attention. He was able to be selfless (although I am sure He was tempted to be selfish).
Thinking about the difference in our reactions, it's really my selfish desires that distract me from helping others, or feeling compassion for others.
If Jesus had chased the crowd away, and said "my good friend was just murdered and I need to be alone for a while" we wouldn't have the miracle of feeding the 5,000. I never thought about it like that before.
Maybe when my day doesn't seem to be going the way I want it to, and I feel like withdrawing, I should pray to be less selfish. Maybe a significant miracle is about to unfold right in front of me and I don't even know it.
The recount in Mark 6 about Jesus walking on the water really grabs me. Here in Matthew we don't have the verse that says "Jesus was about to pass by them". Mark has it. In both places it says that the boat was a considerable distance from land when evening came, and it was being tossed around by the waves. Jesus must have seen this... but He doesn't stop praying to go to their rescue. In fact, He stays where He is until somewhere between 3 and 6 am....then He starts walking across the lake..and is about to walk right by them...except they see Him and become even more afraid.
Maybe the lesson here (beside the obvious lesson about keeping your eyes on Jesus when you get out of your boat) is that Jesus didn't promise that we would never have problems. He didn't come to the rescue of John the Baptist. He didn't appear to be coming to the rescue of the disciples. He knew they had no reason to be afraid. My guess is that John wasn't afraid at all. The disciples were, and Jesus came to them because of that.
Remember this the next time you're having a hard day, or when you are struggling in general. Jesus didn't promise it would be easy....only that it would be worth it. Everyone is going to have some problems...but Christians are going to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus when the problems of this life are over. "It will be worth it all...when we see Jesus".
Some lessons are learned inside the boat....some require you to get out. This passage seems to have both!
Blessings,
PR
Monday, February 15, 2016
Matthew 10
It would be easy to feel like God loves the Jews more than the rest of us, since He tells His disciples to go only to the Jews. "God's chosen people". Aren't the rest of us chosen as well?
The short answer is "yes", we are chosen. But the plan of salvation is unfolding exactly as it was planned from the very beginning. And that plan calls for a certain group of people to be the "first fruits" and then they will be followed by all other people groups. Jesus says this not because He loves them more than us (God's love is infinite, so that isn't possible). He says it because this is the way He planned it. The Lord could have been born into any race or tribe....He chose the Jews. In fact, that had to be planned from the beginning as well. And from the time the three sons stepped off Noah's ark, God knew which of the three would be his ancestor. (Shem).
Thinking of God's ministers, there are several sentences here that are helpful in knowing how to treat those who serve the ministry. "those who work deserve to be fed" (verse 10 NLT), "if you receive the prophet, you will receive the same reward as the prophet" (vs. 40-42). I suppose there are some who are in ministry who really aren't working...I can't speak to that. However from my experience those who are in ministry are either working longer hours, or doing the work that no one else wants to do, while receiving fairly low wages. I know there are some ministers who are making fairly good salaries, and living pretty well...but the majority of churches are smaller and have limited income, and the men and women who serve them do so with some personal sacrifice. Jesus said "if you are carrying the Good News, then you should be taken care of by the people to whom you go". The minister should trust for this, and the congregation should rise to the occasion. I am proud to say that the congregation I serve excels at this.
In the same way that the minister is to trust in God for the means to subsist, all of us are to trust in God for the words to say when we are pressed to testify about our faith. Jesus plainly says that we are going to be put in some very difficult situations for the sole purpose of testifying once we are there. The next time you feel that you are in trouble for no reason, remember that. You might be at the hospital with symptoms because someone at the hospital needs to hear. You might be speaking to a government agent because they need to hear. It's a different way of looking at your life, I agree.
Verse 32 I quote often, because it provides the motivation for our witness. Who's to say that I will want to testify once I am in front of my accuser? Once I accept the fact that my confession of Jesus here on earth will result in His confession for me in heaven, I am quick to respond.
Verse 37-39 forces us to change our priorities and place service to Christ at the top. If I have anything in life that is more important to me than my relationship with God, satan will be able to exploit that to bring me down. Therefore, when I place Jesus in the highest priority in my life, I actually protect and preserve my life.
continuing to march,
PR
The short answer is "yes", we are chosen. But the plan of salvation is unfolding exactly as it was planned from the very beginning. And that plan calls for a certain group of people to be the "first fruits" and then they will be followed by all other people groups. Jesus says this not because He loves them more than us (God's love is infinite, so that isn't possible). He says it because this is the way He planned it. The Lord could have been born into any race or tribe....He chose the Jews. In fact, that had to be planned from the beginning as well. And from the time the three sons stepped off Noah's ark, God knew which of the three would be his ancestor. (Shem).
Thinking of God's ministers, there are several sentences here that are helpful in knowing how to treat those who serve the ministry. "those who work deserve to be fed" (verse 10 NLT), "if you receive the prophet, you will receive the same reward as the prophet" (vs. 40-42). I suppose there are some who are in ministry who really aren't working...I can't speak to that. However from my experience those who are in ministry are either working longer hours, or doing the work that no one else wants to do, while receiving fairly low wages. I know there are some ministers who are making fairly good salaries, and living pretty well...but the majority of churches are smaller and have limited income, and the men and women who serve them do so with some personal sacrifice. Jesus said "if you are carrying the Good News, then you should be taken care of by the people to whom you go". The minister should trust for this, and the congregation should rise to the occasion. I am proud to say that the congregation I serve excels at this.
In the same way that the minister is to trust in God for the means to subsist, all of us are to trust in God for the words to say when we are pressed to testify about our faith. Jesus plainly says that we are going to be put in some very difficult situations for the sole purpose of testifying once we are there. The next time you feel that you are in trouble for no reason, remember that. You might be at the hospital with symptoms because someone at the hospital needs to hear. You might be speaking to a government agent because they need to hear. It's a different way of looking at your life, I agree.
Verse 32 I quote often, because it provides the motivation for our witness. Who's to say that I will want to testify once I am in front of my accuser? Once I accept the fact that my confession of Jesus here on earth will result in His confession for me in heaven, I am quick to respond.
Verse 37-39 forces us to change our priorities and place service to Christ at the top. If I have anything in life that is more important to me than my relationship with God, satan will be able to exploit that to bring me down. Therefore, when I place Jesus in the highest priority in my life, I actually protect and preserve my life.
continuing to march,
PR
Friday, February 12, 2016
Mark 5
Once again we read of the man from whom Jesus cast out many demons. Remember, Jesus was on the southeastern shore of the sea of Galilee. In His day there were gentiles living there, not Jews. If they had been Jews, there certainly wouldn't have been any pigs! There must have been quite a few demons living in this man to infest 2,000 pigs. Here's something... By allowing the demons to enter the pigs Jesus effectively put a couple of people out of business. Whoever owned them must have been depending on them for a livelihood, and now they're gone. Maybe that speaks to the Lord's priorities. He is willing to cause short term harm...if it gives us the opportunity for long term good.
Turning our focus to Jairus for a moment, consider this: Jairus is a leader in the local synagogue. Most of the leaders are rebelling against Jesus (Pharisees and experts in the Law). I wonder if Jairus was a believer before his daughter was sick? If not, then he would be having a crisis just like the owners of the swine. Did his daughter's illness tip him into confessing his belief in Jesus? Or, was he already a believer and this was a temptation to doubt?
Either way, Jairus demonstrates the best practice: he goes to Jesus and falls at His feet, pleading for help. I wonder how many problems we could have victory over if we only followed his example? Who would still be alive today if we had humbled ourselves before Jesus? What ministries would be thriving? Who would be converted? Who wouldn't have wandered from the faith? What tragedies have we endured because we didn't run to Christ and plead for help?
I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to be impatient when I really want to see something happen. For instance, if Jesus agreed to heal my daughter, then I wouldn't want to stop and chat along the way. I would have no problem spending all the time He wanted AFTER my daughter is healed...but before...let's not. Instead, let's hurry to the task and accomplish it. After all, that is our purpose, right? To heal the daughter?
Maybe not. Or, maybe that's only a small part of the purpose. Maybe the real purpose was to demonstrate to a large group of people that Jesus is God, and as God He has authority over life and death. No one who believes in Him need be afraid of death. To the believer in Jesus, death is only sleeping. (maybe that was it).
Of course Jairus doesn't know any of that. He is quite possibly extending his faith as far as he can already...and now Jesus has stopped walking and is wondering who "touched him" in a crowd of people who are all touching Him. Good grief.
I consider this morning that there are a great number of people in our day who "crowd around" Jesus. They want to see the miracles, they want to be part of the moment...they are curious or thrill seekers, or something else. They are almost certainly bumping up against Jesus, and not a single one of them feels any healing power in themselves. How is it that Jesus was touched and jostled day after day and this is the only account of anyone receiving a "discharge" of healing power?
I have heard that Jewish tradition held that the tassels on the robe of the Messiah would contain healing power. By reaching out to touch the hem of the robe (where the tassels were) this woman is confessing her belief that Jesus is the Messiah. And anyone who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah will receive power from Him. Christ is completely aware of what is going on, even in the midst of the crowd. He isn't carried away in the moment, He doesn't miss the opportunity because He is too focused on Jairus. I might have been...but Jesus is not. His eye always has the Father in focus, and that keeps Him in the center of the Father's will. In the center of the Father's will is where all of us are complete and completely effective.
If only we would reach out in faith and touch the hem of Jesus. He is the only holy thing in all of creation that isn't contaminated once it comes in contact with something unclean. Anything touched by Jesus becomes whole, and holy. It becomes healed, functional and filled with joy. I suppose Jairus could have been thinking to himself "in just a few more minutes that is going to be me dancing for joy and thanking Jesus for helping me and my little girl".
But just at that moment....the bad news comes, the girl has died. Satan never misses an opportunity to encourage us to collapse in doubt and discouragement when a miracle is just around the corner. He always accuses and lies, and tries to rob us of our hope and faith.
Thank you Jesus, for whispering in our ear the same words you whispered to Jairus: "don't be afraid; just have faith". What miracles we would miss if we didn't act in faith!
I applaud Jairus this morning for his incredible testimony. His dogged pursuit of Jesus is an encouragement to me, his refusal to be sidetracked by doubt and fear are motivators for me as well. And the way that God worked in his life in power? Well, it fills me with hope that God will do the same for me.
I suppose that from that day on, every time Jairus looked at his daughter he was reminded of the great power of God. I hope that as his daughter grew into a young woman and had children of her own that she carried the faith with her. Scripture doesn't tell us what happened afterwards. Wouldn't it be a tragedy to have been healed by Jesus only to later surrender the faith?
have a wonderful day in Christ,
PR
Turning our focus to Jairus for a moment, consider this: Jairus is a leader in the local synagogue. Most of the leaders are rebelling against Jesus (Pharisees and experts in the Law). I wonder if Jairus was a believer before his daughter was sick? If not, then he would be having a crisis just like the owners of the swine. Did his daughter's illness tip him into confessing his belief in Jesus? Or, was he already a believer and this was a temptation to doubt?
Either way, Jairus demonstrates the best practice: he goes to Jesus and falls at His feet, pleading for help. I wonder how many problems we could have victory over if we only followed his example? Who would still be alive today if we had humbled ourselves before Jesus? What ministries would be thriving? Who would be converted? Who wouldn't have wandered from the faith? What tragedies have we endured because we didn't run to Christ and plead for help?
I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to be impatient when I really want to see something happen. For instance, if Jesus agreed to heal my daughter, then I wouldn't want to stop and chat along the way. I would have no problem spending all the time He wanted AFTER my daughter is healed...but before...let's not. Instead, let's hurry to the task and accomplish it. After all, that is our purpose, right? To heal the daughter?
Maybe not. Or, maybe that's only a small part of the purpose. Maybe the real purpose was to demonstrate to a large group of people that Jesus is God, and as God He has authority over life and death. No one who believes in Him need be afraid of death. To the believer in Jesus, death is only sleeping. (maybe that was it).
Of course Jairus doesn't know any of that. He is quite possibly extending his faith as far as he can already...and now Jesus has stopped walking and is wondering who "touched him" in a crowd of people who are all touching Him. Good grief.
I consider this morning that there are a great number of people in our day who "crowd around" Jesus. They want to see the miracles, they want to be part of the moment...they are curious or thrill seekers, or something else. They are almost certainly bumping up against Jesus, and not a single one of them feels any healing power in themselves. How is it that Jesus was touched and jostled day after day and this is the only account of anyone receiving a "discharge" of healing power?
I have heard that Jewish tradition held that the tassels on the robe of the Messiah would contain healing power. By reaching out to touch the hem of the robe (where the tassels were) this woman is confessing her belief that Jesus is the Messiah. And anyone who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah will receive power from Him. Christ is completely aware of what is going on, even in the midst of the crowd. He isn't carried away in the moment, He doesn't miss the opportunity because He is too focused on Jairus. I might have been...but Jesus is not. His eye always has the Father in focus, and that keeps Him in the center of the Father's will. In the center of the Father's will is where all of us are complete and completely effective.
If only we would reach out in faith and touch the hem of Jesus. He is the only holy thing in all of creation that isn't contaminated once it comes in contact with something unclean. Anything touched by Jesus becomes whole, and holy. It becomes healed, functional and filled with joy. I suppose Jairus could have been thinking to himself "in just a few more minutes that is going to be me dancing for joy and thanking Jesus for helping me and my little girl".
But just at that moment....the bad news comes, the girl has died. Satan never misses an opportunity to encourage us to collapse in doubt and discouragement when a miracle is just around the corner. He always accuses and lies, and tries to rob us of our hope and faith.
Thank you Jesus, for whispering in our ear the same words you whispered to Jairus: "don't be afraid; just have faith". What miracles we would miss if we didn't act in faith!
I applaud Jairus this morning for his incredible testimony. His dogged pursuit of Jesus is an encouragement to me, his refusal to be sidetracked by doubt and fear are motivators for me as well. And the way that God worked in his life in power? Well, it fills me with hope that God will do the same for me.
I suppose that from that day on, every time Jairus looked at his daughter he was reminded of the great power of God. I hope that as his daughter grew into a young woman and had children of her own that she carried the faith with her. Scripture doesn't tell us what happened afterwards. Wouldn't it be a tragedy to have been healed by Jesus only to later surrender the faith?
have a wonderful day in Christ,
PR
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Mark 4
Most of what we read today we also read yesterday...which frees me up to think about some of the smaller details. For instance: "why would Jesus deliberately talk to people in a way that He knew they wouldn't understand?" Isn't the point of His ministry to win people into the kingdom of God? How does talking in parables help with that?
Well, actually the main thrust of Christ's ministry wasn't to convert the masses. When we read the rest of the passage, you hear Jesus saying that the Kingdom will "start small and grow larger". If Jesus converted everyone, then it would have started large. The main purpose of Christ's ministry (as it pertains to education) was to train the disciples to replicate themselves while sharing the Good News. That ensures a widespread sharing of the Gospel over many years. Another purpose was to prove that He was truly God...and that was done by fulfilling prophecies that were made about Him many years ago. In this case, the Messiah is prophesied to speak and not be understood. Jesus could have spoken plainly to everyone, but then it wouldn't have fulfilled the prophesy. In fact, had he spoken plainly, it could have had the opposite effect. Some could say "listen, we all understand and respond to what He is saying...when the Messiah comes people won't listen".
Another part of this scenario focuses on the condition of the listener, instead of the speaker. While a speaker may talk plainly, it is possible for a listener to completely miss the point because they aren't hearing it correctly. When I was in school, I heard every single word the math teacher said... and I still didn't understand algebra. I speak very plainly to my children (at least I think I do) and while I am talking I can see that they don't hear a word I am saying.
I think something like that was going on when Jesus spoke to the crowds, because we hear the parables today and we can draw the right conclusions....they were either distracted or not interested. Or, maybe the Holy Spirit is giving us more insight than we know!
Attempting to listen intently,
PR
Well, actually the main thrust of Christ's ministry wasn't to convert the masses. When we read the rest of the passage, you hear Jesus saying that the Kingdom will "start small and grow larger". If Jesus converted everyone, then it would have started large. The main purpose of Christ's ministry (as it pertains to education) was to train the disciples to replicate themselves while sharing the Good News. That ensures a widespread sharing of the Gospel over many years. Another purpose was to prove that He was truly God...and that was done by fulfilling prophecies that were made about Him many years ago. In this case, the Messiah is prophesied to speak and not be understood. Jesus could have spoken plainly to everyone, but then it wouldn't have fulfilled the prophesy. In fact, had he spoken plainly, it could have had the opposite effect. Some could say "listen, we all understand and respond to what He is saying...when the Messiah comes people won't listen".
Another part of this scenario focuses on the condition of the listener, instead of the speaker. While a speaker may talk plainly, it is possible for a listener to completely miss the point because they aren't hearing it correctly. When I was in school, I heard every single word the math teacher said... and I still didn't understand algebra. I speak very plainly to my children (at least I think I do) and while I am talking I can see that they don't hear a word I am saying.
I think something like that was going on when Jesus spoke to the crowds, because we hear the parables today and we can draw the right conclusions....they were either distracted or not interested. Or, maybe the Holy Spirit is giving us more insight than we know!
Attempting to listen intently,
PR
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Luke 8
I confess to deriving some pleasure from watching my co-pastor squirm when we encounter people or passages of scripture that encourage us toward a subordinate role for women in the church. It's probably part of my carnal nature....but I enjoy bringing up 1 Timothy 2:11-12 just to watch the ladies become frustrated. I agree that it's immature...I'll work on it.
My actions however, do reveal a difference in the way we interpret what the Bible has to say about who should lead, and preach. Even when I am pretending to take the position that women should remain silent and never preach, in reality what I believe is exactly the opposite. And, I take this passage as a clue as to how Jesus viewed the ministry of women. In His day, women were considered as second class, but Jesus had them very close to Him. Some of these were powerful women..at the very least they had the ear of someone in power. I don't think you would have wanted to cross Joanna, she was almost certainly personally known by Herod and her husband was one of his most trusted partners. At the same time, Mary Magdalene is there from whom Jesus has cast out seven demons. A short time from now Jesus is going to deny a man from whom He casts out many demons the privilege of traveling with him...but Mary is afforded the same privilege.
In this chapter Jesus challenges our perception of reality. He says that His mother and brothers are the people who do God's will, not simply the family He was born into. Could that understanding help shape the way we see women? They are very much co-heirs with men. I wonder sometimes if gender will even be a distinction in heaven. Jesus himself says we won't marry or be married in heaven. Maybe the reason we argue over the role of women in the church is because our understanding is too limited. We see only the surface, when Christ sees much more. I hint at this because I see great and powerful ministries happening with women in charge. God appears to be blessing them, and He doesn't bless disobedience. Again, I don't see anywhere in Scripture that the Holy Spirit decides who gets what gift based on their gender. If the Spirit gifts you to preach or teach, then do it; in any way that is appropriate.
One other quick thought here. This passage is revealing the absolute power of Jesus over things out of control. The sea is out of control, and because it is, the disciples are filled with fear. When Jesus calms it, they begin to wonder about Him...because He clearly has great power. Moments later they encounter a man who is out of control. The townspeople have become used to having the madman run around naked in the cemetery. But when Jesus calms him, they become afraid! Why? Wouldn't you think they would come out of town celebrating, thanking Jesus for doing what they couldn't do? No. In our original nature we are only comfortable interacting with things we can control, and Jesus is "out of our control". He reminds us simply by His actions that there are powers to which we must submit...and He is in control of those powers. The wise person immediately bows and makes every attempt to get Jesus "on their side". Seriously. This is the creator, and if He is of a mind to do so, you or I can be dissolved in a moment.
The people of the town were afraid because they had encountered a powerful force that they didn't understand, and didn't know anything about. Instead of learning about Jesus, and discovering that He was benevolent towards them (as the disciples had already done) they chose to run away in fear. Those who run away and refuse to listen are like the seed that falls on hard ground, and the devil makes sure they have no chance to receive the message.
This is getting a little long...but I wonder about why the demons wanted to go into living things, even though within in two minutes they were drown. The demons didn't want to go into the abyss...but as soon as the inhabited the pigs they ran directly into the abyss. What? They didn't want to be without something to inhabit, and by their own actions they were without something to inhabit. It sounds to me as if their thinking is seriously compromised. I wonder if one of the results of being apart from God is a complete breakdown in logic.
The account of Jairus deserves more attention than I am prepared to give it today. I'll discuss it when it comes up again in a day or two.
Serving the one who is beyond my control
PR
My actions however, do reveal a difference in the way we interpret what the Bible has to say about who should lead, and preach. Even when I am pretending to take the position that women should remain silent and never preach, in reality what I believe is exactly the opposite. And, I take this passage as a clue as to how Jesus viewed the ministry of women. In His day, women were considered as second class, but Jesus had them very close to Him. Some of these were powerful women..at the very least they had the ear of someone in power. I don't think you would have wanted to cross Joanna, she was almost certainly personally known by Herod and her husband was one of his most trusted partners. At the same time, Mary Magdalene is there from whom Jesus has cast out seven demons. A short time from now Jesus is going to deny a man from whom He casts out many demons the privilege of traveling with him...but Mary is afforded the same privilege.
In this chapter Jesus challenges our perception of reality. He says that His mother and brothers are the people who do God's will, not simply the family He was born into. Could that understanding help shape the way we see women? They are very much co-heirs with men. I wonder sometimes if gender will even be a distinction in heaven. Jesus himself says we won't marry or be married in heaven. Maybe the reason we argue over the role of women in the church is because our understanding is too limited. We see only the surface, when Christ sees much more. I hint at this because I see great and powerful ministries happening with women in charge. God appears to be blessing them, and He doesn't bless disobedience. Again, I don't see anywhere in Scripture that the Holy Spirit decides who gets what gift based on their gender. If the Spirit gifts you to preach or teach, then do it; in any way that is appropriate.
One other quick thought here. This passage is revealing the absolute power of Jesus over things out of control. The sea is out of control, and because it is, the disciples are filled with fear. When Jesus calms it, they begin to wonder about Him...because He clearly has great power. Moments later they encounter a man who is out of control. The townspeople have become used to having the madman run around naked in the cemetery. But when Jesus calms him, they become afraid! Why? Wouldn't you think they would come out of town celebrating, thanking Jesus for doing what they couldn't do? No. In our original nature we are only comfortable interacting with things we can control, and Jesus is "out of our control". He reminds us simply by His actions that there are powers to which we must submit...and He is in control of those powers. The wise person immediately bows and makes every attempt to get Jesus "on their side". Seriously. This is the creator, and if He is of a mind to do so, you or I can be dissolved in a moment.
The people of the town were afraid because they had encountered a powerful force that they didn't understand, and didn't know anything about. Instead of learning about Jesus, and discovering that He was benevolent towards them (as the disciples had already done) they chose to run away in fear. Those who run away and refuse to listen are like the seed that falls on hard ground, and the devil makes sure they have no chance to receive the message.
This is getting a little long...but I wonder about why the demons wanted to go into living things, even though within in two minutes they were drown. The demons didn't want to go into the abyss...but as soon as the inhabited the pigs they ran directly into the abyss. What? They didn't want to be without something to inhabit, and by their own actions they were without something to inhabit. It sounds to me as if their thinking is seriously compromised. I wonder if one of the results of being apart from God is a complete breakdown in logic.
The account of Jairus deserves more attention than I am prepared to give it today. I'll discuss it when it comes up again in a day or two.
Serving the one who is beyond my control
PR
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Matthew 13
This passage begins with Jesus speaking about how we should grow, and concludes with images of what happens when we are fully grown. In other words, it speaks of planting and of harvesting. When we talk about Christianity and planting, it begins with someone sharing the need for salvation, and the way to accept Jesus as Savior. The word "Gospel" simply means "Good News". So when we share the Gospel, we are planting the seeds into peoples lives.
The first part of this teaching has greatly helped me in my ministry, because it prepares me for what happens when the Gospel is shared. Some will listen, and some will not. Some will be excited and initially look like they are going to be people who will stick around... only to fall away later. Knowing this helps me to be less disappointed when I see it happen. Of course, there is always some disappointment, but this softens it somewhat.
When I was in Israel a guide explained this to me in a way that really helped. In Israel, a large portion of the farming is done on hillsides, and the terrain is very rocky. So, you have a terraced spot that is fertile ground, with a footpath right beside it. The footpath is usually worn down to almost bare rock, with some light accumulation of dirt along the edges. When the farmer is scattering his seed, he isn't deliberately wasting it on the footpath, but it's so narrow that you can't help but have seed go there. That's why you have the description that you do. No successful farmer takes valuable seed and scatters it in the thorn bushes....that wouldn't make sense. But the different soils are so close together that you can't avoid it.
That idea dovetails into the rest of this passage. Those who are earnestly seeking God are rubbing elbows everyday with people who don't want anything to do with Him...or people who want to be associated with God, but don't want Him to be Lord of their life. Jesus tells us that we should expect to see this occurring, and He encourages us with this thought "it will all be made right at the final judgment".
Don't be discouraged when you see the wicked flourish. Don't be depressed when you see people who don't know God seem to get further ahead than what you do. At the end of days, God is going looking for "wheat", and He won't be keeping any "weeds" no matter how tall they have grown.
I want to make it my personal goal to grow more each day to be like Christ, and in His time, to be mature enough to share the Gospel effectively with the right people so that there may be a great harvest in heaven. Even if I don't survive (in this life) to witness the whole event myself.
Growing in Jesus,
PR
The first part of this teaching has greatly helped me in my ministry, because it prepares me for what happens when the Gospel is shared. Some will listen, and some will not. Some will be excited and initially look like they are going to be people who will stick around... only to fall away later. Knowing this helps me to be less disappointed when I see it happen. Of course, there is always some disappointment, but this softens it somewhat.
When I was in Israel a guide explained this to me in a way that really helped. In Israel, a large portion of the farming is done on hillsides, and the terrain is very rocky. So, you have a terraced spot that is fertile ground, with a footpath right beside it. The footpath is usually worn down to almost bare rock, with some light accumulation of dirt along the edges. When the farmer is scattering his seed, he isn't deliberately wasting it on the footpath, but it's so narrow that you can't help but have seed go there. That's why you have the description that you do. No successful farmer takes valuable seed and scatters it in the thorn bushes....that wouldn't make sense. But the different soils are so close together that you can't avoid it.
That idea dovetails into the rest of this passage. Those who are earnestly seeking God are rubbing elbows everyday with people who don't want anything to do with Him...or people who want to be associated with God, but don't want Him to be Lord of their life. Jesus tells us that we should expect to see this occurring, and He encourages us with this thought "it will all be made right at the final judgment".
Don't be discouraged when you see the wicked flourish. Don't be depressed when you see people who don't know God seem to get further ahead than what you do. At the end of days, God is going looking for "wheat", and He won't be keeping any "weeds" no matter how tall they have grown.
I want to make it my personal goal to grow more each day to be like Christ, and in His time, to be mature enough to share the Gospel effectively with the right people so that there may be a great harvest in heaven. Even if I don't survive (in this life) to witness the whole event myself.
Growing in Jesus,
PR
Monday, February 8, 2016
Luke 11
People are divided on the subject of knowing how to pray. Some recommend using a pattern (such as ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) and others say to pray whatever comes into your mind. I suppose that a balance of both ways is the best idea. I don't want my prayer life to be only a long list of things that I am asking for, and a formula that forces me to spend time telling God how much I adore Him could be a good thing. On the other hand, I don't want to reduce my time of prayer to a "checklist" either. In this passage I don't think Jesus is giving the disciples a formula that they need to use every time they pray. Instead He is showing them the sort of things they need to be praying about. We should revere the name of the Lord, we should ask for daily help and protection, etc. Rather than simply repeating the words, we should be echoing the sentiment in our extemporaneous prayers.
There are two things that really grab me today: First, the idea that someone could be so disconnected from God that they accuse God of operating under the power of the devil. I suppose that sort of thing stills goes on today. You can get some pretty intense emotional responses when you begin talking about what the Bible says about alternative lifestyles, addictions or abortion. People will accuse you of being evil...when you are actually good.
The second thing is the forceful way that Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and the legal experts. He really is coming down hard on them. He was invited to their house for dinner, but that gesture doesn't seem to have affected His delivery at all. If I were a Pharisee, I would be squirming and probably pretty angry. I suspect that I would have felt insulted, and my pride would be hurt. Here's the thing: Jesus isn't holding back to protect their feelings. It isn't because He doesn't love them, it's because they have been running roughshod over the people they were meant to take care of for generations. They have been prideful, arrogant and entitled, and now the Master is back to take them to task. The right thing to do would be to cry out in shame and repentance and ask for forgiveness. But their hearts are so hardened that they don't even feel shame....only anger.
The Bible tells us that one day each of us will stand in front of God himself to hear His judgment on what we have done with our lives. If we have been prideful and arrogant, we can expect to be cast into hell. Even though God loves us all, there is no indication in the Scripture that He is going to
"cut everyone a break" on judgment day. Just like He chewed out the Pharisees, He will take everyone to task that hasn't obeyed Him.
Thinking of that, we should be thankful when God rebukes us now, while we still have time to repent and get right with Him. No one wants to hear God say that He isn't pleased with what we are doing. But better to be humbled here and exalted on Judgment Day, instead of vice versa.
Thankful for even the hard messages from Jesus,
PR
There are two things that really grab me today: First, the idea that someone could be so disconnected from God that they accuse God of operating under the power of the devil. I suppose that sort of thing stills goes on today. You can get some pretty intense emotional responses when you begin talking about what the Bible says about alternative lifestyles, addictions or abortion. People will accuse you of being evil...when you are actually good.
The second thing is the forceful way that Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and the legal experts. He really is coming down hard on them. He was invited to their house for dinner, but that gesture doesn't seem to have affected His delivery at all. If I were a Pharisee, I would be squirming and probably pretty angry. I suspect that I would have felt insulted, and my pride would be hurt. Here's the thing: Jesus isn't holding back to protect their feelings. It isn't because He doesn't love them, it's because they have been running roughshod over the people they were meant to take care of for generations. They have been prideful, arrogant and entitled, and now the Master is back to take them to task. The right thing to do would be to cry out in shame and repentance and ask for forgiveness. But their hearts are so hardened that they don't even feel shame....only anger.
The Bible tells us that one day each of us will stand in front of God himself to hear His judgment on what we have done with our lives. If we have been prideful and arrogant, we can expect to be cast into hell. Even though God loves us all, there is no indication in the Scripture that He is going to
"cut everyone a break" on judgment day. Just like He chewed out the Pharisees, He will take everyone to task that hasn't obeyed Him.
Thinking of that, we should be thankful when God rebukes us now, while we still have time to repent and get right with Him. No one wants to hear God say that He isn't pleased with what we are doing. But better to be humbled here and exalted on Judgment Day, instead of vice versa.
Thankful for even the hard messages from Jesus,
PR
Friday, February 5, 2016
Matthew 11
I was talking with a fellow pastor a few weeks ago and he referenced this passage. We were talking about how God has been doing incredible things in our churches, and in our lives, and yet he found himself wondering if his faith was truly genuine. Can you imagine? Here's a guy who has seen God work miracles right in front of him, and he finds himself wondering.
That might be where John the Baptist was...have you ever thought about that?
John clearly knew that Jesus is the Messiah. He says as much when he calls attention to him. He sees heaven opened when he baptizes him, and he must have heard reports back about how Jesus was performing miracles. So why would he send several disciples to ask "are you the one we have been expecting, or is there someone else?" Maybe it was because the devil was whispering in Johns ear, telling him "Jesus is your cousin, he can't be God...how can your cousin be God?" Maybe John expected Jesus to behave in a different way. All the Jews thought the Messiah would be a conquerer...John didn't see Jesus advancing to power. Maybe John didn't consider himself to be the manifestation of Elijah...who knows. We will probably never know exactly why John was curious. What's important to realize is that honest, intent, serious Christians can sometimes get caught up in a wave of doubt. It doesn't mean you aren't genuine...it means you are human. We can't stop the devil from whispering lies, and every once in a while we hear one too clearly. John does the right thing. He doesn't let his doubt simmer and grow. He goes right to Jesus and gets an answer. Jesus answers in a way that will completely put John's mind at ease. John knows the sort of things that the Messiah is going to do...and Jesus simply says "I'm doing those things". That's enough for John, he has his answer.
Jesus goes on to say that there isn't anyone born of man who is greater than John, so being tempted to doubt isn't a disqualifier in your spiritual life. And think of this...anyone who goes to heaven will be even greater than John. What must we be in heaven? It certainly is going to be incredible!
I've read the passage many times about the kids singing a song in the city square and wasn't quite sure what it meant. But the New Living Translation words it differently enough that I derive this meaning: The people of Jesus' day who opposed Him (the ones He refers to when He says that 'forceful people oppose the Gospel') weren't going to be happy no matter what the messenger did. They didn't like the message, so they immediately criticized the messenger. They said John was demon possessed, and Jesus was a drunk and a glutton. No matter what Jesus did, they weren't going to be happy.
Sometimes we encounter those types of people in our lives. They oppose the message (even if it isn't openly) and that manifests itself by criticizing the messenger. No matter what you do, you aren't going to make them happy. What should we do then? I suggest that we treat them with love, not compromise the message at all and continue on our journey. After all, we aren't taking this path to please men anyway....right?
Blessings,
PR
That might be where John the Baptist was...have you ever thought about that?
John clearly knew that Jesus is the Messiah. He says as much when he calls attention to him. He sees heaven opened when he baptizes him, and he must have heard reports back about how Jesus was performing miracles. So why would he send several disciples to ask "are you the one we have been expecting, or is there someone else?" Maybe it was because the devil was whispering in Johns ear, telling him "Jesus is your cousin, he can't be God...how can your cousin be God?" Maybe John expected Jesus to behave in a different way. All the Jews thought the Messiah would be a conquerer...John didn't see Jesus advancing to power. Maybe John didn't consider himself to be the manifestation of Elijah...who knows. We will probably never know exactly why John was curious. What's important to realize is that honest, intent, serious Christians can sometimes get caught up in a wave of doubt. It doesn't mean you aren't genuine...it means you are human. We can't stop the devil from whispering lies, and every once in a while we hear one too clearly. John does the right thing. He doesn't let his doubt simmer and grow. He goes right to Jesus and gets an answer. Jesus answers in a way that will completely put John's mind at ease. John knows the sort of things that the Messiah is going to do...and Jesus simply says "I'm doing those things". That's enough for John, he has his answer.
Jesus goes on to say that there isn't anyone born of man who is greater than John, so being tempted to doubt isn't a disqualifier in your spiritual life. And think of this...anyone who goes to heaven will be even greater than John. What must we be in heaven? It certainly is going to be incredible!
I've read the passage many times about the kids singing a song in the city square and wasn't quite sure what it meant. But the New Living Translation words it differently enough that I derive this meaning: The people of Jesus' day who opposed Him (the ones He refers to when He says that 'forceful people oppose the Gospel') weren't going to be happy no matter what the messenger did. They didn't like the message, so they immediately criticized the messenger. They said John was demon possessed, and Jesus was a drunk and a glutton. No matter what Jesus did, they weren't going to be happy.
Sometimes we encounter those types of people in our lives. They oppose the message (even if it isn't openly) and that manifests itself by criticizing the messenger. No matter what you do, you aren't going to make them happy. What should we do then? I suggest that we treat them with love, not compromise the message at all and continue on our journey. After all, we aren't taking this path to please men anyway....right?
Blessings,
PR
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Luke 7
The faith of the Roman Centurion is sought after by most Christians. But today as I put myself in his place, I find that I would want Jesus to come to the house. It's not that I don't believe Jesus could heal from a distance, I know He can. I would be curious to see Jesus, and watch the miracle unfold in front of my eyes.
I can't help but imagine that the soldier was curious in the same way, but he denied himself the pleasure of even Christ's visit. Every time you read your Bible you see new things...and today the new thing I see is the humility of this Centurion. He was willing to forego his meeting with Jesus because he realized how unworthy he truly was.
Would I be disappointed if a very famous or powerful person were on their way to see me, and then had to cancel? Sure, I'd probably be frustrated by that. It would be a real let down to think you were going to see someone really special and then at the last minute miss seeing them. Think of this: the Centurion willingly set aside the opportunity to see Jesus. That's true humility and self denial. And combine that with the faith he has already shown...no wonder Jesus was impressed with him.
Jesus did so many miracles that we couldn't possibly have a record of them all. This miracle with the Centurion was even more special. Here's another thought: The Centurion willingly made himself "invisible" to Jesus in humility; and Jesus in return made him famous for all time by inspiring the writers of the Gospel to include his story. In being humble, he became more famous than he ever would have had he indulged himself. (There's a powerful life lesson in there).
John the Baptist's encounter will come up again tomorrow, and the interaction with the sinful woman will be mentioned again later, so I'll reserve comment on them until later.
The other thing mentioned in this chapter is the raising of the widows son. The message is clear: Jesus has power over life and death. Only God has power over life and death. Jesus is God.
Jesus certainly must have seen funerals before this. Why bring back this young man? I guess it was compassion for his mother that motivated Jesus to action. We forget sometimes that when we lose a loved one, Jesus is sad too. He isn't grieving because he has lost something...Jesus never loses anything. He knows where our loved ones are, and can be in contact with them any time He wants. No, he grieves because He feels compassion for us, and we are grieving.
I'm glad to be serving a God who not only is powerful, but who cares for me, and is capable of feeling the same way that I feel.
On the narrow path,
PR
I can't help but imagine that the soldier was curious in the same way, but he denied himself the pleasure of even Christ's visit. Every time you read your Bible you see new things...and today the new thing I see is the humility of this Centurion. He was willing to forego his meeting with Jesus because he realized how unworthy he truly was.
Would I be disappointed if a very famous or powerful person were on their way to see me, and then had to cancel? Sure, I'd probably be frustrated by that. It would be a real let down to think you were going to see someone really special and then at the last minute miss seeing them. Think of this: the Centurion willingly set aside the opportunity to see Jesus. That's true humility and self denial. And combine that with the faith he has already shown...no wonder Jesus was impressed with him.
Jesus did so many miracles that we couldn't possibly have a record of them all. This miracle with the Centurion was even more special. Here's another thought: The Centurion willingly made himself "invisible" to Jesus in humility; and Jesus in return made him famous for all time by inspiring the writers of the Gospel to include his story. In being humble, he became more famous than he ever would have had he indulged himself. (There's a powerful life lesson in there).
John the Baptist's encounter will come up again tomorrow, and the interaction with the sinful woman will be mentioned again later, so I'll reserve comment on them until later.
The other thing mentioned in this chapter is the raising of the widows son. The message is clear: Jesus has power over life and death. Only God has power over life and death. Jesus is God.
Jesus certainly must have seen funerals before this. Why bring back this young man? I guess it was compassion for his mother that motivated Jesus to action. We forget sometimes that when we lose a loved one, Jesus is sad too. He isn't grieving because he has lost something...Jesus never loses anything. He knows where our loved ones are, and can be in contact with them any time He wants. No, he grieves because He feels compassion for us, and we are grieving.
I'm glad to be serving a God who not only is powerful, but who cares for me, and is capable of feeling the same way that I feel.
On the narrow path,
PR
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Matthew 9
A few weeks ago when we read Matthew 8 Jesus was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. As He traveled there via boat with several of His disciples, a severe storm blew in, and almost capsized the boat. Jesus calmed the waves (and His disciples). Once on the other side, He healed a demon possessed man, commanding the demons to enter into pigs. After spending some time sharing in that area, He is now returning back to the west side of the Sea. In Jesus' day, the east side was occupied by non-Jews. It was referred to as the "Decapolis" (10 cities), and although the Jews were familiar with them, they didn't accept them as religious equals. The west side of the Sea is where the Jews lived (mostly). The northwest region of the Sea is where the majority of Jesus' miracles take place. Capernaum is located on the sea in this area.
In Luke 5 the parable of the wineskins is shared, just like it is here...except there is one more verse. In Mark and Matthew they don't add the last line that is found in Luke 5:39 "and no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, "the old is better".
In my Bible the study notes explain that Jesus was telling the disciples that people are reluctant to change...that's why they prefer the old wine.
Bear with me a second here....this passage really gets under my skin..
I don't think that's what Jesus was implying at all. In order for that to be true, Jesus would be saying that "fasting is the old way and I am doing things a new way" But He isn't saying that. He's saying "it isn't the right time for fasting now". There will be a time for it, and then it will be the exact right thing to be doing. I don't think Jesus was saying "I am doing something new and wonderful that you can't possibly ever be a part of, because you are an old wineskin and you can't handle what I'm up to." No way. None of the disciples had a clue at this point... and these were godly men who followed John the Baptist. They weren't heathens, they were interested, intent practicing Jewish men who knew what John said about Jesus and were simply curious as to why His practice didn't match their own.
What bothers me is when we use this passage in the church to imply that the new thing we are doing is better than the old and cannot be embraced or received by those who are older (or anyone who isn't on board with the new idea). I'm not implying that every new idea is good, or that good ideas aren't ever rejected unfairly...I'm just saying that this passage won't support the premise. Here's why:
Old wine is better than new wine. Anyone who knows anything knows that wine becomes better with age. New wine needs to ferment, and release some gas before it's any good, so we put it in a new wineskin that can move with it. It isn't better...it's just in a different stage of the process. Someday the very same wine in the very same wineskins will be sought after and valued. But not so much today...because it's new.
It's easy to be confused, because the new garment is better than the old garment (as a general rule). If Jesus hadn't mentioned the wineskins, we could conclude that new is better. But since the wineskins are mentioned...it cancels out that thought.
So what about the garments? Jesus is saying that there is a time and process for everything, and all things will be done in order, at the right time. Don't ruin what is going on now by trying to add what should happen later to it. It's too early for fasting. Fasting will come, and it will be right...but it isn't right at the moment.
There are seasons in the church. There are times to celebrate, times to be sad, times to learn and times to hang out and fellowship. There are times to build and times to tear down..(hey, isn't this in Ecclesiastes..?) The important thing is to understand that it's a process.
We wouldn't be gloomy and sad at a wedding, but it might be appropriate at a funeral, or on good Friday. In the same way, we shouldn't demand that new Christians do everything that more seasoned mature Christians do.
When we are young in the faith we haven't "fermented" yet. We still need to let off a little "gas" and we need a family that understands that. I think this passage could tie into the passage about "a bruised reed I will not break" without disrupting the original thought.
Enjoying the journey, letting off some gas....
PR
In Luke 5 the parable of the wineskins is shared, just like it is here...except there is one more verse. In Mark and Matthew they don't add the last line that is found in Luke 5:39 "and no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, "the old is better".
In my Bible the study notes explain that Jesus was telling the disciples that people are reluctant to change...that's why they prefer the old wine.
Bear with me a second here....this passage really gets under my skin..
I don't think that's what Jesus was implying at all. In order for that to be true, Jesus would be saying that "fasting is the old way and I am doing things a new way" But He isn't saying that. He's saying "it isn't the right time for fasting now". There will be a time for it, and then it will be the exact right thing to be doing. I don't think Jesus was saying "I am doing something new and wonderful that you can't possibly ever be a part of, because you are an old wineskin and you can't handle what I'm up to." No way. None of the disciples had a clue at this point... and these were godly men who followed John the Baptist. They weren't heathens, they were interested, intent practicing Jewish men who knew what John said about Jesus and were simply curious as to why His practice didn't match their own.
What bothers me is when we use this passage in the church to imply that the new thing we are doing is better than the old and cannot be embraced or received by those who are older (or anyone who isn't on board with the new idea). I'm not implying that every new idea is good, or that good ideas aren't ever rejected unfairly...I'm just saying that this passage won't support the premise. Here's why:
Old wine is better than new wine. Anyone who knows anything knows that wine becomes better with age. New wine needs to ferment, and release some gas before it's any good, so we put it in a new wineskin that can move with it. It isn't better...it's just in a different stage of the process. Someday the very same wine in the very same wineskins will be sought after and valued. But not so much today...because it's new.
It's easy to be confused, because the new garment is better than the old garment (as a general rule). If Jesus hadn't mentioned the wineskins, we could conclude that new is better. But since the wineskins are mentioned...it cancels out that thought.
So what about the garments? Jesus is saying that there is a time and process for everything, and all things will be done in order, at the right time. Don't ruin what is going on now by trying to add what should happen later to it. It's too early for fasting. Fasting will come, and it will be right...but it isn't right at the moment.
There are seasons in the church. There are times to celebrate, times to be sad, times to learn and times to hang out and fellowship. There are times to build and times to tear down..(hey, isn't this in Ecclesiastes..?) The important thing is to understand that it's a process.
We wouldn't be gloomy and sad at a wedding, but it might be appropriate at a funeral, or on good Friday. In the same way, we shouldn't demand that new Christians do everything that more seasoned mature Christians do.
When we are young in the faith we haven't "fermented" yet. We still need to let off a little "gas" and we need a family that understands that. I think this passage could tie into the passage about "a bruised reed I will not break" without disrupting the original thought.
Enjoying the journey, letting off some gas....
PR
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Matthew 7
We are told not to judge others, but in verse 15 we are also encouraged to identify those who aren't really disciples, but say they are. (false teachers). What's the difference? One obvious difference is WHO you are making a judgment about. In the beginning of the chapter we are cautioned not to make judgments about sins in the lives of other believers. In the second passage Jesus is talking about unbelievers who are pretending to be leaders and teachers.
Since we are also told not to use what is holy on those who are unholy, we understand that there is a precedent to decide who is really a Christian and who isn't. Given that, we need to know how to make that judgment. Again an obvious way is by what they say (if they confess Jesus as Lord, that's a good indication). And a second way is by their fruit. Every Christian will display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) in some way. So, don't sit in judgment of other Christians just because they aren't doing what you are doing. But if someone who is leading or teaching comes to the church, they should absolutely be evaluated.
Because of what we are teaching on in the church right now, verses 21 and 24 leap off the page at me. God isn't going to accept everyone who says they are a Christian into heaven...only those who obey Him. And we cannot obey Jesus without the constant help of the Holy Spirit. If you could, then Christ wouldn't have sent Him. We need day to day help to remain obedient. However, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are powerful and can remain steadfast. There is no reason to believe that at person who is operating under the Holy Spirit's power will ever remain in sin.
Praise the Lord!
PR
Since we are also told not to use what is holy on those who are unholy, we understand that there is a precedent to decide who is really a Christian and who isn't. Given that, we need to know how to make that judgment. Again an obvious way is by what they say (if they confess Jesus as Lord, that's a good indication). And a second way is by their fruit. Every Christian will display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) in some way. So, don't sit in judgment of other Christians just because they aren't doing what you are doing. But if someone who is leading or teaching comes to the church, they should absolutely be evaluated.
Because of what we are teaching on in the church right now, verses 21 and 24 leap off the page at me. God isn't going to accept everyone who says they are a Christian into heaven...only those who obey Him. And we cannot obey Jesus without the constant help of the Holy Spirit. If you could, then Christ wouldn't have sent Him. We need day to day help to remain obedient. However, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are powerful and can remain steadfast. There is no reason to believe that at person who is operating under the Holy Spirit's power will ever remain in sin.
Praise the Lord!
PR
Monday, February 1, 2016
Matthew 6
Notes to my children from Matthew 6
6:1-8 Remember, the focus here is on not bragging about what you do. If someone finds out that you were kind or you were praying, fine. But don't make a big production out of it, trying to gain some recognition. Be content to know that Jesus sees what you do, that's enough.
6:9-13 The Lord's prayer. It's not an incantation that you should repeat verbatim so that you receive things. It's a model of the spirit in which we should pray. Make God first in your life, desire to do His will, trust in Him for daily needs and treat others in the same way that God has treated you. Specifically, you have been forgiven a great deal. Imitate that forgiveness for others.
6:14 tells us how important forgiveness is. If you don't forgive, then you aren't forgiven. Think about this: what would the world look like if we forgave each other when we did something wrong? How many wars would never be fought? Without war there is a greater likelihood of prosperity...how many countries would have clean water, food and medication if we simply learned to forgive one another, and not hold onto offenses? Children have a better chance of becoming normal healthy adults when their parents are together. What if we learned to forgive each other in our families? How much different would our society be? Our prisons might be half full, and our police departments fully funded. This isn't rocket science, but it has more potential to change the world than rocket science does.
6:19-34 Greed is the foundation for all kinds of evil. I was talking about war a moment ago...many wars are fought based on greed. Robberies, Auto theft, workplace theft, etc. all based on greed. Everyone of us pays the price for greed. Our insurance rates are higher, our gasoline prices are higher. It's possible that our whole system of commerce is based on greed. It's not based on what the product is intrinsically worth, it's based on "how much can I get out of it"? Greed from the top or the bottom of the social order translates into higher prices, and we have them both.
Why is our first thought to spend everything we have on ourselves? That's greedy. and it's out of focus. The passage about "your eye is a lamp" seems to me to be talking about how we process what we see. If every time we see something new we say "I want that" our lamp is bad. We could be greedy and not even know it! It would be wise for us to pray that God would take any hint of greed out of our lives.
Think of this: when we greedily hoard away money, resources....whatever.. we are in effect saying that we cannot trust God to provide for us in the future. I don't want to go overboard here....it is possible that God is providing NOW for future events, so you need to prepare wisely. (I'm thinking of how Joseph was told about 7 years of plenty, to be followed by 7 years of famine in Genesis) There is such a thing as godly planning ahead for your future. But I also think we have to balance that thought against what our expectations and plans for the future are. Here's what I mean: planning for the future is fine, but are you planning to live more luxuriously in the future than you do now? Have you talked to God about that? Maybe if we asked God what He wanted us to put away for the future it would look a little different than what we are currently planning.
For some it would be a call to save more and spend less now. For others it would be to give more generously now and save less for later.
Don't let greed and desire for things get it's teeth into you. It is a hard and unpleasant process to break the hold that greed has on us. Better not to be caught up in it in the first place.
thinking aloud,
PR
6:1-8 Remember, the focus here is on not bragging about what you do. If someone finds out that you were kind or you were praying, fine. But don't make a big production out of it, trying to gain some recognition. Be content to know that Jesus sees what you do, that's enough.
6:9-13 The Lord's prayer. It's not an incantation that you should repeat verbatim so that you receive things. It's a model of the spirit in which we should pray. Make God first in your life, desire to do His will, trust in Him for daily needs and treat others in the same way that God has treated you. Specifically, you have been forgiven a great deal. Imitate that forgiveness for others.
6:14 tells us how important forgiveness is. If you don't forgive, then you aren't forgiven. Think about this: what would the world look like if we forgave each other when we did something wrong? How many wars would never be fought? Without war there is a greater likelihood of prosperity...how many countries would have clean water, food and medication if we simply learned to forgive one another, and not hold onto offenses? Children have a better chance of becoming normal healthy adults when their parents are together. What if we learned to forgive each other in our families? How much different would our society be? Our prisons might be half full, and our police departments fully funded. This isn't rocket science, but it has more potential to change the world than rocket science does.
6:19-34 Greed is the foundation for all kinds of evil. I was talking about war a moment ago...many wars are fought based on greed. Robberies, Auto theft, workplace theft, etc. all based on greed. Everyone of us pays the price for greed. Our insurance rates are higher, our gasoline prices are higher. It's possible that our whole system of commerce is based on greed. It's not based on what the product is intrinsically worth, it's based on "how much can I get out of it"? Greed from the top or the bottom of the social order translates into higher prices, and we have them both.
Why is our first thought to spend everything we have on ourselves? That's greedy. and it's out of focus. The passage about "your eye is a lamp" seems to me to be talking about how we process what we see. If every time we see something new we say "I want that" our lamp is bad. We could be greedy and not even know it! It would be wise for us to pray that God would take any hint of greed out of our lives.
Think of this: when we greedily hoard away money, resources....whatever.. we are in effect saying that we cannot trust God to provide for us in the future. I don't want to go overboard here....it is possible that God is providing NOW for future events, so you need to prepare wisely. (I'm thinking of how Joseph was told about 7 years of plenty, to be followed by 7 years of famine in Genesis) There is such a thing as godly planning ahead for your future. But I also think we have to balance that thought against what our expectations and plans for the future are. Here's what I mean: planning for the future is fine, but are you planning to live more luxuriously in the future than you do now? Have you talked to God about that? Maybe if we asked God what He wanted us to put away for the future it would look a little different than what we are currently planning.
For some it would be a call to save more and spend less now. For others it would be to give more generously now and save less for later.
Don't let greed and desire for things get it's teeth into you. It is a hard and unpleasant process to break the hold that greed has on us. Better not to be caught up in it in the first place.
thinking aloud,
PR
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)