EXODUS 32:7-14

THE BACKGROUND

God’s chosen people have been released from slavery in Egypt, and are at the foot of Mount Sinai.  Moses has been up on the mountain, communicating with God.  He has been gone a long time.  The people have grown impatient.  They have collected gold from the people, and made an idol. 

THE DETAIL

• God breaks the news to Moses.  Interestingly, He says “your people”, when referring to the people down in the encampment.  Earlier, in Exodus 5:1, God says “Let my  people go…” What has changed?  (vv. 7-8)
• God is angry.  He calls the people “stiff-necked”.  What might that mean?  (v. 9)
• He tells Moses to stand back, because he is going to obliterate them, and start over with Moses!  (v. 10)
• Moses does not step back.  He “implores” God to reconsider.  I have just learned that this word “implore” means something a little deeper in the original Hebrew.  It means to be almost sick with humble intensity.  So then, Moses humbly urges God to reconsider.  He cleverly uses God’s own promises to change his mind. ( vv. 11-13)
• Lo and behold, God does change his mind!  (v. 14)

THE TAKEAWAY

A few weeks ago, Abraham persuaded God to rethink His plans about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Now, we have another example.  This illustrates the willingness of God to listen to our requests, and perhaps change his plans.  I think it is key to remember “our place” when making these requests, and approach God with a humble spirit.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What would it say about you, if God called you a stiff-necked person? How do we keep from having God call us one?
 

1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17

THE BACKGROUND

Timothy was one of Paul’s key people.  He was put in charge of several churches at various times.  He was with Paul on his second and third missionary trips. Paul wrote two letters of instruction to him.  In this portion of the first letter, Paul presents his own story.

THE DETAIL

• Paul begins by expressing his gratitude in Jesus for appointing him to serve the Lord.  He gives Jesus all the credit.  He deserves none of the credit, for the reasons that will follow.  (v. 12)
• He calls himself several unflattering names, including “a man of violence”.  (v. 13)
• He was saved, purely by the free and abundant grace of God. (v. 14)
• He calls himself the foremost (or worst) of sinners.  He goes on to say that this is why Jesus chose him for this mission; because he was such a bad sinner.  He used Paul as an example to show that no one is beyond forgiveness.  (vv. 15-16)
• Because of this, he concludes his witness with praise for Jesus.

THE TAKEAWAY

Paul has to be one of the most influential Christians of all time. Yet, he is humble, calling himself the worst of all sinners.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If Paul is that low, where does that put us?

LUKE 15:1-10

THE BACKGROUND

As Jesus works his way towards Jerusalem, he teaches and interacts with the people.  Some religious officials are starting to criticize Jesus.

A note about tax collectors.  These were members of the Jewish community who were employed by the Romans to collect taxes from the Jews.  They were, in effect, traitors to their own people.  To make matters worse, many tax collectors used this authority to overcharge, and skim off some for themselves.  Needless to say, they were not held in high regard in the community.

THE DETAIL

• Part of the people who came to Jesus were tax collectors and other “sinners”.  No details are given.  They must have been undesirables, judging from what comes next. (v. 1)
• The scribes and Pharisees (the righteous part of the community) notice these ruffians, and grumble.  They must have been pretty vocal, because Jesus overhears their grumbling. (v. 2)
• He tells them two parables.  The first is the parable of the lost sheep.  The second one is the parable of the lost coin.  The point of both stories is the same, and is summarized in the last verse.  (vv. 3-9)
• Jesus uses these two parables to illustrate the joy that exists in heaven over one of the “lost” souls being “found.  (v. 10)

THE TAKEAWAY

It is an east trap to fall into.  You attend church regularly.  You tithe. You serve God by serving those around you.  Then, some tacky person shows up in church, and expected to be treated like a normal person.  This is what Jesus does, and people grumble.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Are you a grumbler or a greeter?

DEUTERONOMY 30:15-20

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Deuteronomy consists mainly of one, very long address of Moses to his people.  They are about to enter the promised land without him.  Most of this address is a reading of “The Law of Moses”, including the Ten Commandments.  After today’s reading, Moses sings a song, and dies.  Today’s reading occurs at a pivotal moment in the story—it is time to decide.

THE DETAIL

• God’s people are given a choice—life or death, prosperity or ruin.  The choice is theirs.  (v. 15)
• Moses has just given them a very long list of rules; laws to obey, if they chose to be His people.  There are 26 chapters of laws, starting at chapter 4!  Moses tells them that if they chose to follow these laws and love God, they will prosper.  (v. 16)
• On the other hand, if they reject these laws and the Lord God Jahweh who gives them, you will perish.  (vv. 17-18)
• Heaven and earth are called as witnesses to their decision. Life or death.  The choice is theirs to make.   (v. 19)
• By loving the Lord, and obeying Him, He will fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  (v. 20)

THE TAKEAWAY

 We, too, have a live or death decision to make.  By putting our trust in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are assured of life eternal.  Just as important, by entering into a loving, obedient relationship with God, we receive innumerable blessings.  They aren’t always monetary.  Sometimes they are spiritual.  But they do come, don’t they?

PHILEMON 1:1-21

THE BACKGROUND

Paul’s letter to Philemon is one of those rare treasures.  Paul was in prison in Ephesus.  He would be in there for two years!  Philemon was a wealthy Christian living in Colossae.  Philemon has invited Paul to stay with him, when he is released from prison.  Philemon owned slaves, which was not uncommon.  One of these slaves, a man named Onesimus, escaped from his master. He could have been crucified for this. Onesimus found his way to Ephesus, where he helped care for Paul in prison.  In Roman prisons, one was rarely fed, was kept in darkness, and received little or no exercise.  Many prisoners, after their release, were blind, crippled, or both. 

THE DETAIL

• The letter starts out in Paul’s typical style.  First, it states who it’s from.  (vv. 1-2)
• Next comes the greeting of grace and peace to the recipient. (v. 3)
• Also typical, the recipient is mentioned to be in Paul’s prayers, but the tone is different.  There is personal warmth and love.  It may just be Paul, buttering up Philemon, but it might be more.  Perhaps there was a genuine friendship here.  (vv. 4-7)
• He zeroes in on the request, calling it more of a command, even though he could do it out of love.  (vv. 8-9)
• He names Onesimus, but he also calls him “my child” and Paul his “father”.  He says that he has become useful to both of them.  (vv. 10-11)
• Paul wants to send Onesimus back to him, but wants his OK first. He states that things have changed. He might still be a slave, but is now their brother in Christ.  (vv. 12-16)
• He’s requesting that Philemon take him back, welcoming him as he would Paul.  And Paul will pay for any damages (or theft) that Onesimus might have done.  (vv. 17-18)
• To emphasize his sincerity, Paul takes the pen from the scribe, and writes this promise in his own hand.  (v. 19)
• Paul closes by lovingly applying a little more pressure.  (vv. 20-21)

THE TAKEAWAY

Apparently, Philemon had converted to Christianity, through Paul, on a visit to Ephesus.  In desperation, the runaway slave traveled the 150 miles from Colossae to Ephesus to seek Paul out.  Paul could have sheltered the slave, maybe helping him escape to Greece.  It would also implicate him by harboring a runaway. Instead, he puts his trust in Philemon’s faith, and asks him to receive Onesimus in the spirit of reconciliation—the same spirit of grace that the Father has for our transgressions.  He sends Onesimus and a disciple named Tychius to Colassae with the letter.  Doing this would be dangerous for Onesimus, and very awkward for Philemon.  In the end,, we do not know what Philemon did. What we do know is that fifty years later, the bishop of Ephesus is a man called Onesimus.  Is this the same person?  We will never know.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Would you have heeded Paul’s request, and forgiven Onesimus?

LUKE 14:25-33

THE BACKGROUND

We are in the middle part of the Gospel of Luke, the teaching part. Jesus traveled from town to town, teaching in the synagogues and on the hillside.  He is drawing a crowd.

THE DETAIL

• We learn that “large crowds” are following Jesus.  I’m sure that some of these followers were hanging on each word, learning, and growing in faith.  I’ll bet that many were simply curious, waiting for him to perform another miracle.  He stops, turns to the crowd, and speaks.  (v. 25)
• He tells the crowd that if they want to be his disciple, they must hate their family and their life.  If they’re not prepared to do that or “carry the cross”, they can’t be his disciple.  We’ll discuss “hate” in the Takeaway.  (vv. 26-27)
• He next provides them with two parables to make his point. Both have to do with measuring the cost of an endeavor before undertaking it.  (vv. 28-32)
• In conclusion, he states that you cannot become his disciple unless you sell all your possessions.  (v. 33)

THE TAKEAWAY

This is a difficult teaching, to be sure!  This teaching is labeled “The Cost of Discipleship”.  Jesus has certainly challenged his crowd and us as well.  First, let’s talk about the word “hate”.  There are three points to be made.

1. Jesus clearly is not advocating that we hate anybody, especially our family.  Jesus’ message is about love—not only our neighbors but also our enemies.
2. You could say that he was using hyperbole—making exaggerating sentence to make his point.  If you’ve ever said “If I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times to…”, then you’ve used hyperbole to make a strong statement.
3. The Old Testament uses the word “hate” to indicate “less loved”.  A prime example of this comes from the story of Jacob and his wives Rachel and Leah.  Jacob was in love with Rachel, but tricked into marrying Leah first.  The bible states that he “hated” Leah.  (Genesis 29:31)  In the verse prior, it states that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.  Also, Jacob and Leah had six children together. I don’t think he really “hated” Leah. Perhaps Jesus meant “hate” in this sense.

Whatever the case, Jesus is making a strong case for measuring the cost of being his disciple.  He wants to weed out the thrill-seekers from the faith-seekers.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If you had to choose between Jesus and your family ties, would you leave your family to follow him?

PROVERBS 25:6-7a

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom; wise sayings for leading the godly life.  Today’s short passage mirrors today’s Gospel lesson, which is why it appears here.

THE DETAIL

• The advice given is not to boldly stand before the king, “in the place of the great”. (v. 6)
• It is much better to be invited there than to be told to step down. (v. 7)

THE TAKEAWAY

The overall point here is for the reader to exercise humility instead of boldness.  Better to have others urge you forward than to suffer the humiliation of being put lower. 

HEBREWS 13:1-8, 15-16

THE BACKGROUND

This passage comes from the final chapter of the book.  The author has made his theological points regarding Jesus’ place in the history of the Hebrew faith.  Jesus is the culmination of the Father’s plan of salvation for us. Having made these points, he concludes with some advice on daily Christian living.

THE DETAIL

• “Letting mutual love continue” sums up this entire section. What follows are several examples. (v. 1)
• First up is showing hospitality to strangers.  The mention of entertaining angels may have been intended as a reference to Abraham’s entertaining three travelers in the wilderness who turned out to be angels.  (v. 2)
• Remembering people in prison was especially important in that time.  Prisoners were held in complete darkness, often in restraints, frequently tortured, and rarely fed.  It was important for people on the outside to remember these prisoners, and bring them food and hope.  Prison ministry today is just as important for you and I to be involved in.  When we do so, we bring hope and love to those in hopeless situations.  (v. 3)
• Being faithful in our marriage is next on the list.  (v. 4)
• We are cautioned not to be obsessed with our money, but to be content with what we have.  We can find assurance in knowing that God will provide for our needs.  (vv. 5-6)
• We are reminded to imitate the people in our lives who are our spiritual role models.  (v. 7)
• Finally, we are reminded of Jesus’ constant presence in our lives.  We should live lives of sacrifice and praise, sharing our blessings with those around us. (vv. 8, 15-16)

THE TAKEAWAY

Stand back, and take a good look at this list.  Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place, if everyone lived their lives like this?  I think so. Let’s start a trend by following these guidelines!
 

LUKE 14:1, 7-14

THE BACKGROUND

This story appears about halfway through the section of Luke’s Gospel that is about Jesus’ teachings.  We have four more chapters to go, before Jesus enters Jerusalem.

THE DETAIL

• Jesus is on his way to the house of a leader of the Pharisees, to attend a dinner party.  That’s the good news.  (v. 1a)
• Many [Pharisees?] are watching him closely.  That’s the bad news.  (v. 1b)
• Many guests are jockeying for seating at “the good table”. Jesus sees this, and decides to tell them a parable.  (v. 7)
• The parable is a story which is apparently based on our first reading from Proverbs.  (vv. 8-10)
• Then, Jesus tells them the moral of the story.  It is better to be exalted than to be humbled. By living a life of humility, you allow others to raise you up.  If you live your life in an exalted, cocky fashion, you can only expect to be humbled. (v. 11)
• Jesus could have left it right there, but he continues. He turns to the host and makes suggestions about who to invite to the party.  He suggests inviting the dregs of society!  (vv. 12-14)

THE TAKEAWAY

There was a song in the ‘50’s that went something like this:  “We belong to a mutual admiration society”. This was the order of the day back then, as it is today.  Many hold parties inviting influential friends, in the hopes of gaining wealth or prestige.  Jesus’ suggestion to invite the crippled, blind and poor seem counterproductive to these goals.  How do you think the party’s host reacted to this advice? 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Would you ever hold a party and invite the poor, crippled, and blind in your town?

This might provide you with a clearer picture of what is going on in this reading from Hebrews.  Warning: It requires a lot of digging around in the Old Testament, which is not a bad thing!

Hebrews 12:18-29

The whole idea here is to make the Jewish Christians realize how much better they have it, since the Messiah has ushered in the new kingdom.  The author begins by contrasting what the Jewish Christians had (and didn’t have) before and after the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

18You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20(For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”)

The author is referring to the story that takes place during the wanderings in the wilderness of Moses and God’s chosen people. The thing that cannot be touched (but can be seen) is Mt. Sinai.  (See Exodus 19:7-25.)  He then compares it to what they now have, with Jesus and the fulfillment of prophecy.

 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 

The temple in Jerusalem was the only place on earth where one could experience God’s presence.  “Heavenly Jerusalem” is the replacement for the temple in Jerusalem. (See Hebrews 11:16, Revelation 21:2 and Galatians 4:26.)  The idea here is that the temple in Jerusalem was temporary, and has been replaced by the heavenly Jerusalem because of the coming of the Messiah.

24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.25See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 

The first verse compares the blood of Able (Genesis 4:8-16) with Jesus’ lifesaving blood.  One condemns, the other saves.  The rest reminds us to heed the saving word of Jesus.

26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  28aTherefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, …

The reference here is to Haggai 2:6, in which God will shake heaven and earth.  By contrast, because of Jesus ushering in the New Kingdom, our world will not be shaken.

28b… let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Our response is faithful worship to the God who sent the Messiah, who saves our souls.

THE TAKEAWAY

The whole idea here is to get the Jewish Christians to realize how much better they have it, since the Messiah has ushered in the new kingdom.  It good for us to realize this too!

ISAIAH 58:9b-14

THE BACKGROUND

The large book of Isaiah can be broken into three parts—the time before, during, and after Judah’s exile in Babylon.  Today’s reading comes from the last part.  God’s people have returned to the Promised Land.  It doesn’t take long before they start going astray.  Each of the two paragraphs mention one particular expectation that God has of his people.

THE DETAIL

• God calls his people to turn to him and cry for His help.  “The yoke” He is referring to is their sinful nature.  He gives two examples—“pointing of the finger” and “speaking of evil”.  The real list was longer, of course.  (v. 9b)
• Here are two expectations of God; two God-like behaviors that He would like to see. They should offer food to the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the afflicted.  (v. 10a)
• The remainder of this paragraph lists the blessings they would receive, if they did these things, instead of the above-mentioned bad things.  (vv. 10b-12)
• Now, the emphasis shifts to another one of god’s expectations, keeping the Sabbath day holy.  When God calls working on the Sabbath “trampling on the Sabbath”, you get a sense for His feelings on this subjest.  He wants us to put our own interests aside on this day, and take a holy break.  (v. 13)
• What follows are some of the blessings we receive, when we follow this path.  (v. 14)

THE TAKEAWAY

It is clearly stated, time and time again in scripture that we are to care for the less fortunate around us.  This includes the hungry, the orphans and widows, etc.  This is very important to God.  Somehow, it is less important to us.  Somehow, it is easier to point the finger to justify why we should not be generous.

Recently, I learned that the word Sabbath means “stop”.  For people of faith, this means stopping work.  God wants us to have a break from our labors every week.  At our house, we try to refrain from doing chores on this day. Instead, we do “other stuff”, like talking with family, going for a walk or boating, etc.  If I’m working on some sort of project, I try very hard to not work on that project on Sunday.  For those who work for a living, sometimes it is impossible to take Sunday off.  But the concept is the same.  God wants us to take a holy break and honor Him. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Haven’t we all looked down our noses at people less fortunate than us?  We need to recognize this for what it is not.  It is not love.  Since it is not love, but the opposite, isn’t that a sinful act?

HEBREWS 12:18-29

THE BACKGROUND

I’ve already said that this book was written to explain Jesus’ place in Jewish theology.  But there are two more things to know about it. The writer uses contrast in this writing.  He compares the good vs. the bad, then vs. now, and so forth.  Today, it is a Then and Now, a Tangible vs. Intangible comparison.

THE DETAIL

• He starts out by stating that we Christians don’t have a belief based on something we can touch, see, or hear.  Back in Moses’ time, they did.  They had the temple of God’s presence.  (vv. 18-21)
• What we have is the invisible Mt. Zion, the heavenly city of God.  Everybody is there—God, Jesus, angels, and those who have gone before us (“the assembly of the firstborn”).  This is what we believe in.  We believe by faith, not by touch, sight, or sound.  (vv, 22-23)
• Jesus’ life-saving blood is contrasted with the death-dealing blood of Abel.  (v. 24)
• We should not waver in our faith (“refuse the one who is speaking”), like the Israelites did so many times.  (v. 25)
• At Sinai, God shook the earth with his voice.  Soon, God will shake both heaven and earth with His voice, as foretold in Haggai 2:6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land…”  (vv. 26-28)
• So, keep the faith, and give thanks, knowing that “God is a consuming fire”.

THE TAKEAWAY

By definition, faith is the belief in something not seen.  Remember what Jesus said, when “doubting Thomas” touched Jesus’ scars? “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29)

LUKE 13:10-17

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus is still on his way to Jerusalem.  It is the Sabbath, a day of rest, worship, and teaching.

THE DETAIL

• It was common in Jesus’ day for a traveling teacher to preach the Word in the synagogue on the Sabbath (Saturday).  Jesus does just that at some undisclosed place.  (v. 10)
• Jesus heals a woman from a crippling illness of 18 years.  (vv. 11-13)
• The leader of the synagogue speaks up, objecting to Jesus working on the Sabbath.  In most cases, the Law of Moses is clear-cut on this subject.  Regular work was not allowed.  You weren’t even allowed to travel, except to go to worship.  On the other hand, it was OK to work to save someone’s life on the Sabbath.  Healing a crippled person was in a gray area.  Jesus took one side, the leader took the other.  (v. 14)
• The list of work not allowed was very well defined, as defined in a non-biblical text that listed them.  One of the verbs listed was “to lead”.  You could not lead a farm animal on the Sabbath.  Jesus turns the tables on the leader of the synagogue, when he uses the example of leading an ox or donkey to a water trough to water the animal.  He knows that they all do this, so he calls them hypocrites.  They can break the law to give their donkey a drink, but cannot heal this “daughter of Abraham”.  Jesus calls it what it is—hypocrisy.   (vv. 15-16)
• The point is made, and his critics are put to shame.  (v. 17)

THE TAKEAWAY

Jesus repeatedly ignores the letter of the law when it comes down to showing love and compassion for others. The laws are a good guide, but the Law of Love overrides everything else.  Sometimes, it is easier to stick to the rules, and turn our backs to those in need.  Jesus is telling us to put love above all else.

JEREMIAH 23:23-29

THE BACKGROUND

This part of Jeremiah’s story occurs at a pivotal moment.  Jeremiah has been speaking for God, condemning the practices of the king of Judah and the prophets of the king’s court.  He has nearly been executed three times for treason, solely based on his opposition to them.  Earlier in this chapter, God (through Jeremiah) has presented his vision for His people—that they should “… act with justice and righteousness,… do[ing] no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow…” (v. 3)  Instead, “… their eyes are on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence.” (v. 17) Speaking up against these acts brought Jeremiah nothing but grief.  Very soon, the tide will change.  Babylon is about to change their lives forever.

THE DETAIL

• Right away, you can sense the tone of this passage.  God is angry with the king and his court prophets.  God reminds them that he is both near and far; they can run, but they cannot hide.  God sees everything.  (vv. 23-24)
• God attacks the court prophets for leading His people astray.  They have told His people lies; lies which support the king’s agenda, and not the Lord’s.  (vv. 25-27)
• In the end, God says “let them tell their lies”.  But let His prophet (Jeremiah) speak the truth as well.    The wheat/straw sentence was puzzling to me.  I take it to mean this:  Both wheat and straw are from the same plant; but the wheat provides nourishment, while the straw is provides none.  Jeremiah and the court prophets are all prophets, but only one provides wholesome prophecy.  (v. 28)
• The Lord’s final statement is ominous—His word is like fire.  It is like a hammer.  This is no idle threat!  (v. 29)

THE TAKEAWAY

The more things seem to change, the more they remain the same.  In today’s religious communities, there are two distinctly different “schools”. One strives to care for the disadvantaged—foreigners, the poor, widows, and the underprivileged.   The other supports leadership that is more interested in programs for the wealthy than for the poor. I suggest you reread verses 25-28, substituting the word "preacher" for the word "prophet".  Many of today's high-dollar evangelists support a president who wants to eliminate the poor, the downtrodden and the aliens in our land.  Who's values do they support-- God's or mankind?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I wonder what God would say to us today?  Could He be speaking now, and we’re just not listening?  

HEBREWS 11:29-12:2

THE BACKGROUND

I will continue to say this, because it is so important to understanding the book of Hebrews—this book was written to help the Christian Jews to understand Jesus’ place in the world of Jewish theology.  They had a firm understanding of Yahweh through reading the Old Testament.  The question before them was how Jesus fit into this picture.  Before Jesus, one gained God’s favor by keeping The Law of Moses.  With Jesus, it comes though faith.  Is this something new?  The author of Hebrews says no, and explains why.

THE DETAIL

• We are presented with a very long list of faithful Jews from Old Testament scripture.  (vv. 29-32)
• We read of the suffering they endured for their faith.  (vv. 33-38)
• He then states that all these faithful people did not, unfortunately, receive the promise (of the Messiah).  The good news is that we do receive the promise!  (vv. 39-40)
• The final paragraph tells us what we should do.  I’ll summarize it in reverse order. 
  • Remember that Jesus endured the shame of the cross, and sits at God’s right hand.
  • Remember that Jesus is our pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
  • Let’s set aside our sinful ways, and run the race of faith that is set before us.  Sometimes, we must persevere, especially when faced with difficulties such as those mentioned in verses 33-38.

THE TAKEAWAY

Over the eons, many have suffered for their faith.  This was certainly true for the early Christians.  They were called upon to persevere in the face of adversity; to have suffering endurance.  Even today, occasionally, we are called upon to stand up for Jesus.  When this happens, it’s time to lace up our running shoes, and run the race of faith!
 

LUKE 12:49-56

THE BACKGROUND

Jesus has “set his face on Jerusalem”.  He continues on, knowing what lies ahead.   He has taught his followers what all of this will mean, but many don’t get it or don’t want to get it.  Last week’s reading hinted at the anxiety that Jesus must have felt.   In this week’s reading, Jesus’ feelings are more evident. 

THE DETAIL

• It is clear to me that Jesus is anxious about what he is about to endure, and would like to get it over with.  By “baptism”, I believe he is referring to his crucifixion.  (vv. 49-50)
• Our Prince of Peace is not talking peace here, but division.  It was true for his followers, back at that time.  To follow Jesus meant that they must step away from their former traditional Jewish lives, and become Christians.  This would mean confrontation with family members and friends. Many would have to choose between Jesus or family & friends.  These lines of separation still exist.  But we’ll save that for the Takeaway.  (vv. 51-53)
• The final paragraph might be understood to refer to the “end times”.  But, I prefer to think instead that Jesus was talking about his immediate future.  Everybody was happily following him down the road.  Jesus knew exactly where that road would lead, but others apparently did not. I think this passage was meant for them. (vv. 54-56)

THE TAKEAWAY

Many of us are fortunate to be able to live our lives in the same Christian community as our friends and family. Sometimes, there is a cost to following Jesus.  Sometimes, family members will differ on issues of morality or faith.  This is when it is important to return to holy scripture and review the life and teaching of Jesus. 

GENESIS 15:1-6

THE BACKGROUND

The book of Genesis is full of ancient stories of the relationship between God and mankind. The stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, and Noah and the Ark tell us about the nature of our sinful nature and about God’s desire to be in relationship with us. After The Flood, God took a different approach.  He focused on developing a relationship with one man, one family—Abram and Sarai. Today’s passage is one of the key passages regarding the development of this relationship.

THE DETAIL

• God appears to Abram in a vision, and makes a promise to him.  (v. 1)
• Abram enters into a discussion with God.  Abram does not mince words, but boldly challenges God to make good on previous promises.  Abram is old, and is concerned about who will inherit his wealth.  The custom of the day was that if there was no son born to the family, the family wealth would go to the head slave of the household.  In Abram’s case, all fingers pointed to his head slave Eliezer of Damascus inheriting Abram’s wealth.  This was contrary to God’s promise, so Abram asks God “What gives???”  (vv. 2-3)
• God stands firm with his promise, and tells Abram that his very own child will be the heir, not Eliezer.  (v. 4)
• Then, taking Abram outside, God points to the heavens.  He promises Abram that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars.  (v. 5)
• Remarkably, Abram trusts God’s promise.  God “reckoned it to him as righteousness”.  More on this in the Takeaway.  (v. 6)

THE TAKEAWAY

It is important to note that at this time in history, there was no bible.  There are thousands of pages for us to read in the bible.  Not one word from God was written anywhere for Abram’s benefit.  Abram left his family’s home to be a “wandering Aramean” solely on some visions and the encounter in the desert we studied two weeks ago.  That takes faith!

At the time of this story, Abram is in his 90’s.  Sarai is barren and also very old.  Abram is justified in his concerns about the future.  God’s promises seem very unrealistic.  Yet, Abram trusts in the Lord’s promise.  It is this trust that God finds remarkable.  He considers Abram to be a righteous person because of it. 

Understanding the words “righteous” and “righteousness” have always given me difficulty.  What exactly do they mean?  I have two explanations to share with you.

1. A pastor taught me long ago that the word “righteousness” means “right actions”. A righteous act is doing the right thing—something that would please God. 

2. I recently read a story of a person who visited the Holy Lands.  Their rental car was acting up, so they took it to a mechanic.  The mechanic looked the car over, and said that the car was sedeq.  It was a Hebrew word which meant that the car was working as it should.  Interestingly, this is the same Hebrew word that is used in our text for “righteousness”.   So, like that car, when Abram trusted in the Lord’s promise, Abram was acting as he should have-- as God hoped he would act.

We now have the benefit of many bible stories to strengthen our faith.  By trusting in the Lord, we are also reckoned as righteous (sedeq) in the Lord.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Are you acting sedeq?  Are you acting as you should before God?

HEBREWS 11:1-3, 8-16

THE BACKGROUND

When reading the book of Hebrews, it is good to remember the purpose that the author had in mind.  His intent in writing this was to explain how the life of Jesus fit into the Jewish framework of faith.  In other words, it provided answers to questions like “Who was Jesus?”, and “How does he fit into our understanding of God, as presented in the Bible (Old Testament)?”  Today’s passage focuses on the meaning and value of faith.  The author uses the classic Jewish model of faith we just read about – Abraham.  (His name was changed from Abram to Abraham by God later, during a covenant process.)

THE DETAIL

• This first sentence is worthy of an hour-long discussion all by itself.  Maybe we’ll discuss this at length in the Takeaway. (v. 1)
• Verses two and three direct attention to Abraham, who is the role model of faith both to the Jews and to us Gentiles.  (vv. 2-3)
• What follows is a long list of detailed faith-acts on the part of Abraham:
  1. He left his homeland, not knowing his destination.
  2. He and his ancestors lived as nomads, waiting for the fulfillment of the promise.
  3. He was able to produce an heir because of his faith.
• This section is concluded by stating that all these people died in faith, all waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled.  If they ceased to have faith, they might have returned to their homeland, but they did not; they trusted in the Lord’s promise.  (vv. 13-15)
• But because of their faith, God held them dear to him.  (v. 16)

THE TAKEAWAY

Look at verse 1.  Faith is putting our trust in something that we have never seen.  It is one thing to put one’s trust in something tangible; something you can touch or feel.  That’s not what we call faith.  Trusting in something that you’ve never seen requires faith.  Faith requires something special.  Faith is the thing that God treasures the most.  When we have faith in God’s promises through Jesus, we have hope.  We have the blessed assurance that we can have a close relationship with God, and receive life everlasting.
 

LUKE 12:32-40

THE BACKGROUND

We are into the heart of Jesus’ teaching ministry.  He has just angered the entire established religious community at a dinner he to which he was invited.  He will continue to teach and be challenged for eight more chapters before he enters Jerusalem for his final days.

If this lesson were a “red letter edition”, it would all be in red.  These are Jesus’ words and teaching for us. It has a few twists and turns in it.  Let’s dig into this, and make sense out of it. 

THE DETAIL

• Jesus begins by assuring us that the Father wants to give us the kingdom.  We should not be afraid or worry about it.  (v. 32)
• Next, Jesus gives us a little attitude adjustment.  He reminds us to fix our hearts on heavenly things, and not on earthly things.  Possessions can control our lives—get rid of them!  Focus on God!    Verse 34 is the key—God should be your treasure, not your checking account. (vv. 33-34)
• Then, Jesus’ conversation turns apocalyptic—he talks about the end times when he returns.  He warns us to be ready, with our lamps lit, waiting for the return of our master.  Remember, they didn’t have flashlights or light switches.  They only had oil lamps to illumine the darkness. To wait for the return of their master, they need to be ready, with lamps lit.  When he returns, and finds them ready, he will be pleased.  (vv. 35-38)
• In the next verse, the master becomes “the thief” who came in the middle of the night.  Does this mean that Jesus calls himself a thief? I’m not sure, but the meaning is clear—if we knew when he was to return, we would be ready for him.  (v. 39)
• The conclusion says it all—Jesus will return when you least expect it.  (v. 40)

THE TAKEAWAY

How do we “have our lamps lit” for Jesus in this day and age?  How to we ready ourselves for his return?  One of my favorite bumper stickers reads “Jesus is coming—look busy!”  It was meant as a joke, of course, but the question remains.  How do we prepare for his return?  Some turn to intense bible study and try to lead sinless lives.  But to me, this is exactly what Jesus criticized in the Pharisees.  Their lives were focused on being perfect (according to the Law of Moses), rather than being perfect by showing God’s love to those around them.  Being personally perfect, while ignoring others, is not God’s plan.  Jesus taught us to show our faith by loving everyone, even our enemies.  Bible study and trying to live pure lives are good things, to be sure.  But doing acts of righteousness by loving one another—loving everyone—is the best way to prepare for his return. 

Jesus is coming—be busy!