Slavery

John 8:31-32 states:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus spoke these verses while preaching to a mixed crowd of people and Pharisees about his divinity, with the usual results--the people, with some reservations, were ready to accept and believe, and the Pharisees were more intent on nitpicking and splitting hairs. However, when Jesus got to these verses, the people had some misgivings, as they replied:

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 

I find this to be an interesting reply on the part of the people, who most certainly had been slaves in their past, to wit:

1. That insignificant 400-year episode in Egypt (and let's recall, they weren't slaves for that entire period)

2. Sold into slavery in Judges 3:8 as punishment for their disobedience

3. FOUR VERSES LATER in Judges 3:12-14

4. A Canaanite king in Judges 4:2

5. Again in Judges 6:1, which necessitated Gideon's rescue

6. Again in Judges 10:7

7. Assyrian captivity in 722 BC (not necessarily slavery, but still)

8. Babylonian captivity in 587 BC

Of course, all of this is irrelevant, since Jesus was referring to the slavery of sin, but I still find it interesting that a people as knowledgeable of their history would make a statement like this. 

For us, it's an entirely different matter. We have never NOT been slaves to sin, and when we're honest with ourselves, we acknowledge this and thank and praise Jesus for his death and resurrection absolving us of the obligation to be punished for our sins. Simply put, as I've stated over and over throughout the year, we know better. We know our shortcomings, but that doesn't make it any easier to do something about it. Repentance has two parts:

1. Remorse and sorrow for what we did

2. A promise to refrain from repeating what we did

We're pretty good at the first and have a tendency to overlook the second. Part of freeing ourselves from the slavery of sin is to change behavior and not repeat those things we've been doing. Change, of course, is something for other people to do--if God had meant us to change easily, he wouldn't have made us German and Scandinavian. Only God can make that change, but that doesn't mean that we don't have a role in asking him to assist us in that transformation.

Scott

Abide In (Oct 23)

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
                                         John 8:31-32 NIV

Here Jesus is having a conversation with the Jews and Pharisees after an adulterous woman is brought to him, caught in the act of adultery.  The Pharisees and Jews bring up the point of the law dealing with adultery and the penalty of death by stoning. 

Jesus stated that if anyone was without sin, that person should begin the stoning.  All left and the woman was pardoned by Jesus and told to leave her life of sin.

Jesus has washed away our sin.  Here He advises that if we hold to His word, we are truly His disciples.  The phrase abide in My word is used in the New King James Version. 

The dictionary explains that the word abide means to: remain, continue, stay, dwell, wait for, submit to, to suffer for and to endure without change.  If we dwell in the house of the Lord, dwell in Jesus' word, in our hearts, on a moment by moment basis, we will be abiding in the way, the light, and the truth.  Certainly the truth has set us free, for the truth, Jesus, died on the cross and overcame death to set us free 2 millenia ago at Golgotha.

We need to hold to the teaching of Christ, and serve others with love in response to what He has first done for us.

In what ways are you holding to Jesus' Word?

What kinds of ways do people not hold to Jesus' Word?

Are there any ways you are not holding to Jesus' Word?

Pray that the Spirit is active and illuminates dark areas in your life and gives you the strength, wisdom, and courage to change those dark areas.

In Christ,

David P

The Kingdom of God (Oct 22)

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation.'
                           Luke 17:20 NIV

Jesus starts a thoughtful answer to the Pharisee's question about the arrival of God's kingdom today in the above verse.  My bible dictionary gives a 2 1/2 page definition of the kingdom of God that touches on Old and New Testament events that point to God's sovereign nature and concludes by stating, "The kingdom of God is the work of God, not produced by human ingenuity.  God brought it into the world through Christ, and it presently works through the church.  The church preaches the kingdom of God and anticipates the eventual consummation."

The word 'consummate,' means to bring to a state of perfection, to complete, to finalize, to bring to the highest point. 

The bible handbook refers to the kingdom as having a "range of meanings" that revolve around;  "having Jesus' dominion in the hearts of his people through all dispensations, onward into eternity."  It adds that the kingdom might refer to; the reign of God in an individual, the righteousness among men, the church, Christendom, or heaven itself.

Jesus pointed out the fact that just by careful observation of the law, the kingdom would not come.  Remember that the law does not forgive sin, it only serves as a mirror to point out or illuminate our sin.

From reading the above, we understand that the kingdom of God has many definitions and is a complex concept in its entirety.  On a practical, more simple, note however; the kingdom of God is at hand any time the Spirit leads us to help, assist, serve and show the light and love of God through Jesus to our fellow sojourners on this earth in a way that brings glory to God.

How have you shared the gospel message with others?

How are you planning on serving this Sunday?

Pray to keep your eyes open for ways to serve others to show Jesus' love to others.

In Christ,

David P

Crosses (Oct 21)

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
                                             Luke 14:27 NIV

Jesus advises us that we must carry our own cross and follow him in order to be His disciple.  There are 62 definitions of cross in my Webster.  Certainly many have to do with the crucifixion, cross shape, or going across something.  In addition there is a double cross and one may cross one's heart. 

The definition of cross that seemed to jump out of the dictionary in my research was: any misfortune, trouble.  Jesus, in this verse, is advising us that we must carry our challenges and not blame others.  We, in a sense, need to accept our misfortune, challenges, and troubles and not blame someone else, like Adam and Eve, who caused our fall from harmony with God. 

After we accept our misfortune, trouble, challenges, and difficulties, then we can bring them to the Lord in confession to restore ourselves and then, via the Lord's work, move on as a disciple with the Spirit's guidance in faith and in love.

How do people give their crosses to others?

Have you been given someone else's cross?

Have you ever given one of your crosses to another?

Pray to have the wisdom to see your cross, pick it up, and bring it to the Lord in prayer.

In Christ,

David P

Work on the Sabbath

Luke 13:10-17 describes Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath, which is the second occurrence we've read where people were upset that Jesus was dishonoring the Sabbath. About a year ago, I went to a meeting in Des Moines with a woman who described how some of her friends honored Sunday by not participating in anything that requires anyone to work on Sunday. This meant no TV (someone has to man the production booths), obviously no sports of any kind, no shopping, etc. I asked her two questions:

1. Was this some kind of pronouncement of those people's religion (no)

2. Did they not go to church since that would make the pastor work on Sunday (she laughed at that)

I won't belabor a point I've made previously (if YOU wish to belabor it, you can view that post here), but Christ's message was the simple one of mercy over adherence to the law. Having said that, while I don't want the blue laws of old brought back, I do wonder if we've debased Sundays and what they're supposed to mean. As a former K-mart manager, it was not unusual for me to work Sundays, but since I left that company in 1992, things have gotten much worse. Stores that used to close at 6:00 pm now stay open until 8:00 pm or longer and open earlier. Children's sports activities, once almost verboten on Sundays, now seem to begin as soon as the sun rises. Have we gone too far?

When Christ healed the woman, he was fulfilling what we're supposed to remember on Sunday--kindness and mercy to our brethren. What's the point of reflecting and contemplating service when we walk right past an opportunity to serve? The Pharisees were all about strict observance, and Christ was about repentance and throwing off the old ways. It wasn't an easy change (what significant change is), but it would prove to be a life-changing one, one that we need to remember EVERY day, and not just on Sunday.

Scott

Do Not Worry (Oct 20)

Then Jesus said to the disciples: "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat; about your body, what you will wear.  Life is more than food and the body more than clothes.
                                      Luke 12;22-23 NIV

There are several definitions of worry.  The two that are the most germane to today's passage are: to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret and to torment what cares, anxieties, etc; trouble.  In addition, worry means to move with effort: an old car worrying uphill.

Worry is an inward emotion that we apply to ourselves in uncomfortable, challenging, unresolvable and impossible situations we or loved ones are in.  It tends to be with us always and by our own efforts is not leave or depart from us.  Often, worry stems from uncertainty about an outcome, that is, in fact, most usually outside of our direct control.

When worry creeps into our life, we need to remember that we were, with original sin, born into an uncomfortable, challenging, and for our own efforts alone in an unresolvable and impossible situation.  It is only by the work of our Lord, Jesus, on the cross, that we were given eternal life.

When a worrisome situation arises, and we are heavy laden, take that situation to the Lord in prayer.  Take that situation to the cross, and wash that situation in the blood of Christ that has been shed for us and our sin.

Focus on Christ; as the Hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus states that the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.  Worry too can grow strangely dim.

What burdens are you carrying that you have not taken to the Lord in prayer?

Take your burdens to the Lord in prayer now.

In Christ,


David P

Six Woes

My NIV Study Bible labels Luke 11:37-54 as "Six Woes." Luke 11:46 states:

Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

The Pharisees were the audience, and in addition to constantly telling themselves how good and holy they were, they pointed out the shortcomings of others. Jesus was clearly telling these Pharisees they were wrong on both counts. We've already read where the Pharisees were intent on killing Jesus (Matthew 12:14, all the way back on October 5th), and here, Jesus adds more reasons for their hatred.

But he wasn't just talking to the Pharisees. A leader without a follower is just another person, and Jesus was telling the people that the Pharisees were empty suits, full of words and devoid of action. The Pharisees were a group that pointed out shortcomings as opposed to helping educate, edify and spiritually grow the people. They weren't teachers as much as enforcers, and Jesus' message of a new way wouldn't just diminish their power, but eliminate it totally. In the end, the Pharisees weren't scared of Jesus' teaching as much as his ability to make them obsolete.

Our obligation today is two-fold. First, we need to be on our guard that we don't fall under the sway of people like this, people that are preaching a false message that is not Christ-centered. Second, and more important in my mind, is that WE need to be sure we're not "load[ing] people down with burdens they can hardly carry." Our job as Christians is to help those who need help, and to instruct those who need instruction. In the business world, it's not hard to tell people what to do, but it's pretty useless by itself. The trick is making sure the resources are available to get the job done, and our job as Christians isn't just to tell people "Believe!", but provide them with the understanding of what that means and the instruction on how to live it.

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Jesus summed it all up in Luke 11:52:

“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

Stinging words, and words we need to spend our lives making sure aren't said to us when we meet the Lord.

Scott