Resource Manager Posted September 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 26 September 20131 Chronicles 9Ezekiel 22Luke 19"BECAUSE YOU DID NOT KNOW"How vital to know certain things; the young go to school and then, if they are capable, to a University or a higher learning institute to gain additional knowledge or skills so they can more effectively make their way in life. The need for this is self-evident to all – there is no reward for the lazy, although some try to make their way in life through devious or dishonest means.Our thoughts were provoked along these lines by 2 different points Jesus made in his teaching that we read today in Luke 19. The first is where Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and says: “would that you … had known on this day the things that make for peace … For the days will come upon you when your enemies will … tear you down to the ground … they will not leave one stone upon another in you because you did not know the time of your visitation.” [Luke 19:42-44]In a physical sense they knew the presence of Jesus, but very few knew him as the true Messiah, the son of God. It is the same today, very few deny that a man called ‘Jesus of Nazareth existed 2,000 years ago, but the impact of what he was, what he taught, the meaning this gave to life, fails to come alive in their minds and so transform their lives to give them real meaning and purpose.The second point arises in the parable Jesus told about a nobleman who gave ten minas to each of his servants (more than 2 years’ labourers wages) for them to use in his service while he was away. One of them fails to make any use of it and on the nobleman’s return he says to him, “Lord, here is your mina which I kept laid away in a handkerchief.” [Luke 19:20] He is rebuked for his failure to do any work for the nobleman and make any gains for him, and is told, “… you wicked servant! You knew I was a severe man …” [Luke 19:22]Jesus a severe man! Well, do you think it right to reward laziness? How true and wonderful is the love of God and of Jesus – yet in responding to that love as we each must – we must show our love in more than words. The aged Apostle John wrote, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.” [1 John 3:18]Let us all live in a way that shows both in word and actions, the latter confirming our words, that we are faithful servants ready, at an hour that will surprise us, to greet our nobleman.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted September 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 27 September 20131 Chronicles 10Ezekiel 23Luke 20“THOSE WHO DENY THAT …”We have 3 chapters today that teach valuable lessons. 1 Chronicles 10 tells us that “Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD …” [1 Chronicles 10:13] in not keeping his commandments, a lesson for all those who have committed themselves to serve the LORD.“The word of the LORD came to me” says Ezekiel [Ezekiel 23:1] and he receives a parable that pictures God’s disgust at the spiritual adultery of the nation. The LORD says to them, “Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back you yourself must bear the consequences …” [Ezekiel 23:35] And what consequences does today’s world face for doing this!?In our chapter in Luke [Luke 20] we see how “there came to him (Jesus) … those who deny that there is a resurrection” [Luke 20:27] as yet another example of those who believe what they want to believe and serve God on their own terms as Saul and nearly all the people in Ezekiel’s day had done. We note how Jesus responded to these deniers with a declaration of what is true, he “said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore because they are equal to the angels and are sons of God being sons (and daughters Footnote) of the resurrection” [Luke 20:36]Jesus then says [Luke 20:37] that even the writings of “Moses showed (this), in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (see Exodus 3:6). God was not proclaiming himself to be the God of the dead who have gone into oblivion for ever.God transcends time, he is from everlasting to everlasting; the prayer/Psalm of Moses states this, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” [Psalm 90:2]Oh, how incredible is the wonder of knowing and having a real everlasting relationship with God! Saul failed, the people of Israel’s time failed, the Sadducees failed, it seems nearly everyone today is failing – make sure you do not fail; feeding your mind of God’s word every day is an essential ingredient.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted September 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 28 September 20131 Chronicles 11Ezekiel 24Luke 21 “MY WORDS WILL NOT PASS AWAY” Today we read and were challenged by the words of Jesus about the future, some of his words clearly include our days. How familiar is Luke 21 to you? Jesus first predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, telling them, “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee …” [Luke 21:21-24] And so his words were fulfilled 37-40 years later.But note what he then added “… in those days … there will be great distress … and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” [Luke 21:23-24]Jerusalem is no longer trampled underfoot by non-Jews, excepting that they do not have access to the Temple mount. Now we note Jesus’ challenge, “Now when these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” [Luke 21:28]How are we to understand these words, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.” [Luke 21:32] This is the generation that sees Jerusalem being no longer trampled! How long is a generation? Psalm 90:10 tells us the average life span in God’s view - “The years of our life are seventy …” Is that a generation? Jesus adds more challenging words, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away” [Luke 21:33] This phraseology makes us immediately think of Peter’s words, about the heavens and the earth in Noah’s day being destroyed and that “the heavens and the earth which now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact … with the Lord one day is as a thousand years … ” [2 Peter 3:8-9]So “heavens and the earth” we conclude means the order of things, the rulers and those ruled – this is all going to be changed to bring “the kingdom of God” into existence.The final words of Jesus teaching is “stay awake at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36] Truly – the words of Jesus have not passed away – but how many are seriously listening? Are you?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted September 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 29 September 20131 Chronicles 12Ezekiel 25Luke 22"PRAY THAT YOU MAY NOT ... "The biggest test of commitment to God’s will in the life of our Lord Jesus came in the final hours before his arrest. We read of this today in Luke 22. As he instituted what is usually called, “the last supper,” he caused his disciples to search their hearts by speaking of there being a traitor among them. He said “Woe to that man” [Luke 22:22.] This may have triggered off the “dispute … that arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” [Luke 22:24] ‘I’m not a traitor, I’m the very opposite!’Spiritual growth involves walking the testing path of self-examination. Jesus met and overcame his crisis of commitment achieving complete submission to his Father’s will. This involved total clarity of understanding of that will, what it would accomplish. How great was his character in that, amid his own crisis, he was very conscious of his disciples’ frailty of faith. He encourages them, there is no condemnation of their human attitudes, he says, “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom” [Luke 22:28-29]He tells Peter, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” [Luke 22:32]. Peter’s crucial time of feeling overwhelming failure was when “he went out and wept bitterly” [Luke 22:62] His faith certainly faltered, but would not his ultimate faith and vision be stronger and better balanced as a result of this experience! What folly to gloss over our weaknesses – yet it happens so often.Now consider the intensity of emotion in the Garden of Gethsemane, “and when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” [Luke 22:40] How intense can prayer become? All too often normal mortals are unable to totally pour out their heart in prayer.! Jesus did, “being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood” [Luke 22:44-45]Christ’s final words to them are virtually a repeat his earlier words, “Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” [Luke 22:46] Rising up is a positive action. His focus on their need is a help to him in keeping his own strong. We saw a lesson here for our own meditations, for surely, as the return of our Lord grows ever more imminent and the world around us grows ever more godless, there is a kind of parallel with the evil that was closing in on the disciples. And us - how we will need to constantly and urgently pray for one another! Temptation and testing are really twin brothers – so let us “Watch and Pray” –there may need to be a 21st Century Garden of Gethsemane for us!-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted September 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 30 September 20131 Chronicles 13; 14Ezekiel 26Luke 23 PILATE … “I WILL RELEASE HIM”Pilate was the most powerful man in Israel in the days of Jesus. But he was strangely helpless in carrying out his own desire to let Jesus go free, though he said, as we read today, “I find no guilt in this man” [Luke 23:4] and “nothing deserving of death has been done by him” [Luke 23:15] “I will release him” (Luke 23:16 and again Luke 23:22) After all these declarations, it is strange how Pilate gives in. When we compare the different gospel records we get a clearer picture, one issue being that Jesus was claiming kingship. Pilate queried him on this, but said Jesus, “My kingdom is not of this world (or age)”So Pilate, the most powerful man in Jerusalem was indifferent to truth and justice and gave in to the demands that Jesus should be crucified; the biased and prejudiced jealous men got their way. There is a parallel today in what happened. Like the voices of the prejudiced religious leaders of that age, so today we have the insistent voices (and writings) of the atheistic and agnostic intellectual leaders – and they are getting really loud! The great majority argue that evolution is true, there is no God. These are no better than the Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus who blindfolded their minds to the heavenly power of Jesus. When you add all the evidence of history together with the testimonies in the Bible the intelligent deeply thinking mind becomes certain that Jesus did rise from the dead and equally certain that he is the coming king.Just as the resurrection of Jesus astonished the Jewish leaders – and those still alive suffered their deserved fate in the later destruction of Jerusalem, even so, the return of Jesus will astonish the world – and those who do not believe and are not ready for his coming, being convinced there is no God, they will perish, but only after they have seen the folly of their beliefs. What do we believe? Are we influenced, even held captive by the spirit that surrounds us, as Pilate was? If we are, it is clear we are not ready for Christ’s coming – we are without hope – this life is all we have. We cannot take a ‘wait and see’ attitude, a decision has to made as to where we stand.Oh, yes, this life is, for many, a very interesting and exciting life! Has the world made us sort of helpless, a prisoner to all the distracting voices and activities – so that the atheistic opinions so strongly voiced that surround us dull our minds? It cannot be too long before Christ’s kingdom is a reality! Will you be there? Let us fully realize we make the answer now.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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