Born again

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3.1-3

You must be born again. Unless you are born again you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

What would you think if you were just to hear those words? If you didn’t know the context you might very well respond like Nicodemus did – ‘can a man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’

I havent heard it in a while, but at one time those who had never heard of an evangelical Christians would ask ‘are you one of those ‘born agains’’? Being a ‘born again’ was almost on insult, but that was always a good chance to say, ‘yeah, I am a born again.’ As the conversation went on I would go on to explain what it meant to be a born again. That was always a good chance to tell people what it meant to be one and why it was so important. The simple answer is that if a person never has a spiritual birth they have no chance of a spiritual life. As one cannot have a physical life without a physical birth one cannot have a spiritual life unless one has spiritual birth. Two lives reaquire two births. As you can’t birth yourself physically you can’t birth yourself spiritually.

It’s a pretty simple truth – not birth, no life.

You must be born again.

Grace for grace

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.- John 1.16-17

I love how grace enters the picture here. John makes it clear right near the start that everything has changed. In all the fullness of Christ He brought grace for grace.

Until now all the Jews placed their entrance to the kingdom of God on how well they kept the Law. Moses was their icon because He had given the Law that all good Jews tried to keep.

But Jesus came and with Him came grace and truth.

Why did He bring grace and truth? He brought grace for grace’s sake. He brought grace purely and simply because He was the God of Grace. God is is righteous. God is just. God cannot abide iniquity. But praise God He is grace. God didn’t need a reason because God is grace.

God loves because He is love. God shines His light because He is light. God bring truth because He is true. Jesus showed the way because He is the way. Jesus gives new life because He is life.

And God brought grace because He is grace.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

The Word became flesh

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.- John 1.14

The Word became flesh. The Word, the very essence of God became a man to dwell among us. It is clear that that this speaks of Jesus and He was full of God’s glory even as He lived as a man. Jesus did not grasp at His godness but became and man and took on the form of a servant.

Why would He do that? He became flesh so that He could pay the price for our sin. A perfect sacrifice was required and none of us are perfect so only Jesus could meet the standard and to do so He had to take on human flesh. He came to be the pioneer of our salvation. He came so that we could grasp that He knows what it is like to suffer trials and temptation. He came not only to deliver us, but to make intercession with God and mediate with Him on our behalf. He came to give us the confidence to enter in to God’s throne room with our needs and our requests.

As amazing as all that is there is more. The words was full of grace and truth. And that word grace will change everything!

Recevied Him not, but...

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1.9-13

It may be nothing and I may be looking for something that is not there, but I think it is interesting at least that the One who said ‘let there be light’ also is called ‘the Light’ when He comes into the world. Creation began when the light broke the utter darkness and God’s work of salvation began when the Light came into the world.

So the Light comes into darkness again. Just as dramatic and just as impactive – or it should have been. But this time it is different. When the spiritual Light came into a world of spiritual darkness the Light was rejected. The world did not know Him. The true Light gives light to everyone who comes into the world. Still, many will not receive it

And there is that wonderful word ‘but.’ But, all those who do receive the Light become the children of God. Salvation draws us into God’s family and makes Him our Father and we can call Him ‘Abba, Father.’ This salvation is God’s work and His will.

I am His because of the work Jesus did coming into a world where He knew He would be rejected. I am a child of God, may He help me every day to live like it.

In the beginning

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. – John 1.1-5

The book of John starts just like the book of Genesis. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…in the bringing was the Word.

I don’t think those two openings are a coincidence because they are directly linked. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word created the heavens and the earth. When we figure in what Hebrews says about Jesus being the same yesterday, today, and forever and what Paul said in Colossians ‘by Jesus all things consist’ we are confronted by a wonderful truth. The same Jesus who we reply on to be with us and give us peace and care for us and ultimately take us to heaven is the same Jesus who spoke all creation into existance.

That means that my current circumstances or trials or tribulations or struggles are not too hard for Him. He said ‘let their be light’ and there was light. Surely He can take care of my situation. He may not do it my way, but He clearly knows best because He is God. Nothing is too hard for Him. We live in a broken world and bad things happen in a broken world, but I can trust the One who said ‘let their be light’ to go with me through the struggles.

He was there in the beginning, nothing is going to take Him by surprise.

Have a meal, then...

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. – Luke 24.40-43

One of the many things I enjoy about the life of Christ is looking at His humanity. We are often reminded that Jesus was fully God, but it is important to remember that He is also 100% truly man.

Even in His resurrected body He still took food with them. When they disciples saw Him on the beach they were stunned. He showed them His wounds. They marvelled, the still didn’t believe it was Him, so He asked for food and He ate.

But its what happens next that is really important. Now that He had their attention He told them what He wanted them to hear. He told them to take the gospel of into all the world.

This is Luke’s version of the Great Commission. His last charge was for His followers to go and tell the message He has preached. The world needs repentance. We live in a world that needs God. We need to do the everyday things – but we can’t forget to get about the business of doing the work He wants us to do.

Why do doubts arise?

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” – Luke 24.36-39

I sure wish I knew that answer to this question- though I think I have an idea. ‘Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?’

If Jesus were sitting here in my sitting room with me right now I am pretty sure He would be asking me the same questions. ‘What are you afraid of Roger? Why do you doubt Me?’

The problem of doubts and fears has always been around. Because we are bound by time and space we can let our circumstances override our faith and fears and doubts can enter in.

This is such a challenge for me. I do okay most of the time but every so often something pops up in my head that causes those doubts and fears. The thing is I know the source. I know the issue. Satan tells me some vile lie and my flesh gets affected then my mind gets infected and my spirit gets distracted. Doubts arise when I get my attention off of Christ, I set my affection, not on things above, but the things of this world. I forget to be thankful. I trust me more than God. I accept the Devil’s lies over God’s truth. I take my eyes off of Jesus and ‘oh that’s all it takes.’

When doubts and fear assail my mind, Lord, remind me to turn my eyes back on You.

Didn't our hearts burn?

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” – Luke 24.32

Jesus eventually told his fellow-travellers who He was. When He did they finally got it. ‘Did our hearts not burn within us when He opened the scriptures?’

What caused things to change from a mystifying conversation with a stranger to having their hearts burn?

There is only one thing that can do that. It is the living Word of God. Man’s skills and reasoning are going to accomplish nothing. God’s word can change everything. Is can set a heart of fire. It can divide soul and spirit. It is sharp and powerful.

That’s why it is important that we always use the word of God when we talk to people. Sometimes it may seem silly to share God’s word with someone who rejects it. But the scriptures are different than any other book because it lives and stirs hearts.

So let’s speak it clearly. Let’s speak it boldly. Let’s speak it frequently. That and that alone will cause men’s hearts to burn.

We were hoping

But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. – Luke 24.21-27

The early disciples were in a bit of a state. It was Sunday. Thye were still trying to get their heads around the crucifixion of Jesus. Then they heard that His body was missing and even heard some rumours that the risen Christ had appeared to some of the disciples.

They were discussing this as they walked along the road the Emmaus when a traveller joined them. The didn’t recognise Him as Jesus as He joined the conversation. He asked what they were talking about and they spoke about Jesus when they said ‘we were hoping that He was the Redeemer.’ They we hoping that this was their Messiah who would deliver them from the authority and raise up the nation of Israel to their former glory. But now three days have passed since He died. And now His body is missing.

The sad things is that they had missed what He was hoping for. Despite all the promises and miralces and signs they were disappointed that their deliverance had not come- and they were too blind to see that He as walking by their sides.

How often do we do the exact same thing? How often do we miss seeing what is right before us because of our own lack of wisdom and discernment? As was the case for these disciples God doesn’t always do things they was we expect it to happen. I don’t want to be as blind as these guys were when it happens.

Today you will be with Me

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” – Luke 23.40-43

Imagine the scene here. Outside Jerusalem there is a public execution taking place. It was not all that unusual and, and usual, a big crowd turned out for it. The same thing had always happened. Even as recently as 100 years ago in the ‘civilised’ West crowds turned our for public hangings. On the rise above are three men. In the middle is Jesus, the Jewish teacher falsely accused of formenting rebellion. Are either side are two notorious criminals. Crucifixion wasn’t like hanging. It could take a long time the for person being executed to die. Conversations between the crowd and and the people on the crosses were common. When there was more than one being crucified the prisoners might even talk among themselves. Here we have an example of one such conversation.

One of the prisoners mocked Jesus – ‘if You are the Son of God get down off that cross!’

The other rebuked him. ‘Why do you mock this man. We deserve what we got – He did nothing.’ Then he turned to Jesus and said ‘Lord, remember me in your kingdom today.’

Jesus responded ‘today you will be with me in Paradise.’

Notice there were no works involved in salvation. There was no baptism or last rites.’ It was simply a matter of faith and asking.

And that’s how Jesus saves today. Deathbed salvations are real and not be be disputed. It is never too late.

Forgive them

And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” – Luke 23.33-35

Think about the setting here for just a minute. Jesus had been arrested unjustly. At His trial He was lied about. At His sentencing the people called for Barrabas to be released and had called for His crucifixion. He had been brutally beaten, mocked and scourged, spat on and vilified.

Finally they had taken Him out to Calvary and crucified. They had nailed Him to a cross, propped it up, and dropped it in the ground.

And what did He do? What did He say? Jesus, who could have called ten thousand angels to save Him, instead called out ‘Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.’

I know we hear this all the time, and I think that may detract from what is actually happening here. Think about it. Jesus went through all that and His response was ‘forgive them.’ It is amazing that when Stephen was martyred he said that the exact same thing.

That makes me consider how willing I am to forgive those who hurt or offend me. Is my first thought forgiveness? My first thought can too often be something like ‘poor me’ or ‘I am going to get them back.’ There are plenty of other passages backing up the notion that God’s people are to be forgivers.

Someone is sure to offend us or do something that will upset us. Can we respond with the same spirit Jesus did?

When He doesn't do it our way

And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.
Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”
But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. – Luke 23.18-24

Less than a week before his event the whole city had turned out to welcome Jesus into the city. With songs and praise and their cloaks laid out before Him and palm leaves waving the people hailed their King. Their Saviour and Messiah and Deliverer and Redeemer had come. The Roman occupation of their land was coming to an end. The Jewish puppets of the Roman were about to lose their power. Messiah had come to vanquish the foes and God’s kingdom on earth, the Jewish kingdom in their minds, was about to take over.

Why would they not rejoice?

But something went wrong. Here it was just a few days later and their Messiah had failed them. He was under arrest for treason against Rome and her authorities. After a mock trial with false witnesses the time for sentences had come. There was a custom that the people would be given a choice of two prisoners to have released. Here the choice was Jesus, who we know, and Barrabas and known violent criminal. Surely the people would choose Jesus and the officials would be off the hook.

But no. They cried out ‘give us Barrabas!’ Despite the objections the people kept insisting that they get Barrabas. They had forgotten all about the King who had let them down.

Terrible, right?

Let’s ask ourselves a question though. How do we act when Jesus doesn’t do what we want? What do we do when He ‘doesn’t keep His end of the bargain?’ What about He doesn’t answer prayer the way we want Him to. It is easy to worship when He does what we want. Otherwise we can be just like the people in Jerusalem. We can go from ‘praise Him’ to ‘forget about Him’ when we can’t see things through His eyes.

Let’s be careful about letting circumstances dictate how we feel about Jesus.

Your will

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. – Luke 22.41-44

It always amazes me to read about Jesus prayer in the garden. It is one of times we see the 100% humanity of Christ. He knew all the pain and agony that was coming. He knew the hurt He would suffer and so He asked the Father to let it pass from Him. Then we read that after that He ‘prayed more earnestly’ after He was strengthened by the angel.

The prospect of His death was agony to Jesus. It was not fear, it was worse than that because it was knowing that it was going to happen. His recourse was prayer and He prayed that it might be avoided.

But His response was clear – ‘not my will but Your’s be done.’

I am not theologian enough to understand how God the Father and God the Son could have different wills, and I am not going to try. All I know is that Jesus knew the agony He would face and was still willing to do the Father’s will.

I think what I get from this is the picture that no matter what comes our way, no matter how hard it is, no matter what we can or can’t see we need to be willing to say ‘not my will, but Your will be done.’

Help my unbelief

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” – Luke 22.31-32

We are coming up quickly to the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus knew that Peter was about to deny Him. He knew the events of the next few hours. He knew that Peter’s faith would be tried and that he would be sorely tempted.

And Jesus was concerned about Peter’s faith. He prayed specifically that Peter’s faith would not fail him. During the coming hours his faith would be tried like few men’s faith would be and Jesus cared enough that He prayed about Peter’s faith. From what Jesus says here when faith fails it is because Satan is involved. Between Satan's attack and my flesh it is easy to see why faith fails.

This lets us know that Jesus cares about the faith of His followers. He cares about our faith. He is sad when our faith fails. It breaks my heart when my faith fails me. I know that I can’t please God without faith. But the point is that Jesus doesn’t want my faith to fail. He delights when I trust Him.

I do believe Lord. Please help when my faith fails me.

Sitting at the Lord's table

“But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” – Luke 22.28-30

Man, this passage thrills my soul! I love it because it pictures the day when we sit down  at Jesus table to break bread with Him and rejoice in all that He has done. All of the trials and troubles will be over and we will sit down to share a meal with Him – AT HIS TABLE! What a wonderful day that will be.

But, I wonder how much people miss here on earth. The Lord commands His people to look forward to that day by observing the Lord’s Table here on earth. I love our Lord’s Table at our church. Sadly, most weeks it is just a small handful of us. But I look forward to this foreshadowing of sitting down at His feast with Him in heaven. I love the fact that we get a glimpse of this amazing future event. We don’t have to wait to sit at His table – we can do it now and show our gratitude for His death and what He did for us.

Indeed, what a day that will be. But what a day every time we have to sit around and fellowship around His table as we ‘show the Lord’s death till He comes.’

As one who serves

But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. – Luke 22.26-27

Last week Mary and I had a run a few errands in town. On the way back we stopped at a little coffee shop we had been looking at for years. We just got tea and a scone. Now, this place is less than a ten minute walk from home and we could easily have bought a scone while we were out and walked home and made a cup of tea. But we stopped in anyway. Why? Because sometimes it is nice to just sit down and be served.

When we go out to a place to eat like that where would you expect to see Jesus? Would He take the finest seat in the house? Would He be in the role of the owner supervising the place? Might He be the guest of honour? One day, as we will see tomorrow, He will be all of those, but in this passage He would be the server who brought us a cuppa tea and a scone. He was on earth as One who serves.

When He applies that to us He says that the greatest Christian is not the one who is most honoured here in earth. The greatest among us is the one who serves. When we serve we are following Christ. When we read about the ‘one mind’ of the church we find out that the mind is the mind of Christ and that mind is the mind of a servant.

How do we do as servants? Do we start each day with an attitude of ‘what can I do to serve today?’ It doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as simple as being the one to make the cuppa tea or unload the dishwasher or brush the floor. It can start right there are home and then follow us through the day.

Are you and I, like Jesus, among those who serve?

Caesar or God

And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?  But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?  Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.  And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.  And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace. – Luke 20.21-26

I wish I didin’t love politics like I do. Nothing gets my blood flowing like a good political discussion. One of the topics I like to talk about is the notion of separation of church and state and the question of how we as Christians deal with both. 

Believers are dual citizens. We are citizens of ‘Caesar’s kingdom’ and we are citizens of God’s kingdom. We owe Caesar’s kingdom certain things. We need to obey the law and honour the king and pay our taxes and be the best citizens we can be. We need to live our lives in such a way that fellow-citizens see Christ in us and desire to know about Him.   

We owe God our love and devotion and hearts and lives and time and effort and everything. 

In the culture we live in today though it seems like a lot of God’s people give Caesar what is really God’s. There are times when we get so focused on our earthly citizenship that it seems to consume the time and resources that belong to God. We are so focused on political agendas and current events Political expedience becomes more important than godly standard. Pragmatism can override principle. 

While we are While we are giving Caesar his due, lets not sacrifice giving God what He is due. 

Attentive to Jesus

And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him. – Luke 19.48

As we near the end of Jesus earthly ministry we find the opposition get greater and the Jewish leaders are still trying to figure out what they are going to do with Him. The problem here was that Jesus was drawing huge crowds and the people were paying attention to Him. How do you deal with that?

I’ll leave that for now. What caught my attention and challenged me was the fact that the people were attentive to Jesus.It wasn’t seemingly a bid part of the narrative, but it challenged me to ask myself ‘if people look at me do they see a man who is paying attention to Jesus?’ I could ask myself the same thing. Am I paying attention to Jesus?

There is an awful lot out there that vies for our attention. I am a news junkie and can hardly stay away from the news. I like the connections I have through Facebook. It can demand my attention. I like sports and can pay strict attention for two hours to a rugby match.

But how do I do when it comes to paying attention to Jesus? Does He have my attention when I am in a difficult situation? Do I pay attention to Him when overwhelmed with concerns about the future? Does He have my attention when it comes to making decisions? Does He have my attention when I think about the spiritual and physical needs of others?

Sadly, far too often I can distracted by the other things I mentioned. Those things can appear more appealing than Jesus and my attention wanders.

Help me Lord, like these folks, to be attentive to Jesus.

A den of thieves

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;  Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. – Luke 19.45-46

The money changers had defiled the Temple. They had set up stalls to rip people off who came to Jerusalem to offer up sacrifices. The charged to convert their money and they charged crazy prices for the animals to sacrifice. They were using God’s house to make money for themselves. Jesus was furious! He went in a wrecked their tables and drove them out with whips.

What a terrible thing that was – they were profiting off the name of God.

Though we may not see money changers in church foyers today ripping people off as they come to church this sin is still prevelant today. There are plenty of folks who use God or His name for their own profit. It happens any time a preacher presents a demand for the salary he wants or evangelists have a minimum fee for coming to speak in church. I know from experience that income is a huge part of many men’s decision about taking a church or taking a meeting.

But there is something else that bothers me. It bothers me when businesses claim that they are Christian businesses in order to increase their sales. I also know from experience that claiming Christ in a business ad is any evidence of how hard they will work or how fair they will be. It can seem like a sales gimmick in order to draw in business. In fact, some of my worst business dealings have been with supposed ‘Christian businesses.’ Some, not all, these folks are turning the church into den of thieves. Christian businesses and Christian business men and women should let their faith be seen in their work ethic and quality of the work they do and their fairness in their business dealings. If the do that they won’t have to advertise how “Christian’ they are.

I have a very close unbeliever friend who posted something on Facebook recently that really struck a chord with me. He wrote [Christians need] to stop treating their god as a marketing gimmick.

Whenever we use our faith as a way to make a profit we are no better than these money changers.

Till I come

Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ – Luke 19.12-14

Jesus tells the story of a nobleman who went away to prepare his kingdom and return. We know right away that this is a thinly veiled analogy to His own ministry of going to prepare a place for us and to prepare for His kingdom on earth. He tells his workers that they need to carry on their business until He comes again. Waiting for Jesus to come back is not a matter of us sitting on our hands waiting for His return.

The Thessalonian beleivers were all worried about missing the rapture and getting signs and finding out when Jesus was going to come back. When Paul wrote to them he said don’t worry about the times. Just get busy.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Jesus is coming, but rather laying back and resting in the we ought to be busy at the work.

In about 1968 my dad was in Vietnam. Out of thin air the phone rang and Dad said he was on his way home! We all got excited and ran to the door to look – not. Mom got us all busy cleaning and tidying up and cutting the grass. Dad was on his way home and we had a lot to do before he got there.

It’s that spirit that ought to motivate us today. Jesus is on His way. He may get here at any moment. Let’s be sure that we are working with the time we have until He is back.

To seek and to save

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. – Luke 19.9-10

Jesus came for a lot of reasons. He came to earth as a man, in the form of a servant, as God, to show us the ultimate example of submission. He came as a great Teacher and His teachings have changed the world by the very nature of His teaching. Unless people are picking a fight He is nearly universally proclaimed the great man who ever lived and His way has taught people how to treat each other. His teachings on charity of cared for untold numbers of poor and needy.

But as great as all those things are that is not why he ultimatley came. His ultimate purpose in coming was to seek and to save that which was lost. He came into a world of needy people trapped in darkness and sin to show them the way out and save them from God’s judgement.

That means even more when we read where Jesus said ‘Just as the Father sent me so send I you.’ Now the quest is our to seek out the lost and to show them the path of salvation. That is our task. We love and we love others and we love them enough to take care of their needs but our primary task is to love them enough to share our message of our salvation.

Impossible

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. – Luke 18.24-27

We read a few times in the Bible where Jesus is sad. He was sad at Lazarus’ death because of Martha’s lack of faith. He was sad when He saw the multitudes who were like sheep having no shepherd. Here Jesus is sad because this rich man came to ask Him about eternal life. He told the rich man that all he had to do was give up on his riches and trust God to see the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was sad because the man was very rich and it is hard for a rich man to enter heaven.

The people asked ‘who can be saved?’

Jesus’ reply was perfect. The things that seem impossible with man are possible with God.

We apply that phrase in a general sense a lot, and that is fine. God can do the things that seem impossible to us.

But in this specific context we see that God can save anyone. Anyone – even the impossible cases. No one is beyond the reach of the saving arms of Jesus. That tyrant in the news, that false teacher, that jerk neighbour or impossible coworker – all are possible for God, even if we can’t see it.

Be merciful

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18.10-14

There were two men praying in the temple. They could not have been more different. One was a proper religious fella with his fancy robes and looking very proper. He was a master of the Law and surely if anyone belonged there it was him.

The other guy was a tax collector, hated and despised by the people - the lowest of the low in people’s eyes. What was he doing there?

They were both there to pray, but what different prayers.

The Pharisee:
God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.

The tax collector:
God, me merciful to me a sinner

I don’t think there could be two more different prayers!

The religious was sure that his religion would get him inot heaven. He did everything right and was proud of. He laid out all of his merits as his case to God thinking his justification could come about because of what he had done.

The tax collector knew that there was no hope. He knew he didn’t deserve it. All he could do was cry out ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ He threw himself on the mercy of God.

Which was was justified? It was the man who humbled himself. He was the one who would be lifted up. The Pharisee got nothing because he missed the fact that no matter how good he was he would fall short of the glory of God.

We all fail to be god enough. We can’t please a perfect God so all we can do is call on His mercy.

In the days of Noah

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.- Luke 17.26-30

Life went on. People ate, people drank, they got married. They just carried on their lives. While all that was going on the world was filled with wickedness. It was like the whole world had chosen to ignore God and His ways. The world was so bad that God only found one righteous man on the earth. Noah built as ark to save the people and He preached for 120 years but no one listened. They just went on their merry way.

When Jesus says this He is pointing out that this is how the world is going to be when He comes again. It will be a time of great wickedness when the world is ignoring God and going about their business like nothing is going to happen and no one is going to hold them accountable.

That sounds like today and just about any other time in history, doesn’t it? The point is that we are never going to know when Jesus is coming back. That’s why we need to be always ready for His return and always working to further His kingdom till the very last minute. We never know when it is going to happen. We can’t afford to put off our service for Him. Every day we need to be living our lives in such a way that we give others a reason to ask about the ‘hope that is within us’ and we need to be fervently seeking out those chances to tell others about our Jesus.

It may be today. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

The kingdom of God is within

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  – Luke 17.20-21

The Pharisees were frustrated because Jesus kept talking about this coming on God’s kingdom. ‘When is it coming?’ they asked.  ‘When are You going to become King?’

Jesus said that the Kingdom of God He is talking about here is not something that the world is going to see physically. There is not going to be an enthronement of a world King. That is coming later. The kingdom of God Jesus is talking about here is a kingdom in the hearts of men. One day later Jesus will return to set up His earthly kingdom.

That notion of the kingdom of God within us is easy to miss, but it is of vital importance. The kingdom of God is in the hearts and lives of His people as we live in the world today. That is why we are called ‘citizens of heaven’ even while we live here. We do indeed have to live here on this world, but we need not be overly concerned with this world. We obey its laws, we pray for an honour our leaders, we pay our taxes, and we care for our fellow citizens. We avoid its fights and squabbles over the petty things of this temporary life. 

But the affairs of this world and the nation we live in are not to be our primary concern. Advancing the kingdom of God is our focus. We rise up as a mighty army, but an army whose battle cry is not ‘remember this or that,’ but our battle cry is love.’ Our weapons are not guns and bombs and swords. Our weapon is the word of God. We need not live in despair over the conditions of the world, but with our focus on our eternal goals and our eternal home.

This world is not my home, I’m just’a passing through.

Where are the nine?

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.  – Luke 17.17-19

This is really a sad account of Jesus’ ministry. One day ten lepers came to Jesus. In those days lepers were the outcasts of society and a scourge to be avoided. These folks came to Jesus to ask Him to heal them. Jesus healed all ten of this horrible and eventually deadly disease.

A little later one lone man walked up to thank Jesus for what He had done.

One out of ten. What an ungrateful lot. How could ten people be cured of this awful plague and one, ONE, come back to thank Him?

But one thing is clear it is that thankfulness is a trait that a lot of people have trouble with. It is so easy to take God and His work for granted.

I think another sign of a lack of thankfulness is worry and anxiety and being full of cares. Why would I think that?

Think of Philippians 4 where Paul writes ‘be careful (full of cares) about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with – thanksgiving – let your request be made known to God and the peace of God, that passes all understand will keep your  hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’

Part of not worrying is being thankful for what God has already done for us and given us. When we worry we show God that we are not grateful for what He has already done because we don’t think He can take care of the situation.

Being thankful is more than just saying ‘thank you.’ It is acting thankful by trusting God to take care of what comes next. Let’s avoid being one of the nine and instead be like the  one.

You can't serve two masters

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. – Luke 16.13

Trying to serve two masters is tough. Serving one always gets in the way of serving the other and vice versa. At the end of the day you can only ever really have one master. You might be able to balance things for a while, but at some point you have to decide who you are going to follow.

I am a citizen of two countries. Fortunately these two countries are friends and allies and it is not a conflict to obey and submit to both authorities.

But let's say the unimaginable happened and the US and Ireland, as a part of a  Europe went to war. If that were to happen and I were a younger man there is a chance that both armies would call on me to serve. In that case I certainly could not fight for both armies.

There is a pretty good chance that that is never going to happen. But that kind fo thing goes on every single day in my life and my flesh is in open conflict with my spirit. I cannot serve both of them. It is utterly impossible because they are at war. When we try to serve God but try to keep one foot in the world we are going to fail. When we try to serve the Spirit but keep walking after the flesh we are doomed to failure.

We must choose to serve Christ and Christ alone even as we live in this world with so many other potential masters trying to call us aside.

When God ran

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. – Luke 15.17-20

I love the song ‘When God Ran.’ I like the way Philips, Craig, and Dean sing it. Here are just a few of the lyrics.

He ran to me,

He took me in His arms,

Held my head to His chest,

Said "My son's come home again!"

Lifted my face,

Wiped the tears from my eyes,

With forgiveness in His voice He said

"Son, do you know I still love You?"

He caught me By surprise, When God ran.

This song tells the amazing story of the prodigal who left home with his s. hare of the inheritance to make his own way in the world. Sadly, he wasted his life with ‘riotous living’ and soon found himself destitute and living with the animals. He was out of options so he decided to go home, no longer worthy to be called a son, but hoping to be a servant.

Little did he know that despite what he had done and the choices he had made Dad was at home waiting for him. Not only was he waiting, but he was keeping watch. Then, while he was still of in the distance Dad saw him coming. His first thought was not to punish or reprimand this wandering son. No.

Dad ran. The father ran to his son and hugged him and rejoiced and called for a great celebration.

Jesus says that this is how God treats those who have wondered from Him. So that means that when we are away and turn to Him God runs to greet us. The only time we see God running is when He runs to greet those who repent and turn to Him. That’s how He greeted me on the day that I was saved.

That’s our Father God. Willing to forgive when we repent and running to accept and welcome us home. 

Over one sinner

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. – Luke 15.4-7

I spent a good part of my life in a Christian culture that placed a huge focus on the many. We talked about ‘the world’s largest Sunday School’ and recorded church’s success by how big they were or how may baptisms had occurred. If churches (in our circle) were big it was proof of how good the church was or how God was blessing.

I realise that we read of 3000 saved and joining the church at the very start, but after that we mostly read about individuals getting saved. That reminds us that God cares about the crowds, but He also cares about the ones.

Jesus uses the picture of a shepherd with 100 sheep here. As he gathers them in for night he counts them…96, 97, 98, 99… Hold on, there’s only 99 sheep here. He goes back and counts them – sure enough, there is one missing.

It would be easy to say ‘well, I have almost all of them, all but one. I’ll sort him out tomorrow.’ But no, the shepherd cared for the one sheep that was missing. So he made sure that the 99 were safe and he went back out to find the one sheep that was lost.

He comes back after a while and says ‘rejoice with me! I have found my sheep which was lost!’

The spiritual application is clear – ‘and so there is joy in the presence of angels over one sinner who comes to repentance.’

I need this reminder. Every single person I meet is important to God. There is great joy in heaven when every single one repents and turns to Him for salvation. God sent Philip into the desert to reach one seeking man from Ethiopia. Those ones who God loves may the ones to turn their worlds around for Him.

Take time for the one today.

Those who can't repay

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. – Luke 14.12-14

We all have a real problem – we all like to look after ourselves and we all like to do things that benefit us. It just makes sense because we really like us a lot. In this passage Jesus talks about doing things for other, like inviting them to dinner. He points out that it is easy to do that for those who might invite us make to dinner at their house.

It is easy to do things for others who can do for us. There is no cost involved because we are going to get paid back. It is like where Jesus talked about love and said that anybody can love those who love back. The test is loving those who are not going to love us in response.

The answer is for us to do good for those who have no chance of doing good for us. He says to do good for the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind who really need our help and could never, ever do anything for us.

I think Jesus uses this because it is a picture of what He does for us. He came and gave His life for those who really can’t pay Him back. The Christian life is never about doing what is best for us – it is all about Christ and all about others.

Look for a chance today to help someone who could never do anything for you.

The kingdom of God is like yeast?

And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. – Luke 13.20-21

Mary and Ais and I have been watching the great British Bake Off on Netflix. It’s a lot of fun, and it is interesting because they include a lot of history of baking in the episodes.  I like the bread episode because, well, I like bread. In nearly every bread episode we learn more about the importance of leavening to make most breads. Usually it is yeast, but a few other things come up occasionally.

The important thing is that yeast is important to give most bread their texture. The way I remember is the yeast causes the gluten in the bread to ‘explode’ and expand to the right texture. The dough has to prove and be stretched and be proved again.

But when all that is said and done and the bread is baked you have the joy of cutting a slice or tearing into a delicious loaf of bread. The leaven has done its bit and borne its fruit.

And this is how Jesus describes leaven. The kingdom of God, you and me, are sent out into the world. We are going to be ground and kneaded into the ‘dough’ and let aside to prove that we are alive and doing our job. Then more kneading and proving. Then then baking or trying by fire and the end result is that the sticky wet mass of tasteless dough has been transformed into a masterpiece.

As the kingdom of God is kneaded into the world it is vital that the leaven be alive and vibrant. Dead yeast has no impact. The bread comes out flat and tasteless and gross.

Are we shining the light? Are we shaking the salt? Are we leavening the world around us?