In my early days as a Christian, I was very interested in learning to pray. I was particularly helped by a classic book on prayers by Andrew Murray called "With Christ in the School of Prayer". One word has been stuck in my head till this day. The word is "importunity". The word is found in the King James Translation of the 11th chapter of Luke where Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray. First He taught them the Lord's prayer (vs 2-4). Then He told them this parable:
"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth." (vs 5-8 KJV)
Andrew Murray explained this parable in chapter eight of his book, which he titled "Because of his importunity" or, "The Boldness of God's Friends". He explained,
"The parable is a perfect storehouse of instruction in regard to true intercession. There is, first, the love which seeks to help the needy around us: 'my friend is come to me'. Then the need which urges to the cry 'I have nothing to set before him'. Then follows the confidence that help is to be had: 'which of you shall have a friend, and say, Friend, lend me three loaves'. Then comes the unexpected refusal: 'I cannot rise and give you'. Then again the perseverance that takes no refusal: 'because of his importunity'. And lastly, the reward of such prayer: 'he will give him as many as he needs'. A wonderful setting forth of the way of prayer and faith in which the blessing of God has so often been sought and found."
So the word importunity encompasses all these components - loving our neighbors, bringing the need to the only One who can provide, asking with confidence, asking with perseverance, and expecting the reward.
The Message translated verse 8 this way: "But let me tell you, even if he won’t get up because he’s a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he’ll finally get up and get you whatever you need."
NIV translation gives a slightly different flavor: "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity [Or yet to preserve his good name] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need."
I think the NIV is closest to the original Greek: "I say to you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend (philos), yet because of the prospect (anaideia) of being put to shame he will get up and give him as much as he needs."
So today I learned something new. The word "importunity" is just a KJV translation of a concept that is a little different from what I had in mind for a long time. The secret of answered prayer has less to do with just "nagging" God by praying over and over again like a broken record. It has to do with the fact that God is concerned about His good name! He will answer our prayers for His name sake. And His name has to do with justice and love. When my prayer is based on my love for my neighbor, He will answer so that His name will be glorified.
"For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own." (1 Samuel 12:22)
"he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake." (Psalm 23:3)
"But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites." (Ezekiel 20:9)
"Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake." (Romans 1:5)
Friday, 24 April 2015
Friday, 17 April 2015
The Parable of the Great Banquet
In Luke 14:15-24 Jesus told his disciples this parable of the Great Banquet. This was in response to a comment someone made at a banquet to which he was invited:
“Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (v.15)
The banquet took place at the house of a prominent Pharisee. There was no mention of who the Pharisee was. All we are told is that Jesus was being watched carefully (v.1), from the seat he picked at the table, to the healing of a man with abnormal swelling in his body. There were in the company other Pharisees and experts in the Law. This took place during a Sabbath.
Now Sabbath was (and still is) the most important day of every single week among the Jewish people (an interesting read on the Jewish perspective of Shabbat). It was celebrated in accordance to the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20):
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11)
It seems to me that the original intention of a Sabbath was to remember and to celebrate that God was the creator of the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all the creatures we find in them. God set apart (the meaning of holiness) a day each week to bless His people on it. I don't think God needed rest. God blesses us on the Sabbath day when we learn to rest in Him because ultimately all good things come from Him - all the works of our labor will produce enough for our sustenance and more in order that we can make sacrifice to Him by sharing what we have received with our fellow men.
Sabbath is always celebrated with a meal, or a banquet if we do this with invited guests. I had been invited to a Jewish home to celebrate the Sabbath. It was a solemn event. The rituals of reading of the Scripture and Prayers served to point us to God on this special day.
So it is no surprised that Jesus used the Sabbath Banquet in a parable. There are a number of lessons in this parable:
(1) The future great banquet at the end of time will include not just the Jews. This is clear because the parable was about answering the comment on v15. This is also clearly understood in the vision of the apostle John concerning the great heavenly gathering:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
(2) All three excuses in the parable revealed insincerity on the part of those invited. The interpretation was that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept Him as their Messiah. (see Gotquestions.org) There is plenty of evidence for us today that Jesus is the Savior of this world but there will be plenty who will reject this.
(3) The invitation was then opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden. These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34). Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10). His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11). The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10).
I am heading off to volunteer in a Refugee clinic. I am looking forward to it. I do feel privileged to represent Christ to those who have been rejected by their own society, to offer the love and kindness that God has for them. May He bless my work. This is my Sabbath Day!
“Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (v.15)
The banquet took place at the house of a prominent Pharisee. There was no mention of who the Pharisee was. All we are told is that Jesus was being watched carefully (v.1), from the seat he picked at the table, to the healing of a man with abnormal swelling in his body. There were in the company other Pharisees and experts in the Law. This took place during a Sabbath.
Now Sabbath was (and still is) the most important day of every single week among the Jewish people (an interesting read on the Jewish perspective of Shabbat). It was celebrated in accordance to the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20):
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11)
It seems to me that the original intention of a Sabbath was to remember and to celebrate that God was the creator of the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all the creatures we find in them. God set apart (the meaning of holiness) a day each week to bless His people on it. I don't think God needed rest. God blesses us on the Sabbath day when we learn to rest in Him because ultimately all good things come from Him - all the works of our labor will produce enough for our sustenance and more in order that we can make sacrifice to Him by sharing what we have received with our fellow men.
Sabbath is always celebrated with a meal, or a banquet if we do this with invited guests. I had been invited to a Jewish home to celebrate the Sabbath. It was a solemn event. The rituals of reading of the Scripture and Prayers served to point us to God on this special day.
So it is no surprised that Jesus used the Sabbath Banquet in a parable. There are a number of lessons in this parable:
(1) The future great banquet at the end of time will include not just the Jews. This is clear because the parable was about answering the comment on v15. This is also clearly understood in the vision of the apostle John concerning the great heavenly gathering:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
(2) All three excuses in the parable revealed insincerity on the part of those invited. The interpretation was that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept Him as their Messiah. (see Gotquestions.org) There is plenty of evidence for us today that Jesus is the Savior of this world but there will be plenty who will reject this.
(3) The invitation was then opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden. These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34). Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10). His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11). The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10).
I am heading off to volunteer in a Refugee clinic. I am looking forward to it. I do feel privileged to represent Christ to those who have been rejected by their own society, to offer the love and kindness that God has for them. May He bless my work. This is my Sabbath Day!
Friday, 10 April 2015
Rejoice that your names are written in heaven
I recently finished reading the book "Surprised by Hope" by NT Wright. The subtext of the title of the book says "Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church". The most important message I got from this book was found on page 294:
"When the apostle Paul wrote his great resurrection chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, he didn't end by saying, "So let's celebrate the great future life that awaits us." He ended by saying, "So get on with your work because you know that in the Lord it won't go to waste." When the final resurrection occurs, as the centerpiece of God's new creation, we will discover that everything done in the present world in the power of Jesus's own resurrection will be celebrated and included, appropriately transformed."
Wright was of course quoting the verse from 1 Corinthians 15:58:
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
It speaks of the importance of our current life on earth which is part of God's plan to bring His heaven on earth. That is why Jesus taught us to pray this prayer in Matthews 6:9-13:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
So through Jesus's death and resurrection (which we just celebrated last Easter Sunday), God's Kingdom of justice and love will begin with each of the believer in Christ Jesus. As we labour on this earth, not only will our work not be wasted, but will all be remembered in future when the final day arrives.
Today I read in Luke 10 where Jesus told His disciples, following their joyous return from their mission trip and reported back “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (verse 17):
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (verses 18-20)
So again we might see huge success while we are serving others in Jesus's name now, but the best is yet to come! What does it mean to have my name written in heaven?
It seems that throughout the bible, there is reference to a book in heaven, like a guest book which contains a list of the invited guests. It's often referred to the Book of Life. For example,
Daniel 12:1
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered.
Psalm 69:28
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.
"When the apostle Paul wrote his great resurrection chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, he didn't end by saying, "So let's celebrate the great future life that awaits us." He ended by saying, "So get on with your work because you know that in the Lord it won't go to waste." When the final resurrection occurs, as the centerpiece of God's new creation, we will discover that everything done in the present world in the power of Jesus's own resurrection will be celebrated and included, appropriately transformed."
Wright was of course quoting the verse from 1 Corinthians 15:58:
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
It speaks of the importance of our current life on earth which is part of God's plan to bring His heaven on earth. That is why Jesus taught us to pray this prayer in Matthews 6:9-13:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
So through Jesus's death and resurrection (which we just celebrated last Easter Sunday), God's Kingdom of justice and love will begin with each of the believer in Christ Jesus. As we labour on this earth, not only will our work not be wasted, but will all be remembered in future when the final day arrives.
Today I read in Luke 10 where Jesus told His disciples, following their joyous return from their mission trip and reported back “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (verse 17):
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (verses 18-20)
So again we might see huge success while we are serving others in Jesus's name now, but the best is yet to come! What does it mean to have my name written in heaven?
It seems that throughout the bible, there is reference to a book in heaven, like a guest book which contains a list of the invited guests. It's often referred to the Book of Life. For example,
Daniel 12:1
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered.
Psalm 69:28
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.
Philippians 4:3
Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
I read a number of commentaries on this passage. Basically the contrast of earthly success (even in doing God's business) must be tempered by the perspective that I have been saved by grace, by the blood of the sacrificial lamb (Jesus), who is the author of this book of life, which already contains my name in it!
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Friday, 3 April 2015
What's so good about Good Friday?
Today is Good Friday. It is on this day my Lord was crucified. According to Wikipedia the day the Lord was hung on the cross happened on April 3, AD33:
"Based on the details of the canonical gospels, the Crucifixion of Jesus was most likely to have been on a Friday (the day before the Jewish Sabbath) (John 19:42). The estimated year of the Crucifixion is AD 33, by two different groups, and originally as AD 34 by Isaac Newton via the differences between the Biblical and Julian calendars and the crescent of the moon. A third method, using a completely different astronomical approach based on a lunar Crucifixion darkness and eclipse model (consistent with Apostle Peter's reference to a "moon of blood" in Acts 2:20), points to Friday, 3 April AD 33. (Colin Humphreys)"
Good Friday is also known as Easter Friday, God's Friday, or Great Friday (Eastern Orthodox) etc. But the majority of Christians I know still call it Good Friday. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning of the word "good" as "of a day or season observed as holy by the church", i.e. an archaic sense of good, like "good" tide meaning "Christmas" or Good Wednesday meaning the Wednesday in Holy Week. Of interest, in German-speaking countries the Good Friday is generally referred as Karfreitag (Kar from Old High German kara = to grief or to mourn; Freitag = Friday).
According to the Baltimore Catechism Good Friday is called good because Christ, by His Death, "showed His great love for man, and purchased for him every blessing." From the Huffington Post, William Bradshaw blogged “That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations. Although Christians, from the very fundamental to the very liberal, vary in their interpretations of exactly how the death of Jesus on the cross frees man from his sins and gives him everlasting life, and exactly what everlasting life means, they all agree that it took the death and burial of Jesus on that Friday to make the victory of the Resurrection possible. John simply says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 RSV)"
On Good Friday I typically wake up with mixed emotions. I totally understand and accept it in my heart that what Jesus did on this Friday and His subsequent resurrection on Sunday almost 2000 years ago meant that I can have all my sins (past, present and future) forgiven and can claim victory over spiritual death (separation from God) and look forward to an amazing future which begins now on earth. Yet I am supposed to feel His pain and suffering. I had watched numerous Easter plays and cantatas where the vivid picture of Jesus being nailed to the cross was replayed. Sometimes I was moved to tears but other times I found myself emotionless, numbed. Oh may I not forget. May my life show the gratitude and power because what happened on Good Friday.
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10)
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
"Based on the details of the canonical gospels, the Crucifixion of Jesus was most likely to have been on a Friday (the day before the Jewish Sabbath) (John 19:42). The estimated year of the Crucifixion is AD 33, by two different groups, and originally as AD 34 by Isaac Newton via the differences between the Biblical and Julian calendars and the crescent of the moon. A third method, using a completely different astronomical approach based on a lunar Crucifixion darkness and eclipse model (consistent with Apostle Peter's reference to a "moon of blood" in Acts 2:20), points to Friday, 3 April AD 33. (Colin Humphreys)"
Good Friday is also known as Easter Friday, God's Friday, or Great Friday (Eastern Orthodox) etc. But the majority of Christians I know still call it Good Friday. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning of the word "good" as "of a day or season observed as holy by the church", i.e. an archaic sense of good, like "good" tide meaning "Christmas" or Good Wednesday meaning the Wednesday in Holy Week. Of interest, in German-speaking countries the Good Friday is generally referred as Karfreitag (Kar from Old High German kara = to grief or to mourn; Freitag = Friday).
According to the Baltimore Catechism Good Friday is called good because Christ, by His Death, "showed His great love for man, and purchased for him every blessing." From the Huffington Post, William Bradshaw blogged “That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations. Although Christians, from the very fundamental to the very liberal, vary in their interpretations of exactly how the death of Jesus on the cross frees man from his sins and gives him everlasting life, and exactly what everlasting life means, they all agree that it took the death and burial of Jesus on that Friday to make the victory of the Resurrection possible. John simply says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 RSV)"
On Good Friday I typically wake up with mixed emotions. I totally understand and accept it in my heart that what Jesus did on this Friday and His subsequent resurrection on Sunday almost 2000 years ago meant that I can have all my sins (past, present and future) forgiven and can claim victory over spiritual death (separation from God) and look forward to an amazing future which begins now on earth. Yet I am supposed to feel His pain and suffering. I had watched numerous Easter plays and cantatas where the vivid picture of Jesus being nailed to the cross was replayed. Sometimes I was moved to tears but other times I found myself emotionless, numbed. Oh may I not forget. May my life show the gratitude and power because what happened on Good Friday.
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10)
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Friday, 27 March 2015
The eye is the lamp of the body
In part 2 of the Maxed Out sermon series, the pastor used the passage in Matthews 6:19-34 (which is part of the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus) to teach us how to rebel against the culture of excess, especially as it is related to money.
I have learned that when Jesus taught the people of His days He used examples and metaphors that were clearly understood by His listeners. For example, in verses 19-21 Jesus used the word treasures to compare treasures on earth with treasures in heaven. "The Greek word that Jesus used for treasure is THESAUROS. The word was used in ancient times to refer to “treasure chamber, a treasure box, a storeroom, or treasure.” Temples often had treasure chambers where gifts and taxes were stored. Jesus used the word to refer to anything that you highly value and, therefore, keep, safeguard, store up, or protect. The Greek word translated as “store-up” in the English actually means “to treasure.” So Jesus did not tell His listeners to “store up” their treasures, He commanded them to stop “treasuring up their treasures.”. Earthly treasures were not safe in Jesus’ day, and they are not safe today. In Jesus’ day moths would eat clothing. Humidity could result in a chemical reaction called rust that would damage coins and other metal objects. What the moths and rust did not destroy, thieves could “break in” and finish the job. The Greek word for “break in” literally means “to dig through.” Thieves in ancient days would actually dig through mud walls of buildings in order to plunder valuables. Today, we have mothballs and synthetic clothing to prevent damage by moths. Our coins contain alloy compounds to prevent rust and corrosive destruction. We may not be concerned about moths and rust, but we are still concerned about modern thieves. So we have insurance to protect our treasures against theft and damage from various elements. If Jesus were here on earth today, His illustrations would be different. Our treasures are still not safe. The watch collector understood this truth. A woman by the name of Hetty Green also understood.
Hetty Green was a miser. She died in 1915, leaving an estate valued at over one million dollars, but always ate cold oatmeal because she believed it cost too much to heat it. Her son had to suffer through a leg amputation unnecessarily because Hetty wasted too much time looking for a free medical clinic. Hetty Green was wealthy, but she chose to live like a pauper. Eccentric? Yes. Crazy? Perhaps! She was so foolish that she hastened her own death when she suffered a stroke by becoming too excited over a discussion about the cost of drinking skimmed milk. (Green, Michael P. illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Baker Book House. 1989. p. 393)
Hetty had a treasure in this life. It is called money. Hetty’s heart was devoted to her treasure. Jesus was correct. Our heart will be devoted to what we treasure." (from Treasuring Your Treasures)
Treasures in heaven are "things which are more valuable than food, clothing and shelter. There are commodities far more precious than automobiles, houses and electronic devices of communication. Treasures in heaven: Things we should value and want to have, because they come from God, bring us close to God, make us better people and prepare us for a happy eternity after death! " (Warren Berkley).
When our home church was studying this next paragraph we were quite intrigued by it as it seemed quite out of place:
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[The Greek for healthy here implies generous.] your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, [The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
Treasuring Your Treasures helped me understand it better:
"The Lamp Jesus’ next statement was easily understood by His Jewish audience because it was based on a Jewish saying of His day. The first part of Jesus’ statement tells us that the eye is like a lens which allows light to enter the body. If the lens is clear and not colored or dirty, then all of the light can enter. So obviously, if something is wrong with the eye, less light will enter. But if the eye is bad or blind, we cannot see anything. Everything is dark. If we look at the verses that follow this illustration, we discover that Jesus continued talking about material things. So we must ask, “What does seeing, light, and darkness have to do with wealth?” The answer is found in the book of Proverbs and a Jewish saying. Proverbs 28:22 captures the Jewish view about a “bad eye.”:
A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.
(Proverbs 28:22 NASB translation)
The proverb tells us that a man with an evil eye is one who chases after wealth. He is greedy! According to the Jewish saying, a person with a “bad eye” was a stingy or selfish person. These people did not want to help anyone else. They did not give away any of their money. They treasured their treasures and did not want to share. The Jewish saying and the proverb agree. Jesus used His illustration to send us the message that a greedy, selfish, stingy person is one who is really in the dark. This person’s heart is very cold and unloving - how great is the darkness! Is your eye dark?"
So two things I have learned today:
1. I love Jesus' words - he was the ultimate learner centered teacher! He would use examples and metaphors that made sense to his learners. And thanks to the many commentators who helped me understand the first century Jewish context and apply Jesus' teaching today.
2. Clearly being greedy for money or worrying about it constantly are both extremes I should avoid. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is where I should focus (Matthews 6:33). His promise is that He will meet all my needs and more!!
I have learned that when Jesus taught the people of His days He used examples and metaphors that were clearly understood by His listeners. For example, in verses 19-21 Jesus used the word treasures to compare treasures on earth with treasures in heaven. "The Greek word that Jesus used for treasure is THESAUROS. The word was used in ancient times to refer to “treasure chamber, a treasure box, a storeroom, or treasure.” Temples often had treasure chambers where gifts and taxes were stored. Jesus used the word to refer to anything that you highly value and, therefore, keep, safeguard, store up, or protect. The Greek word translated as “store-up” in the English actually means “to treasure.” So Jesus did not tell His listeners to “store up” their treasures, He commanded them to stop “treasuring up their treasures.”. Earthly treasures were not safe in Jesus’ day, and they are not safe today. In Jesus’ day moths would eat clothing. Humidity could result in a chemical reaction called rust that would damage coins and other metal objects. What the moths and rust did not destroy, thieves could “break in” and finish the job. The Greek word for “break in” literally means “to dig through.” Thieves in ancient days would actually dig through mud walls of buildings in order to plunder valuables. Today, we have mothballs and synthetic clothing to prevent damage by moths. Our coins contain alloy compounds to prevent rust and corrosive destruction. We may not be concerned about moths and rust, but we are still concerned about modern thieves. So we have insurance to protect our treasures against theft and damage from various elements. If Jesus were here on earth today, His illustrations would be different. Our treasures are still not safe. The watch collector understood this truth. A woman by the name of Hetty Green also understood.
Hetty Green was a miser. She died in 1915, leaving an estate valued at over one million dollars, but always ate cold oatmeal because she believed it cost too much to heat it. Her son had to suffer through a leg amputation unnecessarily because Hetty wasted too much time looking for a free medical clinic. Hetty Green was wealthy, but she chose to live like a pauper. Eccentric? Yes. Crazy? Perhaps! She was so foolish that she hastened her own death when she suffered a stroke by becoming too excited over a discussion about the cost of drinking skimmed milk. (Green, Michael P. illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Baker Book House. 1989. p. 393)
Hetty had a treasure in this life. It is called money. Hetty’s heart was devoted to her treasure. Jesus was correct. Our heart will be devoted to what we treasure." (from Treasuring Your Treasures)
Treasures in heaven are "things which are more valuable than food, clothing and shelter. There are commodities far more precious than automobiles, houses and electronic devices of communication. Treasures in heaven: Things we should value and want to have, because they come from God, bring us close to God, make us better people and prepare us for a happy eternity after death! " (Warren Berkley).
When our home church was studying this next paragraph we were quite intrigued by it as it seemed quite out of place:
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[The Greek for healthy here implies generous.] your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, [The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)
Treasuring Your Treasures helped me understand it better:
"The Lamp Jesus’ next statement was easily understood by His Jewish audience because it was based on a Jewish saying of His day. The first part of Jesus’ statement tells us that the eye is like a lens which allows light to enter the body. If the lens is clear and not colored or dirty, then all of the light can enter. So obviously, if something is wrong with the eye, less light will enter. But if the eye is bad or blind, we cannot see anything. Everything is dark. If we look at the verses that follow this illustration, we discover that Jesus continued talking about material things. So we must ask, “What does seeing, light, and darkness have to do with wealth?” The answer is found in the book of Proverbs and a Jewish saying. Proverbs 28:22 captures the Jewish view about a “bad eye.”:
A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.
(Proverbs 28:22 NASB translation)
The proverb tells us that a man with an evil eye is one who chases after wealth. He is greedy! According to the Jewish saying, a person with a “bad eye” was a stingy or selfish person. These people did not want to help anyone else. They did not give away any of their money. They treasured their treasures and did not want to share. The Jewish saying and the proverb agree. Jesus used His illustration to send us the message that a greedy, selfish, stingy person is one who is really in the dark. This person’s heart is very cold and unloving - how great is the darkness! Is your eye dark?"
So two things I have learned today:
1. I love Jesus' words - he was the ultimate learner centered teacher! He would use examples and metaphors that made sense to his learners. And thanks to the many commentators who helped me understand the first century Jewish context and apply Jesus' teaching today.
2. Clearly being greedy for money or worrying about it constantly are both extremes I should avoid. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is where I should focus (Matthews 6:33). His promise is that He will meet all my needs and more!!
Friday, 20 March 2015
Zachariah's Song
I bumped into a long time friend from my former church this morning. This wonderful sister in Christ has been childless up to this point. She gladly announced that she and her husband had decided to adopt a child and the process had begun. I shared her joy. But knowing that her life will change quite dramatically I encouraged her by telling her how wonderful our children had been to me and my wife. It was definitely one way God can bless us, whether it's our own child or an adopted child.
It just happened that I was reading the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth in Luke this morning. In Luke 1 we are told that both Zachariah and Elizabeth were beyond child bearing age. But God had a special plan for them. God sent his angel Gabriel to announce to Zachariah that his wife will be with child. He had doubt and was struck by dumbness until the promise came true. When his son John the Baptist was born, Zachariah burst out in a song (verses 68-79):
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
This has become one of my favorite songs in scripture. Like the songs of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) and Mary (Luke 1:46-55) I just love the spontaneity of emotion, one that bursts out as deep feelings finally find a way to escape. It reflects a life full of longing and obedience which finally discovers what it's all about. Zachariah was a priest. Like all priests he was a descendant of Aaron. From his younger age he knew that his whole life was to be different. He would spend his days in the temple, saying prayers for people and offering sacrifices for their sins. The people of Israel lived under repression of the Roman Empire, longing to see the Messiah to deliver them from their enemies. The one sure sign that God was with him and blessed him was to have a child. Without a child he wondered if he was still in God's favor. Now the blessing had finally come!!
Workingpreacher.org has a nice commentary on this song:
Zechariah's contribution to the musical score offers a symphony of praise to the God who is, who has been, and who always will be working among God's people. The prophecy previews several claims of this Gospel:
God remains faithful to God's promises
God's way is salvation
God's path is peace.
As was true for Sarah and Abraham before them, Zechariah and Elizabeth are old, well past the age of childbearing (Luke 1:7); nevertheless, God has given them a son, John, whose life is caught up in the designs of God. John "will be great in the sight of the Lord...and he will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God" (1:15-16). On the eighth day after John's birth, his parents bring him to the Temple for naming and circumcision, and Zechariah answers the question that is on everyone's hearts: "What then will this child become?" (Luke 1:65-66).
Luke uses the word "peace" more often than the other three Gospels combined. Indeed, God's peace is a message that frames the beginning and end of this Gospel and permeates its message throughout. Here, near the beginning, Zechariah sings that God will "guide our feet into the way of peace." His prophecy is fulfilled near the conclusion of the narrative when the risen Christ stands among his followers and announces, "Peace be with you" (24:36). In between, God's peace is the gift granted to those who kneel in faith before Jesus (7:50; 8:48) and to those who receive the message that God's basileia is near (10:5-6). It is the way of heaven breaking forth on earth when the Messiah makes his appearance (19:38).
In the end, Zechariah's song is not simply a way to announce the birth of John the Baptist, but rather to proclaim God's faithfulness, God's salvation, and God's peace. During this season of Advent, as we await the birth of the Savior of the world, we can pray together with Zechariah, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel."
What is my life so far? Have I experienced God's salvation? Has He fulfilled all His promises in my life? Do I have peace? There are days when my heart bursts out in songs but there are also days when I feel downcast and despair. Help me Lord to hear your voice every day. Remind me of your salvation and promises each and every time when my heart is down cast.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
(Philippians 4:4-9)
It just happened that I was reading the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth in Luke this morning. In Luke 1 we are told that both Zachariah and Elizabeth were beyond child bearing age. But God had a special plan for them. God sent his angel Gabriel to announce to Zachariah that his wife will be with child. He had doubt and was struck by dumbness until the promise came true. When his son John the Baptist was born, Zachariah burst out in a song (verses 68-79):
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
This has become one of my favorite songs in scripture. Like the songs of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) and Mary (Luke 1:46-55) I just love the spontaneity of emotion, one that bursts out as deep feelings finally find a way to escape. It reflects a life full of longing and obedience which finally discovers what it's all about. Zachariah was a priest. Like all priests he was a descendant of Aaron. From his younger age he knew that his whole life was to be different. He would spend his days in the temple, saying prayers for people and offering sacrifices for their sins. The people of Israel lived under repression of the Roman Empire, longing to see the Messiah to deliver them from their enemies. The one sure sign that God was with him and blessed him was to have a child. Without a child he wondered if he was still in God's favor. Now the blessing had finally come!!
Workingpreacher.org has a nice commentary on this song:
Zechariah's contribution to the musical score offers a symphony of praise to the God who is, who has been, and who always will be working among God's people. The prophecy previews several claims of this Gospel:
God remains faithful to God's promises
God's way is salvation
God's path is peace.
As was true for Sarah and Abraham before them, Zechariah and Elizabeth are old, well past the age of childbearing (Luke 1:7); nevertheless, God has given them a son, John, whose life is caught up in the designs of God. John "will be great in the sight of the Lord...and he will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God" (1:15-16). On the eighth day after John's birth, his parents bring him to the Temple for naming and circumcision, and Zechariah answers the question that is on everyone's hearts: "What then will this child become?" (Luke 1:65-66).
Luke uses the word "peace" more often than the other three Gospels combined. Indeed, God's peace is a message that frames the beginning and end of this Gospel and permeates its message throughout. Here, near the beginning, Zechariah sings that God will "guide our feet into the way of peace." His prophecy is fulfilled near the conclusion of the narrative when the risen Christ stands among his followers and announces, "Peace be with you" (24:36). In between, God's peace is the gift granted to those who kneel in faith before Jesus (7:50; 8:48) and to those who receive the message that God's basileia is near (10:5-6). It is the way of heaven breaking forth on earth when the Messiah makes his appearance (19:38).
In the end, Zechariah's song is not simply a way to announce the birth of John the Baptist, but rather to proclaim God's faithfulness, God's salvation, and God's peace. During this season of Advent, as we await the birth of the Savior of the world, we can pray together with Zechariah, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel."
What is my life so far? Have I experienced God's salvation? Has He fulfilled all His promises in my life? Do I have peace? There are days when my heart bursts out in songs but there are also days when I feel downcast and despair. Help me Lord to hear your voice every day. Remind me of your salvation and promises each and every time when my heart is down cast.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
(Philippians 4:4-9)
Monday, 16 March 2015
A day in the life of Jesus - how to prioritize our time
I heard this sermon on the weekend. It's part one of a two part mini series called "Maxed Out - Rebelling Against the Culture of Excess". Part one is on prioritizing our time.
The scripture reading was from Mark 1:28-39
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
It essentially described one day in the life of Jesus:
And He told His disciples: "That is why I have come."
This is the big question for me, isn't it? Why have I come? Why did God give me this day? How do I use the same 24 hours (the same as everyone else) differently to fulfill the purpose God has intended for me?
The key principle seems to boil down to making choices wisely - when to say yes and when to say no. Learning from Jesus, the pastor referred us to Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
He showed us a picture of what a yoke was (like this one from Wikipedia):
A yoke is a wooden beam normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do. But what is the yoke of Jesus? I found this blog by this Benedictine monk helpful. He helped me to look at this picture again, he wrote,
"Where do you see Christ? My problem was—and still is sometimes—that I was viewing Christ as the driver of the oxen under the yoke. That’s a terribly distorted view of obedience. The Latin root of the word “obedience” means “listen.” So, to obey is to listen. As you know, the heart of any healthy relationship is listening. Obedience is a relationship in which those involved genuinely listen and respond to one another in love. It is listening and love in action. It is more about our relationship with God and one another than it is about simply following commands Put another way, obedience to God is true freedom."
So what do I do when I am maxed out? I will go to Jesus in prayer. But my prayer is not just to ask for help or less stress, my prayer is to listen to Him. Reading the scripture daily has become my habit but I must say I don't listen as well as I should. Lord, help me to listen to you. Thank you for your love and help me to see that your commands are love in action for me. I have experienced it before and I know I will experience it again, the rest and comfort that will come.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
The scripture reading was from Mark 1:28-39
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
It essentially described one day in the life of Jesus:
- Jesus was busy as his popularity grew
- He was busy healing people and casting out demons
- He went to the synagogue because it was the Sabbath (as going to "church" on Sunday for us)
- He hanged out with his disciples and on this day, they went to the home of Peter and Andrew
- He healed Peter's mother-in-law who had a fever
- He turned that house into a clinic where "the whole town" gathered at the door
- And he got up before the light was out and went off to the solitary place to pray again the next day
And He told His disciples: "That is why I have come."
This is the big question for me, isn't it? Why have I come? Why did God give me this day? How do I use the same 24 hours (the same as everyone else) differently to fulfill the purpose God has intended for me?
The key principle seems to boil down to making choices wisely - when to say yes and when to say no. Learning from Jesus, the pastor referred us to Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
He showed us a picture of what a yoke was (like this one from Wikipedia):
"Where do you see Christ? My problem was—and still is sometimes—that I was viewing Christ as the driver of the oxen under the yoke. That’s a terribly distorted view of obedience. The Latin root of the word “obedience” means “listen.” So, to obey is to listen. As you know, the heart of any healthy relationship is listening. Obedience is a relationship in which those involved genuinely listen and respond to one another in love. It is listening and love in action. It is more about our relationship with God and one another than it is about simply following commands Put another way, obedience to God is true freedom."
So what do I do when I am maxed out? I will go to Jesus in prayer. But my prayer is not just to ask for help or less stress, my prayer is to listen to Him. Reading the scripture daily has become my habit but I must say I don't listen as well as I should. Lord, help me to listen to you. Thank you for your love and help me to see that your commands are love in action for me. I have experienced it before and I know I will experience it again, the rest and comfort that will come.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
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