Month: March 2021

Deuteronomy 6.4-7

(The second week of Advent traditionally is a week of thanksgiving for the bible and prayers for ministry of the word in all forms e.g. preaching, study, publishing and translation.)

‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.’

If I said to you, what makes your family tick? What would your answer be? It is worth spending time thinking about isn’t it, whether we are thinking back to our own childhood, raising a family now or reflecting on the core values and behaviours of an all adult family. What is the common thread that runs through your family and how has it been communicated and fostered, generation to generation? Do you even accept that it is appropriate to have such a common thread or do you consider that to be a denial of individualism?

Moses was concerned that such a thread should be passed on from generation to generation not only in his family but in the whole body of the people of God. These are the words of Moses, ‘These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.’ ^{Deuteronomy 6.1-2}

It was living according to the word of God that was to be the golden thread for the nation and in consequence each tribe and family within the people of God. Responsibility was passed on to the family to teach the word of God. Obedience to the word is not only through fear of God it is an act of love for God, the holy one and therefore is in itself worship. The family is intended to be a place of teaching and learning. How this differs from much of modern western culture is that the parents are not to abdicate their responsibility and simply leave the responsibility to find their own way in their own time for fear of crushing their individuality. The parents and influential family members are to take their responsibility before God very seriously. How then are they topass on the golden thread of the love for and obedience towards God?

Firstly they are to know the word of God well themselves, ‘these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.’ ^v6 This is more than an academic learning such as key dates in history, it is heart learning. Learning that moulds you as a person. Learning that impacts your reactions and decision making. If our lives do not reflect our words then our words do not carry authenticity. The family who know us the most intimately will not believe us when there is a significant disconnect between what we say and what we do.

Secondly the communication of the word is to be intentional and not to be avoided. ‘You shall teach them diligently to your children.’ ^v7 The approach to teaching though is not to be one of formal lessons, it is to be woven into our whole lives, naturally occurring and not forced. ‘You shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down, and when you rise.’ ^v7 The image here is one of naturally arising of situations and questions that happen in all families. Discussion could arise about fairness over the meal table, children can raise issues that trouble them as they are settled to sleep. Ideas can be explored on a family walk. The family can give thanks together and can ask for God’s help together. The key factor is the word of God becomes the first reference point. It is more important to keep the spirit of writing the word of God on your doorposts and gates than the literal engraving. The concept is, the word of God is always before us.

In the end Israel repeatedly failed to follow Moses’ command and it eventually led to the over running of both Israel and Judah followed by mass forced exile. The greatest responsibility for this fell to the nation’s leaders many of whom did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Are we careful to follow the Lord’s commands and see our obedience as a way of expressing our love for God?Word of God

Romans 13.11-14

‘The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.’

If we have a big event coming up most of us spend time in personal preparation. We want to look right and feel right. As followers of Jesus we will probably want to spend time composing ourselves in his presence if it is that sort of event. Preparation is more than the outward appearance it also about inner composure. Isaiah wrote, ‘You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.’ ^{Isaiah 26.3} Paul in his concluding blessing to the Thessalonians wrote, ‘Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.’ ^{2Thessalonians 3.16}  Focusing on Jesus prepares us spiritually, mentally and emotionally. It is very easy to forget that his presence is a constant.A sense of urgency in the light of Jesus’ coming has motivated Christians since the very early church. It was a common conversation point, in each age there have been many who expected his return in their lifetime. The bible is clear that this ought to be our mind-set regardless of whether it happens or not. Paul is drawing upon this expectation as he writes to the Roman Christians, ‘Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.’ ^v11 It is equally true in terms of our own life span. Each day that passes brings us closer to meeting Jesus face to face. When I woke this morning one of my first thoughts was, do I have 10 years left before I die and what have I done with the previous 52 years since I first trusted in him? Then I read this passage. How then are we to prepare to meet him whether on death or his return? One’s first thought might be regarding mission, the outreach to others with the gospel, or one might consider the urgency of meeting the needs of the poor and needy as many Christian reformers have done. Both of these have excellent biblical precedent and are undoubtedly in the expressed will of God. However, Paul in this passage implies, first look to one’s own spiritual well-being. Tackle the sin in your life. Do this he says in two ways, throw stuff away and grasp hold of other stuff. The stuff to throw is the sin of our old life that still rises up through temptation. Paul has just written about the sins in the ten commandments that are against others including fellow believers. He says replace these with love to your neighbour. The same level of love with which one loves oneself. ^{Romans 13.8-12} For Paul to mention it the risk for Christians must be an ever-present possibility for believers to either continue or be drawn back into the ways of the non-believing world. He is very specific, orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, sensuality, quarrelling and jealousy. ^v13 Despite being 2000 years old the list sounds to me to be one that applies as much today and possibly with greater access in the light of new technology and social media. Have nothing to do with these things is what Paul is saying, cast them off as works of darkness.

However if you do not replace them or fill the gap immediately then they will recur. How do we protect ourselves from these temptations? By putting on the armour of light. ^v12 Stay in the light, stay deliberately in Christ’s presence, he is the light of life. Do not take these things lightly, ‘Make not provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.’ ^v14 Do not be surprised if that it is a battle. It is a battle that can only be won by putting Jesus on as Lord of our lives. ^v14 It is not a battle that can be won by self will power alone. Only the grace of God through the Holy Spirit can change our inner natures to this extent. We need to be honest with ourselves, recognise our weakness and his strength.

Is there sin we do not want to cast off?

Are we ever reluctant to put on the armour of light?

Have you a Christian friend you can trust to talk and pray these things through?

Lord, the light of Your love (Shine, Jesus, shine)

Luke 12.45-46

‘But suppose the servant says to himself, “My master is taking a long time in coming,” and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.’

Continuing the parable of the unexpected return of the master of the house Jesus addresses one of the most difficult issues for the church in our current age – abusive leadership. Peter had asked, “is this story for us (your special disciples) or for all?”  Jesus answer makes it clear that he is including all those who are in leadership positions continuing beyond his earthly mission. “The future tenses in vs 42-48 must refer to the situation in the church after the departure of Jesus. In fact all the parables in this section refer in their present setting to the period after the resurrection of Jesus and before his second coming.” (New Bible Commentary, D.A. Carson et.al) Jesus also teaches, there are degrees of responsibility depending upon their level of knowledge. ^{John 12.47-48} Jesus summarised this with, ‘Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” ^{John 12.48b}

The period of waiting has now reached two millennia and in that time there have been a great many ‘abusive servants’. The period of waiting exposes the heart of the self-serving servant. Abuse of others is the antithesis of Christ’s character and it happens when the servant places himself where Christ should be. All for me rather than all for Jesus. It is revealed in personal behaviour illustrated by Jesus in the servant, eating, drinking and getting drunk. However, it includes all self-indulgent actions and attitudes. It is also directed at others, Jesus uses the example of physically beating  others. However, abuse includes spiritual abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse and is worryingly common at all levels of responsibility within the church. On occasion those who are loving in public are abusive in private. Abuse is frequently tolerated, usually denied and often covered up in fear of people’s opinion as opposed to fear of God.

Jesus’ delay in his return is an act of God’s grace, however it also exposes whether those in positions of responsibility are continuing their journey of sanctification or indeed ever were truly a disciple. Mathew records Jesus stark warning, ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’ ^Mathew7.21

How distinctively Christ like is the leadership within the church?

How aware of the subtleties of abuse are we?

Who are we living for?

Casting Crowns – Oh My Soul (Official Lyric Video)

Luke 12.35-37

‘Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will make them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.’

I have noticed there are four types of waiters, I don’t mean by this those who earn their living by serving customers in cafes and restaurants. I mean how we wait for an important person or event. There are those who I call the twitchers, who are ready at least half an hour before the expected time, hat on, handbag on the crook of the elbow, gloves to hand, peaking surreptitiously around the edge of the curtain as they don’t want to seem to be anxious. Whilst waiting they have probably consumed at least two chocolate biscuits worth of nervous energy. The workers are a complete contrast. They barely notice the impending time so consumed they are with the tasks of the day. When the doorbell rings they have to hurriedly pack up whilst struggling to get their arm through the jacket sleeve, whilst hopping in a bid to get their shoe on as they fall out the front door. The ‘Perry Como’ however is the definition of laid back. For those who have yet to draw their pension, Perry was the definition a relaxed crooner, so laid back he was virtually horizontal. He died as he appeared to perform, asleep. The Perry Como is mildly surprised but pleasantly so when the important guest arrives, however do not expect any provision to have been made. Finally, there is the wastrel, so consumed with self-gratification that they are not only not prepared they  couldn’t care less who the visitor is, what they want, may need or bring.

Jesus had different categories in his story of servants waiting for the arrival of their master returning home from a wedding. They did not know what time that might be, all they knew was he would return. In this story Jesus’ words to the servants were keep your work clothes on and the lights of the house on. Be ready to welcome him and have everything ready. In other words, stay on top of the job and don’t be caught out. ^v36 The master wasn’t just pleased and congratulating the servants for being fine servants, maybe giving them a bonus of an extra day off. No, he reversed the situation and turned from master to servant, he made them the people of honour and served them. ^v37

In this brief story Jesus encapsulates the extraordinary kingdom of God. Where the king becomes the servant and honours the faithful servants, way above their rights. What can we learn from this opening to Jesus’ story? Firstly, it was Jesus who is the story teller and therefore needs to be taken seriously because he was teaching about himself. He is the returning master in the story. The people of God are the servants, initially the nation of Israel, as his story was addressed to the crowd who at the beginning of the chapter were trampling over each other to hear what he had to say. ^12.1 But the kingdom of God is for all who believe in him and so the story is for us, should we call him Lord, as well. What is it then to be dressed for action this advent as we wait for him? Nobody has put it better than the apostle Paul.‘Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.’ ^{Ephesians 6.14-18}Have we looked in the spiritual mirror recently to see how we are dressed while we wait for the Lord?

Do our own lives conform to the servant leadership of Christ?

Are our eyes on the goal of our inheritance in Christ?

The Blessing Zimbabwe

Isaiah 40.3-5

A voice cries:^[a]
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
⁵ And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

When Isaiah spoke these words to the exiled nation of Judah they must have felt themselves in the deepest spiritual wilderness. They were cut off in all senses, they no longer had a home of their own, they were surrounded by the worship of foreign gods. They did not control their own destiny, they were controlled by a vastly superior force. A nation that had been desperate for a king and repeatedly lobbied God for one, now no longer had a king, not even a king in exile. In a year when we have been beleaguered ourselves, our personal freedoms restricted, often cut off from loved ones, many with reduced income and grieving the death of family members, we also are a nation weighed down with cares.

As then, we also as a nation are in the need of hope. Some see hope only in the form of a vaccine but a vaccine will not address our spiritual and emotional needs. A vaccine is limited as to the ways it can meet our needs. In Jesus, we have a saviour who addresses our whole and eternal needs. We are both the ones in need of someone in our wilderness who calls us to prepare the way of the Lord and at the same time we are the people God has sent to be the ones who are doing the calling.

The gospels claim these verses for John the Baptist as he set about preparing the ground for Jesus’ ministry by challenging the spiritual status quo. John knew that Jesus’ coming was of immense importance, it was a matter of life and death and he was prepared to suffer the consequences of offending those in power.

When Isaiah prophesied he was speaking words of comfort to a suffering people. ^{Isaiah 40.1} He was directing them to the coming Messiah who was going to bring peace and reconciliation with God the Father. ^Isaiah 40.2 This is the one who was going to judge rightly and make the way forward plain. However, the Messiah’s work is not for one nation, his lordship is to made known to all peoples. ^{Isaiah 40.6}

The coming of Jesus should inspire the church to be like John the Baptist and prepare the way for him by taking his word to the people. Comfort for people who are far from God is not a gentle “there, there” or an, “everything will be alright in the end”. It is loving concern sharing the good news of Jesus so they may know, ‘iniquity is pardoned’ and that they have, ‘received from the Lord’s hand double for all their sins.’ ^{Isaiah 40.2}

Do we see the birth of Jesus as the coming of a saviour or the coming of a holiday?

Are we prepared to prepare the way of the Lord?

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord o my soul ) – Matt Redman (with Lyrics)