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Retired pastor

Daily Bible thoughts 1155: Friday 3rd June 2016: Luke 22:35-38: The Lord will provide.

Luke 22:35-38: The Lord will provide.(please click here for todays passage)

‘Everything written about me is now coming to a conclusion.’ (37) The Message.

The words of today’s reading were spoken under the shadow of the Cross. Jesus was about to die for the sins of the world. Everything was coming to a head. Jesus teaching here shows:

  • God’s provision is perfect (35). It is miraculous. It is ‘against the odds’ naturally speaking. Countless stories from the Bible and church history endorse this. Hudson Taylor’s dictum that ‘God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply’ remains true. Read a book such as A.T.Pierson’s biography of George Mueller, and it will stir your heart and encourage your faith. Mueller wanted to demonstrate to the world what could be achieved by prayer through faith, and so he was scrupulous in making the needs of the orphanages known only to God. Time and again there were remarkable, and timely, answers to prayer.
  • There are ‘seasons’/’chapters’ in a disciple’s walk with Jesus (36). ‘This is different.’ The Message. Some periods are more difficult (more dangerous even) than others. F.B. Meyer wrote that ‘the storm’ was about to burst on the disciples ‘with furious intensity’. The current phase of your life may look different to a previous one. The instructions you receive from above may not be the same. The gears can shift. So it is vital to keep in step with Jesus, listening for His voice and doing whatever He says.

‘Do whatever He tells you.’ (John 2:5)

Prayer: In each day, Lord, there are so many distracting sights and sounds to contend with. It is not always easy to keep my eyes fixed on you. But I want to. I know I need to. Please help me with this.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1154: Thursday 2nd June 2016: Luke 22: 31-34: On Jesus’ prayer list!

Luke 22: 31-34: On Jesus’ prayer list!(please click here for todays passage)

Someone observed, ‘You’re on Jesus’ prayer list. That ought to make your whole day!’

Jesus knows your name, your circumstances, and your heart, better than you know yourself. He is aware of spiritual traps you face, and battles that being waged around you even when you are in ignorance. So listen to Him, count on His prayers and don’t try to contradict Him. Experience will prove Him right and you wrong. 

Here are three things to note:

 1.  Jesus’ individual dealings with each disciple. In (31) the word ‘you’, used twice, is a  plural, referring to all the disciples. But it’s fourfold use in the next verse is singular. From out of the larger group, the Lord has a personal word for ‘Simon’. ‘God does not call us to the same things. Do not be surprised if you are led in a way which others do not go. Be surprised if you are not!’ Dallas Willard: ‘The Spirit of the Disciplines’, p.253. On another occasion, Peter (‘Simon’) was given an insight into how he would die (John 21). He decided he would like to know if Jesus had any message for John on the subject. What of his destiny? In effect Christ said, ‘Mind your own business Peter. You keep your eyes on me.’ It’s a personal walk. There is a tailor-made purpose for each life.

  1. God wastes nothing. As you read the Bible you see how God, in His sovereignty, takes the sins and failures of His people and uses them to further His purposes in and through them. These are ‘ingredients’ God did not write in to the ‘recipe’, but He can use them all the same to do something tasty with a life. Even our flaws and faults can be productive. It doesn’t mean it’s good to sin, but it does show that even these ‘crumbs’ can be put to good use. Nothing gets wasted.
  1. It is possible to fail and fall in such a way that your faith crumbles. Jesus did not pray that Peter would escape temptation, but rather that he would not fall fatally – that he would be delivered from that particular evil.

 

It is merciful of God to let us see ourselves as we are; it is good of Him to jerk us out of our self-deluded self-confidence. Peter would get to look in the mirror. That’s an experience which can, and should, lead to alteration.

So here’s a question: ‘Now you are the right side of your mess up, what are you going to do with it? How are you going to put all that misery and heartache to good use?

‘And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’

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Daily Bible thoughts 1153: Wednesday 1st June 2016: Luke 22:24-30: ‘But not so with you…’

Luke 22:24-30: ‘But not so with you…'(please click here for todays passage)

In his book ‘Building below the waterline’, Gordon McDonald  writes honestly about a sobering experience which helped him get his life and motives sorted out. In the early 1980’s he was asked to speak at a conference on world evangelism, held in Thailand. He felt elated to think that he was one of a select few speakers invited to address this prestigious gathering. But then the pride balloon got pricked! A major evangelical leader at the congress chartered a boat, and took 40 of the speakers out to an island, to discuss the future of world evangelisation. Gordon was not one of the ‘chosen few’, and the air whooshed out of his punctured ego. He was now deflated – for a time. But it was a seminal moment in his ministry. He realised that however successful you are; however popular you may be now;however high you rise, there will always be a ’40’ (or it’s equivalent) that you are not part of. His experience caused him to look seriously about his motives.

Jesus valued the company of His disciples, who stuck with Him whilst in His storm-tossed boat, and He promised them a great reward for staying the course (28-30). BUT He saw it as necessary to challenge their worldly desire to sit a top the ‘pecking order’; to rise to the pinnacle of the ‘ladder’ (24-27). How incongruous their ‘dispute’ was, coming off the back of Jesus’ words about self-sacrifice (14-23). But, sadly, such attitudes are still to be found amongst disciples. Churches, and church leadership teams, are frequently riven with political manoeuvring. If we examine ourselves honestly, how many of us will have to admit that selfish ambition lurks, barely disguised, in the shadows of our hearts? So let Jesus’ words rebuke and correct:

‘But not so with you…’

He is ‘among’ us as ‘the one who serves’ (27).

Let’s join Him in ‘the race to the bottom’. According to God’s law of gravity, ‘what goes down must come up.’

Prayer: Help me to understand, Lord Jesus, that the highest position on offer in your Kingdom is that of a servant

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Daily Bible thoughts 1152: Tuesday 31st May 2016: Luke 22:14-23: Remember.

Luke 22:14-23: Remember.(please click for todays passage)

The gospels are not strict biographies as such. In them you find such a concentration on the events surrounding the death of Jesus. It’s estimated that between a quarter and a third of the contents deal with the last week of His life. Someone said that the gospels set off like express trains, but then the brakes are applied, until we gradually come to a halt at the foot of the cross. In a normal biography there is much more of a focus on the whole life, and not just the end of it.

When we want to remember someone we love, we usually keep a photo of them in a prominent place, showing how they appeared when they were alive and well. But Jesus wanted to be remembered in His death. He lived like His death was the most important part of His life.

His death was no accident: ‘The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed’ (22a).

It involved real suffering (15b).

It is ‘for you’ (19, 20)

It is instructive that even in the face of His impending death Jesus gave thanks (19). He blessed the Lord at all times, and His praise was always on our Lord’s lips.

Please note that the reality of Satan and his work in the world, in human beings, does not remove personal responsibility (22b).

One final thought: there is a place for self-examination to see if there is anything of the betrayer in me (23).

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Daily Bible thoughts 1151: Monday 30th May 2016: Luke 22:7-13: Jesus never fails.

Luke 22:7-13: Jesus never fails.(please click for todays passage)

We see in this short passage something about the utter reliability of Jesus and the total dependability of His Word. We will always find things to be ‘just as’ He tells us (13). Life does line up with His infallible Word. But even if, sometimes, in the short term, this doesn’t appear to be the case, ultimately we will find that the Lord has every detail organised, and everything has been (and is) ‘just as’ He said. We do go through days when we find it hard to locate our experiences within the big Bible picture, but we will finally see that ‘all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.’

After all, at the heart of our faith there lies the cruel and savage death of a totally innocent young Man. That is hard to understand; difficult to come to terms with. But the more we understand, the more clearly we see that ‘the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed’ (7). There surely is a deeper meaning behind Luke’s statement than what lies on the surface? (1 Corinthians 5:7). What looks like a tragedy is central to God’s plan. In the offering of Jesus on the cross we are finding things ‘just as’ God said they would be.

Here is one further thought: Jesus has made preparations for what He wants US to enjoy: a feast, a banquet, you might say, in fellowship with Him. But we too have to make our own preparations if we are to fully enter into all that He has for us. Reading between the lines, Jesus had already made some arrangements before sending the disciples to do their bit. But that didn’t absolve them of the responsibilities that they were given to carry.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that you have given to me everything I need for life and godliness. I want to make every effort to progress in this life of discipleship.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1150: Friday 27th May 2016: Luke 22:1-6:God-haters and men – pleases.

 Luke 22:1-6:God-haters and men – pleases.(please click here for todays passage)

These religious leaders hated God and feared men (2). They didn’t realise they were haters of God. But they were. This was revealed in their attitude to God’s Son. (What a person feels about Jesus shows what they feel about God.) The flip side to being a man-pleaser is to be a man-fearer. You fear their frowns, their disapproval, their dislike, their adverse reactions. This is a terrible way to live – hating God and pleasing/fearing people. To be a man-pleaser is a form of slavery. You need emancipation. It is never okay to be inconsiderate, insensitive and rude. It is important to take the thoughts and feelings of others into account. But you must be ‘your own person’ before God. Your backbone is not formed from jelly.

The world system is always looking ‘to get rid of Jesus’. It does not want this Man to reign over us. I note that they were not afraid to do wrong; they were just scared of being found out (and yes, of public opinion.) Judas helped them get what they wanted. ‘They were delighted and agreed to give him the money.’ This says to me that  you always pay a terrible price for the removal of Jesus from your life. It costs and no-one can afford it.

The mention of ‘Passover’ (1) underlines the truth that there was a higher power operating and God was in charge, not men. Even more to the point, ‘Satan’ (3) was not running the show. The Lord would work out His great purpose to deliver the world from sin in and through the death of Jesus. It was no accidental tragedy, in spite of outward appearances.

Prayer: Lord set me free from the tyranny of men-pleasing.

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Daily Bible thoughts 1149: Thursday 26th May 2016: Luke 21: 29-38: Living with the end in view.

Luke 21: 29-38: Living with the end in view.(please click for passage)

What should you do with Jesus’ teaching about the wrapping up of history? How can you live in the light of His return? Here are some pointers:

Keep your eyes open (29-31). It’s been said that a prophet is someone with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Stay in touch with the times. As much as you can, know what is going on. Look for the signs of Jesus’ return. ‘In a limited significance, our Lord’s words were fulfilled within forty years of their utterance; but we are still to see how much more is contained in them than has yet been realised.’ F.B. Meyer: ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.450.

Stay rooted in Jesus’ Word (32,33). ‘Sky and Earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.’ The Message. Times change; Truth does not. Stay ‘anchored to the Rock’ whilst being ‘geared to the times’.

Live carefully/walk prayerfully (34-36). The two things go together. You really have no choice but to live in the world, but it is rotten (to the core) and rotting. If you don’t at the same time keep close company with God, too much of this world system may rub off on you and rot your soul. Corruption spreads easily and quickly. ‘But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap…So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.’ The Message. ‘It is impossible to live as we should apart from constant watching and prayer. The snare is so deftly laid that we may be entangled in it before we are fully aware.’ F.B. Meyer.

Keep your ears open (37, 38). Here is the ideal balance: Keep your eyes open to what is going on around you (29-31), and keep your ears open to the sound from up above you (37,38). ‘All the people were up at the crack of dawn to come to the Temple and listen to him.’ The Message.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to stay wide awake!

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Daily Bible thoughts 1148: Wednesday 25th May 2016: Luke 21:5-28: Transience.

Luke 21:5-28: Transience.(please click for passage)

I remember watching the television news coverage of the tsunami that devastated parts of Japan just five years ago. We watched in horror as we saw cars driving along, and we knew that the occupants were probably oblivious as a great killer wave was about to hit them and sweep them away. We wanted to shout at the screen in warning, for all the good that would have done. In the wake of that appalling tragedy verse 26 came to mind. I’m not saying that what happened in Japan was an exact fulfilment of Jesus’ words here, but I’m sure you can see why I thought about them. That news footage provided an image of what the world is like. People are getting on with their business, with little or no thought given to the fact that the end of all things is on its way. Jesus will wind up history as we know it.Then what?

Life is fragile and transient. All the things we think most solid are only temporary (5,6). One day the universe itself will be rolled can up (2 Peter 3:10-13) and there will be new heavens and a new earth. There’s a new world coming. Are you ready to play your full part in it? Are you rightly related to God through Jesus? Or are you just trying to hold onto all the things that must crumble?

‘He is no fool who gives up that which he can never keep, in order to gain that which he can never lose.’ Jim Elliot

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Daily Bible thoughts 1147: Tuesday 24th May 2016: Luke 21:1-4: Giving that costs.

Luke 21:1-4: Giving that costs.(please click for passage)

‘We note the difference between the false teachers, who devoured widows’ houses, and the true Leader and Teacher, who set so high a value on a widow’s gift. Our gifts to God should cost us something, else they are not reckoned in the accounts of eternity. The real value of a gift is to be estimated by what is left behind. Remember that the fragrance and beauty of this act have lasted, while the stones of the Temple have crumbled to dust. Holy deeds are imperishable! Jesus is still sitting by the treasury, watching and estimating our gifts.’ F.B. Meyer: ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.449.

Does this story raise the possibility that in devouring widow’s houses, the clerics of the day were crushing those likely to be among the best givers to the temple?

Giving that costs nothing is missing a heart. Jesus sees the gift, the giver, AND the inside of the one giving. Someone said that when God measures our service He doesn’t just ‘count’, He ‘weighs’.  It’s been said that it is enough that Jesus sees what we give in secret and He will reward openly.

The two coins the woman contributed were the smallest possible – worth about five minutes labour at minimum wage. At least on the surface it was a minimal gift.

What love this dear lady showed; and what faith. Her trust must have been in God to take care of her needs. It was a notable act of sacrifice:

‘The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford – she gave her all!’ The Message.

‘Jesus’ point is not so much to rebuke others’ contributions as to exalt a contribution that otherwise would have been under appreciated. Sometimes little gifts cost a great deal more than big gifts do, and their merit is in the sacrifice they represent. In fact, real giving happens when one gives sacrificially. Interestingly, research has shown that when people’s income increases their proportion of charitable contributions tends to drop. We tend to give less the more we are blessed. How would Jesus assess this trend?’ The IVP New Testament Commentary.

Prayer: Enlarge my heart Lord so that I live generously.

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