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Luke 7:18-35: Discouragement.

Spurgeon, the great Victorian preacher, used to speak about ‘the preacher’s’ fainting fits’. Many ministers may identify with this. That sermon you put so much time and effort and prayer into just seemed to fall flat. You noticed the people who looked sullen, bored, disinterested, sleepy. You expected to feel energised and empowered in the pulpit and you didn’t. It didn’t go how you expected. So Sunday night/Monday morning can become a time of dangerous introspection. You flirt with the thought that you are not up to it, and maybe you ought to resign for the good of the church. You are not sure how much longer you can carry on doing this. Becoming a postman seems an attractive proposition.

Many things can discourage leaders. One of the factors appears in this passage. It’s when people are awkward, and whatever you do they won’t be happy. What do you do with that? It can make you want to tear your hair out. They will always have a gripe and a grouse about something. You just can’t win.

There is something murky and mysterious about discouragement. It can descend like a fog and obscure your wisest perceptions. It even came to John the Baptist, who had given his life to witness to Christ. He was the greatest figure in the Old Covenant era, yet he too got ‘down in the dumps’.There is normally something of the irrational about bouts of discouragement, as we see in John. He knew that Jesus had raised the widow of Nain’s son, but he still had his doubts about the Lord. I don’t think he really thought they should be looking for another, but he found himself in prison, and in a dark place, and he needed reassurance.

The answer for John in his depression is just the one you and I need too. It is to get a fresh vision of Jesus: His Person and work. It is to see who He is and what He does. The report taken back to John must have reminded him of a number of Old Testament prophecies and settled his quivering heart.

So, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus…’

Prayer: Lord God please lift the drooping spirits of any discouraged Christian leaders today. Enable them to see you more clearly. Thank you that Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him, endured. Help us all to continually consider Him (Hebrews 12:1,2).

Luke 7:11- 17: Restoration.

“…and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (15b)

“…and gave him back to his father.” (42b)

Jesus is in the restoration business. Above all, He restores lost (dead) prodigals to their Heavenly Father ( Luke 15:24). But He also brings restoration in human relationships.

How moving to read that Jesus’ “”heart went out”” to the grieving mother (13). He felt her grief and pain. (Someone has described empathy as ‘your pain in my heart’). But He could do more than offer sympathy. He who is the resurrection and the life shows His total mastery over death. He touched death and it fled like a burglar caught in the act (14,15).

Prayer: I thank you Lord Jesus that we not only have your pity but also your power – and that this power extends to the last great enemy of death itself. We are an Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.

Daily Bible thoughts 1071: Monday 8th February 2016: John 1:5: Inextinguishable Jesus.

We were travelling back to Auckland from the Bay of Islands and took the route through the Kauri Forest, where we saw New Zealand’s tallest Kauri Tree. Jilly took a photo of me next to this giant of the forest, and I am barely discernible on the photo.It sort of puts your small life into perspective. A plaque next to the tree says that it may be so old that it dates back to the time of Christ. However, someone had removed the name of Christ, but it was obvious that this was the case. Someone else had tried to write His Name back in. It gave us pause for reflection.We live in a world where many want to blot out the Name of Jesus. There are people who want to eradicate Him from history. But He is the indestructible Christ. The darkness is always wanting to overcome the Light, but it will never be able to. In that forest where someone, at least, had wanted to erase the Name of Jesus, we wanted to shout that we were not ashamed of Him.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that you are the Light of the world, and no-one can snuff you out.

Luke 7:1-10: Just one Word from the King…

A few years ago I was attending my denomination’s conference in the Welsh town of Prestatyn. At the time I had great concerns over a health problem faced by a member of my family. I went to North Wales that particular year feeling battered and bruised, and heavy with anxiety.According to the programme, on the Thursday afternoon there was to be a session for leaders and their wives led by Godfrey Birtill, a well known worship leader. I didn’t really feel like attending, but I thought that I ought to. I am so glad I did go along.It turned out to be one of the best services I’ve ever attended. One song in particular that Godfrey led us in said, ‘Just one touch from the King changes everything’. That spoke to me so powerfully and stayed with me in the weeks and months afterwards.

In this lovely story found in Luke chapter 7, the Centurion recognised that just one word from the King would change everything. He was a man of authority who knew what it was to be under authority and therefore to have authority. He recognised authority when He saw it. For Jesus, as the God-Man, His Word is His action. Just one Word from the King…just one touch. It amounts to the same reality. It’s interesting that those who spoke up on behalf of the Centurion said he deserved Christ’s help. He himself said he didn’t. Nevertheless he humbly asked for Jesus’ intervention, and he got it.

I find it comforting to know that Jesus is Lord over space. We can be far removed from our loved ones but it doesn’t stop us praying for them and trusting Jesus to help.

It was some time after leaving that conference that healing wonderfully came to my close relative. It wasn’t the work of a moment. It came gradually, over time, with a number of ups and downs and twists and turns. But today I can look back and say I know the King touched; I know that He spoke the healing word., and it changed everything.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your healing Word; thank you for your authority. I am grateful for your powerful work in my life and your many answers to prayer.

Luke 6:43-45: Truth will out.

Some years ago I saw an advert for a well known English newspaper. I believe it was ‘the Times’, but I am not one hundred per cent sure. Anyway, whatever the paper, the slogan was, ‘Truth will out’. Fundamentally, this is what Jesus is saying here. The truth about you will appear. This is a sobering thought. You will not be able to hide who you are. What you are inwardly will show outwardly in behaviour. In particular it will be expressed in your speech. Words are an index of the heart. They give a read out. Like Peter (Matthew 26:73), our speech betrays us.

Above all things we should guard our hearts because from them flow the issues of life. This is one of the key messages in the book of ‘Proverbs’.

Somebody spoke about the ‘give away life of the Christian’. When we live right we live ‘deliciously’. Our lives are appetising, and cause people to want to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’ If you have a good heart you will be producing good fruit, to the glory of God and the delight and benefit of many others.

Luke 5:37-42: Eyes down, look in!

Be generous towards people; be generous in attitude It is almost instinctive for people to judge.But no-one knows enough to be able to condemn another. Only God has the right amount of information, and He will judge correctly. But we get it wrong again and again. So the next time you find yourself hurtling towards making a judgment, choose to squeeze the break. Stop yourself.

I am learning – slowly – that you can’t control anyone else’s be haviour ( however much you may seek to influence it),but you can go to work on yourself. That’s what Jesus teaches here. There is an alternative to judging others and it is to ‘first’ judge yourself. It is fairly safe to assume that your sins are greater than anyone else’s. That’s a good approach to take. It’s not that you can’t help anyone else, but you need to prioritise repenting of your own sins and changing your conduct.

Here’s something else: be generous with your money (38). Have you proved how wonderfully Jesus fulfills this promise to those who obey it? You will if you do.

Prayer: Lord help me to live generously in every way.

Luke 6:27-36 Called to a higher standard:

I have sometimes found when running that I do better going up a steep hill than running on the flat. I steel myself for it, gather up my energies and give it all I’ve got. So I was thinking that if you have a genuine enemy in your world you may find it easier to obey these words than you would with the ‘gentler gradients’ of the merely irritating, annoying and difficult people around you. They will surely have set up camp somewhere close to your house!

But start with these people, beginning today. Here’s your part and God will help you. (Step out of the boat and you will walk on water as you look to Jesus):

‘…Love…do good…bless…pray for…Give…lend…’

Such actions are within reach of every follower of Christ. The thing is to always seek to emulate God in His kindness and mercy (35b,36). How has God treated you? And did you deserve it? Exactly! Keep reflecting on that and let the understanding of God’s love towards you keep you moving in the right direction.

How wonderful the golden rule is (31). Make a commitment to live it today – and every day.

Prayer: Lord, I can’t pretend that it is easy to always be gracious, but I know I can be because you command it. And I know that whatever you order you also enable. So I’m available Lord – ready to bless everyone I come in contact with today. Flow through me, to your glory.

Luke 6:20-26: Upside down Kingdom

If you are a person of means, don’t miss the challenge of these words; don’t try to evade them.

But don’t misread them either. Jesus is not saying that all the poor get into the Kingdom by default, and that all the wealthy don’t get so much as a sniff. Take the big picture that is the total Bible story. It is a basic principle of Biblical interpretation that you must compare Scripture with Scripture. Don’t take verses in isolation from other parts of the Word. We know from elsewhere in the Bible that there were godly people who were blessed with great wealth. It is also possible to be poor and live far from God. But Jesus was speaking here to His disciples who were poor (20). He was telling them that in the next life they would be more than compensated for their sufferings and privations now. But the rich people who don’t follow Jesus have got all their good things now. There is nothing to look forward to in the life to come. ( Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus: Luke 16:19-31).

This passage shows how truly counter-cultural the Kingdom of God is. The culture says you can’t be happy in conditions such as those described in (20-23). But Jesus says His disciples truly are ‘Blessed’ (happy) whatever their outer realities.

I like the way this section opens with Jesus lifting up His eyes on his disciples. Of course eye contact is important for a preacher. But surely there is more than that here. Jesus really saw His congregation. He knew their circumstances, and He had compassion on them. He felt for them in their ‘present tense’, and rejoiced over what was coming their way in the future.

In recent readings we have seen something of the hostility faced by Christ (1-11). Following this Jesus we should not be surprised if we too are persecuted (22,23, 26).

Prayer: Lord, don’t let me be seduced by material things. Help me to look at everything in life through your eyes. Enable me to use my blessings at your direction and for your glory.