Do As I Say...

Today's Reading Acts 16:1-5 - A short one!

Text:

1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

The fact that Timothy had not been circumcised tells us a lot about how he grew up. His father was obviously the head of the household and ruled in matters of key religious rituals or his mother would have insisted that he be circumcised on the eighth day as required by her faith. She may have continued to follow the laws of Moses as best as she could, and may have passed on her faith to her children when possible, but it can be presumed that Timothy was also well versed in whatever religion his father professed. The text doesn't tell us that his father was a believer in Christ, so it is logical to presume that he wasn't.

We have just read about a major meeting of the elders and apostles where they determined that circumcision was not necessary for Gentile believers. Why would Paul, who was the primary speaker against circumcision, require that Timothy undergo this painful ritual? Wouldn't it have been a good example to show that it wasn't necessary since the purpose of their trips at this point was still to deliver the decisions of the council in Jerusalem? Besides, how would they know?

It is encouraging to see that the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew daily in numbers. Do you believe the church is still doing that?

First Letter of the New Testament

Today's Reading Acts 15:22-41

Text: Acts 15:22-23

22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

This is the first evidence of a letter sent from any of the apostles or church elders to a group of believers in the early church. It is interesting that they sent both a written letter and two men to confirm what was written about the issue of what was to be required of Gentile believers. No mention was made of circumcision, the key issue that caused the uproar in the first place.

It says the people were glad for its encouraging message. I'm sure they were encouraged that there were very few rules to follow in the message, but if you look at the message itself, it doesn't give very much information about how to live as a Christian -- not nearly as much as we have today from all the later letters of Paul. Here's the text of the letter:

24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

I think I'd be asking for more...so what do we need to do to be closer to Christ, to be more like him? How do we get closer to God? How do we go deeper in our faith? Could it be that those weren't the most important things to discuss?

How Come He Doesn't Have To Follow The Rules?

Today's Reading Acts 15:1-21

Context:
In Antioch some men were teaching that people could not be saved if they were not circumcised and were not following the laws of Moses. Paul and Barnabas began a sharp debate with them, causing several people to go up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders about the issue. After much discussion, Peter got up and talked about how God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles and had purified them by their faith alone, not by having them follow the law.

Today's Text Acts 15:12-21

12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon[a] has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16" 'After this I will return
and rebuild David's fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things'[b]
18that have been known for ages.[c]

19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." (NIV)
Footnotes:

1. Acts 15:14 Greek Simeon, a variant of Simon; that is, Peter
2. Acts 15:17 Amos 9:11,12
3. Acts 15:18 Some manuscripts things'— / 18 known to the Lord for ages is his work

taken from www.biblegateway.com

It is interesting to see how the early church leaders decided what should and what should not be a 'rule' in the church. Since they only had the Old Testament law, which was now superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus, it was hard to know for sure what must be followed and what was covered by grace. Jesus himself said that the law was important, yet God had given the gift of the Spirit to those who where totally ignorant of the law. So what did that mean?

The elders looked first at what actions God had taken, then they verified them with scripture to be sure they were consistent with God's character. Then they chose to ensure that they weren't applying anything additional to the new Gentile Christians that God wasn't requiring. It is interesting to see the things that they thought were still important for the Gentiles to remember -- food polluted by idols, sexual immorality, strangled animals, and blood.

Why would they choose these things and not the myriad of other things that were listed in Leviticus? Later Paul himself would say that eating food dedicated to idols was ok if you believed God said it was ok for you. Other times they would say to remember the widows and the poor.

What would we say were the most important things for new Christians to remember today? Do we make it too hard for them to become believers?

Sticks and Stones

Today's Reading Acts 14

Context:
Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium and preached so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But again the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the crowds and they were chased out of the city. They preached in the surrounding countryside. In Lystra they healed a man who was lame since birth, and the crowd believed Paul and Barnabas were the gods Zeus and Hermes in the flesh. They tried to offer sacrifices to them but Paul and Barnabas shouted back at them the truth about the only living God, barely keeping the crowd contained.

Today's Text Acts 14:19-23

¹⁹Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
²¹They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²²strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. ²³Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

The first time we ever hear about Paul/Saul is in Acts 8:1, when he is watching over the cloaks of those who are stoning Stephen. During that episode, Stephen fell to his knees in prayer and vocally forgave his persecutors. I imagine that scene was heavily imprinted in his mind as each stone hit his body. Do you think he felt that he deserved this punishment? I wonder if he knew that he would live through this or if he was hoping he would die sooner rather than later. Was he able to muster up forgiveness for his tormentors?

Just a few days later he is again preaching the Good News. As he revisits the very city where he was stoned, maybe even before all the cuts and bruises have faded, he tells the believers of Jesus' words that there will be trouble in this world. I'm not able to find any information in my reference books about Paul's statement that "we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." It almost sounds like there is a need for us to be persecuted and complete difficult tasks to accomplish entrance, although there are many passages that convince me that salvation is attained at the moment of repentance/surrender.

I know that entire religions have been formed to address passages like this, and I won't pretend to have theological wisdom for this argument. I do know that we in America are pretty clueless about the realities of persecution the folks suffered in the early days of the church. I've never been purposely hit with stones for what I believe, have you? Regardless, Paul was a very credible witness. I think I would have gone far out of my way to avoid revisiting a city that had caused so much physical pain and I would have let someone else strengthen the members of that church. How about you?

Shake off the dust

Today's Reading Acts 13:13-52
NOTE: While we are in Acts, I'll add a link for daily reading in case you want to read both chapters before we have class. Just click on the text reference above and it will take you directly to http://biblegateway.com and the verses for the day.

Context:
Paul and his companions sailed to Pisidian Antioch (please note this is not the Antioch where they started this first missionary journey) and they went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Upon the request of the rulers, Paul told how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament and many of the Jews followed him to hear more. The following week almost the whole city gathered to hear Paul preach and the Jewish leaders were jealous and began speaking abusively against Paul and Barnabas.

Today's verses -- Acts 13:46-52

⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
" 'I have made you^a]">[a] a light for the Gentiles,
that you^b]">[b] may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'^c]">[c]"

⁴⁸When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ⁵¹So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. ⁵²And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

Footnotes:

1. Acts 13:47 The Greek is singular.
2. Acts 13:47 The Greek is singular.
3. Acts 13:47 Isaiah 49:6

I wonder what it must have felt like to be a Gentile in those days. The Good News had always been preached first to the Jews and most likely not many had heard of the few times Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit up to this point. I imagine they stood outside the synagogue (because they weren't allowed in) or on the edges of the crowd anxious to understand what all the excitement was about.

If they heard the message and believed, did they think that they first had to become a Jew to receive the gifts of Christ and the Holy Spirit? Were they facing the pain of circumcision and significant life changes due to all of those rules? It says that they were glad when they heard that Paul and Barnabas were commanded to turn to the Gentiles -- what a relief that must have been! They honored the word of the Lord and they believed.

I do find Paul's words interesting in verse 46. Instead of berating the Jews for their disbelief, he instead lays full blame for their decision at their feet, "Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life . . .." I wonder how that technique would work today for some of the folks we witness to? I imagine we'd have to use those words carefully.

It would have been easy for Paul and Barnabas to be discouraged as they left Pisidian Antioch since they were expelled from the region amidst great persecution, however the text tells us they were filled with joy as they shook the dust from their feet (verse 52). Aren't you discouraged when you give others good news and advice that can change their lives forever but they refuse to listen -- they even go so far as to tell you to butt out of their lives? We've had several situations in our lives where we have had direct experience and training in the very thing others are struggling with, but even when they requested our help they refused to believe our recommendations were better than the way they had always done it. And to be honest, we were never filled with joy as we watched them continue to struggle.

Maybe we need to shake the dust off of our feet and admit that they have rejected the advice and they don't consider themselves worthy of what it is they seek. Let them take the responsibility for their choices and move on to other areas, allowing ourselves to be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and work in areas where His light can shine more brightly.

I wish it were as easy to do as it is to type. . .

Following Blindly?

After a long 'vacation', I am starting up the daily devotions again since we are once more on a regular study schedule with our Sunday School lessons. We are back in the book of Acts, and this week we are studying chapters 13 and 14.

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Today's Verses: Acts 13:6-12

Context:
There was a meeting of prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch, and the Holy Spirit requested that Barnabas and Saul be set aside for special work. After fasting and prayer, they went to preach the word of God in Jewish synagogues in Cyprus, and John (probably John Mark) was there to help.

Text:

⁶They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ⁹Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun."

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹²When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Verse 9 is the first time that Saul's new name, Paul, is referenced. Saul is a Hebrew name meaning "asked (of God)", and Paul is a Roman name which means "little". From this point on, he is called Paul in Acts. We don't know if Paul chose his new name himself or if someone else gave it to him. Some believe that he earned this new name at the time of this particular passage -- from preaching so successfully to Sergius Paulus. I've also heard (but can't quickly find a valid reference) that when people got baptized in Bible times they often took on a new name to reflect their new life in Christ. Kind of a neat concept! What does your given name mean and what new name would you take on to reflect your life in Christ?

As we read a little further, we see that Paul chastises Bar-Jesus, a false prophet and Jewish sorcerer, the same person whom is also called Elymas later in the passage, for being a "child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right!" Then Paul performs his first recorded miracle -- to cause someone else to be blind as a way for him to see the true light. It is interesting that he uses this treatment on someone who is "perverting the right ways of the Lord" just as he was (maybe not with exactly the same intent, but with the same end result -- anything against the will of God takes people further away from God), most likely with the hope that it will turn Elymas around just as significantly as it did himself.

We see in this situation it had a significant effect on Sergius Paulus, the proconsul, but we don't know what happened to Elymas. Did he convert? Did he get his sight back? Did he become an advocate for Christ? His name means 'sorcerer' in Hebrew, so I imagine he changed it if he converted to Christianity, so he could well be referenced in future texts, but we may never know. And we don't hear any more information about Cyprus, although Barnabas and Mark spent time there after they separated from Paul's ministry for a time.

I wonder if any of the people who were with Saul at the time of his conversion were also amazed at the work of the Lord?

More Thoughts from Robert Jeffress' Clutter Free Christianity

On Forgiveness

Two of the greatest examples of forgiveness in the Bible are Jesus on the cross saying, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 NIV), and Steven crying out "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" as he is stoned to death. (Acts 7:59-60 NIV) Both of those are amazing situations where truly godly witnesses were able to overcome severe pain to remember to request good for their tormentors. We aspire to be that holy. I think I would have instead cried out something like "God, why is this happening to me? I've been good....please make it stop."

But in reality, how do we feel others people who forgive. Do we truly believe it is possible for a child to forgive a molester? For a parent to forgive the one who murders his child? For an Auschwitz survivor to forgive her captors? For someone like Jeffrey Daumer to be forgiven by God?

And what about those who are forgiven? Will those who are forgiven for heinous crimes think that it's ok to kill or mutilate again -- especially in those cultures where forgiveness is expected? Would that make groups like the Amish, who forgave the man who killed ten school children, or Christians, who forgave the man who killed their preacher, targets?

And when we feel like the wrongs against us are just too big to forgive...do we lose the forgiveness of God? Look at the following verse:

Mark 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions.

And how about the servant who had a huge debt forgiven, only to demand payment of a small debt owed to him. When this was discovered, the man to whom he owed a fortune threw him into prison and tortured him until he could pay (essentially for the rest of his life).

Our salvation is secure, but will God withhold our forgiveness for sins perpetrated after we refuse forgiveness for others?

You may want to do some Bible study on that one -- I'm not going to profess to know the answer.

We've all heard that unforgiveness hurts us more than the one against whom we hold a grudge. Writer Anne Lamott suggests it is like drinking rat poison and expecting the rat to die!

We are not capable of truly forgiving on our own. It takes the assistance of Jesus. But do you truly want to forgive? Do you think the things done to you are worse than the things done to Jesus or to Stephen?

Where do you really stand?

Daily Devotions for the week of Mar 30 - Apr 3

I'm reading a new book, Clutter-Free Christianity by Robert Jeffress, that is really causing me to think. So much that my brain is filled with so many questions about where I am in my faith that I'm having trouble coming up with devotions that seem worthwhile.

So for the rest of the week, I'll just send some of these questions to you. I think they are really valid and valuable for us to chew on for a while.

Verse:

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.(NIV)

Tuesday's Question:
Do you really want to be like Jesus?

My first response is "Of course I do!" But if I'm really honest, there are several difficult things that I have to do in order to make this happen, and I don't know that I want to do them. I have to commit to daily, intense time with God. I must seek him first in everything I do, then obey immediately. It's okay to question once, but then I must do his will, not mine. I must be willing to give up all creature comforts, talk to everyone I see about the gospel, pray for the good of my enemies, forgive anyone who does me wrong, treat my body like a temple of God with appropriate food and exercise, and be willing to accept humiliation, pain, and even death that I don't deserve. If I really wanted to be like Jesus, I'd be doing these things.

God, help me want to want to be like Jesus!

God in a Box

Today's Verses Luke 20:27-40

Context:
Continuation of Jesus' activities the week of his crucifixion.

Text:
27Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28"Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30The second 31and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32Finally, the woman died too. 33Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"
34Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'[a] 38He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."
39Some of the teachers of the law responded, "Well said, teacher!" 40And no one dared to ask him any more questions. (NIV)
Footnotes:
Luke 20:37 Exodus 3:6
taken from www.biblegateway.com

The Bible doesn't really tell us much about the Sadducees, so I checked out the Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. It says that the Sadducees came from the most powerful families in Israel -- merchants, priests, and aristocrats. The most powerful members of the priesthood were usually Sadducees.

The key difference between them and the Pharisees was the basis of their beliefs. Sadducees believed only the Pentateuch, the five books of the Law written by Moses. If something wasn't clearly stated there, they didn't believe it. Over time, others had created 'traditions' by trying to explain what the laws meant in specific situations, and the Sadducees vehemently disagreed with this practice. In addition, if something wasn't covered in the Pentateuch (like Heaven or Hell), they didn't believe it existed. They put God in a very tight box.

Apparently they enjoyed trying to lock others into a box, too. They liked to make fun of their opponents by showing how others beliefs led to ridiculous conclusions through such 'what if' questions as we see in this text.

To us, well at least to me, Jesus' answer seems pretty confusing. But when taken in context with the culture and the beliefs of the Sadducees, his response made them look more foolish than they'd intended to make him look! He spoke knowingly about several Biblical concepts, resurrection and angels, in which the Sadducees did not believe.

So, if we look at the text in chapter 20, Jesus has summarily made the Pharisees, Sadducess, teachers of the law, and priests all look foolish for trying to trap him. And since they had tried to do this in public, all of Jerusalem was buzzing with the public humiliation of the self-revered leaders of the people.

Do we ever use scripture to put God in a box like the Sadducees did? They picked and chose which books to believe and how to interpret them -- any one who interpreted a passage differently than they did was wrong. I think we do the same thing today when we try to apply passages that were specific to the culture of Biblical times to our current world -- AND when we write a passage off because of cultural differences by saying that the world was so different then that it surely must not apply today. Yes, I know that sounds like I'm on both sides of the fence, but we have to be careful not to blindly apply everything or to do the opposite and blindly write everything off because of such cultural differences. How can we maintain the proper balance?

Questions

Today's Verses -- Luke 20:20-26

Context:
Jesus' final days before the crucifixion. He's been regularly showing the Pharisees how ungodly they were in subtle and not so subtle ways.

Text:
20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24"Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?"
25"Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

It is so clear to me that the Pharisees had no idea who Jesus really was -- sending spies who pretended to be honest? Come on -- the Son of God could easily see through that! I wonder if he just shook his head, or even smiled a little when he saw these poor fools sauntering up to him. Did he wonder, "Is that the best they've got? They just don't get it!"

Can't you see it now -- the chief priests and teachers of the law meeting in a secret place trying to come up with questions that would trap Jesus? I'm sure they thought there was no possible answer for this one that didn't break either the Roman law or cause his faithful followers to be disappointed by his agreement to continue paying tax to extortioners.

But God always has a right answer -- and it's usually beyond the foresight of mere humans.

How often do we ask God questions, especially tough ones that we can't possibly comprehend the answers to? Such as 'why do good people have to suffer?' 'why didn't you make me ....(rich, beautiful, smart, whole, taller, talented, you fill in the blank)?', and 'how come I can't have ..... (again, fill in the blank)...so and so does and he doesn't appreciate it'.

I imagine he smiles a little and shakes his head at our ignorance. He may see these questions in the same manner as he saw the questions of those trying to trap him. No matter what he answers, we won't think it's fair. We can't begin to comprehend the big picture from Heaven's side of the universe, and until we walk through those pearly gates we will just have to trust that he is right.

Do you trust him when life doesn't make any sense?

Parable of the Tenants

Today's Verses -- Luke 20:9-19

Context:
Continuation from yesterday -- the Pharisees had questioned Jesus' authority and he asked them a question in return that they chose not to answer.

Text:
9He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'
14"But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
"What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"
17Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: " 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone[a]'[b]?
18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."
19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. (NIV)
Footnotes:
Luke 20:17 Or cornerstone
Luke 20:17 Psalm 118:22
I've heard this parable several times, but I guess I never paid attention to the context before. Jesus just finished telling the chief priests and teachers of the law that he would not tell them by whose authority he was teaching and performing miracles. The parable is a very slightly camouflaged story of himself, his authority, and the sins of the Pharisees!

Based on the response of the people (see the blue writing, above), it seems like the meaning of this parable was pretty clear to them. They seemed to feel fearful for themselves that the parable was to become truth!

Were they, like us, indicating that they would never make the choices that the tenants made in the story? How many times have we scoffed at the Jews because of their regular pattern of disobedience despite the miracles they had personally witnessed? Or were they, like the teachers of the law and the chief priests, realizing that Jesus had spoken this parable against them?

This would probably be a good text to study using Mark Moore's methodology. Just reading it over brought lots of questions to my mind. I wanted to understand what the people who were listening actually heard and thought about the parable. Were the different servants who were sent to collect fruit from the farm treated with increasing violence? Why was the second one shamed, and in what way? Why is the response of the people to the parable interpreted so differently in the NIV and King James versions (in King James the people responded with "God forbid", which seems so much stronger to me)?

I don't really understand Jesus' use of Psalm 118 here, either. I can guess at it's meaning, but obviously the teachers of the law and the chief priests took this very personally. What was it about the culture of the time that made them so sure it was directed at them?

Sorry -- more questions than thoughts today, but I think Steve's overview of the methodology is really helping it to sink in!

The Unanswerable Question

Today's Verses -- Luke 20:1-8

Context:
We are still looking at the days prior to Jesus' crucifixion. We don't know exactly what day this is, but it is most likely Tuesday or Wednesday of Passover Week.

Text:
1One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"
3He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?"
5They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 6But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
7So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."
8Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." (NIV)

taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/

When you think of someone 'preaching the gospel', what message do you expect? I expect something similar to Peter's speech on Pentecost when he talks about how Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross then rose again three days later. What do you think Jesus himself was telling the people the very week this was to happen?

Since we have been watching Mark Moore's lessons on how to study the Bible, I thought I'd try out some of the tools. I went to BlueLetterBible.org and clicked on the 'lexicon' button. I typed in 'gospel' and looked at the New Testament uses of that word. I saw that there were three words used in the the New Testament that were translated as 'gospel'. I clicked on the first one (euaggeizo) and it showed all the places where it was used, and Luke 20:1 was listed. That was quick!

So, according to this site, this particular use of the word means:
1) to bring good news, to announce glad tidings
a) used in the OT of any kind of good news
1) of the joyful tidings of God's kindness, in particular, of the Messianic blessings
b) in the NT used especially of the glad tidings of the coming kingdom of God, and of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ, and of what relates to this salvation
c) glad tidings are brought to one, one has glad tidings proclaimed to him
d) to proclaim glad tidings
1) instruct (men) concerning the things that pertain to Christian salvation

So without trying to take anything out of context, I think it's safe to say that Jesus was talking about the coming kingdom of God, and possibly even hinting at how he was the one who would provide salvation to all. I wonder if it was harder to believe him when he spoke about coming events than it was for people to believe Peter when he talked about what had happened in the past?

I also especially like those texts where he stumps the Rabbis! How much trouble do we get into when we try to come up with answers that will be politically correct, as they did, instead of just speaking what we truly believe?

Righteous Anger

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:45-48

Context:
Continuation of Jesus' last days. He's just entered Jerusalem and wept for its future.

Text:
45Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. 46"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer'[a]; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'[b]"
47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. (NIV)

Footnotes:
Luke 19:46 Isaiah 56:7
Luke 19:46 Jer. 7:11
taken from www.biblegateway.com

This specific situation at the beginning of "Passion Week" is covered in both Matthew and Mark. In addition, John tells of a temple cleansing event near the beginning of Jesus' ministry. When you first enter the temple, there is an area called the 'Outer Court of the Gentiles', which was a large area (many acres) where the Gentiles were allowed to enter and worship God. Many Jews arrived in Jerusalem for the week of Passover to be cleansed and to celebrate the holiday. It was difficult for them to bring their sacrifices from long distances, so merchants set up table to sell all kinds of animals and birds necessary for the Jewish rituals. In addition, anyone visiting had to pay their temple tax in the proper currency of Jerusalem, but often they had to exchange their local currency for the appropriate coins. Budding entrepreneurs jumped right in to meet the needs of the people -- charging exorbitant rates for these services. We don't know if the merchants were Jews or Gentiles, but it doesn't really matter -- the priests allowed a marketplace (probably a very noisy one) to invade the spaces reserved for prayer and worship.

Think about the mindset of Jesus at this time. He had been weeping for the people -- distraught by their lack of obedience and the punishment they were facing. Then, to add to that pain he sees people profiting off of those who have sacrificed much to travel long distances to worship. Instead of a quiet, worshipful environment the pilgrims encountered loud vendors trying to lure them to purchase all kinds of animals and other religious tokens. There was no sense of reverence to be found. This must have been a final affront to Jesus' sensibilities.

To be honest, I'm surprised that Jesus didn't call on his full power as God to create an earthquake or lightning storm to wipe the merchants away completely! This is the most angry we see him during his entire three year ministry. I imagine he is thinking of the horrors he will face in the next week and is totally insulted by the fact that people are profiting from the sacrificial ritual -- knowing that he will become the ultimate sacrifice in just a few days.

I appreciate the writers of the Bible showing us the many different facets of Jesus' emotions. Yes, righteous anger is definitely a quality of God, but Jesus shows us that it's ok for us to be angry too. But it's that 'righteous' part that is most important! Jesus doesn't get angry because his meals aren't prepared on time or because someone is discriminating against him, he gets angry when people aren't revering his father and obeying the law.

What makes you angry? How can we as Christians display righteous anger without letting our human pettiness show? What issues today require us to be vocal in our representation of Jesus? How do you respond?

To Feel What He Feels

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:41-44

Context:
Jesus has just entered the city of Jerusalem. He was welcomed by a crowd of disciples who were loudly praising God for the miracles they had witnessed.

Text:
41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

In the entire New Testament we only see Jesus weep twice. The first time was at the death of his friend Lazarus when he saw how distraught Martha and Mary were at their brother's death. This time it is for the children of God, knowing the future they faced because of their disobedience and disbelief.

For centuries Christians have been trying to live their lives in such a way that they could be more Christ-like. We want to see the world with his eyes, love others as he does, and make choices he would make. But can we really feel what he felt? One of the times when I believe we get to experience a small portion of his emotion is when we are witnessing to beloved family members and friends.

When those who are closest to us close their eyes to the truth, it hurts us to the core. We know what the eternal future holds for them, yet they refuse to accept the gifts of grace and salvation. Especially when that loved one is close to death, our efforts become more desperate and we would do anything to help him or her make the right decision. We feel like failures and the pain of our beloveds' eternity weighs on our lives for years. It's at that point that we understand how Jesus felt when the Jews denied his deity.

On the other hand, when our loved ones' eyes are opened and they finally release their own will to accept the help of Jesus, our joy is immeasurable. Again, we get to sense a small portion of what Jesus feels when he knows that he will personally be able to spend eternity with on of his Father's children. For each and every new convert, God runs to the individual and embraces him as if he or she were the only one to return to the truth. And our peace expands knowing that we will get to spend eternity with one more cherished soul.

I guess the key thought today is that we are to strive to be as Jesus is, even to feel what he feels. He would rather we try to open the eyes of others to the truth, risking the pain or the joy that will result with that person's response, than to walk through this world not caring enough to try.

15 Minutes of Fame

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:28-40

Context:
Continuation of Jesus' final trip to Jerusalem

Text:

28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he
approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent
two of his disciples, saying to them, 30"Go to the village ahead of you, and as
you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.
Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell
him, 'The Lord needs it.' "
32Those who were sent ahead went and found
it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked
them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34They replied, "The Lord needs
it."
35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and
put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of
Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices
for all the miracles they had seen: 38"Blessed is the king who comes in
the name of the Lord!"[a]
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke
your disciples!"
40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the
stones will cry out." (NIV)
Footnotes:
Luke
19:38 Psalm 118:26

taken from www.biblegateway.com

In 1968, famed artist Andy Warhol stated: "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."

Have you had your moment of fame yet? Due to our widespread technology, people can be world-famous almost immediately with a great YouTube video, a shocking crime, a great athletic feat, or even a moment of sheer stupidity. In many cases, people wish their moment would have ended before it began! Just ask a teenager whose supposed friends posted something cruel on Facebook for the whole school to read.

Jesus' moments of fame seems like a wonderful parade. He rides through the crowd on a donkey as people wave palm branches and then set them down to soften the donkey's steps. All struggle to get a glimpse of the new king, and the cheers are deafening.

But Jesus knew that this worldly fame would soon end in a terrible way. Did he look his fans in the eye, knowing that they would be yelling for his crucifixion in just a few short hours? Did he wish the accolades would continue for just a little longer? Or did he look at each person with love in his heart, knowing that the next few days would allow him to spend eternity with them?

I was quick to judge those who stood in the crowd waving palm branches until I realized that I am no different. I know that my relationship with Christ has held moments of great worship and praise, only to be followed by anger or distrust when something 'bad' happened in my life or the world.

The amazing thing is that Jesus loves us JUST THE SAME whether we are cheering him on or part of a crowd crying for his crucifixion. He can handle both emotions and he remains true to us even when we aren't.

That kind of love is beyond my comprehension.

A Familiar Parable?

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:11-27

Context:
continuation from last week. Jesus and the apostles are on their final trip to Jerusalem for the Passover, and they've stopped at Zacchaeus's home for dinner.

Text:
11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.[a]'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
14"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18"The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19"His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
24"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me." (NIV)
Footnotes:
Luke 19:13 A mina was about three months' wages.
taken from www.biblegateway.com

This story sounds vaguely familiar, yet different. My NIV Study Bible references Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents, as a similar story. There are some significant differences, though. It's Monday morning, so I'll try to wake your brain up with some questions today (since mine is too sleepy to answer them!).

The parable of the talents was told to the apostles in private when Jesus was on the Mount of Olives. The parable of the minas was apparently told to those attending dinner at Zacchaeus's house.

A talent was worth about $1000, a mina worth about 3 month's wages.

The Parable of the Ten Minas raises far more questions for me. The man of noble birth gave one mina each to ten servants (the same amount to each instead of varying amounts in the Parable of the Talents). Yet we only hear the results of three servants' efforts. What happened to the other seven minas? And look at what the two servants who invested the minas received -- not more money to manage, but whole cities! That's quite a jump in stature for a servant. Do you think the two were overwhelmed?

This story has a pretty garish ending, too. The man who would be king has his enemies killed in front of him. Yes, I would agree he is a 'hard man'!

My study Bible has lots of notes related to this story that speculate about Jesus' meaning. Was the man of noble birth Jesus, himself, or was he Herod, who had come in and declared himself king just as the man in the story? Does the death of his enemies refer to the coming destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70? Of course the listeners wouldn't have a clue about that.

The story of the talents leaves us with a pretty clear message -- be a good steward with your Masters' things (including your 'talents'), and you will be rewarded. Do you get the same message from this parable?

Look back at the beginning of this parable. Why did Jesus tell this parable? How does the story fulfill that purpose?

Given our current classwork related to Bible study methods, what research would you like to do to better understand this passage?

A Tree Climbing Adventure

Today's Verses -- Luke 19:1-9

Context:
Continuation of Wednesday's text (sorry, I didn't post yesterday).

Text:
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

What is the most famous person you have ever met? Have you ever done something that felt kind of foolish (like climbing a tree) in order to see someone? I've had the chance to see George W. Bush and Jamie Farr from across the room, but I didn't feel any obligation to knock other people over to shake their hands. I do admit that I've half dragged, half carried children across a Disney park to get their picture taken with the character Stitch, though!

Did you seek out Jesus with the same energy Zacchaeus did? And it seems that Jesus sought him out with equal fervor! Jesus knew the potential Zacchaeus held. I can't remember any other story in the Bible that showed such a significant voluntary change of heart (Paul changed significantly, but Jesus sought him out first).

I wonder how many people turned to Jesus when they saw Zacchaeus arriving to repay four fold the money he had cheated them out of? Were people able to see the change in your life due to your encounter with Christ?

Got Faith?

Today's Verses -- Luke 18: 35-43

Context:
Continuation from yesterday -- Jesus is still heading toward Jerusalem for the last time.

Text:
35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
38He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied.
42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

There are several times when Jesus healed people and specifically commented on their faith. In addition to this blind man, he healed the woman (who had been bleeding for 12 years) that touched his cloak, the daughter of a Gentile woman who begged for a 'crumb' from the Lord's table, the servant of a Roman centurion, and the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him through a hole in the roof. In each case he was moved by the level of faith of the people who came to him.

There are many people who have used these examples to accuse people who have not received healing of being less than faithful enough. This seems to be an abuse of these verses without considering the context or the other verses where Jesus healed, or even raised people from the dead, when faith didn't seem to be an issue. Consider the widow of Nain whose son had just died. Jesus didn't even ask if she wanted him to be resurrected . . . we don't even know if she had a clue who Jesus was. Yet his heart was compassionate and he brought her son back to life. Other times it was obvious that people didn't have much faith in him, for instance the man who believed that he would be healed by being the first one in the pool of Siloam when the 'angels' stirred the water.

No one knows exactly why Jesus chose to heal the ones he did and why he didn't heal everyone he saw. Even today God chooses whom to heal and when. Does our faith make a difference in how our prayers are answered? James, the brother of Jesus, tells us we should ask, believing that God will give it to us. But, he goes on to say that we must not doubt.

What could God accomplish in our lives and at our church if we all were truly full of faith?

Do We Really Hear

Today's Verses -- Luke 18:31-34

Context:
This follows the text from yesterday. If you remember, Jesus and his followers are on their final journey to Jerusalem. Between yesterday's text and today's, Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, people brought their little children to be blessed by him, and a rich young ruler asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. We aren't certain exactly where Jesus is geographically.

Text:
31Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33On the third day he will rise again."
34The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

This text is also recorded in Matthew 20:17-19 and Mark 10:32-34.

It's hard to comprehend the state of mind of the apostles at this point. They have seen their leader soundly rebuke the Pharisees over and over, and they have seen -- and done -- miraculous things. They had given up their lifestyles and livelihoods to follow Jesus, believing him to be the Son of God. In his shadow, they have received accolades from the crowds and have probably felt some pride in being selected as his closest companions. Now, at the height of his popularity, Jesus is telling them that when they get to Jerusalem he will die a horrible death at the hands of the Gentiles and then he will rise again on the third day.

Was Judas already planning on betraying Jesus? Did he feel any guilt at his plans, or did this speech plant a seed of rebellion in his mind? Did the apostles blow off this news? Did they wonder why he was still heading to Jerusalem instead of going the other way to be safe? Did they even remember this information in the Garden of Gethsemane as the crowd came to take him away? The Pharisees had tried to kill him before, why would this time be any different?

The text says that they didn't know what he was talking about. Often when I don't understand something that seems like a random part of a discussion, I just ignore it and focus on other things. I wonder how many times God tries to tell me what is coming down the road and I blow it off because I don't really understand?

Justice

Today's Verses -- Matthew 18:1-8

Context:
Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem for the final time. At this point he is somewhere along the border between Samaria and Galilee. He has recently healed the ten lepers of their disease and he's talked to the Pharisees about when the kingdom of God would come. This text occurs approximately a month to six weeks before the crucifixion.

Text:
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "
6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (NIV)

taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/

Our world is filled with injustice. Some things we complain about just aren't fair, but others are true injustices. It is hard to understand why people would be so willing to seriously hurt others for their own gain, but we see it happen every day. Stockbrokers create elaborate schemes to make their clients feel rich while they actually steal funds away. Lenders offer deals that seem too good to be true...and they are. People who work the hardest physical jobs often make the least money. Prices increase while salaries stagnate.

God sees true injustice and he cares about those who suffer. We often cry out to God when life gets tough and things seem unjust. Often it seems as if he doesn't care or just won't listen. People lose jobs, their homes, and their health and God seems to be absent. After a time they give up on their prayers and they often give up on God.

God wants us to persist. He wants us to go first to him with our difficult situations, and he will provide answers. The answers, however, may not be the ones we expect. If he would just send down a lightning bolt and zap our adversaries, life would surely be easier! Instead he tells us to be patient, to heap burning coals on their heads by being kind and showing love, and to make sacrifices in our lifestyles to help make ends meet. Often he empowers us to change a situation with his strength instead of creating heavenly fireworks.

Do you truly trust him to take care of your needs and provide justice in your life? Do you persistently bring your needs to him and take action on the instructions he provides? How would your situation appear through his eyes? Don't give up on asking for his help, and keep the faith!