Wednesday Thought -- August 10, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

In Luke 21, Jesus talks with His disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. It is a hard passage to decipher. It is hard to tell when Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and hard to tell when He is talking about the things that will happen before the end of the age.

“The time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” (Luke 21:6) Jesus is clearly talking about the destruction of Jerusalem here and what He predicted came to pass with precision. In 70 AD the Roman army encircled Jerusalem and when the siege was over, the city was destroyed and the very stones of the temple had been thrown down.

“Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." (Luke 21:8-9) Wars, revolutions, deceptions, false prophets – all of these things will happen, but they won’t be signs that the end of the age has come.

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” (Luke 21:10-11) Earthquakes, famines, pestilences, signs on earth and signs in heaven – terrible things will happen in this world.

Persecution, betrayal, execution – these are just some of the things that will happen to those who follow Jesus. In a strange twist, in one verse Jesus says, “They will put some of you to death.” (Luke 21:16) Then, two verses later, “But not a hair of your head will perish.” (Luke 21:18) Physical death will occur, sometimes because we are followers of Jesus, but our lives, our real lives, will never even be touched.

“Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) You can trace the history of Jerusalem from the day of Jesus until this very day and recognize the clear fulfillment of that prophetic word. It seems that Jerusalem has always been in turmoil and never have the Jews lived in peace there – not since before Jesus – and not till God declares that the day of the Gentiles is over.

So many confusing prophecies and pictures. Troubling times seem the norm, not the exception. And history testifies to the truth of that picture. The earth has lived in turmoil for thousands of years and continues to do so.

So what? “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.” (Luke 21:34) “Be always on the watch.” (Luke 21:36)

Those bits of wisdom from Jesus provide the bottom line for all of us as we wait the fulfillment of the confusing prophecies about the end of the age: be careful to follow the Lord and be watchful for His coming.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 9, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" (Luke 21:1-4)

It's not about the size of the gift that is given to God, but about the heart attitude with which it is given.

The rich who put their gifts into the temple treasury gave out of their abundance.  They wouldn't even miss what they gave.  It really cost them nothing.  And the reason many of them gave was not out of a desire to help, but out of a desire to be seen by others.  They wanted others to know they were wealthy and could give large gifts.  They wanted others to know they were generous and applaud their large gifts.  Many gave out of their desire for the praise and respect of other men.

The poor widow gave out of her poverty.  She put in very little, but it was all she had.  She held nothing back from God.  She gave all that she had to live on.  It was an act of great faith on her part.  She was trusting that God would provide for her.  She certainly did not give so that others would see her gift and be impressed.  Those who noticed her gift at all would have laughed at it because it was so small.  Her gift identified her as poor.  Her gift would not do much of anything to provide for the needs of the temple.  But God was very pleased with her gift, because it came out of her sacrifice and it came out of a heart that loved God and wanted to give Him what she could.

It wasn't the size of the gift that mattered that day at the temple, it was the attitude of the heart with which the gift was given that mattered to God.  And that's still true today.  Gifts that count with God are gifts that come out of sacrifice and gifts that are given out of a heart that loves Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- August 8, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.’” (Luke 20:45-47)

The work of God is never about honor and reward for the one doing it. That’s what the teachers of the law in Jesus’ day were after. Perhaps their service to the Lord started out of pure hearts and right motivations, but it deteriorated into something they were doing for what they got out of it. They enjoyed the praise they received from others. They enjoyed the special honors that fell to them. They love to walk into rooms and be noticed. They loved to be seated in the best places. It was about them and about what they got out of what they did.

The work of God is always to be about God. It’s about God’s message. It’s about God’s will. It’s about God’s honor. It’s about accruing praise to Him and lifting His name before others.

As we do the work God has called us to do – no matter what that work is – our role is to be His servants and deflect all praise to Him.

I wonder what caused the teachers of the law to lose their focus on the Lord. I wonder how many of us fall at times into that same trap.

The focus is always to be on God – and not on us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- August 5, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus replied, ‘The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But 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, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. But 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. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.’” (Luke 20:34-38)

The life we live in eternity will be different in many ways from our life in this age. Jesus mentions a couple of those differences in this passage.

There won’t be any marriage. That seems strange because marriage is such an integral part to life here and now. Having a partner in life makes life more enjoyable and satisfying. How can life in eternity be satisfying without the kind of partner that marriage brings? Perhaps that is the point. A professor I had in college used to tell us that it wasn’t that his relationship with his wife would be worse and less close in heaven than it was on earth, but that the relationships he enjoyed with the multitudes in heaven would rise to a new level of closeness. Perhaps the best of marriage is only a glimpse of the kind of close relationship we’ll have with everyone in eternity.

We really don’t know what the relationships in heaven will be like, but can rest assured that the best of earth is only a small glimpse of beginning of eternity.

One more difference between this age and eternity that Jesus mentioned – there will be no death in eternity. I know of nothing that casts a darker shadow on life here than death. The prospect of our own approaching death brings anxiety to most and fear to many. The deaths of those we love, even when they are expected and come at the end of a long life, still bring deep grief. The unexpected deaths of those whose lives are cut short rip at the very fabric of our emotions.

What a joy to consider a place and a time where the shadow of death will no longer hang over us – that’s eternity – that’s heaven.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 4, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Keeping 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. So 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. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ He saw through their duplicity and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?’ ‘Caesar's,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.’ They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.” (Luke 20:20-26)

There are multiple things going on in this short passage that are worth talking about.

There is the deceptive scheming and hateful opposition of the chief priests and teachers of the law. They weren’t out front in their opposition. They schemed and spied trying to trick and trap Jesus. These were supposed to be men of God, but they acted in such ungodly ways.

There is the incredible discernment and deep wisdom of Jesus. He saw through the schemes and traps and defused them. He offered an answer to the question that was posed by His enemies. Although the question was meant to trap Him, He answered it with a straightforward and honest answer that showed such wisdom that not even His enemies could argue with it.

Then there is the principle found in the answer itself. Jesus provided a fundamental principle about life – we give to authority what is rightfully due them and we withhold those things that are not rightfully due. God is due our ultimate allegiance and unquestioning obedience. Government is due its imposed taxes that provide for their services they give. Other authorities are due other things.

So here are a couple of questions in response –

Do you see the incredible wisdom of Jesus? Are you honoring Him for that wisdom? Are you submitting to His wisdom?

Are you giving to God what is rightfully due to Him?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 3, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"Jesus 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'?  Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.'" (Luke 20:17-18)

The leaders of the Jewish people, the Pharisees and Sadducees, rejected Jesus.  He did not fit their projection of what the Messiah would be like.  Or, perhaps they were happy with the way things were and didn't really want a Messiah!  For whatever reason, they rejected Jesus.  In doing so they thought they were in control and that their actions were hurting Jesus. They failed to understand that they were really hurting themselves, and only themselves.  In rejecting Jesus they were being crushed and broken themselves.

Ever since that time many people have followed their example.  They have rejected Jesus because He doesn't fit what they want in a god or because they don't want anyone, even God, telling them how to live their lives.  In rejecting Jesus, most people believe they are gaining freedom.  They don't understand that they are not gaining freedom, but being crushed and broken themselves.  They reject Jesus to their own hurt, and they don't even realize it.

Jesus presents Himself to us and offers us the opportunity to become a part of His family, to enter into a personal relationship with Him.  The offer is not for Jesus' good, but our own.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 2, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“One 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. ‘Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,’ they said. ‘Who gave you this authority?’ He replied, ‘I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John's baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?’ They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” he will ask, “Why didn't you believe him?” But if we say, “From men,” all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.’ So they answered, ‘We don't know where it was from.’ Jesus said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’” (Luke 20:1-8)

Jesus taught was one who had authority. (Matthew 7:29)

Jesus declared that He had the authority to forgive sins. (Matthew 9:6)

Jesus gave authority to His apostles to drive out demons. (Matthew 10:1)

Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. (Matthew 28:18)

Where did all of that authority come from? Jesus gave that answer, too. “Father, you granted your Son authority that he might give eternal life.” (John 17:2) It was the Father who gave Jesus His authority.

It was the Father who gave Jesus authority to teach so that everything Jesus said is binding on us. It was the Father who gave Jesus authority to heal and forgive and do other miraculous things that were outside the scope of what is natural and normal. It was the Father who gave Jesus the right to pass on authority to His followers. It was the Father who gave Jesus all authority. It was the Father who gave Jesus the authority to grant salvation to those who come to Him.

There are those in the world – many – who are fine with God, but question who Jesus is and question whether Jesus has a place that deserves and demands submission. That question has been answered by God the Father – He is the One who has placed Jesus in the position of authority and honor and glory. To deny Jesus His place is to deny the Father.

His, by Grace,

Steve