King of Kings

The Sunday before Advent, we celebrate Christ the King, which concludes the church year as we begin the Advent Season and the new church year the following Sunday.

Whilst one of the more recent festival days of the church, having been added to the church calendar in 1925, it is when we join together to give thanks to Christ our King and to be reminded that all nations fall under the reign of God’s Son, and to remind the world that we all live under this reign, whether or not we acknowledge it.

Jesus is our King and is the King of kings.

So, what kind of king is he?

In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul tells us that in Jesus, our King, all things in heaven and earth, both seen and unseen, have been created through Jesus and for Jesus. There is nothing, no nation, no government, no earthly ruler that has not been created through Jesus and for Jesus. He is the Lord over all. King of kings and Lord of lords.

Paul goes on to tell us that without Jesus being an active part of our world everything would fall apart. Jesus is the glue that holds all things together. The ultimate sticky back plastic.

Paul tells us that our Almighty and all powerful God rescued us from the power of darkness into Jesus’s kingdom, where there is love, forgiveness, grace and mercy. All ruled over by the gentle, loving hand of Jesus. An all – powerful king who chooses not to rule by force but by love.

In Luke chapter 23, Jesus is being crucified and mocked. Jesus, our all – powerful king, allows himself to be crucified – killed in a cruel, torturous, shaming way; choosing to reign from a cross, willingly dying for us.

Yet it is this that shows us what it means to have Jesus as our king and what kind of king He is.

A king who is literally dying to save us. A king who took our humiliation and punishment for us. A king who was tortured and died and refused to save himself. A king who gets what he does not deserve – death on a cross – so that we can have what we do not deserve – life in his kingdom. A king of overflowing love showing us God’s overflowing love for us.

And he does not stop there, as demonstrated when, even though he was dying, he still found the breath to forgive the repentant thief.

Jesus is a king who is always ready to forgive and to welcome a repentant sinner home.

Christ, our king of love has let us off the cross, giving us the opportunity to be his disciples and live each day for him.

I invite you to think about what that means for you.

We give thanks for Christ our King, the all-powerful, who chooses to reign by love. The king who died so that we might live.

So, let us live not for ourselves but for him. Let us make the most of the opportunity to live each day for the king who died to save us and continue to do so until that blessed day when his kingdom will come in all it’s fullness and glory.

Christ The King (Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com)

Remembrance Sunday

Luke 20:27-38

A question about the resurrection.

When I was looking deeper into this reading from Luke, I noticed that one of the commentaries entitles it “The Sadducees ask Jesus a ridiculous question”.

The Sadducees were like an ancient version of modern liberal theologians. They only accepted the first five books of Moses as authentic; disregarding what was written in them whenever they chose to do so. They did not believe in the resurrection, spirits or angels. They liked worldly things and cooperated with the Romans in order to keep their privileges.

There is a saying that there are no stupid questions only stupid answers but, in this case, it is the other way around. The Sadducees ask a ridiculous, hypothetical question based on Deuteronomy 25:5-10 in the hope of tricking Jesus into justifying their views. It is even feasible that the story they told was one of their stock in trade, told regularly purely in an attempt to cast ridicule on the resurrection of the dead.

Jesus’s reply, however, was a reminder that life in the resurrection is quite different to this worldly life with practices that are different to earthly life practices.

Revelation tells us that the glory of heaven will be a relationship and connection with God that surpasses anything else.

The question was not actually asked, however, to debate about those in heaven who had been married more than once; although Jesus tells us here that jealousy and exclusion have no place in heaven.

It was asked in order to attempt to refute the resurrection.

Jesus’s reply: “Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels, are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”

Jesus reminds us that life in heaven is eternal and shares some of the characteristics of the existence angels experience; although by being called children of God and children of the resurrection is a greater honour than that of the angels – these titles not having been given to angelic beings.

Jesus confirmed (and goes on to prove in the passage) that the resurrection is real and that there is no death in that life to come. And of course, this was a double blow for the Sadducees having had Jesus also confirm the existence of angels.

This teaching of Jesus , confirming the resurrection, is particularly poignant on Remembrance Sunday, when our thoughts turn to those who gave their lives, the mystery of death and what happens next.

We remember those who, throughout the centuries, received the news of their loved one’s death or that they were Missing In Action.

We remember those, who, today, yesterday, and in years long past made the ultimate sacrifice; and those who, sadly, will be making that sacrifice tomorrow.

They gave, and give, their lives for our tomorrows, for peace, freedom, justice and stability.

The scale and horror of the First World War was such that, at the time, it seemed impossible and unthinkable that such atrocity could be repeated – giving it the name “the war to end all wars”.

Sadly, reality turned out very different. Many millions more lives have since been, and continue to be, lost in all the many conflicts that have continued since around the world.

Most of us, most people, at least most of the time, want to live in peace.

So, what is it that is within humanity that creates this, appearingly, insatiable, appetite for conflict and war. Both for actual conflict and war and that which is created for, rather shamefully named I think, “entertainment purposes” such as video games.

Deep down beneath all the surface reasons or, dare I say, excuses, for conflict is that much used and much misunderstood word sin. The difference between the people we are and the people God made us to be. And what did God make us to be? He created us in His image. In the image and likeness of a loving God for the express purpose of being a loving people that love one another.

As Jesus said in John 15: “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you” and “I am giving you these commandments so that you may love one another.”

There are far too many shocking stories, accounts and images of the atrocities of war – including those that continued to be committed after peace treaties were signed. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes and yet these still continue to take place.

But, there are also the poignant images of the Allied and German cemeteries filled with crosses.

Picture those rows of white crosses, be immersed in the silence.

Rows and rows of white crosses.

Take the command to love one another seriously.

Row upon row.

Understand that Christ went to the cross to overcome our separation from God and from each other.

Rows and rows and rows of white crosses.

If only this commandment was followed and the sacrifice understood all around the world then maybe, just maybe, the glimmer of hope given by the light of Christ will stay lit, not all will be lost and we would actually be able to allow Remembrance Day to fulfil it’s dream and truly mark the end of war!

War cemetery, rows of white crosses. (Photo by Pascal Ingelrest on Pexels.com)

How can I pray?

Do you think everyone else knows how to pray? You are not alone if you think this. Prayer is something we are often not taught. How often do we sit and kneel in church looking at other people and wondering what it is they are doing in their silent prayers? They always look so holy and yet here we are, trying to say something to God …

Do you feel like giving up? Don’t! Prayer is like every human skill. It is something that we need to learn how to do. We can use books, or ask a friend, or seek the guidance of a priest. But, in many ways, prayer is something that we do have to find out about for ourselves. God has made us all different, and so we will all pray differently. We will also pray differently in different situations.

What is prayer? Prayer is the way in which we keep in touch with God. Many people think that they can change God: ‘If I ask really nicely, then God will do what I want.’ For others, prayer is a form of magic: ‘If I say it in the right way then God will answer.’ Neither of these is true. Prayer is the way in which we open up to God, so that God can work in us. And God does always answer, although not always in the way that we want.

What is prayer like? If you love someone, you keep in touch. Prayer is the same. If we love God, we stay in touch. We talk to God and we listen to God. It’s a conversation!

How do we get in touch with God? To begin our conversation with God we need to get ready: to come consciously into God’s presence, to sit or kneel in a way that is comfortable and attentive. Then we need to calm down. Normally, our minds are full of distractions; thoughts just keep happening. One way of calming down is to listen to our breathing, the regular pattern of it. Another way is to repeat over and over, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ After a while we settle down, our minds are less full, and then we are ready to pray.

When we are calm, then we can start to pray. Sometimes, this just means continuing to listen, just letting the awareness of God enfold us, like loving arms – we don’t need to say anything else, the contact is enough. At other times we need to say something, This can be anything: ‘Dear Father…’ or ‘Hello God…’ If you are going to say something (whether aloud or silently), then just say what you want to say. God doesn’t stand on ceremony.

We need to take time to say what we want: ‘Thank you.’ ‘Sorry.’ ‘Guess what?’ ‘I love you.’ Take time to listen – to your breathing, to your thoughts and feelings. Be aware of yourself and don’t push it. Give God time to speak to you. Conversations take time … and patience.

Traditionally, Christians pray every morning and evening. The more we are in touch, the better it gets. The more time we take, the more rewarding it can be. As we pray regularly, the more natural prayer becomes.

‘What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit!
O what needless pain we bear!
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

The Lord’s Prayer:
Though there are many versions and interpretations of the Bible, the Lord’s Prayer remains much the same and sets a pattern for our own prayers. Speaking to our Father in Heaven should be much like speaking to someone in the room, as He is there in spirit. It should be personal, intimate and all disclosing of the thoughts in our minds and the feelings in our hearts.

From the King James Bible, Matthew 6:9-13, these are the words of the Lord’s Prayer:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

If we break this down we can see the pattern more clearly:

After this manner therefore pray ye: This discloses that this is the pattern or way we are to pray, not by rote, by following these guidelines.

Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name: We should begin our prayer by acknowledging that God is our Father in heaven and that we honour him. This is an important step in humbling yourself before him and telling him that he is our God and we trust in his words and wisdom.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven: We let God know that we understand he is still in charge, that his kingdom will roll forth and that it is his will and not our own that we are to listen and obey. It is that same authority that was, and is, used to govern his home in heaven. At this point we should acknowledge all that he has done for us, all the bounteous blessings he has provided for our good, all the trials that he has blessed us with in order for us to learn what we need to learn, and every good thing in our lives.

Give us this day our daily bread: We petition God for our needs and the righteous desires of our hearts, not our whims or worldly desires. Our daily bread could include harmony in our homes. Patience, more holiness in speech and actions, the ability to support ourselves and our families, all the things that are daily necessities for our growth and salvation.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: We should lay before God our sins and transgressions asking for forgiveness and for the strength to forgive everyone who has wronged us. This could also be financial debts, but includes so much more. This is our opportunity to repent for our weakness, our thoughtlessness, and our disobedience.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: We pray to God fervently for guidance in our walk and the power to overcome the evils that impede our paths. We pray that our self-mastery will be enough to conquer the adversary and keep us out of hot water!

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen: We close our prayer by, once again, acknowledging that this is God’s kingdom and that he has all the power. The glory of what we do belongs to him for all that he provides for us. We should close in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our saviour and redeemer, and the only way back to our Father.

We are so blessed to know the goodness of God and the way he has prepared for us to return to him. Prayer is an essential part of that plan. Daily honest communication with our Heavenly Father keeps us in tune to the spirit, forces us to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings, allows us to repent for them, blesses us with an accounting and acknowledgement of our many blessings which is particularly important on days when we think we have nothing and bonds us with deity.

So have:

Conversation with God.
Become familiar with prayer as conversation that involves a delightful rhythm of asking God questions and waiting on God for responses.

Pray with authenticity.
Understand that praying authentically involves expressing doubts and fears as well as truth, believing God can give strength and grace.

Make requests of God in terms of God’s concerns, not just our own.

Listen to God in prayer.
To bring our questions to God, being open to God’s answers and obeying what we hear.

Pray for others as Jesus did.
To make intercession by praying for others’ oneness with God, not ‘patching up’ folks or getting them to do what we think they should do.

Practice God’s presence.
Practice prayer that infuses all of life as we practice the presence of God.

Signs of Daybreak

A rabbi once asked his students how they could tell when night had ended and day was on its way back.

‘Is it when you can see an animal in the distance, and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?’

‘No,’answered the rabbi.

‘Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance, and tell whether it is a fig tree or a peach tree?’

‘No.’

‘Well then,’ the students demanded, ‘when is it?’

‘It is when you look on the face of another hunan being and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because if you cannot do that, then no matter what time it is, it is still night.’

Jesus said, “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

We are all God’s children. Through faith and in Jesus Christ we are all part of the same family, all brothers and sisters.

This is the starting point for how we should treat one another. We are to respect our brother and sisters.

We should listen to each other and be ready to hear God speaking. We should learn from, heed and act on their advice.

We should value them and the gifts they bring, thanking them for the different ways they serve and encouraging them.

We should be interested in their lives, how their week has been, and we should pray for them.

We are to treat each other as equals and honour them as a fellow heir in Christ.

We should love them, and our neighbour, as ourselves.

Let us look for the daybreak and the light of Christ shining brightly as we greet our brothers and sisters and welcome the day.

Riches and Heaven

A Sandwich for Supper

A story tells of a man who went to the office every day in his expensive car, and made important decisions and signed big contracts. Often, the important man would enjoy business lunches with his clients, and would try to distract the attention of his influential guests away from the unsavoury spectacle of the beggars on the streets of his city. One evening, after a hard day making money, he packed his briefcase to go home, where supper would be waiting for him. As he was locking his desk for the night, he caught sight of a stale sandwich lying abandoned at the back of the drawer. Without much thought he crammed it in his coat pocket. No need for it to go mouldy and mess up his desk. And on the way out to the car park he saw a street beggar on the steps, huddled in an old blanket. ‘Here my friend,’ he said to the beggar. ‘Here is something for your supper.’ And he gave him the stale sandwich. That night, the man dreamed that he was away on a business trip. After the day’s meeting, he was taken with his fellow directors to the town’s most luxurious restaurant. Everyone gave their orders and settled down with their aperitifs to look forward to a convivial evening. The orders arrived. Pate de foie gras. Medallions of venison. Lamb cutlets with rosemary and garlic. The dishes being brought to the table brought gasps of delight from all the company. Then his own order appeared. A waitress set in front of him one small plate, on which was served a stale sandwich. ‘What kind of service is this?’ the man demanded, enraged. ‘This isn’t what I ordered! I thought this was the best restaurant in town!’ ‘Oh sir,’ the waitress told him, ‘you’ve been misinformed. This isn’t a restaurant at all. This is heaven. We are only able to serve you what you sent on ahead while you were alive. I’m very sorry, sir, but when we looked under your name, the best we could find to serve to you was this little sandwich.’
Retelling of a Jewish folk story, Margaret Silf

Luke (chapter 16 verses 19 to end) tells us about the rich man and Lazarus. It is a stern teaching and word of warning from Jesus; although it is often misinterpreted.

We have a rich man living in luxury and a poor homeless man living right under the nose of the rich man, by his gate where the rich man could not miss him.

These are opposite extremes. The poor man has nothing, wears rags, is covered in sores and lives on the street. The rich man has fine clothes in colours that show off his wealth to the world, a luxurious home and an abundance of food.

The rich man had so much more than he needed, yet, despite seeing the poor man every day he completely ignored him and did nothing.

The poor man was so neglected that those passing did not even chase the dogs away from him.

Jesus has talked in other passages about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.

However, that is not because of the wealth itself but because of man’s love of wealth and the ignoring of those suffering and in need.

It is the state of our hearts and not the state of our wallets that interests Jesus.

The wealth and luxury the rich man enjoyed was not, in itself, what condemned him.

What condemned the rich man was that he totally ignored the poor man, despite him being right in his path.

We all have opportunities to help others laid in our paths. If we neglect these opportunities we are as guilty as the rich man. As Jesus said, “The poor will always be with us”.

The selfish use of worldly possessions is equally sinful. To do nothing when there are people like the poor man at our gates is equally wicked no matter how much wealth or how many possessions we have.

Spiritual things are also being represented in the different states of good and bad, in this world and the next.

The rich man’s sin was in providing only for himself. The poor man is in the depth of adversity and distress.

We are not told that the rich man caused any harm to the poor man but the rich man did not care for the poor man.

There is a time coming when those who hate and despise the people of God would gladly receive kindness from them. But the damned in hell will not have their torment eased.

Nothing can bring about true repentance without the special grace of God renewing the sinner’s heart.

Jesus is using this teaching to consolidate the dangers of the love of money, the deceitful, treacherous nature of riches; that those not using their property in the right way may not enter heaven, that they ought to heed the warnings from the prophets and their duty to care for and show kindness to the poor.

Both the rich and the poor man die. Jesus does not reveal what the after lands are really like. Instead He uses the preconceived ideas of those He is teaching; The point was to emphasise the total reversal of position of the rich man and the poor man.

The rich man, who lived in luxury whilst alive, now lives in torment and suffering. The poor man, who lived in suffering and torment whilst alive, is now the possessor of abundance and delight.

The rich man now wants from the poor man the help which he refused to give the poor man in life. Each must, however, reap in death what he has sown in life.

How we live our lives here determines life hereafter, the character we make out of ourselves, once set and hardened in this life, cannot be remoulded in the next.

The rich man’s request for his brethren serves only to try and excuse himself by claiming ignorance, and that had he known he would have been different. He tries to put the blame on insufficient warnings instead of owning it himself.

However, the teachings of Moses and the prophets are sufficient, holding a divine message for those who wish to listen.

It is not a lack of warnings but the aversion of will.

The rich man is in torment, not because he did not know his actions were wrong, but because he did not choose to do what he knew to be right.

Let us ponder the story of The Long-Handled Spoons:

A rabbi asked God to give him a glimpse of what heaven and hell would be like. God agreed to this request, and asked the prophet Elijah to be the rabbi’s guide on this adventure. Elijah first led the rabbi into a large room. In the middle of the room was a fire with a big cooking pot bubbling away on it. And in the pot was a delicious stew. All around the cooking pot sat a crowd of people. They each had a long-handled spoon, which they were dipping into the delicious stew. But the people looked pale and thin and wretched. There was an icy stillness in the room. The handles of the spoons were so long that no one was able to get the lovely food into their mouth. When the two visitors were back outide again, the rabbi asked Elijah what strange place this was. ‘That was hell,’ Elijah explained. Then Elijah led the rabbi to a second room, which looked exactly like the first. In the middle, a fire was blazing and a cooking pot was bubbling away, full of the same delicious, aromatic stew. People sat around the fire, with the same long-handled spoons in their hands But they were enjoying lively, animated conversations with each other. And the difference? Well, the people in the second room were not trying to feed themselves with the long-handled spoons. They were using the spoons to feed each other. ‘Ah, heaven,’ said the rabbi.
retold by Margaret Silf from an unknown source.

Discipleship Is Costly

Luke 14:25-33

Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem because the time of His death is approaching. He was accompanied by His disciples, whom He was teaching and preparing, but time was short. Hence, Jesus’s radical call. It was absolutely necessary for them to leave everything behind and be prepared for their own death if they are serious about following Him and about going with Him to Jerusalem.

There were also large crowds accompanying Jesus as He journeyed towards Jerusalem.

Jesus was also teaching these crowds.

Those who were already following Jesus needed to be taught the nature of true discipleship. They needed to be fully aware of what following Him costs.

Following Jesus demands full and total devotion to God.

Jesus was so fully devoted to His mission that it meant abandoning and being rejected by His home town and His family. For those who must leave their family behind to be able to fully follow Jesus it could be perceived as hating one’s family in the eyes of some.

Jesus tells us that to be His disciple means carrying our cross and following Him.

He is giving His disciples advance warning.

The road they were following Jesus down is expected to end in death, and they must prepare themselves.

Full devotion is described by and measured by what future is being committed to.

As usual, Jesus gave examples in order to help His disciples and the crowd understand the importance of fully evaluating the cost of following Him.

It was not a decision to be made lightly. Each person in the crowd and each disciple needed to consider whether they could follow Him to the very end, leaving everything else behind.

“None of you can be my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

Jesus is entirely serious in saying that those following Him to Jerusalem must not be encumbered in any way.

But, if we look at other contexts and situations, does Jesus require every one, every disciple, every where and in every time to abandon family and possessions and run headlong towards death for Him?

If we look at the rest of the New Testament we can discern that the answer to this question is no.

The rest of the New Testament portrays faithful disciples maintaining family relationships and retaining possessions.

There are the apostles who travelled with their wives as they travelled far and wide on missionary work. The members of the church who had homes and possessions, with which they supported the church and the work of Peter, Paul and the other apostles.

It is important, however, to reiterate that these converts held their possessions loosely and were willing to give them up for the good of others and to support the Gospel mission.

It is also important to realise and accept that the requirements Jesus placed upon those wanting to follow Him on the road to Jerusalem will be required to be fulfilled should the circumstances dictate.

All followers of Jesus must remind themselves constantly that following Him faithfully could require the full sacrifice of family, possessions and even life itself. Those Christians who do not encounter or experience that extreme sacrifice must ensure that their family, possessions and life do not become so dear to us that they draw us away from full devotion.

Discipleship IS costly.

It demands continuous giving – giving time, giving energy, giving attention, taking initiative, making sacrifices, facing opposition, losing privacy, embracing obscurity, even shedding tears.

The making of disciples is not just sharing the Gospel, but sharing our own selves, gladly, for the souls of others. It means giving, giving, giving, giving and even more giving.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. So it also is with the hearts of disciples. It makes me happier for you to have my time, energy, attention. initiative, than it does for me to keep them to myself.

The crowd who were with Jesus on the road were interested enough to be following Him. However, they hadn’t fully grasped the implications and cost of discipleship. The same is true for many today. Throughout the world, both in churches and out, are crowds of people interested in Jesus but who do not really grasp the full implications, cost and commitment of discipleship for themselves.

And it is to such as these that Jesus is speaking to here. Those people who are willing to follow Jesus and learn from Him but only as long as the cost to them is not too high. Casual followers, followers who are here today but gone tomorrow.

Jesus points out that this is a total misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian and He strongly addresses this misunderstanding.

We are to put Jesus first, to put our love for God above everything else in our lives.

The Christian life demands strength to love.

The Christian life demands that we carry a cross.

The Christian life demands that we give up everything for God.

There is only one person who has ever managed to do this perfectly and, of course, that is Jesus Christ Himself. He is our model – our example. We are to imitate Him, or in the words of Thomas A Kempis we are to develop “The Imitation of Christ”.

Growth in discipleship is ultimately growth in becoming more Christlike in our thoughts and actions.

And that involves sacrifice and hard work.

Are we ready to count the cost and become the disciples Jesus wants us to be.

It’s a choice we must make.

Not only that but we must keep making that choice

every

single

day!

Pride and Humility

In Luke, chapter 14, verses 7 to 14, Jesus is teaching us about pride and humility.

Jesus was at the house of one of the pharisees to eat a meal. Jesus often had disputes with the pharisees but He still spent time with them; not as a pharisee Himself but being God’s Son on earth He was showing them God’s example and love. And whilst at this meal Jesus watched.

He watched and saw how the others at this meal behaved and how they strategically placed themselves to get the best seats in the house; that is the places which would grant them the most honour or, if you like, jostling for the Top Table.

In Jesus’s day, seating arrangements were very important in society as the most honoured person sat in a particular seat, then the next most honoured, then the next and so on. A wedding banquet was the most important occasion and where you got seated at such a party was indicative of your standing in the community. This made it the perfect example for Jesus to use to teach His lesson.

And, of course, if you were to take the most honoured place and the host wanted someone else to sit there you would be asked to move – which would be embarrassing and would make you feel great shame.

Not everyone has the same exact customs to denote social standing and highlight how important or honoured someone is. But, there are many occasions in modern life where one’s own sense of self importance, pride and high opinion of one’s self can be displayed.

Pride comes before a fall. Shame comes after self exaltation.

Instead of playing the self promotion game, work hard for the Lord and let God raise us up.

When sitting in that lower place we are not there to make ourselves noticed in order to try and get ourselves placed higher. Nor are we there to pout and show dissatisfaction with the aim to let others know we don’t belong there. On the contrary, there is something wonderful and joyful about being content in whatever place God allows us to have.

Joyfully embrace the lower place. If the Master moves us to a higher place think how much more satisfying it is to know that God has raised you up than if you raised yourself up.

When we seek to honour ourselves we will always be humbled.

Jesus was the perfect One to teach this lesson, because He fulfilled it perfectly. He (God’s Son incarnated as flesh) deserved the highest place but He took the lowest and was ‘granted’ the highest.

Jesus had also noticed that the pharisee had chosen guests from a sense of pride, lacking in love for others and only inviting those who could give something in return. So Jesus went on to warn the host about the danger of pride when choosing guests.

Jesus is not saying that we can never invite certain friends/relatives/associates. What He is saying is not to make a habit of only inviting the same clique of people all the time.

He is telling the pharisee, and us, not to only associate with people for what they can do for us. He is telling us not to put self at the centre of our lives. We are called to follow Jesus and His example was that of putting others in the centre of our living.

It is better to give than to receive.

It is a wonderful feeling to give a gift that can never be repaid. Such a feeling helps give us a small insight into the pleasure of God in giving the gift of His grace, mercy, salvation and blessing to His people.

We never lose out when we follow the pattern of God’s generosity. Jesus shows us that we need to live with an eternal perspective of life as He promises God provides us with full repayment at the resurrection of the righteous; when our lives are weighed up on the balance sheet and audited by He who knows our hearts and minds, our actions and our motivations.

So, in summary:

Practise and prioritise humility over pride in everything.

Our works should be for the glory of God not for the praise of others.

We should embrace a lifestyle of radical hospitality, welcoming all.

And we need to understand that God’s kingdom operates with a different set of values to the world’s values. It operates with God’s values.

Rest

This miracle in the passage from Luke chapter 13, verses 10-17, is quite understated when compared to some of the other miracle accounts. We are told that the woman suffered for 18 years, Jesus lay hands on her, pronounced her free from her ailment and she was set free.

The synagogue leader then points out what many of the Rabbis and Jews may have been thinking – that healing was work and so should have been done on one of the 6 days of labour and not on the Sabbath.

Jesus’s response was that of the lesser to the greater. He points out that any of those gathered there would still take care of an animal if it needed help on the Sabbath so how much more should they respond to a human being in need.

But the conversation is actually deeper than this.

In the original Greek the synagogue leader’s words use the word ‘dei’ to make his claim about the ought of work but it also describes what is necessary for Jesus to do as God’s Son and representative; which is why Jesus’s response picks up on the synagogue leader’s claim. It is not about a divine necessity to work on the other 6 days but on the divine necessity to free the woman from what binds her on the Sabbath. And, of course, for added emphasis Jesus calls her what she is – a daughter of Abraham – magnifying the need to heal, liberate and unbind.

And the people praise God. They recognise Jesus as the one who brings in healing power to those who need it most.

Jesus is God’s repairman for the world.

God made the world and He made it good. He also made it holy. When Jesus acts in His Father’s name it is right and natural that people give Him glory. God in Jesus entered the world so it and everything in it could rest, be saved, be restored and perfected.

Returning to ourselves, do we stand in need of a special Sabbath rest day?

A setting aside that day of rest is something we have lost sight of. We work all hours, shop all hours – assisted by worldly pressures, stores staying open and online shopping. There is the expectation that phone lines will be open 24/7. Society seems to forget the welfare and wellbeing of both the workers and themselves.

The reasons God gave us the Sabbath are overlooked and forgotten.

Nothing must get in the way of instant gratification, of getting what we want instantly, of consumerism.

The pressure this puts on us all leaves us crooked and burdened like the woman in the passage. We need Jesus to repair and heal us just like she did.

We need to put Sabbath time aside to rest from the worldly pressures and to spend time with God.

Resting and Relaxing, sitting on a bench with a peaceful view

Be prepared!

As I was reading the passage Luke chapter 12, verses 32 – 40, some words from The Lion King popped into my head:

“Even you can’t be caught unawares, so, prepare for a chance of a lifetime, be prepared for sensational news. A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer. And where do we feature? Just listen to teacher. Be prepared!”

There are many distractions in our world, many temptations and many things clamouring for our attention.

Where your treasure is there also will your heart be.

Jesus is calling us to prioritise and to focus on the things and activities that give eternal life. He is reminding us that we should be centering our lives on God. The world will not make this easy. There will be distractions in the world around us which may make this seem difficult. But (there’s always a but!) it is essential for our lives as Christians and if we don’t we will be caught unprepared!

This passage from Luke is about vocation! It is not simply ‘be prepared and you will be saved’.

It is actually about being ready and alert, being aware and listening so that when God calls us to action we can seize the opportunity and spring into action, spreading the good news full of the energy of the gospel – healing, justice, love, grace, peace, mercy …

Those who are ready for the return of the Lord will be served by God. Remember the words of the hymn:

“This is my God, the Servant King.”

This gives the impression of being a contradiction but it does not mean that we stop serving God. Instead it is a promise of what will happen when you re-centre your life around God. The good news of Christ will serve you in your life so that you are not afraid.

Jesus promises that God has given everything so that we do not need to be afraid. He then goes on to talk about how God will serve us reminding us about the gift of life and creation, the gift of eternal life, the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism and the gift of Christ’s body and blood in Communion. This highlights how abundantly God showers gifts upon us, how abundantly He loves us and desires good for us. It echoes His covenant with Abraham.

So, how ready are we?

Are we ready to help others in need? Have we considered the issues of peace and justice going on in the world? Are we ready to be part of God’s solution?

Jesus is encouraging us to live with an expectation that God is always and already with us … and watching as God has always been. Jesus being incarnated as man was a reminder and embodiment of that reality and an example for us to follow.

This passage of priorities is a call to keep God’s priorities ahead of our own every day in all the choices we make. God’s list of priorities may seem long or challenging at times. It means accepting God’s forgiveness for our own sins and forgiving those who sin against us.

It means loving one another and loving our enemies. It means standing up to injustice when we see it, praying for and voting for and working for peace in the world.

It means living and shopping and consuming in ways that care for creation; eating and drinking and exercising in ways that care for the temples our bodies are meant to be.

Going back to just before Jesus gave us this list of priorities He says to us:

“Do not be afraid little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”.

God wants us to be with Him in His kingdom. God’s kingdom is already here among us thanks to Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection.

Being typical human beings we don’t see and experience it clearly because we’re looking the wrong way or wandering off on our own instead of following our God Guide.

But, like the pleasure we get giving someone a gift, God has immense pleasure in gifting us His kingdom, right here, right now as a foretaste of things to come, because of His grace. And God’s list of priorities is the key that opens the gate.

By being generous we can glimpse God’s kingdom. By sacrificing something, giving something freely and willingly to someone who needs it, enables us to experience and share in a measure of His kingdom.

By seeking out the least among us and giving them a hand we can feel the kingdom among us. By forgiving all who cross us we experience the peace of the kingdom – the peace that passes all understanding.

Converse with those with different opinions to yourself, send a note to someone who’d be surprised you thought of them, keep them in your prayers and God’s kingdom will be in your midst and theirs.

Be Ready

Be Alert

Be Prepared

Listen for God’s call and spring into action.

The Good Samaritan

The Good Samaritan is a well-known story. Is it really just a parable or was Jesus recounting something that actually happened?

It’s certainly feasible and likely enough to have been an actual occurrence. Let me tell you a real, modern day version:

We got in the car, turn the key in the ignition, and, you’ve probably guessed it, the car wouldn’t start. The battery had suddenly and unexpectedly died. RIP battery!

So, there’s us by the roadside with my husband holding jump leads and jumping up and down trying to flag down the cars that were passing to ask them for help.

So many cars just drove past …

… and then another past, slowed down, turned around and drove back to us. The driver had turned around so that his car was facing the right way to be able to link up the jump leads. He got the car started for us.

We didn’t know him, he didn’t know us, he was just passing through, seen someone in need of help and provided that help.

Willingly, for no reason other than seeing someone in trouble and knowing that they could help. A real good Samaritan.

Jesus told the parable in response to the questions from the lawyer. Now, the lawyer had asked Jesus a question to which he knew the answer and so Jesus answered him with a question, drawing out the answer to the lawyer’s question so that it was provided by the lawyer himself.

Consequently, in a bid to justify asking the question in the first place, the lawyer asks for clarification on who classes as his neighbour. It is this that provokes Jesus into telling the good Samaritan parable.

There was a constant threat of bandits on the wilderness roads. And they did indeed beat people up and steal their possessions. Jesus’s audience, therefore, would not have been surprised by this scenario; it was after-all a part of their normal lives.

The audience may well have expected it to be the priest or Levite who’d help the victim, especially as they both have a calling to care for others.

Yet, they just pass by.

It is the one the audience would have least suspected to assist who gave the victim aid. Samaritans and Jews were not normally friendly towards each other. In fact, the Samaritans were hated by the Jews.

The victim’s own people passed him by. It was someone they would have considered an enemy who stopped and saved his life. Not only that the Samaritan provided for him whilst he healed and returned to health.

Jesus gave the lawyer, crowd, disciples and us the instruction to “Go and do likewise”.

But, like those cars that just drove straight past, how frequently are we the ones who pass the other by. The compassionate generosity of the Samaritan are the example for us to follow but so often we ignore the cries of the downtrodden, the disenfranchised, the forgotten.

The victim. ignored by his own people, reminds us what it feels like to be forgotten by others. The feelings of loneliness and forsakenness call for compassion and empathy for all experiencing it.

Whilst Jesus is the one telling the story, on a theological level God is both the one in the ditch as His children pass by, and the one who shows compassion and mercy to us when we are in need – the one who saved us through the cross.

This parable is a reminder that the call to care for others often goes unheard as we pass by the cries of those needing help.