Tuesday 7th September 2010

Luke 15.1-2

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to Him to listen to Him

2 But both the Pharisees and scribes were murmuring saying that this man receives and eats with sinners.

The popularity of Jesus was not with the acceptable classes of the population, such as the Pharisees, Scribes, rulers and synagogue leaders. It was with those who are described as sinners, and tax collectors.

The tax collectors were regarded as traitors, because they worked as agents of the Romans and also, because many of them were engaged in the legalised theft of the people. They often charged a higher rate of tax than was officially necessary, keeping the extra amount collected for themselves. Therefore, they would have the opportunity to live a lavish lifestyle.

The sinners would include those who did not obey every detail of the law, and those who were devoted to leading a life of sin. These would be the underworld of the time. They were a class of people who were despised by the Pharisees and scribes. W Barclay says that these people were labelled by the Pharisees as The People of the Land. There was an insurmountable obstacle between them, which meant that the Pharisees had no dealings with these people, they forbade their daughters to marry one of them, they would not trust them with any money, their testimony was disregarded and they would not allow them to be guardians of orphans. They would not permit themselves to be a guest of them or have them as a guest. In their efforts to avoid any contact with them the Pharisees had no business dealings with them, as far as possible.

In the light of this we can understand why the Pharisees were shocked at Jesus being in the company of The People of the Land.

What was it that attracted these people to Jesus? Why was it that the crowds came near Him to listen to Him?

We can easily see that the miracles would draw people to Him; we can also understand that His radical teaching and lifestyle would attract people. Perhaps they came to Him because they could see that He genuinely was from the Father.

May that be true for each one of us, that the world will see that we have been with Jesus.

Wednesday 14th July 2010

Luke 12.57-59

57 Why do you not judge for yourselves the things that are right?

58 As you are on your way with your adversary to the magistrate, endeavour to be released from him, in case he should drag you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the court officer, who will throw you into prison.

59 I tell you that you will not come out from there until you have paid the last penny.

The advice of Jesus is that disputes that people have are better resolved before going to court. Seeking for an out of court settlement will often bring a more peaceful resolution to existing conflicts.

However, although we may take this as essential advice in conflicts that have the potential to involve the judicial process, Jesus is talking about something completely different.

We need to remember that Jesus has been talking about His return to the earth and the need for us all to be ready for that great event. These final verses of this chapter are a part of the warnings of Jesus for us to get ready, to make the preparations that are necessary for us to meet with Him.

There are certain things that are clear from what Jesus said:

1 We are all in debt, and it is the debt of sin. God’s word says: For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard – Romans 3.23.  Also: All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own – Isaiah 53.6.

As Jesus speaks to the crowds, there can be no doubt that He is saying that everyone has a debt to pay for the sin that each one has committed.

2 There is a judgement to come. We have already seen in chapter 11.31-32 that Jesus speaks about the day of judgement. It is a day when every idle word we speak will be judged: “And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak” – Matthew 12.36.

3 The need for repentance and reconciliation. Jesus said: “I have not come to call righteous people but sinners to repentance” – Luke 5.32. The call of Jesus to each one of us is to repent and receive forgiveness from our Father, before it is too late.

In John 3.17 we read that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but that the world might be saved through Him.

4 If anyone chooses not to be reconciled to God means they will come under the judgement of God.

The choice is ours.

Sunday 14th March 2010

Luke 9.33-34

33 And as those men were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus: “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three shelters (tents), one for you, one for Moses and one for Elias (Elijah)”. He did not know what he was saying.

34 Now a cloud overshadowed them as he was saying these things, and as they entered the cloud they were afraid.

Peter finds himself in a situation that, perhaps, we have all found ourselves in at various times. It is those occasions when we feel that something needs to be said, but we do not know what to say.

Maybe this is how Peter felt and, maybe, he felt like the spokesman for John and James.

He did what we often do: he spoke words that he thought would be appropriate for the occasion. In trying to understand what Peter said we can learn that he probably wanted this moment to last longer than a moment. They were experiencing something which no one had experienced before. (The nearest similar experience was when the Lord (in three persons) visited Abraham and Sarah at the oaks of Mamre – Genesis 18-19).

For Peter, John and James this was something they wanted to last, probably they did not want to leave the mountain top. We can all understand this. There are those moments in worship, or in personal times with Jesus when we just want to linger in His presence. As the song puts it:

To rest in Your presence,

Not rushing away
To cherish each moment
Here I would stay

This is my desire O Lord

(Kate Miner)

However, as much as we might like to linger in His mountain top experience, He directs us down the mountain, equipped by the experience to continue with His work.

It is interesting to see that Peter, John and James experienced a certain amount of fear. This is the fear of alarm and not of awe. This happened as they were enveloped by the cloud. To be surrounded by fog can be a fearful experience, especially if we are driving. With the loss of being able to see the familiar we are devoid of landmarks that give us security. This is also true when walking in the hills and the clouds suddenly descend.

In our walk with Jesus we can expect that He will take us into areas and situations where nothing is familiar and we may feel afraid. Yet Jesus will still be with us.

Saturday 16th January 2010

Luke  7.36-38 cont.

36 Now a certain Pharisee asked Him (Jesus) to share a meal with him, so He went into the Pharisee’s house and sat down (reclined).

37 And there was in the city a sinful woman, and knowing that he was having a meal (reclining) in the house of the Pharisee, she brought an alabaster box of ointment

38 And standing behind Him beside His feet she was weeping, and with her tears she began to wash His feet. Also with the hair of her head she wiped them, kissing His feet fervently and she anointed them with the ointment.

We can only imagine the thoughts of the people who were gathered together at this Pharisees house. He may have wondered if Jesus thought that he was accustomed to entertaining this woman who was probably a prostitute. His friends and the disciples may have been surprised by her presence, also wondering what the connection was between the woman and the Pharisees.

We all know that such thoughts can race into our minds with a speed faster than the speed of light. We can all rush to make judgements on what appears to be, rather than waiting to discover the truth.

Certainly Simon, the Pharisee, knew about the woman and we can see from verse 36 that the woman was not an invited guest.

The judgement that Simon made was concerning Jesus, and his immediate thought is that any prophet would have the discernment to know what kind of woman this was, even if he did not know her.

Therefore, Simon is already beginning to doubt whether Jesus is the Son of God.

This was a situation in which Simon could not see the bigger picture, he could not see that Jesus had come to save sinners. All he could see was that a prophet would not have anything to do with such a woman.

Jesus was to show him the wider view of God’s all embracing love.

James tells us that we should treat everyone the same way. This is what he writes: [2]For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. [3]  If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, [4]  doesn’t this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives? – James 2.2-4.

Before we leap to judge, let us stop and receive God’s way of looking at the situation.

Wednesday 7th October 2009

Luke 3.5-6

5 Every ravine will be filled in and every mountain and hill will be reduced to a plain. And the crooked (ways) shall be straightened out and the rocky places into smooth places.

6 And the salvation of God will be seen by everyone.

In Northamptonshire (and other counties) there were a large number of open cast iron ore mines, my grandfather working in some of them. All these mines have been closed since the early 1970’s. Since their closure, these mines have been filled in by what is known as ‘land fill’. There are a few which have not been filled in. They remain as deep ravines with steep cliff like sides, they are dangerous places. They will only become safe when they are filled in. The quoting of Isaiah by John would have had a significant effect on the Jews listening to him. The passage was (and still is) regarded as referring to the coming of the Messiah. Messianic talk could be dangerous, since they were under Roman occupation. The message is that there are some things which the people could do to prepare for His coming – verses 3-4. Now the prophetic word is that there are some things that only God can do to prepare for His coming. The ministry of John was part of God’s preparation for the coming of Jesus. The preaching of John was bringing the powerful word of God to make a clear and straight way for Jesus. This needs to be the objective of all preaching.

The final part of Isaiah is a wonderful promise that everyone will see the salvation of God. Joel says something similar: [28]  “Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. [29]  In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike – Joel 2.28-29. This is a prophecy that has still to be fulfilled. We are fortunate enough to have seen and received God’s salvation. The urgency of evangelism is to show His salvation to a lost world. In Mark 16.15 Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel so that the whole world might see the salvation of God. As people look at us and relate to us, let us pray that they will see the salvation of God at work in our life.