Friday 30th April 2010

Luke 11.2 cont.

2 The He said to them: “When you pray, say: “O Father, holy be your name, make Your Kingdom come.

One of the first things that we should do in prayer is to honour and revere the name of our Heavenly Father. One translation puts it this way: May Your name be kept holy.

Is this a desire from us to the Father that He should keep His name holy, or is part of our prayer that we will keep His name holy? Perhaps both are involved. Obviously our Father does keep His name holy, therefore, our desire that He should keep it holy will refer to the exaltation of His name among the peoples of the world.

We must remember that the context is a Jewish one, in which the name of God (YHVH) was so holy that it was not even mentioned, it was unutterable. So why would Jesus say: May Your name be kept holy?

Since Jesus came to save the whole world and the gospel would be going into the whole world, then the Father’s name would be going into a world that was mostly non Jewish and where His name would not be honoured and revered. Therefore, this is a prayer for every believer to maintain the honour of His name. It follows one of the commandments from God: “Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name” Exodus 20.7.

It is a terrible fact that the name of God and Jesus are massively abused, certainly within the English speaking peoples of the world.

There is the constant need for us to pray for the holiness of His name to be honoured in our own life, and from the lips of those with whom we are related. Part of our praying is for those around us not to misuse His name, and we can pray that we honour and revere His name and the name that is above every other name, the name of Jesus.

Thursday 29th April 2010

Luke 11.2 cont.

2 The He said to them: “When you pray, say: “O Father, holy be your name, make Your Kingdom come.

Of course there are many believers who have not had a good example of fatherhood from their earthly fathers, and this can make it difficult for them to have a good understanding of what a father is. It may seem simplistic to give an answer to this increasing problem, but in truth the answer is to be found in those words of Jesus in Luke 10.22. It is Jesus who reveals to us all the true nature of the Fatherliness of our Mighty God. Human illustrations may help, or hinder, but truth is to be found in the revelation of Jesus. Therefore, although earthly examples may not always be helpful, Jesus will not disappoint those who look to Him for the revelation of God as Father.

It is truly wonderful to know that the God of all creation has made us to be His children and we can come to Him as a child to its father, calling Him by the name Father.

Jesus said: [31] “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. [32] Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, [33]  and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

He is our Father who wants to take away all our worries and anxieties. In the world in which we live there are so many pressures to keep up with the latest fashions, have the latest gadgets and gismos, that we can easily become anxious in our attempts to keep up with things. Jesus tells us not to worry because our father knows exactly what we need and will provide this. It is what we need and not what we want.

Much more can be said about God being our Father, but for now let us enjoy the joy of knowing Him in a Fatherly way.

Wednesday 28th April2010

Luke 11.2 cont.

2 The He said to them: “When you pray, say: “O Father, holy be your name, make Your Kingdom come.

We will continue to look at what it means for us to have God as our Father.

Since we are born of God, He is obviously our Father.

We know Him as our Father only because Jesus has revealed God to us as Father. Jesus said this in Luke 10.22: The Father gave all things to me, but no one knows who the Father is except the Son and whomever the Son should decide to reveal (Him) to.

Every believer stands in this unique relationship with Almighty God. It is our privilege to receive revelation from Jesus about our heavenly Father. As we look at Jesus we see the Father. Jesus said this in John 14.9: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”.

Today we are blessed to know God as Father; the one who created us, the one who cares for us, the one who blesses us with good things. Jesus said that He knows how to give good gifts to His children – Matthew 7.11.

He is the One who also disciplines us – Hebrews 12.6: “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.” (Quoted from Proverbs 11.12). He does this because of His immense love for us, protecting us, and leading us into His ways of righteousness.

When we say this prayer, the very first word of ‘Father’ is filled with the fact that we are His family, chosen by Him in Christ Jesus. John wrote these words: See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! – 1 John 3.1.

Every believer, of whatever denominations is a part of the family of Almighty God, each one of us can call Him Father, and He has time for each one.

Tuesday 27th April 2010

Luke 11.1

2 The He said to them: “When you prayer, say: “O Father, holy be your name, make Your Kingdom come.

In our praying Jesus directs us to call God our Father, some Greek manuscripts include the words ‘in heaven’, as does Matthew (6.9).

It may help us to have some knowledge of what the disciples may have understood by the term: Father.

1 It obviously refers to a person’s natural father.

2 The word was also used to describe the forefathers of the nation of Israel, such as Abraham, Jacob and David.

3 Those who were elderly may also have been called fathers.

4 The founders of societies were known as the father of that society.

5 A person who takes the place of a natural father, such as in adoption, would be known as a father.

6 Pupils may have called their teacher: father.

7 Members of the Sanhedrin were also called: Father.

8 God was also called the Father of all created being, both physical and spiritual. He is the father of all things, animate and inanimate.

Jesus was telling the disciples that by addressing God as their Father they were recognizing that God is their Father creator: God is their foundation; God is eternally the same; God has adopted them; God is their teacher.

By using the word ‘Father’ we are brought nearer to God.

It is through our relationship with Jesus that we are not remote from God and He is not removed from us. Being our Father means that God is involved with us. His word tells us that He has been involved with us since before the creation of the world. He chose us before the foundations of the world – Ephesians 1.3.

John, in his gospel tells us that as Christians we are: children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God – 1.13.

Monday 26th April 2010

Luke 11.1

1 And He (Jesus) happened to be praying in a certain place, as he finished, one of His disciples said to Him: “Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples”.

Sunday 25th April 2010

Luke 10.40-42

40 Now Martha was distracted by a lot of work (serving); she came and said (to Jesus): “Doesn’t it concern you that my sister leaves me to do all the work (serving)? Tell her that she should help me”.

41 And the Lord answering her said: “Martha, Martha, you are agitated and troubled about many things,

42 but there is one thing of a few that is needed; Mary, for her part chose the good thing, this will not be taken away from her”.

This is a well known story and a lot of people have a great deal of sympathy for Martha, because, all the work of serving seems to have fallen on her shoulders.

However, it is important that we look at the reality of the situations. It is interesting to note that Luke tells that Martha was distracted. We can presume that she had her attention diverted from Jesus to other matters.

Perhaps we have all been in these situations, particularly when we set out to pray. At such times we can easily find our mind drifting off to think about anything, but the matter we set out to pray about.

There are so many things that can distract us, our minds go racing off in the direction of what we might consider to be very important.

We can only imagine that Martha wanted to serve Jesus and the disciples in a typical Jewish hospitable way, possible preparing a meal. She busied herself with this task, thinking this was what Jesus would want her to do.

When she complains about her sister she finds that Jesus would have preferred it if she also had sat still and listened to Him.

This was a time when Jesus was serving her, but she prevented this happening by her being distracted.

It is good for us to understand that being distracted may mean that we become agitated. This happened to Martha and Jesus told her so. Therefore, when we begin to feel agitated, perhaps we should examine ourselves to see what it is that is pulling us away from concentrating on Jesus.

However, when Jesus interrupts us we get blessed. Mary chose to allow Jesus to interrupt whatever she was doing.

Let us beware of the traps of distraction, but welcome and concentrate the interruptions of Jesus that lead to our fulfillment and blessing.

Saturday 24th April 2010

Luke 10.38-39

38 Now as they were on their way He went into a certain village, and He was welcomed into the house of a certain woman named Martha.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who was also sitting at the feet of the Lord listening to what He was saying. Jesus comes to the home of Martha and Mary.

We can presume that their brother, Lazarus, was alive at this time, although he is not mentioned. We know that later Lazarus died and Jesus raised him back to life – John 11.38-44.

We read that Martha welcomed Jesus into their home. It was a home that was an oasis for Jesus and His disciples; it was a place of respite; and a place where He could be at ease. No doubt Martha would give Jesus the welcome that was customary to be given to a guest, greeting him with the kiss of peace, she would pour water over his feet, and she would either burn sweet smelling incense or place some extract of roses on His head. We can only assume that the disciples were also present and so received the same welcome.

In Revelation 3.20 we read these words from Jesus: “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends”. Each day is a day when we can welcome Jesus into our life, treating Him as the most honoured guest. It is always the right time to welcome Jesus into every situation and circumstance that we face. As we do, we know that we shall be able to learn from Him.

We also read that both Martha and Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to Him. All too often, when we recall this event there is a tendency to forget that Martha was also sat listening to Jesus, before she got up to do other things.

How often do we stop to sit at the feet of Jesus, eager to listen to His word? The busyness of life can be a great thief, stealing from us those precious moments of sitting at the feet of Jesus. It is for each one of us to call a halt to the thief of time, so that we can listen to Jesus, who restores our souls.

Friday 23rd April 2010

Luke 10.33-37

33 Now a certain Samaritan on his journey came across him and seeing him he was filled with compassion. 34 He coming to him he bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine, and putting him on his own beast he led him to an inn and looked after him

35  And on the next day he took two denarii and gave them to the inn keeper and said: “Look after him, and whatever else you might spend, when I come back, I will repay you”.

36 Which of these three does it seem to you has become a neighbour to the one who fell into the hands of the thieves?

37 Now he said: “The one practicing mercy on him”. Then Jesus said to him: “Go and do the same”. 

Perhaps it is a sad fact the in today’s world the idea of being a Good Samaritan has become separated from the story that Jesus told. Therefore, it is good for us to see and understand what Jesus said.

There might have been those in the crowd who hoped that the Samaritan got attacked and robbed, since the Jews and Samaritans hated one another. It can be a sad fact of human nature and nationalism that one nation hates another. This has often been the cause of what is called ‘ethnic cleansing’. Sadly the 20th century had many occurrences of this.

The Jews hated the Samaritans, even as the Samaritans hated the Jews.

The outcome of this story was one that was not a popular one.

However, Jesus did not come to win popularity, but to demonstrate the height, breadth and depth of God’s love. In Ephesians 4.18 Paul wrote: And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.

This lawyer was faced with the facts that his own fellow countrymen, the priest and the Levite, had not shown any mercy or compassion for the victim. Instead, the merciful one had been one from a group of people whom they hated.

In as much as the Lord Jesus has demonstrated God’s love to each of us, so must we do likewise and be the demonstration of God’s love to our neighbours. It is clear from this story that our neighbours include those people we may not like, or get along with.

In Galatians 6.2-3 Paul writes: [2] Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. [3] If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself.

Thursday 22nd April 2010

Luke 10.30-32 cont.

33 Now a certain Samaritan on his journey came across him and seeing him he was filled with compassion.

34 He coming to him he bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine, and putting him on his own beast he led him to an inn and looked after him

35  And on the next day he took two denarii and gave them to the inn keeper and said: “Look after him, and whatever else you might spend, when I come back, I will repay you”.

We can have no doubt that Jesus could see the intentions of the lawyer; therefore, Jesus takes the discussion to another level, which was going to make the lawyer have a re-think

Jesus would have known about the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, as would the lawyer. They would have known that it had a reputation as being the hide out of thieves. Jerome, a Christian writer from the fourth and fifth centuries, says that the road between the two cities was known as the Red, Bloody Way. Even in 1930 H V Morton was told to be home before dark if he was using that road, since there were those who were renowned for holding up vehicles and robbing the travellers.

W Barclay informs us that Jerusalem is about 2.300 feet above sea level, whereas Jericho is 1,300 feet below sea level. That’s a massive drop in altitude of 2 miles (the distance between the two places).

It is a very mountainous route, with many valleys and mountain passes making it an ideal location for robbers to strike and retreat into the safety of the hills.

The lawyer and listening would have known what to expect on this road.

Many priests and Levites would travel this road, since Jericho and the surrounding area was home to many of them, enabling them to be in close proximity to Jerusalem when the time came for them to serve in the temple.

The priest and Levite had a problem: the law demanded that they help a neighbour in need (this included an enemy, as a Samaritan would be classed). However, they were also under an obligation not to become ceremonial unclean, which they would have become if they touched this stranger. If they became unclean they would be prevented from serving in the temple and they would not be able to eat the tithe.

Sadly, they put their ceremonial obligations above mercy. Hosea wrote these prophetic words from the Lord: I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices. I want you to know God; that’s more important than burnt offerings – Hosea 6.6. Love for God must always come before love of religion, tradition or duty, because our love for God means we will love and serve our neighbour.

Wednesday 21st April 2010

Luke 10.30-32

30 Jesus, taking the discussion further, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho (place of fragrance), and he fell among robbers, who also stripped him of his clothes and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 

31 By coincidence a certain priest was going down on the same road, and seeing him he crossed over to the other side and carried on.

32 Now similarly also a Levite, coming to that place, seeing him, he also crossed over to the other side and carried on.

Before we look any further into this parable, it would be good for us to consider why it was that there are least four people who appear to be journeying alone on this notoriously dangerous road.

As parents we warn our teenage offspring about the dangers of walking alone at night, especially girls. We do this because of the fear we have from attacks and assaults.

Perhaps there might have been those in the crowd who, on hearing this story, might think that none of these travellers ought to have been on that road by themselves. They might have thought that the priest, Levite and Samaritan were fortunate not to be attacked, since they also were lone travellers.

We shall come to the main point of the parable later, but it is a valuable point to learn that Jesus does not call us to walk alone through life. He calls us to travel this life with Him and with His people.

It cannot be stressed enough that there are serious dangers to being a lone traveller on the Christian life. Lone Christians can be an easy target for the enemy. It is much easier to fall into his traps if we do not have the balances and checks of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

When Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy it was in pairs. With two going together there is agreement, companionship and fellowship in the Holy Spirit, and there is encouragement in the face of opposition. We are able to advise and support one another, and, where necessary correct one another.

All this is absent if we choose to travel alone.

There are those people who say that they do not have to go to church to be a Christian, and that may be true, but is really does make it easier to be a participating member of the family of Jesus.