true disciples — Matthew 16:21-28 — November 14

Peter had only just clarified for himself and for the other followers of Jesus Who Jesus actually was:  You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:14).  And indeed, it is this confession of the identity and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth which is at the heart of our faith, the rock on which He builds His Church worldwide, and the keys to the kingdom of heaven for all who will believe it.

But there is one more key aspect to our faith, contained in today’s reading.  Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised (Matthew 16:21).  Throughout the rest of the New Testament, though it’s clear that any true “spirit” needs to identify Jesus as Messiah, the only-begotten Son of God, it’s also necessary to “test that same spirit” to see if it also confesses Christ crucified and risen.  For without this additional confession, there can be no forgiveness of sin, for us, or for anyone, ever.  The Scriptures are unified in confessing that the horror of sin can only find its atonement in the sacrifice of Another, of the Messiah, the Son of God, prefigured in the Old Testament sacrifices.  The key to the present and future of the world hinges on this.  That’s why Jesus was so harsh when Peter, perhaps in his love for Jesus, suggested that Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection weren’t really necessary.  That kind of teaching, which we today might consider part of the “diversity” in the church, is actually straight from the pit, and from the mouth of satan himself.

With that fullness of faith confessed, our only response is to live it, as did our Lord, to give up our lives for Him and for others so that we, and they, might be raised to new life:  If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me (Matthew 16:24).

So what is it about Jesus that you confess to others and to the world?  And how is it that you match your heart’s confession with your life’s profession?

yeastiness — Matthew 16:1-12 — November 12

Yeast is an amazing thing.  Seemingly inactive in its dry form, yet quietly alive with the addition of some liquid and some warmth.  It slowly takes over the dough in which it is placed, turning something flat and ordinary into something beautiful and delicious.  Such is the case, Jesus says, with His Kingdom at work in this world (Matthew 13:33).  Seemingly inactive, yet when watered by the Holy Spirit and warmed by the prayers of the saints, God’s Kingdom is taking over the whole world in which it is placed,  turning the ordinary universe into the eventual union of heaven and earth under God’s reign.  Isn’t it amazing that we’re invited to be a part of that transformation, beginning with our being taken over by that “yeasty” kingdom ourselves?

And yet here in Matthew 16 Jesus warns His disciples, including us, of another kind of yeast which is also seeking to take over.  It’s the kingdom of this world, manifested in the kind of attitude and teaching of the religious leaders of His day: prideful, judgmental, graceless.  This kingdom disdains the Other Kingdom, thinking it impossible, impractical, even dangerous.  Challenging the rule of the Other Kingdom at every turn, it seeks to invade us, to incorporate us into its way of thinking, believing, and behaving.  It’s sort of like “the borg” in the Star Trek series, a collective possessing one mind, bent on capturing the universe for its own destructive purposes: evil, yet somehow alluring.  Jesus warned His disciples to beware of this kind of yeastiness, as it seeks to take up residence in those who claim to belong to God’s Kingdom, but have yet to bend the knee of the heart to Him.  Its hallmarks are constant skepticism, cynicism, and negativism, seen in the disciples’ constantly focusing on what isn’t there as opposed to what God might make appear (as was the case in the feedings of the thousands).

So dear friends, let us beware, as we imbibe daily of the teachings of this other kingdoms, hurled at us in the things we watch, hear, and consider.  Let us continually imbibe ourselves with the teachings of God’s Word, the conversations about God’s Kingdom, and the actions consistent with God’s Rule, so that we may be continually infused with that Yeast of His which will infuse the world, for good.

at his feet — Matthew 15:29-39 — November 11

Returning from the region of the Canaanites, Jesus returned to the Galilee region, where He had become well-known.  As He went up on the mountain from which He had earlier delivered extensive teaching to the disciples alone (Matthew 5-7), this time He allowed the crowds to come up to Him as well.  As the disciples looked on, the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others were put at Jesus’ feet, and He cured them (Matthew 15:30).   “At his feet” appears throughout the Scripture, referring to submission, surrender, and offering of oneself or one’s needs to God.  In the stories of Jesus, it also refers to a posture of learning, as when Mary of Bethany who sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching (Luke 10:39).  And so, in this situation, the crowd seemed to surrender their most challenging needs to Jesus, waiting upon Him for His Word and Spirit.  And the results were remarkable.

However, just a short while later, Jesus’ own disciples forgot that being at Jesus’ feet is the spiritual posture of a true disciple.  When Jesus indicated that, out of His compassion, He wanted to feed the hungry crowd, His disciples once again thought that it was up to them to make a miracle, just as they had done only recently in the feeding of the five thousand, told in Matthew 14:17ff.  And so, the miracle of the feeding of thousands is repeated here, almost action for action, word for word.  Perhaps the purpose of this repeat miracle is not only that there was another hungry crowd to be fed, and not only that the disciples were again reminded that Jesus can do miracles, but also that they needed to remember to submit all of their needs to God.  In Jesus’ day, curing someone as sick as those brought before Jesus that day was clearly “His” work; however, making a meal seemed to be “their” work, and so they were anxious about getting it done.  Jesus was reminding them that, in all cases — in situations seen to be so desperate that only God could do it, as well as situations where the disciples thought they could do it — in all cases they need to bring their needs to the feet of Jesus, to receive the power of His Holy Spirit, and to receive His Word that could help them to get the job done.

The things that disciples like you and me tend to worry most about seem to be the things over which we believe that we have some control.  We’re happy to give God our hopeless cases (though we may have some difficulty trusting Him with them), but the challenging situations, in which we have a role to play or something to do, those are the ones where we tend anxiously to assume that it’s all up to us.  We forget that, right in front of us, is our Lord, waiting to give us His Spirit and His Word, to shoulder the burden that we think is ours, to take the yoke that seems to be so heavy for us.

So today, having sat at Jesus’ feet as you’re doing now, don’t forget to keep bringing yourself and your needs, both great and small, to those same beautiful feet of His, surrendering, submitting, receiving, and acting, in His power and peace, as a real disciple.

the dogs — Matthew 15:21-28 — November 10

Though I own a wonderful dog myself — Abby, named after Abishag of 1 Kings 1, a young woman who kept King David warm in his old age — I remember being attacked by a pack of dogs once.  It was while I was in college, walking to a play rehearsal.  On my way to the theatre, a snarling, barking group of dogs approached me, and began biting me all over until, just as suddenly as they arrived, they left.  I was deeply shaken, in that I had never seen “dogs” like that.  The only dogs I had known were the sweet companions that I and my family had grown up with.

And so, in today’s story, a Canaanite woman is initially treated as if she’s one of those marauding “dogs”: foreign, difficult, perhaps even dangerous.  Jesus was in the district of Tyre and Sidon, and His disciples were probably wondering why on earth He would travel to such a threatening place. As a Canaanite, this woman was not a follower of the God of Israel, and was part of a group that had, in the past, been enemies of God’s people.  And so, when she emerged, calling for Jesus’ mercy for her daughter, all the disciples could hear was her shouting, sort of like a dog barking at them.  They wanted Him to send her away, just as I wanted that pack of dogs to go away.

But Jesus heard and saw something different.  To Him, this woman wasn’t a pack dog; she was a person possessing great faith, as the encounter with Jesus shows.  For Jesus tested her, saying to her what His own disciples were thinking:  I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel … It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs (Matthew 15:24-26).  But she persisted in faith, trusting that she could establish a relationship with this Jesus, and not just be considered one of the pack.  She said to Him, Lord, help me (Matthew 15:25, a genuine prayer), and Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table (Matthew 15:27).  Her version of being a “dog” was very different: she was like one of the dogs at home, a member of the family, asking for scraps of grace from the Master.

And grace was granted, not to a dog, but to a woman of beautiful faith, and not just in scraps, but in a full serving at Jesus’ table: Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.’  And her daughter was healed instantly (Matthew 15:28).

So the next time you think that you, or someone else, doesn’t have a place with God, remember this woman, and her story.  And recognize that, not only are you at least as valuable as the family pet, but that your faith as a child of God brings joy to the heart of Jesus, and puts the lie to your being outside of the reach of His grace.

distant hearts — Matthew 15:1-20 — November 9

Our life with God can’t be done by checklist.

Although there are many aspects to life which require careful attention to outward detail — baking a cake, flying a plane, balancing a bank account — our life with God doesn’t work like that.  Though it’s true that there are specific commandments and directions in the Scripture which we are called to obey (check out Exodus 20, for example), they can’t get to the heart of what it means to follow God.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought they had such a checklist.  It rounded out to about 613 commandments that they, and their ancestors, had identified as essential to following God.  And so, when it appeared as if Jesus’ disciples were breaking some of the 613 (detailed interpretations of how to apply specific commandments, such as keeping the Sabbath), they thought that Jesus and His people were way off base.  He quoted the Scripture from Isaiah:  this people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me (Matthew 15:7).  Jesus identified the heart of the matter of life with God:  the condition of the heart.

So today, rather than running down a checklist of “to-dos”, whether for work, or home, do a check of your heart.  See what it is that has been flowing from it towards others or towards God.  Does it resemble the list in Matthew 15:19, or does it resemble the list in Galatians 5:22-23?

Allow Jesus to get to the heart of life with Him, namely your heart.

Feeding Together — Mark 6:32-44 — November 8

Church of the Nativity Flock Fodder

Week of November 8, 2009

 

The Psalm: 146

1

Hallelujah!  Praise the LORD, O my soul! *
I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

2

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
for there is no help in them.

3

When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
and in that day their thoughts perish.

4

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!*
whose hope is in the LORD their God;

5

Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps his promise for ever;

6

Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.

7

The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; *
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

8

The LORD loves the righteous; the LORD cares for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.

9

The LORD shall reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.  Hallelujah!

 

A Time for Prayer and Worship

 

The Collect for the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost:

 

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Opening Question:  Describe a time when you had an enormous amount of stress in your life (perhaps it’s right now!)  How did you deal with it, or how did God help you with it?

 

The Lesson:  READ Mark 6:32-44

 

Prayer for Illumination

Blessed Lord who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:  Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

Discussion Questions:

Background to Mark 6:32-44: From last week’s study, we’ve seen Jesus calling the disciples away from a very busy season in ministry, so busy that they did not even have a chance to eat.  Jesus said to them, Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest (Mark 6:31).  As the opening verse of this week’s study indicates, they did just that.  But what happened next seemed to put them right back into the busy-ness that they were trying to rest from.  Does this sound familiar to you?

 

What happened as soon as the disciples left the shore?  How do you think they felt when they arrived on the other shore?  How do you think Jesus felt?  How is this shown in what He did for the crowd?

Why was “teaching them many things” (verse 34) a good response to the crowd’s need?  Why was it a good response to the disciples’ need for rest?

 

Imagine that you are one of the disciples, at the end of this long day with unexpected company.  How are you feeling?  What is it that you need at this point?  What do you hope will happen to the crowd?

How do you respond to Jesus’ suggestion as to what you can do for the crowd (verses 37-38)?

How does Jesus respond to you when you feel like this (verse 38)?

 

Why do you think Jesus made a point of getting the raw material for the meal from the disciples, and giving the food to the disciples to distribute?  Why not just produce and serve it Himself?  What might this say to you about how you do your work, your ministry, your life?  How might you find deep rest in collaborating with your group, with others, or with God?

 

All ate and were filled (verse 42).  What might this have meant for the crowd?  the disciples?  Jesus?  And what might be the point of the leftovers?

When was the last time you ate and were filled in the Presence of Jesus?  How might taking a weekly Sabbath day off, including receiving the teaching, body and blood of Jesus in public worship, help you to be fed and filled for whatever God has for you this week?

 

One Minute for Silent Listening

The Prayers:  Spoken, Read, or Silent

Ministry:  Pray for One Another

 

Closing Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 

Benediction

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

of two minds — Matthew 14:1-12 — November 5

Herod couldn’t make up his mind.  He was furious at John the Baptist for telling him that it was unlawful that he married his brother’s wife (presumably while his brother was still living), and wanted to put John to death.  But, on the other hand, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet (Matthew 14:5).  So, being of two minds, he settled somewhere in-between, alternately indicating his desire to have John executed, and his awe of John’s power and influence.  And though this worked for a time, such double-mindedness never satisfies, in that it eventually leads one away from God’s will, and into events beyond one’s control.

Such was the case with John.  His widely-published antipathy to John infected the heart of his wife, Herodias, such that she conspired in a remarkably inventive way to have the head of John the Baptist.  Herod’s rash promise to the daughter of Herodias — whatever she might ask – was Herodias’ opportunity, and she struck with a vengeance.  Herod’s response:  He was grieved (Matthew 14:9), apparently sad that his threats had finally boxed him into the corner he never really wanted to enter to fight the people who loved John.  But there he was, trapped by his own double-mindedness.

The double-minded, as James reminds us, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7).  In fact, trouble, not from the Lord, as was certainly the case with Herod and John the Baptist, will be all that they receive.

So, dear friend, if you sense that double-mindedness in you, don’t linger on the fence any longer.  Ask God to remove you from this perilous perch.  Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you (James 4:8,10).  Return with Him to that single-minded love and devotion through which He can work miracles in and through you.

unbelief — Matthew 13:53-58 — November 4

Throughout my years as a follower of Jesus, I’ve kept in touch with what the Lord’s up to in other parts of the world.  Of particular interest has been the church in Africa, once referred to by white people as “the dark continent”, but now assuredly a place where the light of Christ is shining most brightly.  The gospel continues to advance in many parts of Africa, with thrilling stories of the power of the Holy Spirit literally saving and transforming lives in Jesus.

As we shared these stories with our then young children, one of them once asked, “Dad, how come God seems to be doing amazing things in Africa, but not so amazing here?”  And though I may have been tempted to respond that this is only a matter of reporting, or perspective, I had to agree with at least the observation on which this question was asked, if not the conclusion that God loves Africa more than the U.S.   It does seem as if we continue to hear of miracles and revivals and regional transformations in so-called developing countries whereas in our so-called developed country the news is far less thrilling.

Perhaps today’s Scripture points to a cause.  The whole matter of our faith working with God’s power is a challenge.  Jesus said to His disciples, when they asked Him to increase their faith, if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you(Luke 17:6).  And so, many individuals have been told that, if they would only possess faith, their request from God would be granted.  But then, when their request is not granted, they are also told that they didn’t have enough faith.  And though James speaks of the doubter, …double-minded and unstable in every way [who] must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7), the sincere believer who gets a “no” from God isn’t necessarily responsible for that “no”.

Perhaps more to the point in the lack of demonstrated miracles and acts of power on the part of the Lord is the lack of faith of the collective, always the milieu for most of the settings in Scripture.  In our culture, we tend to think of individuals and their role; in the Bible, it’s normally the community that’s in view.  And, in view of Jesus’ hometown, Nazareth, the people as a whole took offense at Him, collectively (Matthew 13:57).  And, as if in response, He did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief (emphasis mine, Matthew 13:58).  It was the unbelief of the people as a whole which was part of why a sincere believer in Nazareth, earnestly seeking God, might have had a difficult time getting the request granted.  It’s as if Jesus was indicating that, as important as individual needs are, in the long-term, it’s equally important that a community as a whole turn to God, such that the blessings can begin to flow.

And so, in our culture, though we are encouraged to ask, to seek, and to knock as individuals, we should also be asking, seeking, and knocking at God’s door that our churches, our communities, our nation would turn to God as a whole.  We need to pray that we wouldn’t be offended by Him, that the milieu of our culture might be changed from doubt to faith, so that many deeds of power could be done by the Lord.

So let’s pray that we, collectively, would (re)place our trust in the Lord, so that not just a few will be healed, delivered, and saved, but that many will.

priceless — Matthew 13:44-52 — November 3

Some things are just priceless.  Though I’ve seen priceless jewels, artifacts, and documents, nothing in this world comes closer to being priceless than a person.  Think about the miracle of that person’s birth, their life experiences, their potential for immense good, as well is incalculable evil.  Each one of them created in the image of God, their Creator, such that, as even the lowliest of them approaches, the angels should be announcing to us, “make way for the image of God!”  They, and you and I, are truly priceless.

And yet, those of us who have met the Person of persons, who, in Jesus, broke into this world as a human-divine Person, we have discovered Someone even more precious than this.  And this Priceless One has invited us to enter into His kingdom, His reign, not as subjects, but as co-heirs with Him and with others, as we are recreated in His image.  He is Priceless indeed.  So, as today’s parables indicate, who wouldn’t, in his joy [go] and [sell] all that he has to obtain Him (Matthew 13:44, 46)?

I don’t know about you, but  never once, in the 36 years that I have known Him like this and shared in His Kingdom like this, have I ever regretted accepting His invitation to come in to new life.  He has given me a new life, wherein I exchange my sin and death for His righteousness and life.  He has given me everything good I now possess, including some of the most amazing people I have ever met who also call Him Pricless.  He has given me perspective and power when I am in the presence of evil, whether it manifest itself through a person, an illness, or a tragedy.  And He has worked in me and others as we have sought to eradicate people and places from evil so that His goodness may be manifest.  He is so loving, so faithful, so kind, so generous, so amazing beyond all that I could have ever thought or hoped for.

Today, as you encounter the people of your life, from those you may live or work or serve with, to those you will simply pass by or hear about, recognize the priceless treasures that they are, and treat them accordingly.  And remember that the priceless quality of them all, including you and me, is derivative, coming from the One Who is the most priceless of all, and Who deserves to have us give Him everything in return from the priceless treasure of claiming His life as our own.

the righteous — Matthew 13:36-43 — November 2

Once again we note the importance of asking questions.  As Jesus finished telling the parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30) and several others, the crowds dispersed as Jesus left them.  As someone commented, “they got the sermon CD, the Jesus T-Shirt and wristband, and went home to wear and shelve them.”  But His disciples approached Him… (Matthew 13:36).  Such is the difference between being religious and being in a relationship with Jesus:  it is our privilege, and His invitation, to approach Him, constantly.  And it is our responsibility to show and tell the crowd how accessible He is, and that a member of the crowd can become a disciple the moment she or he approaches Jesus with an honest question or request, particularly for a new life.  It is they who get the explanation of the parable of the weeds, which, as we saw before, identifies that, in this world, and in Jesus’ version of “church”, there will always be a variety of “grains”, some which are genuine, and some which are not.  Ultimately, only God can distinguish between them.  Our call is to set the tone by seeking Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength so that this becomes the standard of “wheatiness”.  We leave the separating out to Him and His angels who guard His church.

Here Jesus calls such seekers “the righteous”, who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43) and who, even now, are called to let their light shine, so that [others] may see [their] good works and give glory to [their] Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).  Notice that there is no distinction between “the righteous”, and no levels of illumination.  If they are His righteous, they are His forever.

Today is All Souls Day, when the church remembers all the faithful departed in Christ.  It follows All Saints Day, when the super-luminary Saints of the faith were recognized.  All Souls Day was designed for remembering the rest of us, the lower-level saints.  Thankfully, as we’ve looked more closely into the Scriptures, we’ve recaptured the sense that all of us, you included, are called “saints”, even as you and I are works in process.  Though we do honor those who have shined in a way that truly has been brilliant for Him, nonetheless, we are grateful that we are in the same family, in the same league, as they, since our life in Christ is dependent on His adopting us by grace, through faith, evidenced in our good works, some of them truly dazzling.

So today, dear saint of God, let your light so shine, even as you give thanks for the luminous ones you have known who have shown you the way.  May you do the same for others around you today.