Thursday, January 29, 2015

Serving Neighbors, Serving God

February 8, 2015 Background Scripture: Luke 10:25 – 37 Lesson Passage: Luke 10:25 – 37 There is a salient point in the parable Jesus gave of the “Good Samaritan”: We choose our own neighbors by the way we choose to treat individuals. Of course, Jesus being the Master Teacher, he did not state this but instead led listeners to reach that conclusion on their own through inductive reasoning. No doubt the prevailing thought concerning neighbors was far from what Jesus posited. We often think of neighbors as people we choose to live in close proximity to. Other than that, we don’t necessarily view ourselves as needing to do anything else once we are in the vicinity to be considered a neighbor. Jesus’ implied definition of neighbor really upsets geographical thinking concerning neighborhoods. My neighbor is not the person I choose to live next to but the person I choose to show mercy to. In other words, I could have neighbors who live thousands of miles from me and have complete strangers living next door. Now you see why Jesus’ definition creates a paradigm shift in traditional thinking? Quite truthfully many of us have more neighbors living across town than we have living on our street! There is a big difference between Jesus’ neighborhood and Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. I doubt if that Jewish lawyer ever forgot that parable because of the characters Jesus used to develop the mental picture. The context of the parable suggests that the wounded man was a Jew. The wounded man was shunned by a priest who went so far as to cross the road to avoid getting too close to him. Priests are ordained of God to offer sacrifices to God on behalf of the people because of our sinful nature that comes short of God’s glory. The implication is that I will pray for God to help someone who I will not help. So God can defile Himself with the person but I will not defile my sinful self in order to rescue a fellow human being. If he were dead, then his body would be left there for the scavengers to devour rather than given a decent burial. The priest would have nothing to do with this situation. A Levite came along and at least he went and looked at the man but that was still not enough. In the man’s condition of being near death, he was looked upon and then overlooked by a Levite whose assignment it was to take care of the things of God associated with the sacrificial system of worship. Perhaps he practiced a craft day after day but he was clueless as to how to apply it. He followed mindless steps in an attempt to offer true worship to the only living God but failed to grasp the gravity of not attempting to rescue one from death who was made in the image and likeness of God. The third traveler would have seared an unforgettable image in the mind of the legal expert of Judaism. That traveler was a Samaritan. Samaritans were the despised half-breeds that Jews went out of their way to avoid being around and you can forget about physical contact. But this was the hero of the story. Jesus did not say it but led the lawyer to paint himself into a corner and say it himself. The Samaritan’s actions went far beyond reasonable and he showed exceptional mercy to a stranger who by implication was a Jew. The parable causes listeners to place themselves in the position of the injured man who was the only one who could judge all three characters. And when put in that position, we all acknowledge that those who show mercy to us are our neighbors. Robert C. Hudson January 27, 2015

Monday, January 26, 2015

Feasting and Fasting

February 1, 2015 Background Scripture: Daniel 1; Matthew 6; 9:9 – 17 Lesson Passage: Daniel 1:5, 8 – 17; Matthew 6:16 – 18 What God offers us is better than what the world has to offer. Many will attest to this statement but few are willing to stand on this statement as a principle. Even worse, many believe they can have both—the best that God has to offer and the best that the world has to offer. Sadly, this is not being promoted by people in the world but by leaders of many Christian congregations. God’s word is clear: to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God. The gospel is a constant entreaty to people to trust God’s promises and His provisions and turn from the world. The history of Daniel’s initial treatment in Babylon is an example of four young men who were willing to trust God’s provision rather than become drunk on the world’s wine. In this history we are reminded that Christians should be leery whenever the world offers us what is “supposed to be” its best. Daniel and his three friends were handpicked as youth to become part of the king of Babylon’s entourage of consultants and wise men. As part of the package, they were offered the finest the king of Babylon had to offer while they were still children. They would eat the same food being served at the king’s table and they would drink the same “refined” wine that the king had with his meals. Supposedly, this would allow them to grow up healthy and well-nourished young men. Sometimes things just feel wrong. Even though we may not have the benefit of a logical argument, some things just don’t fit. This was the case with this special offer. They were promised that they would be feasting even as the king himself would be feasting. They were in captivity in the land of Babylon yet they were being offered the “lap of luxury” that many citizens of Babylon were not receiving. Daniel knew that this was not for him and his three friends concurred. But how could four young men who were still in their youth turn down the king’s commandment and generous offer? Their answer was trust God. Daniel and his friends did not lead a hunger strike or protest their captivity for this would surely have led to them being moved into the slave quarters with many of their other compatriots. Rather, Daniel made a counter-offer to their overseer. He requested only vegetables and water for the four of them for ten days and asked that their physical wellbeing be compared to the other children who were eating and drinking from the king’s table at the end of the ten days. Daniel and his three friends prayed to God while they fasted on the vegetables and water. After the ten days were over, their overseer noted that Daniel and his friends appeared healthier than the other children and therefore they were allowed to continue their requested diet. While they fasted from the king’s table, they were feasting on their fellowship and communion with God in prayer. God caused their health to prosper and for them to continue to gain favor with the prince of the eunuchs. They were offered the opportunity to feast from the king’s table but they rejected it in favor of fasting and feasting before the Lord. Robert C. Hudson January 16, 2015

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Powerful Prayer

January 25, 2015 Background Scripture: James 5 Lesson Passage: James 5:13 – 18 James’ epistle is addressed to the Jewish Christians who were part of the dispersion caused by persecution of the first century church by the non-Christian Jews. James, the Lord’s brother, remained in Jerusalem with Peter and John and the other Christian Jews who remained behind and suffered poverty and persecution. James has often been called the apostle of works. I don’t know if that is a fair assessment or proper way to sum up his ministry or epistle. James asserted that if a person truly has faith in God, then it should be demonstrated through action. I believe the debate revolves around the question of what comes first, faith or action. Our actions don’t produce faith in us but James argument is that if there is faith in us then that faith will cause us to act. James’ statement questions whether it is even possible to have true faith and not be led to act as a manifestation of it. James closed out his epistle to the dispersed remnant of Israel by talking about the need and use for prayer in the body of Christ. James offered assurance to the Christians that prayer is an effective tool to be used against affliction and sickness. He even reminded them that prayer would bring forgiveness of sin. Prayer should be offered to God in faith. That is to say, we should have confidence in God keeping His word concerning His care for us. When we pray in faith, we pray having the confidence that our prayer is in agreement with the will of God. If God has said that He desires certain things for us, then when we pray about those things we should believe God even as we talk with Him. If God’s promise is not conditional, then neither should our prayer be seeing that God is the guarantor of the promise and not a dealmaker with us. The Christians were admonished to confess their faults to each other and to pray for the healing of each other. This admonition was not for them to confess their sins to each other since God is the only one who can forgive sin. Their faults might have involved immoral or unethical deeds towards each other. The one condition in the Model Prayer was to forgive others even as we desire God to forgive us when we offend Him. Forgiveness is made easier when we confess our faults to each other. Unfortunately, too often we confess our faults to God and tell others about our sins. That is not what James is writing about in his epistle. After we confess our faults to each other and ask for forgiveness, then we can confess our sins before God and ask for His forgiveness. This will make us right with each other and right with God. Then our prayers will accomplish the things we are seeking. The prophet Elijah is put forth as an example of a man who had similar challenges of the flesh as we do. Yet, when Elijah prayed to God in sincerity, his prayer controlled the natural weather elements for three and a half years. Finally, James encouraged the Christians to support each other’s effort to stay on the right track and know that this will accomplish a lot. Robert C. Hudson December 30, 2014

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Jesus’ Intercession for Us

January 18, 2015 Background Scripture: Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10 Lesson Passage: Hebrews 4:14 – 16; 5:1 – 10 Last week’s lesson examined Jesus’ prayer for his disciples prior to his suffering and death on the cross. That lesson should have caused us to feel a new closeness with our Lord. We saw in that lesson that he loved us before he died for us. Today’s lesson answers the question that the critic might ask: what has he done for me lately? The answer we find in the text is: plenty. Jesus is not just sitting on a throne in Heaven waiting for time to end so he can come back and get the church. Today, Jesus is ministering in the office of High Priest in Heaven. This is his eternal purpose with God. Even as the high priest of Israel went behind the veil to minister before God on behalf of Israel, Jesus has passed behind the veil into Heaven to minister in God’s presence on behalf of the church. Once a year, Israel’s high priest would go behind the veil into the Most Holy Place to offer animal sacrifices before God and seek forgiveness for the people. After Jesus died and was resurrected, he entered once into the presence of God in Heaven to offer himself as a sacrifice to God on behalf of all believers. This was not an annual offering but Jesus was offered once for all times as a sacrifice to secure forgiveness of sin for all who believe and call upon his name. Jesus offered himself once but he intercedes for us continuously before the Father. We are saved once but we are constantly in need of forgiveness because we live in the flesh. Jesus was born in the flesh that he might be tempted and suffer in the flesh. He did not sin but he knows and empathizes with the struggles we have and often succumb to. Jesus humbly accepted to be born in the flesh, to suffer in the flesh, to become sin for us, and to die as a perfect sacrifice to be offered on our behalf. Every high priest is called of God to minister in that office. This is not a responsibility that one can volunteer for or choose as a vocation out of personal desire. God establishes high priests according to His own will. After God raised Jesus from the dead, He exalted him above every creature and called him to be a high priest according to the Priestly order of Melchisedec. All of the high priests of Israel descended through the family line of Moses’ brother Aaron. All of the Aaronic priests had finite lives and served until death and afterwards were replaced by another descendent. Melchisedec has an eternal priesthood. Jesus’ priesthood is after the order of Melchisedec because it is also eternal. As believers, we have been justified by Jesus’ death and sanctified to walk in a newness of life. However, the presence of sin in our flesh makes life an ongoing struggle if one desires to live holy. Because of the eternal priesthood of Jesus, we can have assurance and boldness in the faith. Jesus will forever intercede for us until we are glorified and no longer have the presence of sin. Because of Jesus’ intercession for us, we can come boldly before the throne of God that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Robert C. Hudson December 24, 2014

Monday, January 5, 2015

Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples

January 11, 2015 Background Scripture: John 17:1 – 26 Lesson Passage: John 17:6 – 21 I cannot think of too many things more comforting than to know that Jesus prayed for me. That’s right. The creator and Lord of everything prayed for me. The words of the prayer were recorded and in those words is a specific request for me. Well, actually he prayed for all who would believe on him because of the testimony of his disciples. Of course, I am included in that number, as are all Christians. Now that should be enough to make you want to read the entire prayer. The prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17 is sometimes referred to as his high priestly prayer. In this prayer, Jesus prayed as a priest would pray for the people of God. Although the bible records that there were times when Jesus prayed all night, this is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the bible. In this prayer, we begin to understand more about the close personal relationship Jesus has with the Father and Jesus’ desire for his followers to develop the same closeness with them. Jesus prayed for his followers as only the Good Shepherd could. This prayer was prayed prior to his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Whenever a Christian is unsure of Jesus’ love for them, the words of this prayer should quickly banish that thought. Jesus began this prayer obviously reflecting on his eternal past. He petitioned the Father with the request to be glorified as he was in the beginning with the Father. When the eternal Word emptied himself to be born into the world in human flesh, he set aside the glory he had always had from eternity past to take on the form of humanity. He humbly accepted this responsibility to redeem mankind back to the Father. Later that night, he prayed that if there were another way other than becoming sin and dying in the flesh to redeem man, that the Father would manifest this possibility. Jesus knew that when he became sin, he would be separated from the holiness of his Father. He accepted that his glory would be restored after his death and resurrection. The beginning of this prayer makes it clear that he desired to again be glorified. Secondly, Jesus prayed for the disciples because he would soon be leaving them in the world. He knew that only the Father was able to keep them safe from the evils of the world. He acknowledged his role as Shepherd and not as owner—for the Father is the owner of all. But now that he was about to leave them, he entrusted their care to his Father. For God, alone, is able to protect us from all dangers including demonic forces. Then Jesus’ attention turned to the rest of us, i.e., the church. This is where I began my comments. It is difficult to describe the excitement I feel in knowing that I was included in Jesus’ prayer before he suffered and died. Of all of the things to pray for when death is only hours away, I would not have expected Jesus’ prayer to focus on unborn believers. But that is exactly what he did. Jesus prayed for his disciples and then he prayed for all those that would believe on him because of the testimony of his disciples. Robert C. Hudson December 27, 2014