Grateful Faith

May 8, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 17:11 – 19 Lesson Passage: Luke 17:11 – 19 Today it seems that gratitude is a dying virtue in American society. We often summarize the general attitude of today’s society as being the attitude of entitlement. Many in society believe that the world owes them something because they were born. With such an attitude, no matter what a person receives, it is seen as only a down payment on what one is really due. One of the first phrases many of us were taught as babies was “Thank you”. Sometimes it was stated in the form of the baby talk phrase “ta ta”. We were taught to use this phrase in conjunction with receiving something from someone. Even today, you can witness parents rehearsing the phrase with babies and toddlers. Between the toddler stage and the young adult stage, there appears to be a great gulf fixed or better yet, a “Bermuda Triangle” for virtues. What we were taught as babies somehow doesn’t always translate into character virtue in us as adults. As rare as it appears to be at times, we find ourselves being appreciative when someone expresses genuine gratitude. In today’s lesson, we revisit the healing of the ten lepers. Those men came close enough to Jesus to cry out to him for mercy from a distance. Jesus gave them the instructions found in the Law. Those instructions provided steps a person should follow who had been cleansed of leprosy. Although they still had leprosy, they followed Jesus’ instructions and were on their way to present themselves before the priests. As they went, they were cleansed. Their obedient faith brought healing. One of the ten men saw that he had been healed and turned back, glorified God, and went to Jesus. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. Jesus noted that all ten men had been cleansed but only one of them returned to express gratitude. Jesus further noted that the man who returned was not a Jew. (This is characteristic of Luke’s account of the gospel where he brings many Gentiles front and center and presents them as part of Jesus’ ministry beyond the Jews.) Jesus raised the question about the nine men who did not come back to express gratitude. The fact that Jesus asked the question about the nine who did not return is enough reason for me to see that there is an expectation that gratitude would be expressed by those who call upon God and receive their requests. Our faith in God should be coupled with gratitude towards God—especially when He answers our prayers in the affirmative. Gratitude completes the loop of believing, trusting, asking, and receiving. Our faith should cause us to believe, trust, and ask of God. Our gratitude shows our appreciation and understanding of the fact that every good and every perfect gift is from God. God is not obliged to give simply because we ask. When God chooses to respond to our petitions in the affirmative, we should be grateful enough to express our appreciation to Him. Faith should always be accompanied by gratitude. Robert C. Hudson April 6, 2016

Increased Faith

May 1, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 17:1 – 10 Lesson Passage: Luke 17:1 – 10 Do I have what it take to be an average Christian? Can I grow spiritually to the point where I can handle the day-to-day character requirements that I believe are expected of me based on the teachings of Jesus? When Jesus said “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”, do I have the capacity to do this in all sincerity and not just pay lip service to it? I believe that these were some of the questions on the minds of Jesus’ apostles when he taught them about unlimited forgiveness. No matter how many times a person offends you, if they repent and ask for forgiveness, forgive them. It doesn’t take much imagination for me to know that this type behavior is far from my norm in terms of interpersonal relationships. In my “very human” way of thinking, “three strikes and you’re out” is a very lenient response to being offended. I am convinced that when you take the cap off and make forgiveness unlimited, that requires something on the inside that we are not born with. There is no wonder that the apostles responded as they did to Jesus’ standard of forgiveness. They requested that he increase their faith. Today, it would likely sound like this: Lord help me, or Lord give me strength, or Lord you know my heart. All of these responses suggest the same thing: I don’t know how to get from where I am to where the Lord wants me to be but I believe if I had more faith, I would be able to do what the Lord requires of me. On the surface, Jesus’ response to their request seems to ignore the request altogether. First, Jesus talked about what a person with faith can do. Then, Jesus used the example of the expectation a master has of his servant. The master doesn’t suggest trading place with the servant and the master serving him based on the servant’s labor in the field that day. In the evening, the master still expected the servant to serve him in spite of the work the servant had done in the field that day. It was the servant’s duty to work in the field and to serve the master in his house. Then Jesus dismissed the notion that forgiveness should be thought of as a character trait but rather it should be seen as the duty of his servants. The apostles asked for more faith but Jesus responded that their faith in him should be clearly seen by their loyal obedience to him. They had enough faith to move mountains but the challenge of forgiveness is not a challenge of faith but an act of obedience to the Lord. True faith is not intellectual acquiescence but deliberate action as evidence of obedience. Forgiveness may never feel like the right thing to do but obedience to the Lord is always in order. In fact, we demonstrate our faith in the Lord through our acts of obedience. God does not forgive us based on merit. God’s forgiveness of us is always unmerited. And He expects the same behavior from us based on His Spirit living in us. It’s not always a matter of needing more faith. Sometimes we just need to walk in the faith we have already been given. Robert C. Hudson April 6, 2016

Tested Faith

April 24, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 15:11 – 32 Lesson Passage: Luke 15:11 – 24 Sometimes it takes a major setback in life for us to give our absolute undivided attention to God. We often speak of those setbacks as times when our faith is tested. Setbacks can occur at any time and for a number of different reasons. I think the most difficult setbacks are the ones that are self-inflicted. Yes, life might hurt but the pain seems even more unbearable when it comes as a result of our action or inaction. Our lesson passage today is so familiar to students of the bible that it seems almost too trivia to repeat. It is part of a chapter where Jesus uses the parabolic teaching method to teach principles of God’s view of the recovery of lost souls. In the text, the focus shifts between the actions of the father and the actions of the youngest son. The father, at the request of the youngest son, divides his estate between his two sons while he is still alive. The timing of the father’s actions is significant because he is given the opportunity to see how his sons will handle the stewardship of the estate that had become the father’s living. A few days after the father’s actions, the youngest son took all of his newly obtained wealth, left home, and began to squander it through ill-advised living. When the wealth was all gone, the son took on a job as a lowly slave tending swine. This is a situation that would have been seen as unthinkable for a Jew. In this state of poverty, the son was tempted to eat some of what he fed the swine due to his extreme hunger. No doubt, for the Jews listening to Jesus’ discourse, the scenario changed from the unthinkable to the absolute insane. This is the test that Jesus was communicating to his hearers: the son was impoverished, on the brink of starving to death, and presented with a choice that would remove him from the situation but it required great humility on his part. The son, in his pride, had demanded of his father that for which he was not due at the time. The son, with his father’s wealth had lived very foolishly. He had learned some very hard lessons about people and life. With his father’s wealth, he could find people to live it up with him. But when the wealth was gone and he was on the verge of starving to death, the text says that no man gave him anything. When he received his inheritance and left home, he lived as though his father was as good as dead already. In his humility, he began to reason as one who believed that he had destroyed his position of son-ship with his father. At that point, he realized that his father’s servants were living quite well. He decided to seek a position as a servant to his father which would be a much better situation than his current dilemma. This act of repentant behavior opened doors he did not expect. His father would have no talk of the notion of him being a servant but rather returned cheerfully to the position of son. The father even called for a celebration to commemorate the return of his son. Just as the son lived as though his father was dead, the father saw the son’s absence from him as though his son was dead. The son’s return home was as if he had returned from the dead and the father found it worthy of a celebration. The father’s example gives hope to all who find themselves as this wayward and wasteful son whose faith is put to the test. We have a heavenly Father who patiently waits to celebrate our repentance and return to Him—even if it is after life’s setbacks have tested our faith. Robert C. Hudson April 2, 2016

Recovered Faith

April 17, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 8:26 – 39 Lesson Passage: Luke 8:26 – 39 Some narratives in the gospel accounts make it clear that Jesus went to some extremes to reach one person in the midst of many. Some crowds had hundreds and others had thousands where Jesus visited to change the life of one soul. This apparent attitude of Jesus of going all out to reach one soul gives perspective to the value of a soul. The narrative of today’s lesson is such a case. Jesus’ trip to the country of the Gadarenes appears to have been for the express purpose of recovering one soul. Some of the circumstances surrounding the recovery caused the multitude of people in that country to express their displeasure with Jesus’ presence. The man who was delivered by Jesus seems to have been the worse person in that country. The man was possessed by many demonic spirits that caused him to be suicidal and deranged. He lived naked among the tombs and cut himself and cried night and day. Attempts had been made to constrain the man with ropes and chains but he had broken them. When Jesus arrived in that country, the man met him and the demons called Jesus by name and begged him to not torment them. At this point, Jesus’ entire ministry in that country would revolve around the deliverance of this man. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. After the man was free of demons, his mental state was back to normal and he put some clothes on. The demons that were cast out were allowed to enter and subsequently destroy a herd of swine. I mention this because it might have triggered the angry response from the people of that country. When the watchers of the herd saw what happened, they went into town and reported it and the multitude came to Jesus and asked him to leave their country. Although they saw the extreme makeover the previously possessed man had undergone, they insisted that Jesus leave their country. And Jesus left. This is a sad commentary because it is a reminder that if we insist that Jesus stay out of our lives, he is likely to oblige us. Salvation had come so close to the many but only this one man received deliverance from Jesus that day. Jesus went into the country of the multitude but only one man there was recovered and his faith in Jesus confirmed. When Jesus was expelled from the Gadarenes, this man desired to go with him but Jesus would not permit him to come. Rather, Jesus instructed the recovered man to go back home and show them what great things God had done for him. The gospel record is that the man went throughout the Decapolis and proclaimed the great things Jesus had done for him. Decapolis was used to refer to a region of ten cities in the country of the Gadarenes. The man demonstrated his faith through his works. Although the multitude rejected Jesus, the man whose faith was recovered continued to publish the works of Jesus after he departed. It is remarkable that the one who was possessed by a legion of demons was the only one of a multitude of people who received Jesus and had his life turned around and faith recovered. Robert C. Hudson March 31, 2016

Recovered Faith

April 17, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 8:26 – 39 Lesson Passage: Luke 8:26 – 39 Some narratives in the gospel accounts make it clear that Jesus went to some extremes to reach one person in the midst of many. Some crowds had hundreds and others had thousands where Jesus visited to change the life of one soul. This apparent attitude of Jesus of going all out to reach one soul gives perspective to the value of a soul. The narrative of today’s lesson is such a case. Jesus’ trip to the country of the Gadarenes appears to have been for the express purpose of recovering one soul. Some of the circumstances surrounding the recovery caused the multitude of people in that country to express their displeasure with Jesus’ presence. The man who was delivered by Jesus seems to have been the worse person in that country. The man was possessed by many demonic spirits that caused him to be suicidal and deranged. He lived naked among the tombs and cut himself and cried night and day. Attempts had been made to constrain the man with ropes and chains but he had broken them. When Jesus arrived in that country, the man met him and the demons called Jesus by name and begged him to not torment them. At this point, Jesus’ entire ministry in that country would revolve around the deliverance of this man. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. After the man was free of demons, his mental state was back to normal and he put some clothes on. The demons that were cast out were allowed to enter and subsequently destroy a herd of swine. I mention this because it might have triggered the angry response from the people of that country. When the watchers of the herd saw what happened, they went into town and reported it and the multitude came to Jesus and asked him to leave their country. Although they saw the extreme makeover the previously possessed man had undergone, they insisted that Jesus leave their country. And Jesus left. This is a sad commentary because it is a reminder that if we insist that Jesus stay out of our lives, he is likely to oblige us. Salvation had come so close to the many but only this one man received deliverance from Jesus that day. Jesus went into the country of the multitude but only one man there was recovered and his faith in Jesus confirmed. When Jesus was expelled from the Gadarenes, this man desired to go with him but Jesus would not permit him to come. Rather, Jesus instructed the recovered man to go back home and show them what great things God had done for him. The gospel record is that the man went throughout the Decapolis and proclaimed the great things Jesus had done for him. Decapolis was used to refer to a region of ten cities in the country of the Gadarenes. The man demonstrated his faith through his works. Although the multitude rejected Jesus, the man whose faith was recovered continued to publish the works of Jesus after he departed. It is remarkable that the one who was possessed by a legion of demons was the only one of a multitude of people who received Jesus and had his life turned around and faith recovered. Robert C. Hudson March 31, 2016

Shameless Faith

April 10, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 7:36 – 50 Lesson Passage: Luke 7:36 – 50 I believe it is easier to follow the discourse of today’s lesson by considering some simple arrangements at a Middle Eastern dinner table and some common courtesies extended by hosts in first century Middle Eastern life. Dinner guests did not sit up to the table with their laps under it European style; but instead reclined towards the table head first with their feet extended outward. (An understanding of this table arrangement makes it easier to envision Jesus rising from supper the night of his betrayal and going around the table and washing the feet of his disciples.) Anyone who approached a group that was eating a meal at a table would arrive at their feet first. The second point to be understood is a common courtesy that was extended to dinner guests—especially by hosts who had servants. When the people wore footwear, it was normally sandals that primarily protected the bottom of their feet. As they traveled, mainly by foot, their feet became dusty. When the guests reclined at the table, it was then convenient for a servant to go around the table and wash their feet. Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to come to his house and eat with him. The woman knew she had an opportunity to express gratitude to Jesus in the most humble way when she learned that Jesus was at the dinner table in Simon’s house. The way she chose was to approach Jesus as a lowly servant washing his feet. The text does not disclose what motivated the woman to come to Jesus in such a way. That is perhaps best because we all come to Jesus at different times and for very different reasons. The woman did not bring a wash pan or a towel. She only brought a bottle of ointment to use after she had washed his feet. She used her tears to wash his feet and then she dried his feet with her hair. Then she kissed his feet and applied the ointment to them. Without speaking a word, Simon started to question Jesus’ status as a prophet since he did not appear to be bothered by the woman’s actions: given that the woman had a reputation as a sinful person. Surely a true prophet should be able to discern the type of person this woman was. Jesus was very discerning indeed. Jesus, in his divine essence, can discern the thoughts and intents of hearts. Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and that he was questioning within himself Jesus’ authenticity. Jesus openly answered the question Simon was pondering inwardly. He did so by describing an allegory involving the gratitude of two debtors who had their debts forgiven. He had Simon to tell him how gratitude was related to the amount of the debt forgiven. Then Jesus applied the woman’s situation to that of a debtor. The woman already knew she was forgiven for her sins so she was there to express her gratitude. Simon, who might not have known that he needed forgiveness, had not expressed the gratitude that would have been considered common courtesy for him. While Simon was inwardly questioning Jesus’ credentials and judging the woman’s character, he had totally missed the point of what God had done in the woman’s life and could do in his. Perhaps Simon thought it should have been a public embarrassment for Jesus to allow such a woman to touch him but he did not know that God had already touched that woman. Simon was still judging her for her past actions and questioning Jesus’ present ministry. It seems reasonable that Simon thought that both of them should have been ashamed. This woman demonstrated a shameless faith to a God who takes away our shame. Robert C. Hudson March 31, 2016