There is something in us that wants to be on the winning side. There is another drive that sometimes competes. That is the desire to be rightfully aligned with God. That is, in other words, our conscience,
Alignment with God's kingdom and will is a basis for hope that we can have both realized.
However, sometimes, we must proceed without hope and with only the conviction that we are taking the stand that is right and righteous.
There have always been edicts from systems that have raised issues and choices of conscience. These edicts have been presented as nonnegotiable, and lack of compliance has come with negative consequences.
There have always been those who have resisted based upon conscience.
Mordecai, the Jew, could not and would not offer worship to a human being. Nor could he pledge his loyalty to an imposter or a pretender. This was a matter of conscience for him.
Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
So, torn between conflicting nonnegotiable demands on his loyalty, without the book even mentioning God by name, Mordecai chose to reserve his loyalty for God.
This would bring a viable threat on Mordecai's life and the life of all the Jews in Persia.
Ultimately, it would lead to a divine victory and reversal, because God always wins.
Amos
8:1-12 Psalm 52, Colossians
1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42
Dear Martha
“…Martha,
Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her.” -Luke 10:41b-42
There has been
so much said about Martha, but Jesus was not criticizing her. Martha started
the criticism with her complaint that Mary was not helping with the
entertaining duties.
She was joining
the men.
She was soaking
up the presence and the words of Jesus. She was investing in things that were
intangible.
Jesus did not
invalidate Martha or her work. He observed that she was busy and frantic and
occupied with many things.
These things
could have occupied Mary as well. There is always something to occupy us, busy,
us, and worry us in this life.
The Greek word,
“chronos” is time you can measure with a clock or a calendar. “Kairos,”
however, is time that can be measured only in encounter, impact, and
significance. Mary was living the moment in kairos time. Martha was stuck in
chronos time.
Luke says it
was Martha’s house. Can we surmise that Mary was the younger sister?
When Jesus
came, she positioned herself and Jesus’ feet in what seemed to Martha to be
laziness and irresponsibility. But Jesus called it the choice of the better
way.
She did the
needful thing. She chose the better part. She invested in what she could never
lose, a kairos moment with Jesus.
“Now it came to
pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman
named Martha received him into her house.”
Martha asks
Jesus if he cares that she is bearing the burden of the household alone and he
responds with a caring invitation for her to join her sister.
Who cares if
the bread burns? Who cares if the table settings are not perfect? Who cares
about the niceties that have us in a frenzy? One thing is needful: the kairos
moment of turning and encounter.
“Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. “ — Luke 10:36–37
We all know the story. It was prompted by a question and occasioned by a teaching in response to a greater question. What we have here is the application: Go and do likewise.
One question led to another, then to a story, and then to the lesson Jesus desired to imprint upon every heart: that everyone is our neighbor and that loving our neighbor is about making a practical and active decision to do so and following through regardless of our feelings.
A legal expert who sought to trap Jesus in His own words asked Him what was necessary to inherit eternal life. He turned the question back to him and to his knowledge and interpretation of the law.
“Love God and love your neighbor” was both the answer he gave and the one that Jesus Himself gave on another occasion when asked what the greatest commandment was. Jesus commended him and told him to go and do likewise.
That wasn’t enough for the lawyer. He needed an escape clause, something that limited his liability and reduced his responsibility.
“Define neighbor,” was his retort. So, Jesus told him the story of the Good Samaritan and put him in a real bind. He made the hero of the story an outcast from the social and religious life of the Jews. He told the story in such a way as to make the answer to the question obvious.
“Who was the neighbor? Was he one of those who left the poor man stranded by the road or the Samaritan who gave of himself and his means to help him?”
The lawyer answered generically, and Jesus responded specifically, “Go and do likewise.”
Go; live like an outcast among outcasts if you must, but practice love as you go. Love is not revealed in the words we speak or the sentiments we feel, but in the actions, we take in being neighbors to our neighbors.
Go forth and live it.
Recap
SUMMARY
We focused on the themes of mercy, justice, and love, particularly in the context of Christian teachings. The discussion centered around the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing the importance of showing mercy to those in need, regardless of their background or perceived worthiness. Sims highlighted that justice and mercy are intertwined, with true justice being defined by acts of mercy and compassion. He urged participants to embody the love of God through actions towards their neighbors, stressing that living mercifully is essential for experiencing eternal life and being part of God’s kingdom. The meeting concluded with a call to practice love and mercy actively in daily life, reflecting the core Christian values of empathy and grace.
DISCUSSION
Mercy and Justice in Christian Teachings The speaker emphasizes the intertwined nature of mercy and justice, arguing that true justice involves showing mercy to the oppressed and needy. He references biblical passages, such as Psalm 82 and the story of the Good Samaritan, to illustrate that justice is not about punishment but about doing right by those deprived of fairness. The speaker stresses that mercy is not deserved but needed, and it is a fundamental aspect of Christian life.
The Good Samaritan and Neighborly Love
The speaker discusses the parable of the Good Samaritan to highlight the importance of showing mercy and love to all, regardless of their background. He explains that the Samaritan, despite being an outcast, exemplified true neighborly love by helping a stranger in need. The speaker urges listeners to emulate this behavior, emphasizing that love for God is demonstrated through love for one’s neighbor.
Practical Application of Mercy
The speaker encourages practical application of mercy in daily life, suggesting that love and mercy should be active decisions. He criticizes the lack of mercy in the world, even among Christians, and calls for compassion and empathy towards those who are suffering. The speaker highlights that showing mercy brings joy and a sense of God’s love, and it is essential for experiencing eternal life and being part of God’s kingdom.
https://linktr.ee/tomsims - with various ways to connect
Luke 10:1-20
“Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves” – Luke 10:3The costly commission to follow Jesus and to go forth as His ambassadors is so controversial as to appear adversarial. Jesus warns us to expect hostility and opposition. He does not say this to discourage us, but to encourage us. He does not intend to frighten us away, but to have us brace ourselves in the embrace of His grace and power.“Go your ways,” He says this, knowing that each of us has a path that is uniquely and wondrously ours. No two paths are exactly the same though they often intersect and frequently follow parallel courses. We may hesitate to go our ways because it is less risky to continue as we have been, sitting at the feet of Jesus in the cloistered environs of our religious retreats. But we must go. It is His commission.“I send you,”He says this and that gives us courage to go forth, knowing that we have been authorized and mandated we bear his Name and represent His kingdom. It gives us confidence and joy to know that we are not staggering through the darkness of meaningless humdrum. We have been sent.“I send you forth as lambs,” He says this with caution and affirmation. We are like baby sheep. We still need our shepherd. As we are sent from him, we develop a new relationship with him. We discover that he has come along in a new way. “Lo, I am with you always,” He assures us of this continuing companionship.“… as lambs among wolves.” This is the scary part. It is dangerous out there to the extent that we really could lose some things along the way. And if the things we can potentially lose are dearer to us than the commission, we could lose everything. However, if we have relinquished our hold on the things of earth so that they “grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace,” then we have absolutely nothing to lose. We have died, as the scriptures say, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God.Don’t be afraid of the wolves. Beware of them, but don’t let them stop you. Whatever you do, don’t miss the mission.They returned again with joy.Have you ever had this experience? Have you ever answered the call to get out of your "safe place" and move out on faith? Perhaps it was to cross the street and speak with a neighbor. Perhaps it was to help serve food to the needy or sit with an elderly person. You were apprehensive and unsure of yourself, but as you answered the call and moved out at the command of Christ, you sensed His presence with you and were exhilarated by His power flowing through you.There is an energy that is created whenever we venture forth in obedience to Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit. Once we get the taste of personal ministry, evangelism, and proclamation of the good news, we want to do it more and more. We return to the place from which we have been sent with rejoicing and enthusiasm to report all that God has done through the likes of us.If you have never ventured forth in ministry, now is the time to do so.Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven – Luke 10:20The disciples on an early Kingdom mission had not only survived hostility, but had thrived in the process. To their delight and surprise, God had come along with them and had wrought miracles of healing and deliverance. Even demons had been subjected to them and they were excited. It was at that moment that Jesus had to remind them of an important lesson. It is in our moments of intense religious exhilaration and enthusiasm that we must learn the same lesson.It is great to enjoy the frills and thrills of practical discipleship and divine manifestations, but that kind of rejoicing pales in comparison to the joy of redemption. A stirring worship service inspires us to face a week of temptations and challenges, but it is not the main impetus to our spiritual success. Inclusion in God’s purpose is the greatest cause of rejoicing of all.It is true that spirits are subject to the believer as he or she prays in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. It is a reality that when the Holy Spirit chooses to work through us, He can leave us as breathless as a roller coaster ride – and more so. All of this is true, but it is not our cause for real rejoicing.We rejoice, no matter what is happening around us, that God has inscribed our names on the rolls of Heaven. No earthly joy and no spiritual fulfillment come close to the felicitous flame that glows in the heart of a redeemed soul. In the darkest night, it burns bright and warms the heart of the child of God.It is why we rejoice now and rejoice evermore. Our names are written in heaven.
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http://linkedin.com/tomsims
“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” - Acts4:32
One of the characteristics of the new believers in the Jerusalem church was their generous hearts. They did not consider their time, possessions, or personal gifts their own. Whatever they had, they submitted to God, and it became available for the Kingdom.
The church was not an economic utopia, but a body of Christians, freely associating and freely giving themselves to God through Jesus Christ.
Our lives are more complicated today.
We have financial advisors and career paths, personal assets, and discretionary time.
Our day planners are filled with events that we must juggle to “make time” for ourselves.
We have carefully detailed maps of our futures, and we wonder where the wonder went. There was a freshness and awe in the early church that came from the loose fist. Those believers did not hold things tightly in their hands and God was able to use their flexibility and generosity.
So, God can and will use us today if we will rediscover the wonder.
“Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. “-1 Chronicles 16:32
Seas roar and its more than a metaphor
Fields rejoice and somehow find their voice.
All therein becomes our kin in the symphony of praise.
Nature sings. Each creature brings the offerings of worship. Mountains and hills shout. Volcanoes erupt. Every living thing and every inanimate object joins the mighty chorus that announces the glory of God.
Fields rejoice.
Imagine that. When the first indicators of spring erupt from the earth, they join in a dance of joy. The colors and the shapes all imitate and reflect the essential nature given to them as a tiny piece of God’s revelation of Himself through creation.
“All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world.” — Maltbie D. Babcock
Sound, color, even thought can be described in the language of frequency, cycles per unit in a period of time. That is physics and when life enters in, it is biology. But when the spirit enters in, it is life and worship.
I am no expert in the sciences and no one is an expert in the things of the spirit.
“The wind bloweth where it listeth …” — John 3:8
Jesus said it is that way with those born of the Spirit. We are not experts, but we are participants and observers. We are participants in rejoicing with the fields that are coming to life right now.
We are invited into the chorus and symphony of color, sound, and spirit.
Babcock continues:
“This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise. This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere.”
There were many things that Jesus could have said, wanted to say, and needed to say to the disciples, but it was not the right time. It was not the right time because they were not ready. They could not hear those things. They could not bear those things. They were not ready.
They would be ready later. They would be eager later. It would be the right time later. Their hearts would be prepared. Their lives would have been transformed later.
We must be ready to receive. We need a guide.
Jesus used more than one term to describe the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth. He is the Counselor, the Comforter, the Paraclete who walks beside us. He is the Spirit of the Living God. He is the wind that blows wherever it will.
Now, in this setting, he is a guide. His role is to guide Jesus’ disciples into truth. Not only is it truth where he guides, but Jesus says that it is all truth.
He transforms the hearts and minds of the disciples and prepares them to receive truth. Then he imparts truth to them. He guides. He directs. He counsels. He coaches. He illuminates. He helps them to apply that truth to their lives.
He answers questions we have never asked before.
Jesus says that he will not speak of himself. He has not come to exalt himself. He hears and he speaks. Furthermore, he shows us what is ahead of us.
The bottom line, Jesus tells the disciples, is that he glorifies God in the Son of God. He glorifies the Christ.
He does this, according to Jesus, by taking what is Jesus’, namely his words and thoughts, and revealing them to us. He shows us the things of God. He discloses God’s wonders. He unveils the riches of God’s Word. He frames God’s wisdom in a way that we can understand it and live it.
There is a partnership between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a partnership of fellowship. It is a partnership of truth. All that belongs to one is shared with the other.
When the Spirit comes, Jesus teaches, we will be ready. That is because the Holy Spirit invites us into the fellowship where we experience the Holy Trinity. In that fellowship, we are prepared, and we are ready to receive the things the Jesus wanted to teach his disciples, but they were not ready to hear.
That is the beauty and the wonder of Pentecost and Trinity Day, and it is why we celebrate.
Every day, for Jesus, was Father’s Day. It was his Father’s Day. He was Son of God and Son of Man, twenty-four hours of every day and every day of the year.
Twice, here, he refers to himself as the Son of Man, a messianic designation in its historic use. The Son of Man is one who has been anointed by the Father in Heaven for a message and a mission on earth.
Because he identifies with humanity, he is not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man. There are two declarations he makes about this role:
First, the Son of Man does not come to destroy lives. He comes to save lives. The disciples think that fire from Heaven might be appropriate for those who reject the message, but Jesus thinks and acts like his Father from whom he has received his mission and message.
He comes to save, and he is on his way to Jerusalem to do just that.
The second is that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
This, he iterated when a man professed that he would follow him anywhere and everywhere.
I am lower than a fox or a bird, he implies, because I have nowhere to sleep. All hope, salvation, and grace rested upon the life, testimony, death, and resurrection of a homeless prophet.
In these statements of intent, Jesus was observing the commandment to honor his Father to whom he taught us to pray as our Father, Dad, Abba, the perfect model for a perfect Father.
Another approaches and uses his father as an excuse to tarry, “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”
Again, Jesus affirms his Father’s will and call and “said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”
“And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
How then, did the Son of God and Son of Man honor his Father? By putting his hand to the plow and setting his face toward his destiny to do his Father’s will and proclaim his Kingdom.
Isaiah 22:22 — And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, was about to get a key and that key would unlock the door to a function that would bring men and women into the very presence of God.
The scriptures will often tell us the name of a father when identifying his son. Here, the most important of the fathers was David. The prophetic word is a blessing one who will inherit a priestly responsibility and blessing that has been passed on since the time of David.
Cults have often misappropriated this concept, but they cannot rob it of its biblical significance.
In Revelation 3:7, Jesus holds the key. It returns, through a succession of natural and spiritual fathers to its source, the One to who it belongs with all authority and power.
It is the key of the covenant of God with His people.
God appointed Abram, changed his name to Abraham, and made him the father of many nations including a priestly nation. With that inheritance, the people of God have privileges and responsibilities to share the truth and love of God with all people.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the many sons of Jacob, and their descendants received a tradition and a stewardship. God’s call upon David was a preview of a Messianic Kingdom.
Papa Hilkiah, whose name means “my portion is Yah” (for Yahweh — God’s personal name) was a priest at during the days of King Josiah During his priesthood, he found a lost copy of the Book of the Law at the Temple in Jerusalem.
It can be supposed that his preaching influenced Josiah and a time of revival and renewal. It is a great heritage for a father to pass on to a son. What a profoundly significant key!
What sort of keys are you, fathers, placing in the hands of your sons and daughters that God can use to bring men and women face to face with Himself?
It is an awesome responsibility.
It is an awesome privilege and joy.
It is awesome to think of those who have preceded us and done this so well.
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” — Psalm 20:4
Did you receive a blessing from your father as a child or a young adult? Have you used your role as a father figure to bless a younger person? Have you ever wondered what sort of blessing you might like to receive or that you could give? Psalm 20:4 lays out a strong suggestion.
As astounding as it may sound, God, our Heavenly Father, desires to give us our desires, but only after He has transformed those desires and brought them into sync with His own. He wants our plans to succeed, especially when His Spirit has planted those plans in our hearts. The progression of the blessing is the prerequisite experience of the blanket prayer.
First there is distress, then divine deliverance and protection, followed by help, support, sacrifice, and offering. The transforming power of these events paves the way for success.
Psalm 20:5 says, “We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.”
There have been many along the way that have cheered you on to spiritual success and growth. The have applauded God at your salvation, baptism, and first steps in discipleship.
They have encouraged you and embraced you along your pilgrimage. It is your turn to do this for another. You are called to be an encourager or a mentor or even a cheerleader.
You have the capacity to invest your life and prayers in someone other than yourself and to take great joy in his or her progress. Don’t let the opportunity slip away.
Psalm 20:6 says, “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.”
It is a serendipitous moment when we realize within ourselves that God does indeed save those upon whom His purposes rest. Jesus Christ is God’s anointed and all who are found in Him are heirs of God’s purposes, promises, and privileges. We suddenly discover that we can reinterpret every event in our lives in the newly discerned light of God’s eternal program in which we are included.
Live each day in the light of His promises and in the confidence of your secure position in His eternal family and take each opportunity God gives you to bless a young man or a young woman who is discovering his or her path in life.
(He) set his face to go to Jerusalem,” — Luke 9:51
Every day, for Jesus, was Father’s Day. It was his Father’s Day. He was Son of God and Son of Man, twenty-four hours of every day and every day of the year.
Twice, here, he refers to himself as the Son of Man, a messianic designation in its historic use. The Son of Man is one who has been anointed by the Father in Heaven for a message and a mission on earth.
Because he identifies with humanity, he is not only the Son of God, but the Son of Man. There are two declarations he makes about this role:
First, the Son of Man does not come to destroy lives. He comes to save lives. The disciples think that fire from Heaven might be appropriate for those who reject the message, but Jesus thinks and acts like his Father from whom he has received his mission and message.
He comes to save, and he is on his way to Jerusalem to do just that.
The second is that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.
This, he iterated when a man professed that he would follow him anywhere and everywhere.
I am lower than a fox or a bird, he implies, because I have nowhere to sleep. All hope, salvation, and grace rested upon the life, testimony, death, and resurrection of a homeless prophet.
In these statements of intent, Jesus was observing the commandment to honor his Father to whom he taught us to pray as our Father, Dad, Abba, the perfect model for a perfect Father.
Another approaches and uses his father as an excuse to tarry, “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”
Again, Jesus affirms his Father’s will and call and “said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”
“And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
How then, did the Son of God and Son of Man honor his Father? By putting his hand to the plow and setting his face toward his destiny to do his Father’s will and proclaim his Kingdom.
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.“ -Luke 12:32
After warning the listeners about losing everything by seeking to gain riches at all costs, Jesus speaks these words, Fear not.”
Fear not because your Father loves to give and wants to give you his entire Kingdom.
He gives this advice: Divest.
“Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
As we view a retrospective of the early church, we find that there were many who took this quite literally and threw off the shackles of possessions to follow Jesus.
Others took it more symbolically and dedicated all their possessions to God and lived as if God were the owner of all they had once considered their own.
In both cases, there was a conversion of their thinking about how they viewed wealth and ownership.
He taught his disciples to travel light when he said,
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”
Be ready to respond and ready to move quickly, not overloaded with stuff that ties you down.
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching…”
Things can happen quickly when we live, move, and breathe in the realm of the Spirit.
We need to be ready. To be ready, we must be unencumbered.
We lose nothing by giving it all to God and to others. It is a lesson I learned early in life from a godly grandmother. She told me two things:
You cannot outgive God and you only save, in this life, what you give away.
God’s desire is to give you far more than you could ever wish for, hope for, or accumulate on your own. It is God’s good pleasure to give you the entire Kingdom. Nothing can compete with that. Fear not, little flock!
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
