Category: Devotions

The argument isn’t worth it.

Luke 14: 31-33 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

To the Jew, it was Rome. That was for sure. That was the enemy they wanted to fight and Rome was ready. But they certainly didn’t know the full might of Rome and Jesus’ warning to them ahead of their destruction in AD70 is poignant, just like Herod’s construction project.

If only we knew the plans and the battles that are in our mind that distract us from being a true disciple of Jesus.

Most days I am walking into someone’s battle. It is usually not with an enemy as such though they have made it so. It is with another Christian, maybe an authoritative figure or just a fellow member of their Church. Often they haven’t counted the cost of their argument. They haven’t considered what they would lose, the damage they would cause to themselves and to others. They neither ask for peace and they never get on to the cross. The one word I never seem to hear is the one word everyone is fighting for, ‘sorry’.

I said to one person who was in a fight with their Pastor, “Do you not realise the damage this is causing you? Even before we think of the people in the Church. If you carry on like this then you will die a sad, old, bitter person with bad memories.”

The person said they had sent a card telling the Pastor they had forgiven him.

I told the person to go and get onto the cross: to apologise to the Pastor and ask for forgiveness.

“But I have done nothing wrong,” the member objected.

I replied, “Neither had Jesus. Sinless Jesus died a sinner’s death for you, so be a disciple and follow him.”

The member had not considered this before.

So my advice is today if you have woken up angry:

Consider the battle you want to have.

Is it worth it?

You may think you can win but what will you lose by winning?

Make peace.

Give up.

Follow Jesus.

The battle is to be a disciple.

He finished

Luke 14:28-30

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

 

There’s only one who was able to finish.

He counted the cost. He completed the task.

Jesus.

In Haggai’s time the Temple had laid unfinished for 15-16 years because the people had said, “The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house” (Haggai 1:2).

Only Jesus was able to finish on time.

Herod completed the temple in 19-20 AD, it was destroyed by the army of Titus in 70AD and has never been rebuilt since.

Only Jesus was able to finish and remain complete for all time.

There is a Temple Movement who since 1987 have been working towards a third Temple rebuild believing that it will herald the world’s redemption. It is slow progress!

Only Jesus was able to finish and bring redemption.

We also look unfinished but, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6). He finished and he will bring us to the finish also!

The weight of the cross

Luke 14: 27 “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

We have to carry our cross with us because we never know when we will be asked to get on it.

This week a church planters 12 year old boy in Cameroon was set upon by some youths. He was told to deny Christ which he refused to do. The mob so viciously attacked him that he died. He didn’t know that day would be his last day of his short life on this life, but he left his house carrying his cross.

I wonder what decisions or reactions we would make today if we felt the weight of the cross on our shoulders.

Empty the crowds

Luke 14: 25-26 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”

At first reading this of course sounds harsh!

However, Jesus is actually quoting from the prophet Micah, 7:5-6:

“Do not trust a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips. For a son dishonours his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.”

The Jewish thought was that prior to the Messiah coming there would be family discord. This would come about by an attack from an outside enemy resulting in the very essence of society, the family, breaking down. Therefore, Jesus is simply announcing his Messiahship.

Jesus is not saying we must hate. However, he is saying that his presence means that the very fabric of society (the family) will fall apart when the Messiah comes. Relatives will be divided because some will break free from sinful family customs.

There are tremendous and powerful loyalties within family. However, Jesus commands even a higher price of loyalty to him.

The crowds will soon dissipate with such news.

 

So who gets to sit at the table?

Luke 14: 16-24

“Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.  I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

 

Look who gets to sit at the upside down banquet table!

The poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, the misfits, the homeless, the hurting and the lonely. That’s who is around the table of the Lord!

Where are the normal ones? Where are the organised ones? Where are the ones who have been blessed with land? Where are the ones blessed with cows? Where are the ones blessed with marriages? The so-called blessed ones are not here. They are too busy enjoying their so-called blessings. They could not make it this time. They hope to get to the next dinner. But they don’t realise there is only one banqueting table.

The distracted don’t sit at the table.

The rejecters of the Messiah don’t sit at the table.

Those with no need don’t sit at the table.

The table is for the desperate.

The table is for those who have nowhere else to go.

The table is for those who have been brought in to the banqueting hall.

The table is for us.

He brought me in and continues to do so.

US: Turn the table upside down

Luke 14: 15-16 “When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests …”

 

In v7 Jesus ‘noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table’ and so he told them a parable of humility and exaltation. It brought unease, disquiet and offence especially to the host of the meal. In the awkward short silence a man sitting with Jesus speaks to try and bring unity perhaps.

The Jews believed in the great Messianic banquet. The long awaited Messiah would come just like Moses the Redeemer feeding Israel with manna from heaven. But of course, the Messiah would be greater than Moses and the meal would also be greater than manna.

Now who would be at that heavenly table? Well certainly everyone sitting around the table with Jesus including this man who announces, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.’ They truly believed they would make it to the table. The man was quick to see the analogy of their table and the table to come. He was quick because it was steeped in their understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Not only did they know they would make it they knew who would not make it.

Their table was a certain way up, their way up, with them all sitting around it.

Like a flash, Jesus responded. He turned their table upside down and it created the question of whether or not they would actually be anywhere near the table.

When our tables are set and the chairs are arranged and we know which is our favourite seat; when we have ordered our lives in a certain way that highlights us and when we totally believe the future is even brighter for us; when life is only about us because it is only us that have pleased God enough; when we know more importantly who will not be sitting with us; when us overpowers ‘them’; perhaps we need to take a step back and ask ourselves if the table is the right way up? Turning it upside down and making life not about us at all is maybe how the table should lay?

 

 

 

Think less of you

Luke 14: 7-14 “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests. ¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

¹² Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 

There is always someone more important than you, you are not the top, v8

If you are so self-absorbed wanting to be the top and receive the best and most, if you are grabbing at every opportunity for your own selfish gain, you will lose it all and end up less than the least. You will not move down a seat. No. It seems no one else is moving down the line, they are all staying in the same seat. It is you who has to walk down to the bottom of the table and take the least important place, v9.

There are always positions that you can move into that looks like it is not a successful choice, it may look beneath you, that you may be over qualified for that place. Choose such a place because you will always rise from that position, v10.

There is always the temptation to have nice people around your life, people who will give to you, people that you will use for your own ends, v12

Not many invite people into their life for simply the work of grace towards them, v13-14

Selfish exaltation leads to public humiliation.

Open demonstrations of humility lead to public exaltation.

How you treat people and how you view yourself has eternal consequence,v14.

Think less of you.

Love triumphs

Luke 14: 1-6 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?’ But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?’ And they had nothing to say.

Jesus is back in the home of a Pharisee having dinner. He seems to be always invited out for a meal. The majority of the time people are watching him carefully in order to trip him up in some way with his teaching and responses.

The imagery of a child falling in a well is shocking, of course, we must stop everything and immediately lift the child out.

Similarly with an animal that is someone’s livelihood or a family’s future. We must not let it drown.

So when this man who has abnormal swelling of his body stands in front of Jesus then again there cannot be any delay. This man is in a crisis, perhaps his organs were shutting down. Something is wrong right there and it is getting worse. This man could die and he is standing with desperate hope of help.

But it is the Sabbath.

Jesus has healed on many Sabbaths and this will be his last one. They hated him for doing this kind of work on their Sabbath. It was their Sabbath (even though it belongs to the Lord) and they told others what they could or not do on it. However, they would themselves often have lavish dinners on the Sabbath and these would have entertainment. These parties on the Sabbath were acceptable but healing on that day that was appalling! Jesus was attending such a party. He bridges the gap between hypocrisy and the suffering.

Love is not work.

Love is not doing something for a return.

Love helps others.

Love cares for the suffering.

Love is every day of our life.

Love triumphs over religious hypocrisy.

 

 

The fox, the hen and the chicks

Luke 13: 31-35

At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’  In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.^]”

 

A Jewish fox tale:

A fox was once walking alongside a river and he saw fish swarming from place to place. He said to them, “What are you fleeing from?” “From the nets that humans cast for us,” they answered. The fox said to them, “Wouldn’t you like to come up on the dry land? We could live together, you and I, just like our forefathers.” They answered, “You’re the one they call the cleverest of animals? You aren’t clever. You’re a fool. If we are afraid in our own element, how much more out of our element [literally, in our place of death]!”

The Jewish understanding of the fox:

A certain scholar, thought at first to be brilliant, was by all outward signs inept, and it was remarked about him, “The lion you mentioned turns out to be a fox.”

Jesus calls Herod a fox:

We can imagine those listening and Luke smiling as he writes, “Go tell that fox ..” Jesus was saying Herod was a fool. He thinks he is a lion and that he can kill me but he is only a fox. He is not what he appears to be.

THE ENEMY OF OUR SOUL IS NOT WHAT HE APPEARS TO BE WHETHER IN HIS ATTACK OF FEAR ON US OR HIS TEMPTATION OFFERING US THE WORLD. HE IS NOT WHAT HE SEEMS. SO GO TELL THAT FOX.

A commandment for the hen and the chicks:

Deuteronomy 22:6-7 “If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.”

Jesus’ uses the analogy:

Jesus is the mother bird, the hen, being driven away from the chicks and the nest, but is refusing to do so. Jesus remains but it is the chicks who are fleeing the nest.

THE ENEMY OF OUR SOUL IS CONTINUALLY TRYING TO DISTANCE US FROM JESUS. HE COULD NOT TEMPT JESUS FROM HIS MISSION SO HE CONTINUES WITH US EITHER THROUGH TEMPTATION OR PRESSURE TO RUN FROM JESUS. THERE IS ONE SAFE PLACE AND THAT IS WITH JESUS WHO LONGS TO GATHER US TO HIM. RUN TO HIM TODAY.

The alarming end time message.

Luke 13: 22-30

22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them,

24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

 

What Jesus says should be alarming for some.

a. For the generation of that time. The ones who lived amongst Jesus, v26. Jesus is the last and only Messiah. No one else was following him to save them. Let’s pray for those who continue to follow false Messiahs.

b. For those who may wonder if Jesus is the Messiah but are delaying their commitment. There is an end coming for the opportunity to respond, better to do it now before your life ends and the chance is gone, v24. The doorway into heaven is found in earth and the door is Jesus. Let’s pray for those on the fence who are nearly there, they believe perhaps but they have not committed themselves to Jesus.

c. For those who despise the Gentiles, v29-30. The people of this world who have been the cruel enemies of the Jewish people will (even though Israel was chosen first) find themselves in the kingdom, undeservedly perhaps but full of the grace of God as they trust in Jesus. Let us pray for even those who we think will never change their life believing for the power of the gospel which still changes lives today.

d. For those who followed the patriarchs faithfully and who heard the prophets speak of the Messiah to come but have not even today recognised His coming, v28. It will be too late. Let’s pray for the Jews across the world today.

e. But not for all. Jesus doesn’t answer the question of how many get into heaven, v23. But he does encourage that we get there. I used to panic as a child wondering if Jesus would know me, v27. I have come to discover the door is still open and He continues to invite me into His existence and the more I go there I have found the assurance of the narrow door. Let’s thank God for Jesus and for our assurance of eternal life.