Missions Paul

Why the sycamore-fig tree?
Luke 19
Zacchaeus climbed a tree which had dense foliage, perfect for hiding from people and from Jesus.
But Jesus knows all the hiding places.

Zacchaeus had a perfect view to see who Jesus was. They had never met.
But Jesus already knew his name.

The sycamore tree has low lying branches perfect for children to climb. The wealthy chief tax collector became a child.
But Jesus particularly transforms adults with a child-like curiosity.

At this moment, as you read this …
He knows where you are.
He knows who you are.
Approach Him as a child.

You still lack one thing.

Luke 18
The rich ruler lacked one thing.
Only one thing?!
He was very good at doing things. He was near perfect when it came to the commandments. There was no lack in his duty.
He had accumulated great wealth. There was no lack there.
But he lacked one thing, there was no lack in his life.
What must I do to inherit eternal life?
It’s not your doing.
It’s not what you have.
It’s about what you don’t have.
There is no space. No lack. No need for God.
The enemy of our soul will tempt us to fill the void in our lives. To fill any emptiness. To search for satisfaction. To want more. To reach for and try and become someone who has it all.
The enemy of your soul doesn’t want you empty.
God wants you with lack.
For when there is lack there is faith for Him.
So today if you wake and there is pain, or there is unanswered prayer and so on, thank God that this lack in your life is being used for you to lean on God.

It’s obvious
Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather, so says Jesus at the end of Luke 17.
It’s obvious. What’s obvious?
As a boy the verses before this haunted me. Two men walking in a field, one taken and one will be left etc. The rapture. The gathering of Christians by Christ at the end of time. Frightening for a boy not because it looks so sci-fi, but because the boy may be left behind!
Films, songs, books, preachers, everyone seemed to be talking about it. One day I came home and there was no one there. I totally believed the rapture had happened. Both parents were gone, that was obvious. My brother was gone,that was also very obvious to me. But also the dog! Now that was something I hadn’t heard before. Half an hour passed by as I formed a plan for living on this earth on my own and then everyone walked in!
The disciples asked Jesus where these people would be taken to. And then Jesus gave the parable like answer about a dead body and vultures. He was saying I’m not going to tell you because it is so obvious.
With Jesus.
In heaven.
Forever.
And we get to go including me.

Rich and poor
Luke 16
There was a rich man
And there were men who were in debt, v1-5.
There was a rich man
And there was a beggar, v19-20.
They have always lived side by side.
The rich and the poor.
The rich who have little interaction with the poor on earth will have regrets later, v22-24.
But those who help the poor even if it’s for their own gain are to be commended, v8
Don’t forget the poor.
Don’t let the love of money blind you, v14.

Why did He run?

Luke 15

Why did the Father run?
Was it because He loved the son? Was it because He was so excited he was coming home?
Both those things but more.
The son had not only shamed his father. He had shamed the community.
The community held to the belief that children honoured their parents. It is the 5th commandment. In the Torah the curses and blessings are clearly emphasised for the disobedience and obedience of the children to their parents. At the time of Christ stoning was still being used for shameful sins. This kind of community policing is not just in the Jewish culture.
Even today in some tribal areas of Africa, community leaders will excommunicate a shameful person from their village announcing that the sinner never to be allowed to come back home.

While he was still long way off, the father ran …
Quick! Bring me the best robe …

Now why did the father run? Why was he in such a hurry to make his son look like his son again? He got to His son before the community leaders did!
There will always be a community that want to pass judgment on those who have sinned.
We need more fathers.

To impact the lowest you need to reach the highest.
Luke 14
Jesus didn’t solely focus on the poor and the helpless. To change the culture then the changers, the leaders, the rulers have to be changed.
We need the body of Christ there in the high places, in the homes of the movers and shakers.

1. Who is higher in authority to you that needs the Gospel? Maybe you should try and get a meal with them? v1

2. Remember wherever you go, whatever you do, people are watching. The words you use, the actions you take, it’s all being monitored. v1

3. Though you may be on a higher level for a moment always be prepared to stoop down to those who suffer. v2

4. Be prepared to break protocol. If reaching the sufferer offends culture then so be it. v3

5. Seek permission to offend. It shows that you care if the easily offended do get offended. If permission is not forthcoming and the sufferer is waiting then go with the sufferer. v3

Everything

Luke 13
So many have nearly given everything, they nearly entered the victory place of total devotion but stopped short of everything.
John Huss, before being burned at the stake in the 16th century wrote whilst imprisoned:
“Without You I cannot do anything and especially, for Your sake I cannot go to a cruel death. Grant me a ready spirit, a fearless heart, a right faith, a firm hope, and a perfect love, that for your sake I may lay down my life with patience and joy.”

Jesus gave everything.
1. Performance religion will never lead to everything, v31 “some Pharisees came to Jesus …”
There are never enough works.

2. Leaving early stops short of everything, v31 “leave this place …”
There are more so-called prophetic words from God on leaving than on going forward, overcoming the problem, carrying out destiny. It needs to stop.

3. The fear of losing opposes the giving of everything, v31 “Herod wants to kill you …”
When a person is committed to the cause of giving everything then the suggestion that the person will lose something or if not everything us not a fear but an encouragement.

4. Prior to everything is persistence, v32,33 “I will keep going”
Can you stand firm in the valleys of the shadow of death as well as the green pastures?

5. His everything was everything, v33 He came to die.
Everything is saying goodbye to our plans.
The cross is death not beauty.

Will you give everything?

Right on time.
Luke 12:12
Now this is an easy verse to memorise. 12:12
The Holy Spirit is right on time.
There’s no need worrying beforehand how you will respond to the pressures of tomorrow.
You don’t know now, but you will be taught it later.
He is right on time.

In a certain place
Luke 11:1
It was in a certain place. No more is known than that.
Maybe no one knew where it was. Yes it had a name but he held it back from everyone. It was just a certain place.
Where was this secret place? No one knew or if they did they weren’t saying.
A certain place, maybe not a special one. Just a place. Life in the ordinary. Not the spectacular. Just a certain place.
Do we have a certain place?
Maybe you are in it now. A chair, a room, a scenic view. Some of these are special to others, all are special to us. It is our certain place.
Maybe we also know the certain place of being. We have reached that place of maturity. Reaching a certain place in our lives. We are all on a spiritual journey.
It’s a certain place.
A place where we pray.

Half-dead means you’re still alive.
Luke 10:25-37
Of the many wonderful things of this story of the Good Samaritan is the fact that though the man was robbed, stripped naked and very badly beaten up, he was half-dead. Isn’t this great?!
We need to find more encouragement in the fact that we are still alive.
Okay you may be struggling, you may not be happy at work, at home. Maybe every part of your life is not what you would have wanted it to have become. But you are still alive.
Maybe the marriage is bad and nearly finished. Maybe financially you are going under. Maybe your past is better than your future.
But you are still alive.
Let us focus on what is still there not what we have lost.
God knows where you are v33
There is power in the oil and the wine v34
There is provision to carry you into your next season, v34
You will have a next day, it will come to pass, v35
The mercy of God often comes from strangers, v37