Missions Paul

Jesus was here before it all began. He has no beginning, He is outside of time. Before all time there was the Word. He is pre-existent before anything was existent.
In 500 BC the Greeks believed the abiding principle was to be found in one word, ‘Word’, the translation from Logos. Later the Stoics talks of the Logos as the world soul. At the time of Jesus, Philo developed this further by saying it is God’s firstborn son (but still an idea) and implying pre-existence.
John knew this when he wrote the gospel: John 1. But John also knew the Jewish thought:
The Torah was created before the foundation of the world.
God created through the firstborn and the firstborn was the Torah.
To the Greek, John says this principle you hold to is actually a personal being and has become human.
To the Jew, John says your thought of pre-existent logos is correct but there is more. This logos has personal attributes and He has been here and I have seen Him.
Jesus the Word walks into the beginning.
He is logos, the true meaning of life.
Because of this He will be there at the end. When the end ends He will still be there. He has no end.
There have been no accidents in your life. You might not know why some things have happened but He knows.
The promise is that not only is Jesus the meaning of life, not only is Jesus, God, but he is outside of time and because of this He is already in your tomorrow.
This is an enormous comfort. You will never be alone. You will never have to wait on Him to catch you up. He is not following after you. He is there.

What leaders need to know about leaving.

Luke 24:50-53
You need to know where to leave as much as when to leave, v50
Bethany was the home village of Martha, Mary and Lazarus and he and the disciples would often go to their home.
Bethany was the place where Lazarus was raised from the dead.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey from Bethany; a journey of victory.
He brings the disciples again to Bethany. A familiar place, but a place of miracles and of purpose. It is here that Jesus realises He must leave them.
Your where is as important as your when.

You need to know how to bless and leave at the same time, v51
Though everyone of them had failed him and some quite badly. Though all of them needed instruction on the cost of true discipleship which they had failed to pay at the cross.
Not many leave without lifting their hand against one another.
You need to leave during the blessing not the desertion.

You need to know that leaving is actually not about what is behind but what is ahead, v51 Jesus was taken up into heaven. When God steps in to take He leaves a worshipping community, great joy and a church praising God.

Everyone can play a part
Luke 23:26
When you are being led out God will always have someone coming in.

Even in your worst hour you can always lead people.

Simon was forced to carry the cross, it made him unclean and unable to participate in the Passover that he would have travelled weeks to come to the city for. He carried the cross to Calvary and how he walked away from that experience is unsure. On his return home he would say that he didn’t make it to the Passover but did he say that he actually carried the cross for the Passover lamb? I hope so.

Judas
Luke 22
Judas was part of the original discipleship team who spent 3 years with Jesus. It’s not how you start out that counts.

Judas had a political agenda and was probably disappointed in Jesus who didn’t become or do what he wanted, v2
The will always be people who share your same disappointment in God. Be careful of them.

Judas was available to the wrong person, v3
If the door is open it isn’t theft (U2 Cedarwood Road)

Judas had to journey to his betrayal, he discussed the topic and worked through a plan, v4
Betrayal is rarely impulsive.

Judas was able to please people, v5
Unity isn’t always the sign that all is good.

Judas handed Jesus over but actually Jesus had to be sacrificed, v7
The worst act can be sitting in the hand of God.

Christians deceived.
Reports of wars and civil disorder.
Nation fighting nation.
Natural disasters.
Christians seized, persecuted and imprisoned.
Betrayal.
Hate.
Fleeing to mountains.
Betrayal.
Jerusalem surrounded.
Family break-ups.
Luke 21

What year is this?
It is now.

I’m looking at you.
Luke 20
The parable of the tenants resulted in Jesus being under threat like never before because it was such a targeted story.
The vineyard is always Israel, everyone knew this. But this time Israel is not avenged with a happy victorious ending. The vineyard is removed from them.
May this never be! This was the cry of the people.
But Jesus was not looking at the people. He was looking at the leaders.
The leaders had become the enemies of the owner, of God.
They would no longer lead, the mission would be given to others.
True mission is to bear the image of God. To demonstrate His nature and character. To love. To reach others. To have compassion. To stand for justice.
This is the fruit that the owner looks for.
A failed Israel will have to embrace the Gentiles as God’s people.
God has a people and He has a mission for this vineyard, it is to bear fruit.
There will be people who accept this mission as a capstone, the cornerstone of their life, the foundation to how they live.
There will be people who trip over this mission and are hurt. But what is broken is their selfish living.
There will be people who will be crushed by this mission. They will be taken out not because they fulfilled mission but because they didn’t do it.
The mission is the stone, the stone is Jesus and we are called to represent Jesus in our life to those who do not know him. That is called fruit.
I’m looking at you.

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.