Submitted by Glen Ashworth on 3 September 2010 - 12:49pm
In today's gospel reading Jesus speaks to the crowd following him, wanting them to consider what it means to truly follow him. They are told that if they do not hate their family members and even their own lives then they cannot be Jesus' disciples. And we are confronted with the same situation - in the choices we face between doing what our family wants or doing what Jesus requires, to truly 'follow' Jesus means to do what he requires every time. If we base our choices on anything else, Jesus is saying that we cannot be his disciples. Even when it comes to choices over our very lives. This is big call and one we must consider when we say we want to follow Jesus. It involves cost and we will continue to struggle throughout our whole lives to do this amidst the choices we face everyday, but nonetheless it remains the basic call of Jesus - "follow me" (Luke 9:59).
Submitted by Max Scott on 27 August 2010 - 10:02am
The dinner table was often the venue for Jesus's teaching. It was over the dinner table that Jesus established the new covenant (Lk 22:14-23). The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us "not to neglect to show hospitality to strangers." (Heb 13:2) Today's Gospel reading is about Jesus going to dinner at the house of a Pharisee (Lk 14:1). Jesus tells his host not to invite his rich friends, but to invite those who are unable to repay his hospitality (Lk 14:12-14). Our Tuesday nights are, in a small way, a response to this command. Sharing a meal with others is a great way to get to know people and for them to get to know us. One of the difficulties of courses like Alpha is what happens to people when the course is over. Getting to know the people of the church over a meal will help to bring them to worship on Sundays. The Tuesday meal is a mission event and should be a priority for all.
Submitted by Glen Ashworth on 20 August 2010 - 11:52am
The Hebrews reading this Sunday depicts the giving of the first covenant to the Jews at Mt Sinai. This was a terrifying event as the mountain is covered in smoke and fire. Moses alone is allowed up the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments and if even an animal so much as touches the mountain, it must be stoned. Moses himself was trembling with fear. This is then contrasted with the new covenant that Jesus mediates where we all have access to God himself in the heavenly city. The writer of Hebrews is making the point that if the Israelites did not escape when they refused God in the wilderness while receiving only the shadow of the things to come, then how much less will we escape punishment when facing the reality. We are living in the time of fulfillment, when the shadow is passing away and the reality is coming. Therefore we must not refuse him who speaks and worship God 'acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."' Hebrews 12:28-29
Submitted by Glen Ashworth on 13 August 2010 - 12:02pm
The theme of faith continues as the writer of Hebrews states time is against him for mentioning many others who accomplished a variety of feats through faith. The only element that ties these accomplishments together is faith, for the writer lists events both of success and of suffering. The point the writer makes is that though these people were commended for their faith, they did not receive what was promised. That was to come. And so it is for us as we are told to run the race with perseverance, exercising faith in an existence where the fulfillment of hope is prolonged and ‘not yet’. We set our eyes on Jesus, the one who is our ultimate model for faith and the embodiment of all that God has promised.
Submitted by Glen Ashworth on 6 August 2010 - 10:28am
This week's gospel reading follows on from last week's where Jesus tells a
parable about a rich fool who saw his life only in terms of his possessions.
He then turns to his disciples and tells them they are not to worry about
what they will eat and drink. Their focus is to be on seeking God's kingdom,
which they are to receive (Luke 12:32). They are to live their lives, to make
their decisions, based on God's kingdom and not based on the needs of this
life. God is aware of what we need and is able to provide more adequately for
us than we can ourselves. But more than this, we are called to live in his
service, ready for when he returns because our hope is in "...a better
country, that is, a heavenly one" (Heb 11:16) of which we are citizens now.
Are we making our decisions based on this or on other concerns?
Glen
Submitted by Glen Ashworth on 30 July 2010 - 10:48am
We heard last Sunday that 'as you...have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him.' (Col 2:6-7). We are to continue to live our lives in Christ because he is our life - we have died, and our life is now hidden with him. Although we may not see the fullness of this now, we are told to put to death those things that are earthly and to clothe ourselves with the new self. Take a look at that list of earthly behaviours in Col 3:5-8. Ask God to show you how to put them to death as you are tempted to act in any of these ways. At the same time ask God to clothe you with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Col 3:12-17). These are the things that are above, that are of Christ who is our life.
Glen
We repeat the Lord's Prayer Sunday by Sunday. Sometimes its familiarity stops us considering the significance of this gift of Jesus to his disciples. In Luke's Gospel, the prayer is short and to the point. This is in line with Jesus's instruction (in Matthew's Gospel) not to heap up many words (Mat 6:7-8). Here Jesus teaches his disciples to address God as "Father". This address is more formal than Jesus's personal address of God as "Abba". It reminds us that we can presume on our familiarity with God, particularly as the first request in this prayer is that God's person and his authority be respected. When we have acknowledged who God is, then we can make our requests. The good news of the gospel is that this God, who is to be respected above all else, chooses to allow his fullness to dwell in us through faith in Christ (Col 2:9-10).
Perhaps those words of Jesus to Martha, "you are worried and distracted by many things," (Lk 10:41) is an accurate description of much of modern human life. We have more things to distract us than ever before. A couple of minutes ago I was looking at the video pictures from the rovs sealing the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico; fascinating, but distracting me from preparing this blog. Being distracted makes it difficult to focus on the one thing that is important, our relationship with Jesus. In this one thing is our eternal welfare. Yet, like ants around a drop of ant poison, we busy ourselves with things that look like they might give life, but in the end lead to death.
