I liked the introduction: “Every time we refuse to stand up to issues and confront them we weaken our character.” Our faith in Jesus – is a faith of action – love without action, is dead.
Selwyn’s conclusion, is an echo of the introduction – “Many Christians can lose their way because of lack of courage. They lie down before everything instead of standing up for something. All is not lost while we have courage. Christ is ready to give you all you need.”
What’s your view on today’s topic?
Selwyn now moves onto the next quality of Our Lord – His courage.
He uses, as an example of Jesus’ courage, the cleansing of the Temple. Here in John 2:13-16 (New Living Translation), we read a description of Jesus’ actions: ‘It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money.
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” ‘
In today’s study, Selwyn goes on to describe the difference between righteous anger and unrighteous anger. He says: “Righteous anger arises from grief at what is (wrongly) happening to another; unrighteous anger arises from a grudge at what is happening to oneself. I don’t know about you, but I feel righteously angry at some things that are happening in parts of the Church today – such as the ordination to the ministry of practising homosexuals, the performance of civil partnership ceremonies (in a Church) for people of the same sex and the presentation of discourses based on mere personal opinion and focus group ideas rather than the Word of God.”
Selwyn concludes with an important clarification: “Let us be clear, I am not advocating a harsh lovelessness towards those involved in any of the situations mentioned in the previous paragraph. I am simply saying that we should be like Jesus and not compromise on clear moral and spiritual issues.”
Yet, sometimes in an effort not to offend anyone, we often say nothing when we should be reminding people of the clear messages contain in Scripture: to say nothing – is actually a form of hatred. That is, we care so little about these people that we don’t warn them about the possible consequences of their actions – actions that may ‘leave’ them in a place, of eternal punishment. Do you agree?
Selwyn talks about the story of Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10 (New Living Translation):“Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
In these verses we see something quite remarkable, Jesus can see into everyone’s heart – there was something deep in Zacchaeus that caused him to run ahead of the crowd, and to act like a child - as he climbs a tree to catch sight of Jesus. Kids climb trees not usually wealthy men – that sort of activity is normally beneath them.
Jesus looks up, and calls him by name – then commands him to come down out of the tree, and to take Him as a guest, to his home – without delay. Jesus, the shepherd finds a lost sheep and leads him home.
In the same way, Jesus looks at us and calls us by name – if we are one of His flock – we will respond to His call – without delay. There is a sense of urgency – we must quickly respond, there is nothing more important that could cause us to put off our response to His call – if there is, then we don’t belong to Him.
As Selwyn implies in today’s study, it was as if, Zacchaeus looked into Jesus eyes and saw the man, he was meant to be.
Selwyn’s conclusion reflects this observation: “If only we could see others as Christ sees them. What a difference it would make to all our relationships. Who can we look to for help in this? None other than our Lord. ‘Follow me”, He says to you once again, ‘Be my apprentice and I will help you see others through My eyes … to see people not as they are but as they can be’.”
Jesus could see in Zacchaeus that he was a true son of Abraham, where as others only saw him as a tax collector, a notorious sinner. In the same way, we should treat everyone as sons and daughters of Abraham, that is, to love them as brothers and sisters and not to let their ’public’ reputations become a barrier or get in the way of our unconditional love. Do you agree?
The verses, selected by Selwyn for reading and meditation; contain a snap-shot of the Good News, the Gospel, as handed down to us, (just glace at the bits I’ve highlighted – they are simply fantastic).
Paul’s letter to the followers of Jesus, in Ephesus (1:3-14, New Living Translation): “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you.
And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.”
I find it hard to understand, why some people can read the words above and not be filled with tremendous – joy and a sure hope - to be found in God’s guarantee. Yes, I know about spiritual blindness, but it still amazes me that for some people these words above, have no meaning – no application to their own lives.
I also liked Selwyn’s introduction to today’s study: “Have you ever asked yourself: Who is the real me? The real you is the one only God can make you. You were not made to grovel or wallow in sin, or struggle with relationships. God made you for Himself, to fill you with His love, and then for you to share that love with others.
Every time I go to the zoo I feel saddened by the sight of eagles, made for the skies but confined to a cage. Yet so many of us are like that.”
The saddest thing for us, is that many are like eagles in a cage, but unlike those at the zoo, the door of our cage is open. The truth is, by our actions we maintain the cage, that holds us down – and we are too blind to see, the opened door! Do you agree?
I guess a lot could be written about today, but it’s all summarised in just a few words. Jesus before His death said to Mary, sister of Lazarus, these words (John 11:25, NIV): ‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ‘
A couple of thousand years later (because God is so patient) - the question is just as real for you, as it was then – ‘Do you believe this?’
What’s your answer?
I really like the verses, which are used by Selwyn in today’s study. Selwyn concludes, with this thought: “Our Lord talked to Peter, James and John about fishing for men when they were looking at boats overloaded with fish. Jesus is the most positive Person in the universe and deals with us in the most positive way.”
Looked at in another way, God deals with us – in the most perfect way, He loves us and cares for us – He is our shepherd who guides us safely home, He knows us and we, who are His sheep, know His voice - in Him, we can trust. We know we can trust Him because He has laid down His life for us.
Luke 5:1-11 (NIV): “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret (Galilee) with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon (Peter), and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”
There are a few great things that stand out in these verses – Peter, recognised that there was something special about Jesus – he fell at Jesus’ knees – he saw that there was something God-like about Jesus, and he instantly understands that he is sinful, and Jesus is not.
In His great compassion, Jesus knows the fear that he has generated in the hearts of Peter, James and John – and He addresses it straight away – “Don’t be afraid.” We too, can trust that God – looks at us in exactly the same way. Can you hear His words, “Don’t be afraid – about what is happening around you – leave everything, and follow Me?”
This is the time of year, when you can be still – and carefully listen for God’s voice – asking you to leave everything, to follow Him; and, to lead people into His ‘net’.
Your view?
I liked Selwyn’s opening remarks: ” … At the cross Jesus turned what seemed the most negative event in history into the most positive. The crucifixion was as a result of sin, but He turned it into redemption from sin. The crucifixion was the result of hate, but He turned it into a revelation of love. The crucifixion was the most evil act of man, but God used it to vanquish Satan.”
Today, I was reading about the crucifixion [Rev. Eric Bird's Bible Study Notes], you can built up an amazing picture of that event by reading the various accounts found in each gospel.
Jesus was always in control of the situation: He was in-control when tried by the Jews, Pilate and Herod; God was in-control regarding the supernatural darkness, the earthquake, and the tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom.
Yet, the point that stood out for me was that Jesus was in-control of His own death. Jesus only spoke a few times while on the cross. In the early hours, He said: ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ Some time later, He spoke to the repentant thief: ‘Truly I say to you, this day you will be with me in paradise.‘ Next, He said to John ‘Behold, your mother‘ and to His mother Mary, ‘Behold, your son.’
Some time later, ‘at about the ninth hour, Jesus cries out in a loud voice ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?‘. The next time, we hear from Jesus, is when He says: ‘I thirst’.
Then, ‘Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46, NIV).
Did you notice that Jesus still had the physical strength to call out in a loud voice – His life was not slowly ebbing away to a ‘whisper’ – He purposefully sent His spirit away, He could see – that – ‘It was finished’. He voluntarily gave His life up. He was always in-control of the situation. His early death was also a surprise to Pilate, as we read in (Mark 15:44); ‘Pilate was surprised to hear that He was already dead.’
Jesus death on the cross was a voluntary act of love that could ONLY be undertaken by our God who controls living and dying. John 10:17-18 (NIV): “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
We call this day – ‘good’; because on that day - the sure hope of eternal life is offered to us because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, which fully paid the penalty – that was assigned to us because of our sins. Now, we have access to God – if you believe in Jesus, you can be assured of living in His eternal Kingdom. And, that has to be good!
What’s your view?