GRACE FOR THE FOREIGNER!

Saturday, August 3, 2019

GRACE FOR THE FOREIGNER!

Luke 4:25-27

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

           Warren Wiersbe reminds us that it was Jesus’ custom to worship at the synagogue. The standard format was to begin with an invocation for God’s blessing and the reading of the traditional Hebrew statement of faith.” Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deut 6:4-5.

           Jesus, as a visiting rabbi, was asked to read the Scriptures and comment on them. His comments included some uncomfortable facts. During the drought and famine only a gentile widow was visited and relieved by the prophet (see Luke 4:26). Additionally, no Hebrew leper was cleansed by the ministry of Elisha except a gentile Syrian.

           How could God treat “His own” with such disdain and disregard while relieving gentile widows and enemy Syrian soldiers? It was a crushing blow to their pride but it pointed clearly to the fact that grace was available to all.

St. Augustine said, "They love truth when it enlightens them, but hate truth when it accuses them." That applies well to many congregations today, people who want "gracious words" (Luke 4:22) but who don't want to face the truth (see John 1:17).

Dear Lord, help me to remember that, while grace is universally offered, it is individually received or rejected. Thank you for your grace. AMEN

A QUICK MIRROR CHECK!

Friday, August 2, 2019

A QUICK MIRROR CHECK!

James 1:22-25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

           Merriam-Webster offers a no nonsense definition of “worldliness.” It is blandly defined as: “of, relating to, or devoted to this world and its pursuits rather than to religion or spiritual affairs.” Even Webster understands worldliness to mean that the religious devotee has slipped a bit in his or her devotion.

           Worldliness happens so subtly that we don’t always notice when it has happened to us. It’s like the mix and mingle time after a formal dinner when we smile broadly revealing a bit of spinach lodged in our teeth. We need a quick mirror check! That mirror is the “perfect law of liberty.” We think of law as restrictive, demanding and punishing to those who break it but the idea of a law of liberty is a bit confusing because it is self-contradictory.

           The law demands that we maintain a rigid relationship with it but liberty requires that we maintain a constant relationship to the lawgiver. There is a vast difference in the way those two play out. The Greek word translated “liberty” is eleutheria and refers to that which is morally or ceremonially legitimate. The word is liberty and not libertarian or libertine.

           Liberty urges us to follow that which is morally and ceremonially legitimate. To do that one must regularly and carefully do a quick mirror check. Questions of morality and practice abound within this thing we call liberty. Standards of conduct must be measured by God’s standards as outlined in his perfect law. It requires courage, diligence and discernment. What is worldly and what is not? Do we have an occasional alcoholic beverage or do we forego drinking altogether? Should our swimsuit be one piece or two piece? What about a bikini? Should I even go near a pool? All these questions, and a thousand more, require a quick mirror check.

          

           Without the mirror we first become casual and then careless in our choices. Ultimately, we blend in with the world by assuming their fashions, their opinions and their morals. A quick mirror check allows us to work within the world without becoming worldly. 

Dear Father, help me to understand that the liberty you bought with your obedience and sacrifice requires me to live responsibly. AMEN

DON’T LIVE IN CAREFUL SUSPENSE!

Thursday, August 1, 2019

DON’T LIVE IN CAREFUL SUSPENSE!

Luke 12:27-31

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

           The phrase in verse 29, “neither be ye of doubtful mind” roughly means “do not live in careful suspense.” We all can relate to that, can’t we? In spite of our best efforts at emotional stability and spiritual maturity we are often loaded down with care and suspense.

           We look to the lilies as models of calm confidence in their Creator. They do not anxiously toil to make changes in their circumstance. They do not spin yarn and weave fabric to make them clothing and yet they are clothed gloriously as they stand in total surrender to their Master. We protest that we are not lilies! We don’t simply stand mindlessly planted in the dirt while the sun beats down upon on us or we are drenched with rain. But are we not, when we think about it, as incapable of orchestrating the events of our lives? Are we not equally dependent upon the Lord for His mercies?

           The thought upon which to focus is that God cares more for us than he does for lilies and grasses. Nature is provided her need in faithful cycles. Wringing our hands murmuring “what shall we eat, or what shall we drink and wherewithal shall we be clothed” has no impact upon the hunger or thirst or nakedness. God looks down, sees our need and out of the riches of His character and nature provides exactly what we need in a timely manner. Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

           The activity that should fill our time of waiting is prayer and reaching for the kingdom. Labor therefore to know your God intimately and to do His will and His work diligently. While you are at work at these pursuits God will, because He is God, provide all these things that cause you to live in careful suspense.

God, it is hard to set aside a lifetime of careful suspense and to replace it with calm trust – but I shall try. AMEN