July - Reading 11

Good evening -

Our Scriptures for today are:

Luke 9:37-50

1 Thessalonians 2:1-9

Psalm 136

1 Chronicles 26-28

May God bless the reading of His Word.

 

Good evening –

As we begin winding up 1Chronicles we see the organization of the gatekeepers, the treasurers and the army by David. A couple notes of interest here are that Obed-Edom in verse 26:4 is the same man who had cared for the Ark when it was at his home (13:13). Also in chapter 25 the list of David’s commanders parallels the list of the fighting men who supported him during his exile and his ascension to the throne. In chapter 28 once again the Chronicler mentions nothing of the dispute with Adonijah, Solomon’s brother, as recited in the first chapter of 1Kings. Instead the authority is presented as being passed down peacefully and without incident. Again I remind the reader that the Chronicler was writing to a returning exilic nation and morale was in need of being built. The story of David and Solomon would have been a rally point for the returning nation and the Chronicler saw it necessary to show them in a good light. As it was the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem had been laying in ruins and this story of David and Solomon was bringing the people back to their tradition.

In Luke today we read of the boy with the evil spirits being healed. This account is reported in all three Synoptic Gospels. Christ’s initial response to the people should be weighed against the narrative of last night where He had been in communication with two of the great leaders of the Jewish past. The people clamoring to Him for miracles must have been a cold slap of the reality of the people He was trying to save. Jesus already knew His fate by this point.
The theme among the Disciples of who is the greatest is a very recurring topic for them. It was hard for these proud men to recognize that humility and servitude to God while ignoring the ego was the way to greatness.

1Thesalonians 2 gives us the guidebook on how to be good ministers. Beginning with verse 2 Paul shows his purpose and motives in coming to the city of Thessalonica. We also learn that he had been treated badly in Philippi (also in Acts 16:19-40) and this affected him deeply. Paul also reiterates the fact in verse 2:6 that Apostles had a right to expect ministerial compensation from the people to whom they ministered though Paul rarely took advantage of this.

May God bless you

- Clint

 

Sunday School lesson 10/31/04 - conclusion

Luke 9:37-43a The Healing of an Epileptic

Drawing again on imagery from the Old Testament, a crowd awaits Jesus' descent from the mountain just as a crowd awaited Moses in Exodus. Moses had found a people that had faltered in their faith and so, too, does Jesus, hence His statement of verse 41 scolding the crowd before Him. A man who had asked the Disciples for a healing of his son approaches Jesus asking that He "look upon" his son. He had sought the aid of the remaining nine Disciples who had been unsuccessful in their attempts to heal the boy. He now asks that Jesus take an interest in the case. Luke omits the dialogue between Jesus and the father as Mark narrates in 9:23-24 and the dialogue between Jesus and the Disciples in 28-29. The boy is healed and returned to his father.

Luke 9:43b-45 The Second Passion Saying

This Passage is another that leaves the reader to speculate. Jesus once again warns His Disciples that He must suffer at the hands of men. What is curious, however, is that the Disciples are afraid to ask Him about the saying. Luke reveals that despite Jesus telling them to let the statement "sink into their ears," the statement was "concealed" from them. Why would the Disciples not pursue such an important statement? Perhaps Jesus' countenance was too grim for them to press the matter. Perhaps the commonly accepted concept of a nationalistic Messiah hindered them from pursuing any notion of the One whom they had confessed as a suffering servant. This Passage is another portion of the Scriptures that will not be satisfactorily answered until we ourselves receive the glory of Christ.

Luke 9:46-48 Concerning Greatness

By placing this Passage so closely to the cost of discipleship and the preceding Passion statement, Luke demonstrates just how obtuse the Disciples were at this time. The struggle likely came from their preconceptions of the Messianic Kingdom having nationalistic overtones. The desire for greatness stemmed from their desire for earthly power in what they assumed would be an earthly kingdom.

To demonstrate the true concept of greatness in the Kingdom, Jesus takes a child by His side. The question of how the Disciples could achieve greatness is then explained to them. The most effective way to serve Christ is to minister to that child. Commitment to God is best demonstrated in acts of mercy and love. The child represented the "least" in that group. The paradoxical path to greatness under the discipleship of Jesus was to minister, to serve, that child.

The Disciples were planning a "Jesus cult" for the coming Kingdom. It is the same trap into which the modern believers can fall. The demands of discipleship require that we minister to the least fortunate not in our churches, but in our world. The child before them had no illusions about his place. He was just a boy, subject to every authority around him. It was in this state that Jesus would "receive" the Disciples. To receive greatness from God, one must give up all ambitions towards greatness.

Luke 9:49-50 Concerning Outsiders

In this Passage, we see that the test for validity in the Christian community is not whom one follows but one's commitment to Christ. The man whom the Disciples had rebuked was ministering to the down trodden in the name of Jesus. He was fulfilling the servant role despite his non-involvement with the Twelve.

The lesson for the modern believer is evident. It is not our place to call down those who do not follow "with us." Our role is to emulate those who fulfill the demands of discipleship.

 

It's my pleasure.

 

Our Scriptures for 7/12 are:

Luke 9:51-62

1 Thessalonians 2:10-20

Psalm 137

1 Chronicles 29

 

Our Scriptures for 7/12 are:

Luke 9:51-62

1 Thessalonians 2:10-20

Psalm 137

1 Chronicles 29

 

Our Scriptures for 7/12 are:

Luke 9:51-62

1 Thessalonians 2:10-20

Psalm 137

1 Chronicles 29

 

Our Scriptures for 7/12 are:

Luke 9:51-62

1 Thessalonians 2:10-20

Psalm 137

1 Chronicles 29

 

Our Scriptures for 7/12 are:

Luke 9:51-62

1 Thessalonians 2:10-20

Psalm 137

1 Chronicles 29