Apr 02

Something I’ve Always Wondered About

Luke 18:31-19:10

Each of the first three Gospels have the account of Jesus healing blind man or men at Jericho.  Mark even names the man, Bartimaeus.  Here in Luke Jesus meets another man in Jericho, Zacchaeus (this will be the sermon Sunday.) 

Bartimaeus’ story is told in contrast the “Rich Ruler” just a few verses before.  The ruler called Jesus “good teacher;” while Bartimaeus called Jesus “the Son of David” (the Messiah.)  The ruler hoped that Jesus would give him what he wanted; Bartimaeus was desperate for Jesus to give him what he needed.  The ruler walks away from Jesus at the end; Bartimaeus follows Jesus after he is healed. 

What I have been impressed with this story, is the urgency of the blink man.  After the people around him sternly ordered him to be quiet, he shouted even louder.  Urgency is the undertone of Jesus’ two encounters at Jericho, Bartimaeus shouting and Zacchaeus climbing the tree.  The thing that I always wonder about here is “what would I have done?”  Maybe I would’ve been embarrassed at disturbing my neighbors with my loud shouts, or afraid of getting into trouble with my bold, but not popular identification of Jesus as the Son of David.  Or maybe I would’ve just thought I can wait for a more convenient time for all, then Jesus will heal me.

Jesus never came that way again.  He goes up to Jerusalem and the Cross, and the urgency of Bartimaeus is what Luke wants us to hear.  Jesus states about Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house.”  Today, the rich ruler walked away, maybe for a time he could work out things in his life.  Today, Bartimaeus would not take no for an answer when Jesus was passing by.  Today in the Bible is the Day of Salvation.  Today, salvation came to Zaccheus.

I have always supposed that Fanny Crosby was meditating on this story when she wrote here gospel song, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” 

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Jesus is passing by, never to be back in Jericho again.  Today is the day of Salvation, today is the day to call upon the Lord.  As the Psalmist says in Psalm 55, “But I call upon God, and the Lord will save me.

Pastor Greg

Mar 25

Two Parables to the “Lovers of Money’

Luke 16

Our text this week is the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31.)  But instead of simply approaching this as a stand-alone parable, let us consider the greater context.  The first parable, the Dishonest Manager concludes, “You cannot serve God and wealth. (v 13.)”  So, the Pharisees are sneering at Jesus’ call to be generous and responsible stewards of the resources God gives.  It is obvious in Luke’s comment about their motivation, that the Pharisees think that our possessions or wealth are not a stewardship from God, but something they must protect and use for themselves. 

We should realize in Jesus’s words on the nature of God’s kingdom should influence our values.  Kingdom causes call us to renounce divided loyalties (vv. 10-13), to have idolatries revealed, since God hates them (vv. 14-15) and to raise standards of obedience to reflect total integrity (v. 18). Verses 16-17 make up the hinge, suggesting that the kingdom’s arrival means that Jesus’ preaching comes with authority. His way will fulfill what the law and the promise anticipated. The passage ends up being yet another rebuke of the Pharisees. Their way is not the way to God. It is kingdom preaching that transforms people, not the way of these leaders.

When one’s fulfillment in life is wealth, our attention is drawn away from what is important, and we often overlook what is right before us (or at our gate.)  Desire for wealth is all consuming, it causes us to ignore the fact that tomorrow may not be like today.  This is true for the rich man.  When he wakes on tomorrow, he is in hades suffering in torment.  He has ignored Moses and the prophets; he has not prepared for that day.

How easy it is for us to substitute today’s concerns, goals, plans, and pleasures for the space God’s word needs to occupy.  Jesus does not say wealth is bad, nor enjoying life if bad, but he does say ignoring God and his Kingdom does have consequences.  In Lent, let us make sure we are establishing daily time to our responsibilities to the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Greg

Mar 18

Are You Responsible?

Responsibility:  I heard a radio preacher talk about the matter of responsibility.  He suggested three ways the word is used: as credit, blame, or duty.  Take the sentence, “She is responsible for this meal.”  As credit, it means she is a good cook.  As blame, it means she is a bad cook.  As duty, it means she has no choice.  But the preacher further suggested a fourth way.  He saw the combination of two words here: response and ability.  That is, the responsible person is one who has the ability to respond.  Seeing our lives, filled with both good and bad, lean and plenty, the responsible person recognizes God’s gracious gifts — and has the ability to respond!  I like that.  (Lee McGlone)

That thought brings us to this week’s passage.  Luke 15 contains 3 parables.  Each one about something that was lost and what happens when it is found.  We will consider the first two for the sermon Sunday, and the third one, the best known one, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, will have to be considered at another time.

Thinking about the discussion of “Responsibility,” what is your responsibility for the lost things?  Are you searching?  Are you finding?  Or did you cause the thing to get lost?  Though this is the work of God’s Kingdom, it shows that we have an active responsibility in the outworking and good news telling of the Kingdom.

Pastor Greg

Mar 13

Impending Judgement and One More Chance

Luke 13:1-9, 31-35

“Was 9/11 God’s judgment against America?  Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell said so.  They blamed God’s wrath on abortion and promiscuity, and they were promptly skewered by the media—as much for raising the uncomfortable topic of divine judgment as for using the occasion to deplore America’s sexual excesses.”  (Article from Christianity Today)

A tower falling and killing many people in Jesus’ day, as well as in our recent history, prompted people to claim the judgment of God was falling.  Tele-evangelists and other headline grabbers are quick to point to something as “God’s Judgment for _______.”  From the spectrum of Fundamentalist to Liberation Theology, tragic events in the lives of people, regions, and nations have been claimed as being God’s judgement.

I think these self-styled prophets do not heed the passage for us this Sunday.  Jesus asks, “Were these people killed any worse than you?”  The answer is “no.”  Yet, we know that God is moving in time and history to bring his reconciliation of all things and justice for all the wronged and abused.  For me, the most evident sign of God’s Judgment falling on a nation was the American Civil War.  Over 600,000, mostly white, voting aged men, were casualties of this conflict.  In the Confederacy, there was a rising awareness that this was the judgment of God on slavery during the last years of the war.  When the judgment of God falls, there is little doubt where it is coming from.

Jesus uses these current events to teach us that God’s judgment should not be taken lightly, or as something that will happen to others.  But the awareness of the coming day of judgement should compel us to change (repent) and produce fruits of righteous living.  Just because God has given us another chance today to repent, does not mean that we will have that chance tomorrow.  This should bring a seriousness and sense of urgency to our time of Lenten repentance and spiritual restoration.

Pastor Greg

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