Who’s authority

“One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” So they finally replied that they didn’t know. And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus’s reply was excellent. The arrogant religious leaders thought they were the masters of truth. Jesus uncovered their motives. However, even then they were unable to embrace a greater truth.

We can be so full of our own religious opinions that we miss the greater truth. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the life. No one comes the the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). He rose from the dead and was taken into heaven, we have not. He is greater. Amen!

The returning king

“Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 This verse comes from the parable Jesus told about the delay in the coming of the kingdom of God. It is interesting that the ten servants the king gave money to differed in ability. To the first he gained 10 times the amount given, the next gained 5 times the amount he was given, and  the next buried it in the ground, fearful of his master, who he deemed a harsh master, some servants did not want him to be their king and presumably did nothing or even spent it on themselves.

We see a harsh judgement metered out on the fearful servant and those who rejected him; what he had was taken away and given tor the first and those who did not want him to be their king were executed beofre him.

When the Lord returns He will be looking for a return on all He has given us. What have we done with it? Did we take it and reject His Lordship, did we take it and bury it, or did we use it wisely for His glory? Amen

The shorty

“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.”Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said this to a man called Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a shorty, much like me. He heard Jesus was in town and could not see over the crowd so he ran and climbed a sycamore tree. Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, I must dine in your house today!” 

The Pharisees were offended that Jesus with dine with a notorious sinner. However, God knew Zacchaeus would respond to this kindness. Zacchaeus told Jesus he would give away half of all he owned to the poor and if he had cheated anyone he would repay them four times as much. 

The poor were blessed, Zacchaeus was blessed and those who he cheated were blessed. I imagine there were many clambouring to claim he had cheated them, however, I imagine Zacchaeus was shrewd enough to discern the truth, after all, he was the collector.

Never stop seeking

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. 

So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.”Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭35‬-‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus did not seek this man out, He was walking by. When the blind man asked what was all the commotion the crowd ‘Jesus the Nazarene was passing’, yet, he called out ‘Jesus son of David have mercy on me!’ He recognised who Jesus was prophetically. Jesus called Himself the Son of Man, and claimed He was the Son of God, yet scripture called Him the Son of David.

I wonder if when this man heard about Jesus, did he ponder about what the scriptures had written about Him? After all, he could hear, his eyes were his problem. Was he waiting for this day, had he prayed for an encounter. Finally it had come and he was determined to met Jesus. No one would shut down this man’s voice. 

I had longed to know Jesus for around 15-16 years. When I finally found Him nothing would keep me away. Knowing Jesus personally and having Him speak to me was what I wanted. I have that now and no one can keep me quiet about this glorious salvation. I have a friend who lives in me and walks with me. 

Never stop seeking! Amen!

Different ways

“Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.” But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.”Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭31‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever been on a committee and thought you knew what the goals were and where the vision lay, then, one night, you walk in late to discover the whole group is talking about a totally different vision and you are groping for the thread of meaning in it al?

Well, the committee was the whole Jewish nation, Jesus was the new kid on the block with a different Messiah’s message than what the committee expected. They wonder what train he is on. They are so entrenched with their view of how scripture should play out, they fail to understand that this Messiah came to save their souls not whip the Romans. Even at the ascension they are still  asking, ‘so is it now time to restore the kingdom of Israel?’ Nope!

When God said, ‘My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts’, (Isaiah 55: 8). He meant it. We constantly need to be listening to Him. Amen!

The allure of gold

“When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus had just had a rich man come to Him and ask how he could obtain eternal life. Jesus started with ‘keep the commandments’, the man persisted and so Jesus told him, ‘sell all you possessions, give the money to the poor and come follow me’. This made the rich man sad as he had many possessions.

There is a comfort in the lifestyle of the rich that would be hard for the man to relinquish. To give it all up and tramp around the countryside with Jesus was challenging. We are not told if the man manages to do this, because Jesus went on to say, ‘what is hard with man is not hard with God.’

If Judas had heard this conversation he would have said, ‘put the money into the treasury’, he would have enjoyed working with all the money. Jesus did not need the man’s money. How would we be tempted in this situation?

Money carries an allure. We need to be aware of this, guard our hearts and walk in what God has for us and not greed. Amen!

Little children

“Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How quickly we forget these words. Pride in understanding or ability to recite scripture replace humble awe. We also tend to be captured with those who seem important and despise the humble and non-important. Children are often shuffled off to Sunday School and not deemed a part of the church service. However, in places where they are encouraged to take part at home and in church they are ardent prayer warriors.

Jesus honoured the children by saying, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it”. Little children respond to a loving saviour with glee. They do not insist on understanding it first, they embrace it.

Stay humble and receptive to our God! Amen!