Month: December 2019

Today we turn to the Book of James.  James was the half-brother of Jesus.  Many have pointed out James becoming a believer and follower of Jesus is strong evidence for the resurrection.  After all, when Jesus was living, James and Jesus’ other brothers didn’t believe He was the Messiah.  To be honest, if any of my brothers were ever to convince me they were the Messiah, they would have to rise from the dead, too!  Anyway, James wrote his letter to challenge the believers who were scattered because of the persecution of the church in his time.  The book is practical and focused on the good works we must do as Jesus’ followers.  The heavy emphasis on works, even caused Martin Luther, the great German reformer to call it an epistle of straw.  He emphasized the grace of Jesus much more strongly than the works we do, but James offers a helpful reminder:  Faith without works is dead.  We aren’t saved by our works, but salvation always issues in good works.

In James 1, James reminds us when trials come our way, we ought to consider it “joy,” because the testing of our faith refines it.  James also reminds us God is always ready to give us wisdom, and He is the author of every good gift we receive in life.  James reminds us how important it is to have faith when we pray and not to be “double-minded.”  James concludes the chapter by reminding us true and genuine religion before the Lord consists of caring for widows and orphans in their distress and keeping ourselves unstained from the world.

James 2 offers us two clear admonitions: the first is not to show partiality to believers.  James reminds us it is often those who are wealthy who tend to subject us under themselves.   The second admonition is to remember faith without works is dead.  James reminds us Abraham’s faith was reckoned because he “believed” God, which James saw as an action.  He also uses Rahab as an example of righteous action when she saved the Israelite spies during the period of the Judges.  We need to remember our faith will issue in action when it is genuine.

James 3 offers an admonition that not many of us ought to be teachers, because we will be held to a higher standard.  It also reminds us of the importance of reining in the tongue, which is a difficult challenge for us all.  It also reminds us we all need the wisdom from above that is the only solution to all the challenges our sinful natures bring us.

James 4 offers warnings against worldliness, and James acknowledges the challenges of worldliness originate with the devil.  He offers us the solution to the devil’s work in our lives: humble ourselves, draw near to the Lord and resist the devil.  When we take these actions, the devil will flee from us. Notice, we must humble ourselves. That is key.  Humility is not natural to fallen human beings, but when we humble ourselves and draw near to God, when we live in the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives are transformed, and the devil runs away.  James also reminds us not to boast about what we are going to do, but when we make our plans to say, “If the Lord wills…” Boasting comes from the devil, but when we start our plans with the Lord’s will, we do well.

James 5 offers admonitions to the rich not to abuse their wealth or how they use it with people.  James reminds us all to be patient in suffering, which is such a vital reminder for us, because we live in a world that wants to medicate all suffering out of our lives or avoid it at all costs.  Sometimes suffering comes to us when we obey God, because the world isn’t in favor of God’s ways.  The chapter and the book close with some powerful reminders about the importance and effectiveness of prayer. James tells us prayer can bring physical healing as well as wholeness from our sins when we confess them to one another.  James closes out the book by reminding us Elijah was a man like us, but his prayers changed the world of his day.

As we return to Luke 15, we return to Jesus’ telling of three powerful parables that let the tax collectors and other “sinners” realize how much God loves them and wants them to be “found.”  Jesus told parables about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and two lost sons.  In each, the point is God is looking for us and waiting for us and won’t stop looking or waiting as long as we have breath. The celebration in heaven is great when we are found.  I have always loved these three stories, because of how they demonstrate the depth of God’s love for us and His desire for us to be with Him. 

In Hebrews 12, the author reminds us to imitate Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.  He also reminds us, because God loves us, He corrects us.  Only illegitimate children aren’t corrected for doing wrong.  He challenges us not to refuse God and His purposes for our lives.

Hebrews 13 offers closing exhortations.  This is somewhat of a “laundry list” of commands. It includes the command to be hospitable, to remember those in prison, to honor marriage, to remember Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us.  It also takes the time to remind the people to honor their leaders, and to submit to them, because they watch over the people as those who must give an account to Jesus one day.  This is a solemn reminder we are an army and not just a family. God has called us to go throughout the world in Jesus’ name and present the gospel to everyone.  This requires leadership and “followership.”  As we respect both responsibilities, the gospel advances, and God’s Kingdom grows.

As we return to Luke 14, Jesus once again heals a man on the Sabbath.  Next, He tells several parables.  The first focuses on not taking the seat of honor when you attend a wedding or celebration, but to wait and let the host seat you.  It’s a way of saying, “Be humble.”  The next parable tells of a wedding feast to which the invited guests would not attend.  The master simply invited others to come, because the feast symbolizes His Kingdom, and He will have it be full.  Jesus follows this up with some comments about the cost of following Him, and the importance of counting the cost before we embark on the journey!  The chapter closes with Jesus reminding us the importance of continuing to maintain our “flavor,” as the “salt of the earth,” which He calls us to be. 

In Hebrews 9, the author points out how the earthly Tabernacle was ordered by God and is a type of the heavenly model.  Just as it took the blood of bulls and lambs to sanctify the people and the Tabernacle, the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus’ blood sanctifies the heavenly Tabernacle.  The chapter makes clear the forgiveness of sins comes only through the shedding of blood.  It also states with the blood of animals the sacrifices had to be presented over-and-over again, but Jesus’ death was once-for-all, just as we die once and then face the judgment.

In Hebrews 10, the author underlines Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice and continues to emphasize the difference between the Mosaic sacrificial system, which could not produce enduring forgiveness, and Jesus’ sacrifice, which does.  He goes on to write about the importance of encouraging and exhorting one another to love and good works, as well as to continue meeting together for worship and fellowship. While we might think the tendency to avoid gathering as Christians with one another for worship and fellowship is a rather recent development, we are assured folks were already doing so not more than thirty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

In Hebrews 11, which is often called the faith chapter, faith is defined as the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.  Then we receive an extended list of names of heroes and heroines of the faith starting with Adam and Eve’s son, Abel, and continuing all through the Old Testament era, and up until what was the current time when the letter was written.  Men and women of faith were willing to give up worldly comforts, and even to die to experience God’s favor and ultimate blessing.  We’re told the world was not worthy of such people, and yet most of them never experienced what those living after the time of Jesus experienced: Salvation in Jesus’ name.  How important it is for us to remember the value of that salvation, and that faith in Jesus is of greater value than any worldly possession.

As we return to Luke 13, Jesus reminds the crowds how important repentance is, and that when bad things happen in life, they aren’t always a sign of God’s judgment.  Jesus then told the parable of the barren fig tree to point out how important it is for us to “bear fruit” as His followers.  Jesus healed a woman who had been “bound” by disease for eighteen years, but the religious leaders were upset, because He healed her on the Sabbath.  Jesus then told a couple of parables about the Kingdom of God.  The first reminded us of how the Kingdom works as leaven works in a lump of dough, and the second of the narrow door and way that leads to the Kingdom.  Finally, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, because He knew His time on the earth was short, and He would die there because of the people’s lack of faith and repentance.

In Hebrews 5, the author contrasts every other human high priest with Jesus.  Each of them was weak and had to offer sacrifices for his own sins before offering sacrifices for the rest. Jesus needed to make no such sacrifice.  We’re told Jesus learned His obedience through suffering.  No one ever suffered as much as He had, and at each point He relied on His heavenly Father to bring Him through it.  The chapter closes with a reminder not to fall away.  We are told the readers are still “infants,” although by this time they ought to be mature.

As we move to Hebrews 6, the author tells his readers to move on from the “elementary teachings/principles” of our faith.  He lists six elementary principles: 1) repentance from sin; 2) faith in God; 3) instructions about baptisms; 4) the laying on of hands; 5) the resurrection of the dead; and 6) eternal judgment.  As we look at the six, two of them might surprise us a bit: instructions about baptisms (plural) and laying on of hands.  The other four are definitely elementary and fundamental teachings/principles of our faith.  These two are as well, because they establish the importance of baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the laying on of hands reminds us of the importance of this practice both when it comes to recognizing or commissioning leaders, and when we pray for others for healing.  That they are included in the “elementary” aspects of our faith, shows us both they are building blocks for the deeper aspects, and we must continue to teach and live them as we mature.  The words that follow these elementary teachings have caused much discussion and dissension.  Those being that it is impossible for those who have received the word and fallen away to be restored.  While they are true at some level, because they are part of scripture, most of the New Testament teaches about second chances.  Peter comes to mind.  He followed Jesus for three years and fell away in Jesus’ time of greatest need.  When Jesus rose from the dead, He restored Peter.  The truth of these words is we must do all we can to maintain our relationship with God and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, because “backsliding” leads to our ruin.  The remainder of the chapter speaks of God’s faithfulness and introduces us to Melchizedek, who will be the focus of Hebrews 7.

In Hebrews 7, Jesus is compared to Melchizedek, who was greater than Abraham.  The reasoning for Melchizedek being greater than Abraham is Abraham paid a tithe of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, and the lesser pays homage to the greater.  The further point is made that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, because He was of the line of Judah and not the line of Levi.  At the end of the day, we see again Jesus is supreme over any other earthly priest, because He is both human and God’s son.

In Hebrews 8, the author summarizes everything he has written about Jesus as the high priest, and then emphasizes He is also the high priest of the new covenant.  God had predicted the coming of a new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah, whom he quotes in this chapter.  Now the new covenant has come, and it is as superior over the old covenant as Jesus is superior over the former high priests.

As we return to Luke 12, we could sum it up in two words: Be ready!  Jesus focuses on the need to be ready to stand up for Him in the current age, and not to fear what others might do to us.  He tells the disciples of the coming challenges, but He also offers promises of blessing to those who are found ready when their “Master” comes.  As we read through the chapter, we see Jesus moves from topic to topic, but the common theme is readiness.  Be ready!

Today we move to the letter to the Hebrews.  We don’t know who authored this book.  While many believe it was the Apostle Paul, the letter doesn’t contain his name at the beginning or the end.  The topics also don’t align with Paul’s common teaching material in that they focus a great deal on the Jewish heritage of our faith.  Some consider it to be a book of history, because it contains so much reference to the Jewish Scriptures and particularly to aspects of the Law of Moses.  Jesus is considered the greatest priest, who unlike all the other priests in Israel’s history did not need to offer a sacrifice for his own sin, before becoming the once and for all sacrifice for us.

In Hebrews 1, the author introduces us to the reality that while God spoke to us through prophets in previous times, in these times He has spoken to us through His Son.  This Son is not only superior to the prophets, but also superior to the angels!

In Hebrews 2, we are told the amazing truth that because of what Jesus has done, we are His “brothers” (and sisters).  We get to be part of God’s family, because Jesus died in our place and paid the penalty for our sin.  We also read Jesus was tempted in His body, but did not sin, so we know we can resist when we are tempted, too.

In Hebrews 3, we are told Jesus is greater than Moses.  Moses is compared to the “house,” and Jesus is the “builder.”  The builder is greater than the house.  Thus, while Moses was seen as the greatest prophet in the Old Testament, Jesus is greater.  The author of Hebrews is building the case for Jesus’ sufficiency to serve as our prophet, priest and king once and for all.  The author also speaks of how the Israeli people did not “enter into God’s rest,” because of their unfaithfulness.  This line of discussion continues in Hebrews 4.

In Hebrews 4, the author speaks of our Sabbath rest, which is purchased by Jesus.  We often downplay the importance of rest and Sabbath as Christians living in the 21^stcentury, but the author of Hebrews reminds us how vital it is.  Then we have the amazing and often quoted words about God’s word being sharper than any two-edged sword, which reminds us of why we must read, learn and live it in the power of the Holy Spirit.  At the close of the chapter, we’re told Jesus is our great high priest. This is the point of the book of Hebrews: we have a new and eternal high priest in Jesus.

As we return to Luke 11, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray, and He offers what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.”  Some have said it would better be called “The Disciples’ Prayer,” because Jesus told them to pray it.  In reality, Jesus wasn’t telling them to pray those specific words, but to incorporate the aspects of the prayer in their prayers.  That doesn’t mean we ought not pray it, but we must always remember prayer is an opportunity to listen to God’s voice as well as to offer words to Him.  Jesus then offered them an example about the importance of persistence in prayer.  Jesus then went on to respond to those who said He cast out demons by the power of the devil.  He condemned such thinking in the strongest possible way.  Jesus offered a brief parable about the importance of not simply having a demon cast out of our lives and leaving ourselves “empty.”  The implication is we must replace the emptiness with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus avoided receiving the accolades for Himself or His mother when someone in the crowd shouted that His mother was blessed.  Jesus responded anyone who does God’s will is blessed.  Jesus then proceeded to condemn the Pharisees for their lack of doing what they taught.  Jesus often made this distinction when condemning the Pharisees.  They were hypocrites, because they knew the truth, but didn’t practice it.  We want to make certain the “hypocrisy factor,” which is the difference between what we profess to believe and how we live decreases daily as we live into the new life of Jesus in the Holy Spirit’s power!

Today we turn to the Apostle Paul’s brief letter to Philemon.  It contains only one chapter and amounts to Paul’s personal appeal for Philemon to receive a runaway slave named Onesimus back without punishment.  Onesimus had become a believer while with Paul and had done great good for Paul.  Now, Paul was requesting Philemon’s good treatment.  Paul mentioned that Philemon owed Paul his very soul, but stated he wasn’t relying on that, but rather on Philemon’s character as a believer.  This brief letter reminds us each of us can have an impact if only on one other person, and the key is to concern ourselves first and foremost with Jesus’ will rather than our own personal benefit.

As we return to Luke 10, we see Jesus expanding His ministry through others as He sends out the 70 or 72 additional followers to preach, teach, heal and deliver people.  The work was successful, and the crew came back rejoicing.  In the charge to the team, Jesus offered a condemnation of several Galilean cities that had rejected His ministry.  The second major event in Luke 10 took place when a teacher of the Law asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses?  Jesus asked the teacher what he thought?  The teacher responded to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus affirmed the response.  We’re told at this point the teacher wanted to “justify” himself, so he asked, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus responded with a parable about two upstanding members of Jewish society who had the opportunity to help a man who had been beaten by robbers and left for dead.  They didn’t help.  Then along came a Samaritan, a man considered a half-breed, and hated by Jesus’ Jewish audience, who helped the man, dressed his wounds, and took him to an inn to receive further treatment.  Jesus asked which proved to be neighbor to the man in need?  As much as it must have pained the teacher to say it, he responded it was the man who helped the man in need.  Jesus said, “That’s right. You go and do the same.”  The chapter closes with Jesus interacting with Mary and Martha, two close friends, whose brother, Lazarus, Jesus raises from the dead in John 11.  The interaction shows us sometimes “being” is more important than “doing.”  Martha was frustrated, because Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, while Martha prepared dinner.  When she complained to Jesus, Jesus took Mary’s side, and told Martha she was worried and troubled about so many things, but only one thing was necessary.   What is the one thing? A relationship with Jesus!

Today we turn to the Apostle Paul’s letter to Titus.  Titus was another of Paul’s students or apprentices, who eventually became a pastor and leader in his own right.  Paul called Titus his “son in the faith” as he did with Timothy.  Paul offers us an important principle as we read through his “pastoral” letters: Equip those in following generations so the gospel will grow, and God’s Kingdom will expand.  This principle of multiplication was taught by Jesus and carried out effectively by Paul. 

In Titus 1, Paul greets Titus and gets to “business” rather quickly by reminding him Paul had left him in Crete to appoint elders in the various towns.  He offered a list of characteristics needed by elders, which is similar to the list he offered Timothy.  After this, Paul reminded Titus of the dangers to the process posed by false leaders, and particularly those of the “circumcision party,” or the Judaizers whom we have come to know through Paul’s ministry as recorded in Acts, and in his other letters.

In Titus 2, Paul offers Titus some specific teaching regarding how he was to train older men and women.  Paul told Titus to have the older women train the younger women, while he was to train the younger men.  The key in all of it was for Titus to live a life of integrity, so those who watched and attempted to say anything negative about Titus’ ministry would be put to shame.  This is so vital in every era of history, but perhaps never more so than today, when every moment of our lives is either recorded or could be recorded.  We must always assume someone is watching, because even if no human audience is watching, God is!

In Titus 3, Paul closes his brief letter to Titus by commanding him to live a holy life, to teach others to do so, and to remember where all of them had started: as sinners.  Only by the grace of God in Jesus are we saved and do our lives change.  Paul reminded Titus not to put up with those who caused trouble, basically offering a “three strikes and you are out instruction.”  Paul encouraged Titus to welcome and help those who were carrying out Jesus’ ministry in his closing comments.  Paul’s words always lead us to the conclusion Jesus’ followers must be generous and must cultivate a habit and attitude of generosity.

As we return to Luke 9, we’re reminded while each chapter in each of the gospels is important some hold more significant content than others.  Such is Luke 9.  In it, Jesus sends out the twelve on their first mission to preach the gospel.  When they return, He takes them away for some rest, but the crowds come.  Jesus teaches them, and then feeds 5,000 men along with the women and children with five loaves of bread and a couple fish.  After this Jesus asks the disciples who the crowds say He is, and then asks them.  Peter responds to Jesus with the “right” answer.  He is the Christ or Messiah.  Jesus then tells the twelve of His impending death and resurrection.  Later in the chapter, Jesus, Peter, James and John go up on a mountain where Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah.  When they return, they find the remaining nine disciples unable to cast a demon out of a young boy. Jesus casts out the demon, and then Jesus again tells the twelve He is going to die and rise again.  This time the twelve raise the question of who among them is the greatest–not exactly an empathetic response to Jesus’ revelation.   Jesus finds Himself rejected in Samaria, and His followers challenging others who were casting out demons in Jesus’ name.  Jesus tells them to permit them to do so, because anyone who is not against Him is for Him.  The chapter closes with Jesus telling several folks who claim they have come to follow Him it will be harder than they think. He tells them of the challenges they will face, and we’re led to believe they don’t follow.  We must always remember following Jesus comes with costs.  We must never assume following Him will be easy or that it will bring only blessings in this life.  The ultimate rewards of following Jesus are having a relationship with Him, and one day being with Him personally forever!

Today we move to 2 Timothy.  Here Paul continued to mentor his young son in the faith, and as we move through the letter, we see Paul becoming more purposeful as he realized the time for his earthly life to end was drawing near.

In 2 Timothy 1, Paul starts by exhorting Timothy to be strong in his faith.  He reminds Timothy the faith he holds was first held by his mother and before that his grandmother.  Paul also reminded Timothy God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of love, power and self-discipline.  Paul reminds Timothy he was a herald, an apostle, and a teacher. One of my mentors, Arthur Pace, preached on this passage of Scripture at my ordination.  He said Paul was a preacher, a reacher, and a teacher.  He charged me to be and do the same.  Now, it’s been more than thirty-five years I have been being and doing those things.  I’m sure Timothy took Paul’s words to heart as well, and they motivated him to keep the faith.

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul offers Timothy a model for equipping and passing the faith along.  He reminds Timothy to take the message he received from Paul and pass it on to faithful leaders, who will pass it on to others.  Thus, we see a “four generation” model of ministry.  I was reminded of the truth and power of this model through the book Hero Maker by David Ferguson and Warren Bird.  If we are leaders in the church, we must always be equipping others who will equip others.  In this way, leaders are equipped, and the Kingdom multiplies.  Paul reminded Timothy to always be diligent, to be a worker who stands approved.  We must avoid godlessness and idle chatter, keeping focused on what matters.  He again offers examples of those who had become side-tracked by the world and its desires.

In 2 Timothy 3, Paul admonishes Timothy as the time draws closer to the end, people will become more and more resistant to the truth.  He says they will become lovers of money, and they will not listen to faithful teaching, but only to what they desire.  He reminds Timothy of the source of truth: God’s word.  He reminds Timothy all Scripture is breathed by God and is fitting to teach and correct us, and to train us in God’s ways.  What a powerful reminder to us!  As we look around and see so much utter nonsense going on in the world, and people believing just about anything, how important it is for us to keep ourselves focused on God’s word and His truth.

In 2 Timothy 4, Paul closes with a charge for Timothy to keep the faith.  In the midst of an increasing propensity for people to hear only what their “itching ears want to hear,” Timothy is to continue to teach the truth in season and out of season.  He reminds Timothy he has run the course and kept the faith.  This is reminiscent of the words Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter 3, but there he told us he was running the race.  Now, he saw the finish line, and he wanted Timothy to know he had kept the faith.  He closes with a couple of requests, and some personal greetings.  Among these, Paul mentioned Mark was useful to him.  This is the same Mark, who Paul was unwilling to take with him in Acts 15.  Thankfully, Barnabas gave Mark a second chance, and thankfully Mark and Paul had reconciled in the intervening years.  We see Paul’s growth from that time in Acts 15 to this point in 2 Timothy 4.  That reminds us each of us is called to continue to grow throughout our lives, and only when we see Jesus will our faith be perfected!

As we return to Luke 8, Luke starts with an interesting detail: Jesus had women in his group, and some of them provided the financial means for the group.  That was so uncharacteristic of rabbis in Jesus’ day.  After this we read the Parable of the Sower, which was followed by Jesus telling the disciples why He taught in parables.  After this Jesus told the brief parable of how no one puts a lamp under a basket.  Next, Jesus’ mother and brothers came looking for Him.  When they couldn’t get near, because the crowd was so big, some people in the crowd told Jesus His family was looking for Him.  Jesus responded by saying His mother and brothers were those who do His Father’s will.

After this the disciples took a boat across the sea of Galilee.  A storm came up, but Jesus was sleeping. When the disciples woke Jesus, He calmed the storm.  They were amazed. Jesus wondered why they had so little faith!  After that Jesus healed “Legion,” which is an account we find in Mark 5.  This was followed as it is in Mark 5, by Jesus healing a woman with an issue of blood, and Jairus’ daughter who was dead, before Jesus healed her.  What an incredible Savior and Lord we serve.  Take a moment to review this chapter and realize this was all in a day’s “work” for Jesus.  Amazing. 

In 1 Timothy 4, Paul gives Timothy a “laundry list” of practices he ought to follow to be effective in his leadership as a pastor.  They include avoiding false teaching, and not letting folks look down on you because of your youth. 

In 1 Timothy 5, Paul gives specific recommendations on how to relate to older men and women–as if they were your father or mother, and how to address the matter of widows in the church.  Paul went to great lengths in defining what was and was not a widow and addressed younger widows in particular by telling them to remarry, so they would not be led astray.  These recommendations don’t contradict what Paul said about marriage in 1 Corinthians, but they do show us there were some contextual differences between churches as we might expect.  Paul also points out in the beginning of 1 Timothy 6 how slaves ought to respect and respond to their masters.  This is really the completion of 1 Timothy 5, because the remainder of 1 Timothy 6 addresses the matter of wealthy members of the church.

In the remainder of 1 Timothy 6, Paul speaks about those who are wealthy or are “rich” in this world. He reminds him the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.  Money is not evil.  As someone has said, “Money is like a brick.  It is neither good nor bad in and of itself.  A brick can be used to build a house or break a window.  It isn’t the brick that is good or bad, but the motivation of the one using it.”  In the same way, Paul admonishes Timothy to instruct those with worldly wealth, which includes nearly all of us who are reading this, if we’re Americans, to be generous, to enjoy what God has given us, to use it to do good.  So often when church people start talking about money, they get bogged down in defining what tithing is and whether we ought to tithe on the net or the gross.  Here’s the short truth about wealth: When we realize it is all God’s in the first place, and we use it as faithful and generous stewards or managers, our lives are so much better than when we listen to the world and either hoard it or waste it.  Money is a tool to be used in serving Jesus, our Master.  Money is a great servant and a terrible master. 

As we return to Luke 7, Jesus heals a Roman centurion’s servant, showing us His desire to see God’s Kingdom come was not reserved to Jews only.  Next, Jesus raised a widow’s son from the dead, showing us His concern for widows.  Then John the Baptist’s disciples come to Jesus and ask Him a piercing question from John: Are you the Messiah or not?  John had been expecting a conquering hero Messiah, a Messiah who would restore Israel to prominence.  Jesus wasn’t that.  Jesus’ response was to quote a messianic passage from Isaiah to show John He was the Messiah, but not in the way John expected.  Jesus used the moment to affirm John’s ministry.  The final encounter of the chapter finds Jesus as a wealthy man’s dinner guest, when a “sinful” woman comes in and makes a scene, by kissing Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears, and drying them with her hair.  The rich man thinks to himself Jesus would know what kind of woman this was, if He were truly a prophet.  Jesus tells the man a story about two men who owed their master a debt.  One owed a great debt, the other a small debt.  The master forgave both debts.  Jesus asked which servant would love the master more?  The man said the one who was forgiven more.  Jesus affirmed the answer, and then affirmed the woman for her great love and said her sins, which were many were forgiven, because of her great love.

Today we turn to the Apostle Paul’s first letter to his “son in the faith,” Timothy.  Paul had taken Timothy with him on one of his missionary journeys, after meeting him through his mother and grandmother, who were believers.  Paul’s influence on Timothy was incredible, but as we’ll see through reading these two letters of Paul to Timothy, Paul held Timothy in the highest regard.  These letters read as something of a last will and testament of Paul, offering his “bequest” to Timothy. Timothy would carry on the work after Paul was gone.  Throughout the church’s history, this passing of the baton from one generation of leaders to the next demonstrates Jesus’ plan for the church not only to continue but to grow and extend to the ends of the earth.

In 1 Timothy 1, Paul greets Timothy and warns him against the false teachers who have already become prominent in the church.  He also tells Timothy of how the Lord has used him even though he was once a persecutor of the church.  Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in the faith and not disregard it as some have done.  He closes the chapter with the example of a couple of deserters who gave up the faith.

In 1 Timothy 2, we find Paul offering Timothy some guidelines for worship.  He tells Timothy to be sure to pray and make intercession for others.  He tells him to speak the word faithfully, even as he was appointed as a “herald” of the gospel.  The remainder of the chapter is devoted to how women are to dress and respond in worship.  Many have used this chapter to exclude women from any type of leadership in church, and it can be read that way.  However, just as 1 Corinthians 14 is often mistranslated and used to exclude women from leading in worship, this passage can be translated as women being admonished not to usurp authority from a man.  Even this is offensive to some men and women, who see us as being totally equal.  While we are equal in our value to God, and as Americans in our ability to vote, the Bible starts in Genesis by pointing out the woman was created as a “helper” or a “completer” for man.  This is not a position of subservience, but it is a position that is different than the man.  The man is the “head” and the woman is the “helper.”  Women are not to usurp authority, which is not to say they cannot hold authority.  In my many years of experience as a leader in the church, I have seen women and men with gifts and skills for leadership who have led effectively. Not all men ought to lead, nor all women.  The leadership ought to be based on their gifts and skills, and on their calling to lead.  All of it must be done with appropriate lines of authority.  To prohibit women from leadership based on these few verses, is as wrong as it would be to place all men in positions of leadership based on them.  We are all followers of Jesus Christ, and the role we play in His body, the Church is based on His calling and gifting of each one.

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul offers the description of an overseer, or pastor, or elder.  The words were used interchangeably in the New Testament Church.  Again, because one of the qualifications is to be a “husband of one wife,” some have excluded women from leadership.  That would also exclude Paul, because he was a single man.  The admonition to be a husband of one wife, was to prohibit anyone from leading who had more than one wife, which wasn’t uncommon in that culture.  As we read through the list of qualifications, we see leaders in the church are to be of strong character and integrity.  This would be expected, because Jesus’ church is vital to the advancement of the gospel in the world, and the advancement of God’s Kingdom as well. 

As we return to Luke 6, Jesus declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath, and heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.  The Jewish leaders took offense to this and started plotting to rid themselves of Jesus.  While we might not think Jesus’ declarations are a big deal, they spoke directly against the religious leaders’ rituals and traditions and contradicted their authority.

The remainder of the chapter is devoted to what has been called “Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain.”  Much of the content parallels the content of the Sermon on the Mount, but with some variations in wording. Biblical scholars have differed on whether Luke just didn’t get the material right (or Matthew), or whether this was a different message.  It’s virtually certain the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain contained content Jesus taught over and over again, because it was the core of His teaching.