One day an expert lawyer of the Torah, or the “Bible” for the Old Testament, stood to ask Jesus a question…he has already been put on the spot by Jesus…so he gets a little testy and then follows up with technical question, “Who is my neighbor?”. What happens next is something that turns the lawyers understanding upside down and all those around who were listening…Jesus shares a parable to Jews around him that no doubt caused them to squirm and become very uncomfortable…truth was being sent to the core of their heart and more than their thinking. Jesus uses an ordinary “anybody” man, just an unknown,that was robbed, beat up and left for dead as his central figure. Then he talks about how a supposedly well respected, “top” of the Jewish culture, wealthy, “spiritual” leader, a priest…comes upon this “unknown”…the unknown could have been another priest…but he had been stripped and you could not tell who he was. There may have been reasons, but the priest does not stop to help…he just takes a wide swath so he does not come close and goes on his way. Next a Levite comes upon the “unknown” man…the Levite is also a respected person who assists with the spiritual work of the priest…he’s lesser on the check list than the priest who had first passed this way but still looked up to. He also takes a wide swath away from the beat up, left-for-dead man, and goes on his way. But…along comes a Samaritan…(this really gets their attention because Samaritans were despised enemies of the Jews)…and where they would have expected a Jew to be the hero…the despised Samaritan has compassion on the “unknown”, left-for-dead nobody and becomes the hero of the parable. The lawyer, his cronies and all those that heard Jesus, could not have missed what Jesus was saying…even your enemies may prove to be your neighbor…the “Samaritan” may be your neighbor…the “down and out”…the forgotten…the very quiet…the convict…anyone that crosses your path…you are to “love your neighbor as yourself…if you love the Lord God with all your heart, strength and mind, the natural God thing living through you is to love your “Samaritan” – the “Left-For Dead” as yourself. Really convicting isn’t it? Who is your neighbor? A family member that is on your bad list? Someone you cannot get along with…even across a fence…or at another work station…or at school sitting in the next desk? Find someone to reach out to now…start today. Luke 10:25-37New American Standard Bible (NASB) 25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
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When I was a child through my teenage years, one of my most rewarding times was to work alongside my dad and my grandfather on my grandfather’s farm. Every year, come early July, we prepared for the harvest of the sweet corn that had been planted in March. One of my lasting memories is being able to participate in the joy my dad and grandfather experienced when the harvest was successful…afterward I would enjoy standing in the middle of the field and see the work completed…none of the corn was left behind. Jesus said in Luke 10:1-2 " After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ' " But immediately Jesus gives his answer to the problem of too few workers -- prayer. "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (10:2c). Why does Jesus say this to his disciples now? This is the work of God…not their work. Using manipulation and guilt-trips to get people to serve is not the way to get things done…it is the work of God. Listening people will respond to His call…they will get involved…they will obey…so pray…pray for God to speak to hearts and minds to give to His Church. In the farming economy of Palestine, harvest was a very present reality all the time…and here, Jesus is speaking to an immediate harvest. So often we look at people with natural eyes; Jesus looks at their spiritual condition and sees the people of Judea as if they are a huge harvest almost ready to be harvested…almost ripe. On my grandfather’s farm, when the field was ripe, everyone would come and reap the whole field at one time.We are being called to work in God’s harvest team…the time is now. How does participation in this harvest happen? It comes by responding to an inner call from God. An inner sense that Godhimself wants you to be involved in an aspect of his work. The 72 went out in response to Jesus call and in and in verse 17 you read, ”The seventy-two returned with joy…”. The wonderful opportunity is…We are not in this “harvest” by ourselves…we do it togetherthrough the power of God’s Holy Spirit. I encourage you to talk to God and ask him where He wants you to be involved. Get it from God himself and then expect it to be confirmed by others and by fruitfulness in what he is calling you to do. Reading: Luke 10:1-24 New International Version Take time to read this chapter in full 10 1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. A ship was in a serious storm and in grave distress. The passengers were alarmed. One of them finally, against orders, went up to the deck and made his way to the pilot house. The pilot was at the wheel, but, seeing the man was greatly frightened; he gave him a reassuring smile. Returning to the other passengers the man said. "I have seen the face of the pilot….he smiled...All is well." One reason for this event recorded in Luke 9, described as the Transfiguration, is given in Luke 9:27, the verse preceding Luke’s record of the event: "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." This "Son of Man coming in His kingdom" was shown to "some"—Peter, James, and John--when they saw Jesus and heard God say, “This is my Son whom I have chosen. Listen to him”. The presence of God's voice in a cloud resembled the way God spoke to the Israelites in the wilderness in the Old Testament. In Matthew’s description of this event, (Matthew 17:6-7), just as the Israelites responded in fear then, so Peter, James, and John bowed in fearful worship as they heard the voice of God telling them to listen to His Son. Not only did they see the light of God’s glory on Jesus, they also saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus…that this Jesus was fulfilling the law Moses delivered and bringing to pass the promise of the prophets of the Old Testament…they were at this moment seeing the real Jesus. Moses, seeing these three together, his excitement and personality, exclaims to Jesus that they will build three temples to Jesus, Moses and Elijah…but in the middle of his statement, God interrupts him and speaks out loud…”This is my Son whom I have chosen. Listen to him”. As Jesus would later say, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). This event highlights the deity of Jesus. When we see Jesus for who He really is, everything else begins to fade away and we are able to rest in His peace and the security of knowing that Jesus is Lord of all…our salvation, our lasting peace and our true identity…Jesus is the Son of God! INVITATION TO RESPOND: As Peter, James and John experienced, when did you begin to see Jesus as the Son of God in your life? Feel free to post your response. Luke 9:28-36 New International Version The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. I read a story about one of the powerful figures in Wall Street who fell in love with an actress. For many months he was always seen escorting her about in the fashionable circles of town. Deciding to marry her, he first put a private detective to the job of looking into her former dealings and friends in order to guard himself against any rash mistake. At last he received his agent’s report. “Miss Blank enjoys an excellent reputation. Her past is spotless. Her associates have been above reproach. The only breath of scandal is that, in recent months, she has been much seen in the company of a business man of doubtful reputation.”
In Luke 6, Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders with the "log in their eye"...they personify that problem...a problem that Jesus was speaking to...they were proclaiming the law and trying to make sure others observed it...by control and manipulation. Could that be our problem as well...that we are not able to live up to our own spiritual demands...so we judge others by what we know is right but not actually living it ourselves? That was the case with the scribes and Pharisees, they were "concerned" and on a mission to let everyone else know just how pitiful they were. Jesus warns us that we must be careful or we will be guilty of taking on this same kind of judgmental attitude—this same kind of spiritual pride. We cannot see our own spiritual lack when our vision is blocked...it becomes the "blind leading the blind"...hard to see with a log in your eye. Like the Wallstreet tycoon, when judging by our own righteousness, we are pointing a spotlight on our own lack and sin. Once God operates on the eye and removes the "log", we can truly begin to care about others and see their value...that little speck you once saw in another, just may disappear. Luke 6:37-49 Judging Others37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. A Tree and Its Fruit43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. The Wise and Foolish Builders46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Years ago, when I was just a young boy, I was watching a western on TV and in this western, a young man was a "Christian" and being bullied by another cowboy. When the cowboy hit him and knocked him down, the "Christian" stood up and got knocked down again. When he stood up the second time he said, "The Bible says that if someone slaps you on the one cheek, turn the other cheek to them. But after that, it doesn't say anything!"...and then hit the bully in the face. But he misread...the Bible says a lot before and after that.
This is radical...love your enemies...do good to those that hate you...but Jesus said he was speaking to those that are listening...an open heart to what He was saying. Maybe you ask, how do I love my enemy? It isn't as simple as thinking nice thoughts and ignoring someone who is attacking you. We need to listen...it is a call from Jesus to allow him to do a heart change...to put in us the kind of heart toward our enemies that was in God who sent Jesus to redeem and forgive a world full of hateful, unkind, intentionally evil people. Liars, cheaters, thieves, selfish, real God-haters, foul-mouthed, vengeful, unforgiving, unfaithful...it's a very long list and pictures us at our very worst. Somehow God loves the people of Israel who turn their back on him...over and over...again and again. He just doesn't stop...he never gives up. They are unfaithful then punished, but then God is right back at seeking to bless them. He doesn't ever give up. He has a heart of love for the loveless and unlovable. That is what we need to love our own enemies. The Bible gives us plenty of powerful examples to follow. Radical...yes...but it works when our hearts are open and listening to what Jesus is saying. LUKE 6:27-3627 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. I’ll confess that more than once I’ve attended a baby shower because I knew there would be cake. Let’s be real, nothing draws a crowd like free food. Unless it’s peas and carrots. No one shows up for that.
There is a lot of depth in this passage, but since you didn’t click here to read a whole book I’ll to do some painful editing. We are getting to know Jesus. Many times he says kind of cryptic things.Things like, Jesus, are you the Messiah? Who do you say that I am? But here in this passage he is telling you straight up. “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.” Yesterday we read the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 and I pointed out the similarities between the barley loves and manna from Heaven. Then Jesus mysteriously gets from one side of the Sea to the other without a boat. Now here’s the crowd back for another free lunch and they have the audacity to say to him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?” At that point I would have said “Oh I’ll give you a sign,” and fed them a knuckle sandwich. Thankfully Jesus is a much better person than me. It’s a double dog dare to top that. Outdo yourself, Jesus. Outdo Moses, then you will prove to us that you really are the Messiah. Here’s the redirect that is so like Jesus. He says to them, work for food that endures to eternal life. In contrast they say to him, “always give us this bread.” See the difference… work for… give it to us. Jesus then points out that it was not Moses who gave bread from Heaven but God who sent the bread. Here it comes… “The Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Wow. Two simple things from today’s passage. First, it’s not about what’s in it for you. I mean, it’s super easy to look at these people and think, duh, they are so dumb. But really. How many times do we come before God with ungrateful attitudes expecting to get what we want? Second, it’s about who Jesus is. For peasant folk in that day, bread was basically their staple meal day in and day out. It was their life sustaining substance. Jesus is your life sustaining substance. Read the passage, maybe read verses 35-40 a couple of times. Hear the words of our Savior, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:16-40New International Version (NIV) Jesus Walks on the Water 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. Jesus the Bread of Life 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” The 28th birthday of the world-wide web is next week. I sort of remember first hearing about modems and thinking what is this hoodoo voodoo? I even remember the time before cell phones and resisting the move from MySpace to Facebook because I didn’t want to be like everyone else. Before there was Twitter, before watercooler talk and even before newspapers there was… well, I’m not sure what people and Jesus’ day used actually. But whether it was papyrus, the buzz about the synagogueor girl talk at the well, the word was out. That’s right Jesus of Nazareth had gone viral.
Here’s the point of today’s devotional: We regularly underestimate what God can and will do. I dig this story of Jesus multiplying the loaves and the fishes. My grandma used to read me the story of the little boy who gave up his lunch for Jesus. And it’s one of the few stories that is retold in all four of the gospels. Cool, right? No doubt, the miracles that Jesus was performing were life changing for a lot of people. He was healing the sick everywhere he went. It wasn’t like today when you can take a pill and feel better. Not only that, the social stigma of being crippled or diseased was incredibly isolating. In. Walks.Jesus. Making the blind see, telling the lame to walk and pretty much turning the whole work upside down. If you’ve been reading through the Chronological Bible with me you’re probably coming up on the end of Numbers. You would have read stories of how God delivered his people from Egypt. No sooner were they out from under Pharaoh’s heavy hand then did they start complaining, “Oh God! You’ve brought us out here to die!” For real, they complained a lot. Now here’s Israel and their approval rating for the Roman government is basically in the toilet. And the people are longing for God’s deliverance. There had been revolutionary uprisings, but none successful. They hoped against all odds that God would send someone, maybe someone like Moses to deliver them. Enter Jesus. John’s mention of the Jewish Passover Festival in verse 4 is no accident. And the bread, you’re supposed to remember the manna from Heaven that Israel ate in the desert (after complaining). It’s like a gigantic neon sign that says, “THE PASSOVER AND EXODUS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!” And all the sudden the crowd decides, this guy is going to be our king whether he likes it or not. Are you starting to see something of who Jesus is and what he’s up to? It’s a little bigger than their political situation, bigger than their generation. God was about to change the world for all of time, for every generation. If you think multiplying the loaves and fishes was big, good. Oh but there is so much more! John 6.1-15 (NIV) Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. I remember when Nathan asked me to marry him. I wanted to tell the whole world. The excitement was real and I wanted everyone to share in it with us. Same thing happened when we found out we were pregnant. Good news is hard to keep to oneself; job promotions, weddings, baby arrivals, graduations, birthdays, winning the championship game. We can’t wait to share these things with those around us.
The Samaritan woman after meeting Jesus left everything at the well to run and tell the community about her conversation with Jesus. She couldn’t wait till later. After hearing her story, the people went out to meet Jesus for themselves. They believed her testimony and after having met Jesus themselves, their belief grew and became their own. Have you experienced the joy of God? Have you been comforted by his peace? Saved by his grace? Overwhelmed by his love? If so, have you shared these things with others? Jesus told the disciples that the fields are ripe for harvest. It is true today as well. People want to be loved and are searching for the Truth. If you have experienced the things above, you have something to offer; your story. When we introduce others to Jesus, they may believe our story at first because they have witnessed that truth in us. But when they meet Jesus themselves, they will believe because of their own experiences with him. Your story is important. I challenge you to share it with somebody. People need to hear that God loves them. What has God done in your life that you can share with someone today? John 4.27-42 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” Many Samaritans Believe 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” I am a talker and when the girls were little, I would talk to any adult I could after spending all day with the girls. Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved being able to stay home with them, but adult conversation is nice. However, strangers are a little uneasy talking to someone they don’t know. It can be difficult starting a conversation with a complete stranger and to get theologically deep is rare in a first meeting. Not so rare for Jesus, but then again, his time on earth was short and he had a lot of people to reach.
One such conversation takes place with a Samaritan woman as he rested at a well while the disciples were off getting food. She comes at noon to draw water. Typically, most women would come in the cool of the morning. It was a great time to socialize and catch up on the most recent gossip. But she came at noon, alone, to the well. It is possible she came during the heat of the day because she was ostracized for her lifestyle or perhaps she didn’t want to get caught up in the morning gossip. We can only assume what her reasons might have been. But in arriving when she did, she came face to face with Jesus, the Son of God, who offered grace free from condemnation, speaking the truth in love. From a cultural perspective, this conversation should never have happened. He was male and she female; He a Jew and she a Samaritan. That didn’t matter to Jesus. He invited her into a conversation, offered her living water that leads to eternal life, called out her sin and revealed himself to her as the Messiah. She tried to avoid the conversation, but being drawn in by his statements of living water, she engaged with Jesus. When it came to her sin, she sidestepped the issue by bringing up religion instead of dealing with the relationship. It is easier to talk about the semantics of how one worships than to talk about why we worship and what happens in our hearts when we do. In this season of Lent, as we spend time fasting, let us make sure we are not going through the actions, but that we drink from the living water, worshiping in Spirit and in Truth. When confronted with our sins, we confess them before God, repent and rest in His grace. “For those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) Are you hungry for more of God? Are you willing to engage in the difficult conversations? I challenge you to go deeper in your walk, seek after God and you will be filled. John 4:1-26 (NIV) Jesus talks with a Samaritan Woman Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a]) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” Most of us have received a phone call in life bearing good or bad news which caused us to drop everything we were doing and attend to whatever was going on. Yet, whatever we dropped was still there when we returned.
Jesus invited Levi, a tax collector, to come and follow him. Levi left everything and followed. There was no going back to pick it up. Being a tax collector was not a glorious job. How many people do you run into that say they work for the IRS and say it proudly? We don’t like paying our taxes and back then they really didn’t like it. The tax collectors received a percentage of the tax paid. This left some wiggle room for how much money they collected for themselves as well as the Roman government. So, as you can imagine, Levi or Matthew as we also know him, was not a well-liked guy by most Jews. I can imagine what a surprise it was for him to be singled out and called by Jesus. Levi, in his excitement, hosts a big party, inviting Jesus and the disciples as well as several of his coworkers and friends. They have to eat, right? So why not have a banquet? Everyone was having a great time eating and socializing, except those not invited, the Pharisees. I sense a hint of jealousy here. Why does he eat with ‘tax collectors and sinners’? He doesn’t eat with us. He’s a teacher, we’re teachers, shouldn’t he eat with us and not them? What was Jesus’ response? He has come to call not those who think they have it all together but those who know they don’t. It’s hard to teach someone if they think they know it all. Levi wasn’t ashamed to introduce Jesus, (a righteous man) to his non-religious friends. And Jesus was where he needed to be. Are we willing to cast aside our prejudices and spend time with others that aren’t like us? Are we willing to introduce Jesus to those who need him? Who do you know that needs Jesus’ healing touch? How will you answer God’s call in your life? Will you be like Levi and drop everything to follow him, to in turn, invite him into your life? NIV 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” |
AuthorThe Pastors of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Archives
July 2017
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