Jesus Story Teller - Review

For the rest of this week we will review the last 12 parables.

Maybe there is one you missed. If you look into the archives you can see the series and choose one you might have missed here or here.

Maybe there was one that God spoke with you about. You could take time to reflect and pray through those Scriptures.

Take 5 minutes to pray. If you do not know what to pray, pray through the Lord's Prayer:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

Finally, take 3 minutes to listen to a song in the DevoLink Worship Center.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 12

Intro:
One night the captain of a tanker saw a light dead ahead. He directed his signalman to flash a signal to the light which went.....
'Change course 10 degrees South.'

The reply was quickly flashed back...
'You change course 10 degrees North.'

The captain was a little annoyed at this reply and sent a further message.....
'I am a captain. Change course 10 degrees South.'

Back came the reply....
'I am an able-seaman. Change course 10 degrees North.'

The captain was outraged at this reply and send a message....
'I am a 240,000 ton tanker. CHANGE course 10 degrees South!'

Back came the reply.......
'I am a LIGHTHOUSE. Change course 10 degrees North!!!!'

Read:
Matthew 21:28-32

28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

29 " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Think:
They say attitude is everything. I would generally agree but not when attitude is all you get! Attitude without action is like a barking dog without a bite. There is sound and fury which ultimately signifies nothing.

The first son had a bad attitude. He did not want to work or obey the father. We are not told what he wanted to do instead. The bible does not talk about the xbox or playing with friends. We are not even sure what game was on the tv that day. What we do know is that he did not want to go and work.

The second son had a great attitude ... at least on paper. He said he was willing but ultimately did nothing. He did not act on what he knew. Maybe he got distracted.

Both sons had opportunity to reflect on the father. One changed his mind (v.29) for the better. The word μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai) refers to feeling remorse afterward and changing direction because of it. You might feel this after grounding a teen for 30 years and realizing this was in the heat of the moment, a bit aggressive, and should have only been 10 years!

The first son reflected on the grace and goodness of his father and changed his course.

The second son did not reflect on his dad and chose to not do anything. He was negligent of his responsibility and his pledge. I cannot judge him ... I relate to him. I have so many good intentions and unfulfilled promises in my wake.

Jesus is making a point. At the preaching of John the Baptist the folks were invited to reflect on the Father. The "sinners" did this. Those that had rejected the Father's direction were having a change of heart. They felt the regret of rejecting Him. These represent the first son.

The religious folks were the ones always saying "yes" to the Father but not doing anything about it. They were active in the ministry. They were busy. They were religious. Just not obedient. Just unwilling to do what the Father asked of them.

So, in the world of Jesus Christ, the prostitute and thief have more honor than the religious leader. The son who changes his mind and does what the father desires has more honor than the other son who was all words, no action.

Who was right with dad at the dinner table that night?

Do:
Praise the Lord, you do not have to be perfect. You might even be a prostitute ... if you will come to the Lord and do what He says you will have more honor than a "perfect", church-going, insulated, proud prig.

So, what is the desire of the Father?
1. To recognize that He is the Lighthouse of life. That we change the direction of our lives 10 degrees North because of Him. That we turn from our prostitution and stealing to Him. To repent and believe. To come under His care and grace.
2. That we come to the Father daily and direct ourselves to His settings. To stay humble and not think ourselves so mighty that we will not listen carefully ... and act.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 11

Intro:
First things first ... that is one of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It reflects the ability to put things in right order ... doing the more important things first. It is the ability to set priorities.

The word "priority" was first recorded in 1387. We do not get "priorities" until 1970 and "prioritize" until 1973. Think of that. It is only in our lifetime that we have tried to place values judgments on what should be first in our lives! It is only since the 1970s that we have been managing so many competing things that we coined a word for the process: "priorities".

Read:
Luke 12:13-21

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Think:
First things first ... setting proper priority on things.

The "certain rich man" in this story had a prior thing ... he had something in the front of everything else. He had his world ordered. He was first on his list! He was all he saw. He was the prior thing.

Being the priority left little room for anyone else. This was a dark choice that he apparently did not notice. He was unable to see God or the effect of God in His life. As in most things, there is usually a cause AND effect. To see the effect without realizing the Cause can be devastating (see verse 20).

Being the priority also meant he could not see others. We are never told that he considered sharing or giving any portion of his increase to the less fortunate or to his servants or even to his friends. He wanted it all for himself. His goal was to eat, drink and be merry.

Do:
Most of us think through our priorities. We make lists and put those things in some form of order. There is nothing wrong with this ... it is survival in an information age.

But, is it possible to have a list of priorities and suffer from a lack of priority? Is it possible to get the list all right but be all wrong because we are missing the most important thing?

What is your priority? What comes first?

We can use how we treat others as a gauge for this. The Scriptures teach us that we are not to kid ourselves, if we say God is our priority but it does not show up in our love and care for others then we are mistaken and our priority is not what we think it is.

The certain rich man found out too late ... we do not have to.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 10

Intro:
Read that demotivation poster quote. That is the perspective of some.

We all look up and down the ladder of life. We gauge our skill, ability and success on a standard that goes up and down a ladder.

We look up the ladder to determine our goals and seek motivation. Welcome to the land of discontent.

We look down the ladder when we need to pick me up and want to make sure we are doing better than someone else. Welcome to the land of pride.

We look up and down the ladder for perspective ... but I am not sure this is a conscious thing.

Maybe there is a better way to gain perspective?

Read:
Luke 12:13-21

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Think:
This is a parable about perspective.

Perspective:
A man approaches Jesus demanding Jesus to make a relative pay him what is due him. What is his by right. He's right but he's wrong. He might have a claim but he fails to understand the more important things related to God and relationships.

He fails to release his claim because he's convinced he has a right. He lacks perspective. He cannot see beyond his rights.

So, Jesus tells a story about a man that lacks perspective. If you have "perspective" then you have the ability to see around you. You are not locked on. You are not blinded by greed or rights.

The "certain rich man" (v.16) did not have this gift. He could not see beyond his land, his production. He did not have perspective. We see this in 4 ways:
1. He did not realize that the land produced because God gave him the increase.
2. He did not realize that the increase might have been for the good of others not just himself.
3. He did not realize that he was poor toward God and that God took that seriously.
4. He did not realize that his earthly choices had eternal significance.

Do:
I see myself in the rich man. I have his lack of perspective at times. I am so focused on my need to provide for my family that I can lose my view. I confess that I do not see the needs of others as well as I see my own. I confess that I believe my paycheck is MY paycheck. I realize that I do not realize 1/2 of what I should. I confess that I am more concerned with my earthly riches than I am being rich toward God.

I can tell it by where I invest my time and money.

How about you? Can you identify with anything in this parable? Does this speak to you in any way? How is your perspective? Are you rich toward God? What can you do to gain perspective?

How are you investing your time and money?

We gain perspective when we look beyond the ladder and see God at work. That is true riches.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 9

Intro:
No one likes hearing others talk about themselves too much ... we are usually waiting for them to stop so we can start talking about ourselves. Maybe it is something we learn in our first 5 years and never quite grow out of.

It is so easy to jockey for position as we approach the check out lines at Walmart. You look to determine if you can make it to the line before the lady with 2 full carts and coupons falling out of her pockets.

Parking lot management fits in here too. Remember Black Friday? Did you try to park the car in front of a store?

We had floor "seats" at the U2 concert. Just 10 people back from Bono on the stage. Great place to stand. But there were these "jerks" that kept jockeying for position, trying to get closer to the stage. There we were, waiting for 6 hours to be able to stand this close and these guys kept taking the better position. Truthfully, I would have done the same if it weren't for the social pressure. I wanted to be right at the stage.

All of these scenarios have something in common ....

Read:
Luke 14:7-11

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Think:
Great story. Very clear picture. Can you see yourself wanting the best seat in the house? Can you feel the tension? I can. This is a great story that captures the heart.

Jesus noticed how everyone went for their seats. This tells me it is a common problem that affects most everyone. We like to look out for ourselves for fear someone might get one up on us.
Most of what I do involves the Governor and his office, city/county mayors and council folks. I am in meetings with these folks most every week. Many times one of our Congressmen will also be in attendance. You can always tell when they enter the room as the noise settles down, heads turn in one direction and the cameras click, click, click away.

I am usually careful where I sit. It is so easy to make a mistake in one of these events ... to do the classic social blunder. This can come in many forms: sitting at a reserved table, talking Republican politics to a Democrat or picking up someone else's tea, bread or napkin.

Everyone wants to be near the Governor or mayor and will position themselves to those seats. But one must be careful, evaluate themselves properly and choose a seat that is equal to his/her station.

For Jesus it is much more simple, the guest should choose to sit in the "lowest place". This could even be a reference to the "lowest room" where the servants were. It would be like choosing a seat in the lower decks on the Titanic or getting the table next to the double kitchen doors.

Jesus commands his hearers to take the lowest place. Not in some false humility but in a true recognition that there might be others that are more important than you in the meeting. Please note that the view of who is important or not is from the host's perspective not the guests. You or I might not esteem someone highly, assume we are of more value but it is the view of the host that matters. We must always assume that he views others as more important than us.

If we choose the lower place seats and get left there than we have chosen wisely. If we are elevated by the host then we are honored properly. The word "honored" is the word for, glory or "weightiness of presence".

The final thing worth noting is that God is the ultimate Host. He is looking for us to take the lowest place and to be humble. He is looking for those He can elevate and give honor to. He obviously cannot and will not raise us if we are already raising ourselves up.

Do:
So, what do we do with this?

1. Start with God. He is the Lord. He is Creator. He is God. He is the ultimate Host. If we are going to be humble we are going to need to have a high view of God. I'd recommend reading AW Tozer: the Knowledge of the Holy or Francis Chan: Crazy Love to gain perspective.

2. Work on you. Life is about choices. Recognize others as more important than yourself. Do not look out only for your own interests but also the interests of others. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that He may lift you up in the right time.

3. Choose the lower place ... always. Don't you want the honor of God more than men's empty praise? If Tiger Woods has proven anything this week, you can have a billion dollars and all the praise of the world and still be unfulfilled! You can have it all and be empty! Only God is going to fill that hole. Even if you get elevated to the best seat at the table it is still temporary and unfulfilling as soon as it is over! Only God can meet our deepest needs. We need Him to lift us up. Let's choose to out serve our spouses at home. Let's choose to out serve at church. Let's choose the lower place. Let's humble ourselves and let God lift us up.

Next time you go to Walmart, think about this as you park, shop and check out. Choose the lower place. Walk from the farthest parking spot. Wait patiently in line. No one else may notice but the ultimate Host just might and that is what really matters.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 8

Intro:
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

Chorus
If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus is the way

Read:
Luke 15:1-7

1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Think:
Sometimes religious people can be judgmental of those they deem "sinners". By the time Jesus appears on earth there is a deeply divided religious system separating the "righteous" and "sinners" from each other.

Being certain you are "righteous" causes stoppedupearitis. It keeps you from hearing anything that doesn't fit in your tightly crafted worldview. Jesus had a great solution for this .... tell a story. A story has the ability to get past the defense mechanisms we design to protect ourselves.

God's view of "sinners" is different than ours. The parable of the lost sheep gives us a glimpse into His view. It is a view we might want to adopt.
1. Something of value is lost (v. 4)
2. It warrants an all out search (v. 4)
3. It requires a celebration (v. 5-6)

Think through those 3 things in relation to yourself first. How does God see you? He sees lost things as having value and worth pursuing. He looks for them with the passion of a man who's lost his paycheck. He searches under stuff. He looks in the dark caves. He looks high and low. He looks until he finds. What is lost is of value to Him. He will search until he finds.

When he finds what He values he experiences joy. He calls together his friends to rejoice with Him. He throws a party.

That is how God sees you.

Now think through those 3 things in relation to someone you deem a sinner. How does God see them?

He sees lost things as having value and worth pursuing. He looks for them with the passion of a man who's lost his paycheck. He searches under stuff. He looks in the dark caves. He looks high and low. He looks until he finds. What is lost is of value to Him. He will search until he finds.

When he finds what He values he experiences joy. He calls together his friends to rejoice with Him. He throws a party.

That is how God sees them.

I tell you there is rejoicing in heaven when someone turns to God. There is rejoicing by the God of joy. The God that eats with sinners.

Do:
How encouraging is this story for "sinners" like you and me? We have a God that loves us! We have a God that wants us. We have a God that searches for us until He finds us. We have a God that throws a party when we are with Him.

That's how God sees you.

That's pretty amazing.

Listen to If We Are The Body in the Devolink Worship Center.

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Jesus Story Teller - Part 7

Intro:
I had my first alcoholic drink with the pastor's kid. I was in high school. I was going to the Winter Formal with some good friends from church. We went all out. White stretch limo. Tux with a light pink jacket. I know it sounds bad but it was not as bad as it sounds. At least I did not have a Pirates of the Caribbean vintage, ruffled shirt!

While driving around in the limo, the pastor's kid asked if we wanted to get some "coolers". My date thought he was referring to Cactus Cooler, a relatively nasty soft drink. I thought he meant an Igloo cooler and wondered what we were going to put in it once we got it! Pretty much clueless.

I think I drank one 12 ounce wine cooler that night. It tasted better than I expected but it hit me like a bomb. I made a fool of myself that night.

What always shocked me was that I first learned to drink from a pastor's kid. Here I was supposed to be safe and away from the influence of the world. My parents were not concerned. After all, we were all Christians and in the same youth group. No problems ... right?

Read:
Matthew 13:24-30

24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

28 " 'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

29 " 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

Think:
No wonder the Scriptures say that friendship with the world is hostility toward God! No wonder the Scriptures replay the imagery that we are soldiers in a battlefield! No wonder the Scriptures say we are to armor up and to have our minds sharp and to be ready for action.

We live in a battlefield. Easy to forget. Easy to get lulled to sleep. Easy to think we are safe. Even at church!

Let's pay attention to a few things in this parable:
1. Weeds came from an "enemy" (v. 25, 28). Someone that did not like the owner snuck in and planted bad seeds. Pretty clear in the rear view mirror that this "enemy" could very well be the devil. The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis captures the subtlety of this enemy very well.
2. The presence of the weeds was not immediately obvious (v. 26). These grew under ground for some time and the farmer and owner did not know it. Apparently, weeds can co-exist for a time without anyone recognizing it. Eventually it will raise its head and be known.
3. Wheat and weeds grew together (v. 30). The wheat and weeds share the same resources of soil, sun and water. They live in the same place. They might even look similar for a period of time. But one is primarily a taker while the other is a giver. One uses resources without any benefit to the owner while the other provides the ingredients necessary to make bread and other things of benefit.
4. All will be righted in the end (v. 30). The owner will reveal the true position of each. The weeds will be bound and burned. The wheat will be placed into the owner's barn. Chuck Swindoll says there will be 3 surprises when we get to heaven: 1. Some we thought should be there won't be. 2. Some we thought won't be there will be. 3. Most importantly the biggest surprise is that I get to be there!

So, why this parable?

Well, it looks like a warning. It looks like an invitation to pay attention. Not everything is as it appears. Not all that call Him "Lord, Lord" will see the kingdom of heaven. Not all that make it through the doors of the church are really what we think they are.

We should expect that this is normal. The church is not a special place where our kids are safe just because they are in Sunday School! We need to be aware of what they are being taught and by whom. We need to pay attention to the content of their lives. We need to know what "Christian" friends they are spending time with.

Do:
Are you wheat or weeds? You are one or the other. Being wheat does not mean perfect ... we are talking about seeds, roots, stalk. It comes in stages. You have to be the right seed to be wheat. If you are truly saved you are wheat. You will continue to grow, in a mixed environment, until the end.

Examine yourself:
Might be good to picture yourself before God in judgment. Ask him to search you. Might be good to hear him ask questions and examine you and your choices. Might be good to do that now before you die.

Examine others:
This part is difficult for us in a tolerant culture. Expect that some in your church or even Sunday School class are weeds. Difficult to think through. You must be careful in doing this. Easy to become a conspiracy theorist. Don't want that. You just want to be wise and aware. Consider the outcome of their lives. Ask questions about what God is teaching them. Look for evidence of salvation. Let's continue to talk sports and kids but let's make sure we get to spiritual things too.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

Jesus Story Teller - Part 6

Intro:

Beginning Anew

He came to my desk with quivering lip;
The lesson was done…
“Have you a new leaf for me, dear Teacher?
I have spoiled this one!”
I took his leaf, all soiled and blotted,
And gave him a new one, all unspotted;
Then into his tired heart I smiled:
“Do better now, my child!”

I went to the throne with trembling heart;
The day was done...
“Have you a new day for me, dear Master?
I have spoiled this one!”
He took my day, all soiled and blotted,
And gave me a new one, all unspotted;
Then into my tired heart He smiled:
“Do better now, my child!”

--Kathleen Wheeler

Read:
Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Think:
One of the greatest things about Jesus' parables ... the answer is at the end! We don't have to guess what the point of the story.

So, what is the point of this parable? God expects us to forgive each other. It is right there in verse 35. The enormous gap God had to fill to forgive us REQUIRES us to forgive others in return and whatever their sin against us. That's hard to take. We tend to have too much pride to allow us to be trampled on again and again.

Note the context: this parable is an answer to the question, "How many times to I HAVE to forgive someone?" The answer requires bible math. For most of us, 70x7=490, which is a lot in it's own right. But 7 is the biblical number of completion and 7x7 would have been a strong statement. 70x7 is off the charts. There is no missing what Jesus is asking for. Forgiveness is not optional.

Throughout this parable there are a some places that the hearers would have gasped in shock. (Each are marked above in blue).
1. The extravagant forgiveness of the king (v. 27). He had no obligation to release this man from his debt. In fact, it was his right to throw the man into debtors prison and sell his family. The man was guilty.
2. The shortsightedness of the forgiven (v. 28-30). You can feel the shock in the story. This man that owed $1,000,000 chokes a man that owes him $5. We stand in judgment on the man. We want to see justice served. That's good and fine, but we need to be careful ... this story is set up. We naturally judge the man for his ungrace and lack of mercy but in doing this we rightly begin to feel uncomfortable. We look at this shortsighted man and find he is a mirror for us to examine ourselves.

So, we NEED to forgive each other ... but there is another subtle point ... we need to be concerned when we see people treat each other with ungrace (v. 31). When we see other servants of the King not forgiving each other we are expected to take that to the King. It needs to bother us. I think the passage says they were "greatly distressed" over the ungrace of the forgiven, shortsighted man.

Do:
To say we need to forgive others is so obvious but needs to be stated. So, let's dig in ... Can you identify someone that "owes you" something? Maybe someone betrayed a confidence? Stole something from you? I could list a thousand offenses and maybe I would hit one or two. I find that God is better at helping us determine what needs attention.

Go to Him in prayer. Ask Him to reveal the names of folks you need to forgive. Release them. Do it because God requires it. Do it because it is good for you.

"Forgiveness is not something we do for others, we do it for ourselves - to get well and finally move on."

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

Jesus Story Teller - Part 5

Intro:
Dog in Raybans: The galaxy is here!

Agent K: What do you mean ''here''? Galaxy's millions of stars and planets. How's it here?

Dog in Raybans: You humans! When will you learn size doesn't matter? Just because something's important, doesn't mean it's not very small.

Agent K: How small?

Dog in Raybans: Tiny. Like a marble or a jewel. If you'll excuse me, I gotta be walked before my flight.

Wisdom from a Dog in Raybans!

Read:
Matthew 13:31-33

31 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

33 He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Think:
Just because something is important doesn't mean it is not very small! Jesus, the story teller, reminds us that the Kingdom of heaven is something that might well begin very small. How small? Well, small enough to be easily overlooked.

Sometimes the smallest things can have a greatest impact.

We might say that a car key is small compared to the Porsche 911 it starts ... but the power it creates cannot be ignored. A mustard seed may be small but the end result isn't. Yeast may be small but it is the catalyst that works its way throughout and makes dough rise.

Sometimes the smallest things can have a greatest impact.

The kingdom of God could be easily overlooked, misunderstood or maligned but it is a powerful thing in our human story. How do you measure the impact of a seed that goes into the ground and dies? You measure it by what comes up from the ground later.

So, how do you measure the impact of the Seed that was ignored, spat upon, mocked, rejected, murdered and put into the ground? You measure it by what comes up out of the ground 3 days later!!! You measure it by the impact that Life has on all the other lives it touches!

Sometimes the smallest things can have a greatest impact.

Think of how it started in your life. It started with accepting Christ as Savior. It grew by allowing Him to operate as Lord. He moved with grace from one untidy room in our lives to the next. Like a skillful surgeon He cuts and cleans and heals. Relentless. This Kingdom that started out as an invitation to salvation is pretty invasive!

Think of what God wants to do with our lives. Jesus seeks to work His kingdom into our world through us. That is a pretty overwhelming task. Fortunately it only takes a mustard seed and dying to ourselves ... He does the rest! Are you qualified for this task? No ... but God is in the business of using the weak and the "nobodies".

While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness."

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.

1 Corinthians 1:22-31 from The Message

Sometimes the smallest things can have a greatest impact.

Do:
How encouraging to know that God uses weaklings and nobodies. How encouraging to know that God can take the smallest seed of trust and work His Kingdom into our lives and the lives of those around us. It isn’t about us … never has been … never will be. This is about God and His Kingdom.

Remember what we pray, “Thy Kingdom come”? There’s a reason for that. Maybe another prayer could be: “Lord I believe, help my unbelief. Take what little faith I have and do amazing things with it. I will die to myself that you might live through me. Expand your Kingdom through my life today. Amen ”

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

Jesus Story Teller - Part 3

Intro:
I grabbed a book off a friends bookshelf this past week called, simply enough, How To Communicate. Did you know that communication is more about listening than speaking?

"You're at a dinner party. Someone is telling anecdotes, someone is complaining, someone is bragging about his promotion. Everyone there is anxious to talk. Suddenly you get the feeling that no one is listening. While the talk goes on you notice that people's eye's wander. They are perhaps rehearsing their own remarks. It is as if they have secretly agreed: "I'll be an audience for you if you'll be an audience for me." The party may be a success, but people go home without hearing or knowing each other."

How To Communicate, p.5

Read:
Luke 16:19-31

19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30 " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Think:
The rich man in this story has a problem. It wasn't that he had many good things in this life. It wasn't that he didn't share with others. It wasn't even that he probably wasn't grateful for what he had. The problem is that he didn't apply the things he heard at the Temple. He didn't listen. He didn't pay attention.

There are many like him in the Church today. They come. They fill the seats. They might get come political power from it. They are satisfied by things. But they do not listen. This doesn't translate to their homes or their business ethics. This does not lead to compassion toward others. This doesn't make them more like the God they come near to worship.

That is the point of the parable. The message about Abraham's bosom and a look behind the curtain of eternal things is not what Jesus is teaching. It is interesting to be sure but not the point.

Remember, Jesus tells these stories to make a point. These stories are designed to get a picture past our defense systems. These are designed to help us listen.

Isn't it interesting that the hope Jesus offers is found in the OT? If they listen to Moses (the Law) and the Prophets they have a better chance of recognizing the Law fulfiller and prophecy completer. As it is, 'if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

The rich man had many opportunities to listen and recognize the coming Messiah. Every Temple small group, or Saturday School Class, every sermon, offered an opportunity for him to listen.

Had he listened, he would not be in hell or in torment. He would have learned of a God that desired mercy and not sacrifice. He would have treated others differently. He would have been prepared to meet the Messiah.

Do:
Sorry for the sobering parable. This is where God led me this day. I wonder how much of what I hear at church or in my Bible reading time actually makes it to my heart? Someone once wisely said, "the distance between heaven and hell is only 18 inches .... the distance from your head to your heart".

As we come to the Thanksgiving table this week, as we worship in our usual place let's ask the Lord to help us to hear. Let's listen to the sacred silence ... listen to the holy Word.

Do you want to have a test of if you are listening well or not? How do you treat others ... especially those that offer you nothing in return? How well are you seeing Jesus Christ in your daily life? Do you recognize His hands and feet?

It requires listening.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

Jesus Story Teller - Part 2

Intro:
A pastor just finished his morning sermon when Ms. Jones approached him and said, "You know pastor, you are becoming one of the greatest preachers of this generation." Unfortunately he believed it.

As he was loading the kids in the car he said to his wife, "Ms. Jones thinks I am one of the greatest preachers of this generation." His wife said nothing. He decided to push it a bit. "I wonder how many great preachers there are in this generation?" To which his wife finally replied, "One less than you think!"

So hard to be humble ... even for those we assume are always humble!

Read:
Luke 19:9-14

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Think:
How we view ourselves matters to Jesus. How we view ourselves is also noticed by God in heaven. That is the point of this parable.

In this story Jesus creates tension by the selection of the two men: a Pharisee and a tax collector. This would be the same as choosing a pastor and a thief. Culturally one is respected and the other repulsed.

That's what we see but not what God sees. When both of these men show up at church and pray only God hears them but Jesus lets us listen in.

The Pastor:
"I'm ok. I have no needs. I've made good choices in my life. God's help might be nice but it is not necessary. I am better than others."

Remember this is not being said out loud! This is in his heart. This is how he views the world. Also notice that he does not ask God for anything. There is no request in this man's prayer.

The Thief:
"I'm not ok. I am needy. I've made bad decisions in my life and I take advantage of others for my own gain. God, have mercy on me ... I am one that has missed the mark."

This is also coming from the heart. This is how he views himself. Unlike the pastor in the story this guy does ask God for something ..... for mercy! This is not just a cimple request, this is a command. He is telling God that he needs mercy to make it one more day.

***********

Jesus told this story to challenge those who were confident in their own rightness before God. The Pharisee was sure he was covered and that God was pleased with him. His basis for such confidence was his own holiness. The tax collector was not sure he was even redeemable by God.

Jesus also told this story to encourage those who were humble before God that they could be made right with Him based on what HE did and not what they did!

Do:
Not sure what we can do with this .... this is more of who we ARE not what we do.

Be sure God really knows what we are at the heart even if those at church cannot tell. This can be a good thing or not.

The one thing we can do: humble ourselves. Did you know there is no place in Scripture where God is asked to humble someone? In every case we are told to humble ourselves.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

Jesus Story Teller - Part 1

Intro:
Some people worry ... other people pray.
One finds darkness ... the other a ray.

Just made that up! Now If I would only apply it. :) There are some that pray a lot. Their lives are marked by a dependence on God in prayer. Others worry and work harder. I wonder if we prayed harder and worked less what we'd find?

"I can hardly believe her disease is ordinary, for her life is bitter to her; she sleeps none, but cries as a woman travaling in birth ... and I am at present exercised with the wrestlings of God. Remember our estate to the Lord. It becomes us to knock, and to lie at the Lord's door, until we die knocking. If He will not open, it is more than He has said in His word. But He is faithful. Welcome, welcome cross of Christ, if Christ be with it."

Samuel Rutherford, 1630, on the suffering of his wife, age 30.

Read:
Luke 18:1-8

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her (continual) coming!' "

6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Think:
Jesus was a master story teller. He would often tell a story to help drive a point home. For today, it is pretty safe that Jesus wants us to know that we should always pray and not give up. Got to love a parable where the main idea is laid out for you! We dumb sheep need it simple!

What can we learn from this widow about prayer?
1. She was confident (v. 3)
Her request is a command! She is telling the judge to listen and act on her behalf. This is not a weak request by a feeble, frail, old widow. This is the confident prayer of a woman in need.

We are to also come before God with boldness ... make our requests known to Him. Try to influence the outcome. Some things are locked in God's will and unchangeable. Other things God allows us to influence. We should be bold on those things.

2. She was consistent (v. 3, 4, 5, 7)
She kept coming to the judge ... continually ... over time ... day and night! She was undeterred in her quest for justice. Maybe someone was trying to take her children for a bad debt left by her husband. Maybe someone was taking over her land or inheritance. Regardless, she was not going to be denied justice.

We are to also come before God continually. We are to bring our requests to Him day and night. We are not to let up in our desire to hear from the Lord. It becomes us to knock, and to lie at the Lord's door, until we die knocking.

Do:
Our God is not an unjust judge. He is an awesome Father that wants the best for us. He desires that we pray and not give up. He desires that we live like the widow in this parable. We are invited to be confident and consistent in prayer.

Do you do this much, Christian? Are you confident before God in prayer? Do you come knowing that He cares about you and wants to hear you? Do you come knowing that He is waiting to answer certain things but wants you to pray about them FIRST? If you pray first and then He answers there is less likelihood that you will miss His hand in the mix.

Make it your pledge to pray and not give up. Will you do this now? Go knock at His door. A just Father is waiting!

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.