Message Devotional: Well Done

Well Done!

May 26, 2013

Matthew 25:14-30

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.  He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more.  The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.  But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.  The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 

Jesus spends a good deal of time describing the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is that which all followers of Jesus are a part and are to give the highest authority.  Knowing what this Kingdom is like and what is expected will allow us to follow God more closely.  In this present world, God is not physically present.  He is not walking and talking amongst us.  The Holy Spirit gives guidance and God continues to be at work, yet that work is subtle and requires faith to fully comprehend.

  

So the Kingdom of God is like a master who has gone on a trip and entrusted his followers (servants) with the task of doing the needed work while he is away.  We are the servants.  We have work to do.  The Lord trusts us to carry out His mission on earth and He has given us what we need to do it.  Each of the three servants was given tools to use (money) and opportunity to use them according to their skill set.  Two servants took this seriously and did the master’s work while he was away.  One servant was afraid and failed to do anything with that the master had given him.

To those who use what God gives and live out the mission Jesus provides there is great reward.  What better words could be heard from the Lord than “Well done good and faithful servant”.  To the one who did nothing a punishment was given and that servant was cast out.  Which of the servants are we most like?  How can we best use what God has given us?

Message Devotional: Being God's People

Being God’s People

May 19, 2013

1 Peter 2:1-3; 9-12

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.  Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

A Christian cannot follow God and remain as they are.  Becoming God’s person requires a change of life, attitude, and action.  Peter lists several things that must be “stripped off” (deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, unkind speech).  He also warns believers to stay away from “worldly desires” and to live properly.  The phrase worldly desires cover a wide range attitudes and actions.  Galatians 5:19-21 gives a partial list.  From selfishness, to anger, to drunkenness, to sexual immorality our previous sinful nature will try to reassert itself.  Our behavior maters.  A follower of Jesus must work hard to live rightly and honorably no matter what.

If this is what we are to stay away from, what is it that we are to embrace?  Peter likens us to newborn babies crying out for pure spiritual milk.  A follower of God finds nourishment in God’s word, prayer, worship, and in the company of other followers.  We discover new life in salvation as we partake in these things.  We are given a new identity.  God’s people.  Royal priests.  A holy nation.  We are now citizens of God’s kingdom rather than the kingdoms of this world.  It is a high calling and a high placing.  This identity is greater than any previous understanding of life there may have been.  So we live with wonder and joy inside this kingdom.  It changes who we are, how we think, and how we live.  If we were to take a hard look at ourselves today, who are we living for?  This world or the Kingdom of God?

Message Devotional: The Godly Parent

The Godly Parent

May 12, 2013

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

“Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Proverbs 1:8-9

My child, listen when your father corrects you.  Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.  What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.

Just after the greatest commandment is given, the one that sums up the ten, there is a call to teach the way of God to our children.  That’s how important it is.  The people then know what we have been experiencing for two generations in America.  We are always one generation away from stepping out of God’s will.  When we neglect the Biblical command to raise our children on the way and word of God we fail to give them something vital and important to life.  Our children get their morality from us.  In fact, a child will not become more morally solid than their parents or another significant parental figure already is.  When they mature they will make their own choices, but in those vital formative years it is the parent’s faith and morality that matters most.  That faith is to be obvious.  Repeated.  Visible in person and at home.  Not is a trinket sort of way, but in a real and practical way.  A child should not wonder long what a parent believes about God.  Our God is a God of grace.  Should changes need to be made, God can help us make those changes.  How are we doing as parental figures?

Let’s not leave the child out.  It is the child’s duty to listen.  It is a child’s duty to accept the instruction that comes from parents.  When a parent leads a child correctly and raises them in God’s way, that child is given a great blessing.  A crown of grace and a chain of honor.  The child will benefit throughout his or her life and will end up making right choices more often than not.  If the child doesn’t listen then problems come.  Parents can only lead and teach.  May God help us to lead and teach our children.

Message Devotional: Our Inescapable God

Our Inescapable God

May 5, 2013

Psalm 139:1-12; 23-24

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day.  Darkness and light are the same to you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Human beings are incredibly complex.  No one is capable of understanding how our bodies work, let alone our thoughts and emotions.  Yet God digs down deep into us.    He sees the depth in our hearts, knows our most intimate thoughts and ideas, and is aware of all we do.  He knows us more fully than we can even know ourselves and this is a great thing.  Blindly loving someone or something can often be tragic.  Loving someone when you know as much as possible about them is powerful and beautiful.  God extends his love to us knowing everything thing there is to know about us.  No one can accept us for who we are more fully than God.

Yet how many of us try to escape?  The Psalmist speaks from experience.  No matter where he (and the people of God) goes, God is present.  There is no hiding from God.  Even while far away, God still guides.  He still gives support and strength.  The goodness of God is never far away from us, despite our efforts to reject, ignore, or escape it.

So the reality of God’s presence becomes a request.  “Search me” says the writer.  He embraces God’s presence in his life.  He accepts the inescapable reality of God and his love.  He desires change.  He wants more.  He wants to be led by God.  May this request be our request today.