Knowing that I would soon be blogging on what I read today, I felt almost overwhelmed. How can I possibly comment on all this? Jesus provided more teaching in these two chapters than I could preach on in an entire sermon series.
Instead of one contiguous thought this AM, I am going to just jot down a few thoughts that occurred to me as I read. I’m warning you in advance not to hope for a sermon here….just thinking on paper…
10:1-12
Jesus must have been planning to visit 36 places. I wonder what length of time that covered? Did He send people out to places that He would be in within a month? 2 weeks? I wonder how long these disciples were gone? Did these disciples who cast out demons in Jesus name ever go out again like this? Was this the pattern, or did it happen once? I also notice that Jesus asks them to pray for workers (harvesters). He doesn’t instruct them to pray that the town will be receptive, or that many people will come to know the Lord, although if God is going to answer a prayer for workers both of those will have to be included. I wonder if we have been praying for car parts when we should be praying for a car. You know what I mean? Maybe we’ve been praying for specific small things when we should have been praying for the larger “end item”. Maybe we should be praying for committed workers, instead of just “revival” or “healing” or “salvation”. You don’t get committed workers without having all those.
10:17 The demons fled at the name of Jesus. It wasn’t because of the skill of the disciples, or the wordsmithing of their prayers. All the power comes from God in the person of the Son, and His name is representative of His power. That should still work today, because over the course of human history, nothing has changed spiritually since Christ uttered this. If it worked for them, it should work for us.
10:18-20 Jesus saw satan fall from heaven. It’s commonly accepted that he “fell” to earth. Which means the earth would have to have been created by that time. I wonder when satan fell? Was satan still Lucifer when the earth was created? Did he fall before the earth was formed? And if he did, where did he “fall” to? Maybe the word “fall” is figurative. Nations “rise and fall” which means they have more or less significance…but they are still in the same place. Maybe satan was defeated and cast out of God’s presence but didn’t come to earth until later, when the earth was created.
Rejoicing is a part of what we are commanded to do as Christians, but what we rejoice about is varied: We are to rejoice when we have struggles, when people accept Christ, and here: when we think about the fact that our names are written in God’s Book of Life. Because this entry is our source of joy we always have something to be celebrating, regardless of what happens to us in this life.
Skipping over the good Samaritan. Not because it’s unimportant, but because it’s so familiar to most. I have to remind myself I’m not blogging a commentary here…
10:38-42 I identify more with Martha than Mary. I love the “Marys” of our congregation and I want to try and be a little more like them, but I have to confess that I don’t understand them, and I don’t think the way they think either. It occurs to me that God might need Martha to chill a little bit, and maybe Mary could help out more at another time. Today, however, Mary has clearly chosen the wiser path.
11:1-13
It wasn’t the Lord’s prayer exactly that caught my attention today…it was the comment “because of your shameless persistence he will get up and give you whatever you want”. Two of my grandkids have come to live with Grandpa for a couple of years (with their parents). I have noticed that as soon as I get comfortable in my easy chair with my snacks and the remote control positioned nearby, one of them will want something. Of course, whatever they want would require me to get up…which I am reluctant to do….because I know they don’t really need what they are asking for.
So I tell them “no” and then I tell them “wait” and I tell them to “go ask Grandma” and then finally after they have exhausted me with their constant asking, I finally get up and get them what they want so they will be quiet. Of course (and I’m not being sarcastic here) my real motivation for moving is my love for them. If I didn’t love them, they wouldn’t even be here, and I wouldn’t be entertaining the request at all. Intuitively they know this, and so they are shameless in what they ask for. They know that Grandpa loves them, and will eventually give them whatever they need, and often…..whatever they want. I know God isn’t “Grandpa” but I can’t help but wonder if the motivation and practice aren’t similar when we pray. Thinking of that, I wonder how much we would receive from God if we never asked for anything at all for ourselves…..I’d bet we would be surprised at just how much God already plans to do for us. My kids don’t have to ask me to provide meals for them….if I suspect they are hungry, I am urging them to eat. I’ll bet that’s true of blessings as well.
As I write this, I am feeling like I shouldn’t worry about what I have or don’t have, or what the future holds. God’s got this.
John 10:29-30
No one can snatch us from God’s hand. Even though the devil is alive and active on the earth, and trying everything he can to lure people into hell, I don’t have to worry or be afraid….God is more powerful, and will keep me safe in Him. I don’t have to rely on my ability to hang onto Jesus…because Jesus is hanging onto me. Having said that, I still believe that I can refuse God’s protection (even after I originally asked for it) and God will release me, because He respects my free will. But, He won’t allow me to be deceived without providing me ample warnings and cautions, red flags and christian friends who “come alongside” in the same way the Holy Spirit does. Actually, that all happens because of the Holy Spirit. God never “loses his grasp” on me. And even if I let go God won’t…unless I pry His fingers from my soul, and intentionally walk away.
Faithfully,
PR