The Great Chasm

Scripture – Luke 16:25-31: 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. 26And 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, 28for 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.’”

Reflection: I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people question how a loving God could send people to hell. Often they use that as an excuse for not believing. What they miss is the simple fact that God does not send anyone to hell. Quite the opposite! He’s opened the door to heaven and invited everyone to come in. People make their own choice.

The “great chasm” stands out to me here. The gap that sin creates between a person and God will one day become permanent if that person refuses to believe in Jesus Christ. I heard someone suggest once that the gates of hell are locked from the inside. People can be successful rebels until the end. There really will come a time when, for some people, there is no hope. They’re caught on the dark side of the chasm. They can see the other side. And they no longer have any way to get across.

Right now, in Christ, God offers us the way across. That way is to simply believe in Christ – to stop resisting and start trusting Him as Savior. I’m not sure how to get that message across to people these days. We’re so full of ourselves, we think we can handle anything by ourselves. The fact is we cannot. The gift of God is eternal life. How can we help people see that and receive it?

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, May 31
Luke 17:1-2: 1Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Looking for Lazarus

Scripture – Luke 16:19-24: 19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and 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. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So 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.’

Reflection: Jesus tells another story. This is part one. Like most of His parables, there are layers of meaning that each of us can discover in our own lives.

Here we find a rich man and a beggar. (Only one of them is given a name. What does that mean?) The scene illustrates the great divide between rich and poor. While I would say I’m not at either of those extremes, I must admit I’m far closer to the rich man than I am to Lazarus.

After each man dies, Lazarus finds comfort. The rich man finds torment. What’s striking is the rich man can see the alternative. He can see the eternal life he’s missing. There are choices I will face today that can have eternal ramifications. By the grace of God, I have the assurance of eternal life with Him. I’ll live with that in mind today. And along the way, I’ll look for Lazarus.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Without a Clue

Scripture – Luke 16:5-9: 5“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6“‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’ 7“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ 8“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Reflection: So this manager needed to make some friends before he lost his job. He called in people who owed debts to his master and offered them a discount if they paid right then. The master then recognized what a shrewd move this was, and he “commended the dishonest manager.”

Jesus then makes a point I don’t get. In part He’s talking about acting shrewdly in life – using some street smarts – making some political moves. I also like the part about using worldly wealth, rather than being used by it. But how all that connects with being “welcomed into eternal dwellings,” I don’t have a clue.

If you have any ideas, feel free to let me know. For now, though, I’ll remember everything comes from God. The stuff He’s entrusted to me is to be used on His behalf. And as long as I remember this stuff is not mine, it won’t be able to use me.

A New Story

Scripture – Luke 16:1-4: 1Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg—4I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

Reflection: Well, here’s the start of something – some kind of plan that’s being hatched. It’s another parable – a story Jesus tells that carries a lesson of some kind for everyone who reads it.

This is just the beginning. It sets the stage for what’s to come, so there’s not a lot to see yet. I do notice, however, that the rich man was keeping track of the job his manager was doing. God has certainly entrusted me with a lot of responsibility to manage His stuff on His behalf. I’ll keep that in mind today, even as I look ahead to tomorrow’s reading.

Acting or Reacting

Scripture – Luke 15:25-27: 25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

Reflection: Now here’s a little challenge. Take this little snapshot from this larger story and put yourself into it. If I’m the older son, how will I react to this situation? What options do I have?

I could rejoice and run and join the party. I’ve watched people waste a lot of life’s resources. It’s easy to shake my head and figure they deserve to be where they are. In essence, it’s easy to write them off. But the father is really the star of this story. He’s the one who’s lost the most – including half of his estate. And he’s the one putting on the party because none of that matters. He’s looking ahead. He’s grateful and happy to have his son back home.

Now as the older son, I could also get my nose out of joint. First of all, why am I finding out from one of the servants? And why are there no consequences for my younger brother? It seems like he’s being rewarded for wasting everything.

Which perspective would I choose? I’ll pay attention this week. For I’m faced with these kind of choices more than I realize. As I come upon different situations, will I be an actor or a reactor?

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, May 24
Scripture – Luke 15:28-32: 28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

An Honest Confession

Scripture – Luke 15:21-24: 21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Reflection: The son needed to confess to the father. And he did – acknowledging he had sinned and he was no longer worthy to called a son. That’s where the good news begins. The effect of sin is that it separates me from God, and usually from other people. In confession I recognize that in myself and I turn back toward God. I realize I am not worthy to be called God’s son. That’s when His grace kicks into gear.

Through the cross of Christ, He has bridged the gap I have created between Him and me. In His grace He reaches over and draws me back to Him. He does for me what I cannot do for myself. It’s not because I deserve that. I’m unworthy. The good news is God doesn’t treat me as I deserve to be treated. He treats me with love and mercy.

The son needed to confess. The father responded with great joy and celebration. There’s no dwelling on what went on before. The son has come home. The time for celebrating and looking forward has arrived.

Yesterday a friend mentioned these three lost and found stories. He pointed out that the shepherd had to search for the lost sheep. The woman had to search for the lost coin. But the father did not go out looking for the lost son. God is always ready to welcome me back. I have to make the choice to turn back.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Waiting Patiently

Scripture – Luke 15:17-20: 17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Reflection: “When he came to his senses….” What a powerful phrase that is. What a moment of grace. I’ve experienced it many times. Many years ago, I ran off like the younger son in this story. I was going to invent a whole new life for myself. It, of course, didn’t work. After I crashed and was in the process of burning, I came to my senses. It was a humbling experience, but a healing one. I began winding my way back home.

The second part of today’s reading shows a father watching for his son’s return. I can picture the father looking down the road every day. Then one day, he catches a glimpse of someone coming. He ran to his son and embraced him. When I finally made it home my mother was waiting. There was no hassle – no questions. I was welcomed home – by my mother and by God.

By His grace, I experienced a new beginning. I still had a few blips along the way, but in all of my life, I never stopped being my mother’s son. I never stopped being loved and looked after by God.

So I work at being patient with people – people I see wandering off in self-destructive directions. I keep the door open. I love them. I trust they will one day come to their senses. And I welcome them when they come home.

What to Do?

Scripture – Luke 15:11-16: 11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Reflection: This is the beginning of one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. This is where it’s very hard to read as though I’ve never seen it before. It’s far easier to think, “Ah, yes, the prodigal son. I’ve got this. I know this lesson.” So the challenge is to look a little harder or from a different angle. Over the next few days what will the Lord be saying through this “lost and found” story?

The beginning of the story reminds me of our country’s situation right now. We have squandered great wealth. We have given ourselves over to the instant gratification approach to life, and now we’re paying the price. We find ourselves in need, and there’s no one to bail us out. What will we do? What are our options? Where is God in the midst of this? These are questions to consider as the story unfolds.

Troubling Implications

Scripture – Luke 15:8-10: 8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Reflection: Here again we have someone who loses something. In this case, a woman loses a coin in her house. How does that happen? Most often I’ll drop a coin and it roles under something. It’s not actually that the coin is lost. It’s just out of my reach – out of my sight. In fact, I know it’s still in the house. The question is, will I make the effort to find it?

Do I do that with people? Do I unconsciously decide some people are not worth the effort? That’s a troubling thought. I’ll keep an eye on myself today as I meet various people. Am I making such a choice?

One other thing I see here is the way the woman calls her friends and neighbors together to celebrate the finding of her coin. When people come to Christ, or come back to Him after being away, we don’t really celebrate. We might smile and even say, “Amen.” But to have a celebration – to rejoice together – we don’t do anything like that. I’ll look at that, as well.

Sometimes these simple stories have troubling implications.

Lost and Found

Scripture – Luke 15:3-7: 3Then 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? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I 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.

Reflection: As one who has been given the title “pastor” (which essentially means “shepherd”), this little story has some interesting implications for me. First of all, I’ve never noticed that the lost sheep was originally part of the flock. As obvious as that is, I’ve just never seen it before. Somehow the shepherd lost the sheep. How does that happen?

The first thing that comes to my mind is, the shepherd was not paying attention. At least he was not looking over the whole flock. Perhaps his attention was focused on a few of the sheep and he didn’t notice the one wandering away.

A second obvious observation is that when he noticed the sheep was missing, he went to look for it. He searched until he found the sheep and then he brought it back home. Great rejoicing followed. Jesus then drew the parallel between people who repent and those who don’t need to.

I find myself wondering how much responsibility did the sheep have – the one who got lost and the others in the flock who might have noticed? This is the first of three “lost and found” parables Jesus told right in a row. I’ll keep that question in front of me over the next few days.

A Daily Decision

Scripture – Luke 14:31-35: 31“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. 34“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Reflection: Deciding to follow Jesus Christ is not a decision I make lightly. It’s a decision I make every day. When I first accepted Christ as the Director and Savior of my life, I had no clue where that would take me. Most of the time that’s a good thing. If I could see very far into the future, I’d probably never get out of bed in the morning.

Counting the cost is something I can day by day at best. The key is to keep growing in my ability and willingness to let Him have control over all my life. The thing to avoid is backing up.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, May 17
Luke 15:1-2: 1Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

No Sweet-Talk Here

Scripture – Luke 14:25-30: 25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

Reflection: Wow! There’s no sweet-talk here. Jesus is talking to the crowds, not the Pharisees. He pulls out some pretty blunt, hard language.

I’m quite sure I’m not being called to “hate” my wife and children, even though that’s the language He uses. Clearly this is a message about priorities. And Jesus leaves no doubt that discipleship means He will be number one. My goal is to make Him the highest value in my life. As much as I love my wife and children, when push comes to shove, He takes precedence.

Carrying my cross is a tough image, as well. A cross is an unwanted burden that I pick up because it needs to be picked up. Choosing a cross is choosing to do something I’d rather avoid because it’s what Christ would have me do. Remember, a key dynamic with any cross is that it is voluntary – I always have a choice, as did Christ Himself.

Tough words! Tough choices! I’m not sure I’m up to it. I guess that’s why we have His grace in our lives. I’m free to become His disciple a bit more every day. What will that look like today? How will I be different when I go to bed this evening?

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Short and Sweet

Scripture – Luke 14:21-24: 21“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Reflection: If I choose not to take advantage of an invitation, there are others who will. More than once I’ve said “No” to an invitation, and then later changed my mind only to find the spot had been filled. This is a simple lesson: pay attention today to the invitations that come your way.

Keeping Commitments

Scripture – Luke 14:15-20: 15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

Reflection: One of the things I’ve learned to take seriously is keeping a commitment. There are some invitations I receive that I just don’t want to accept. I used to say “Yes,” knowing that I wouldn’t be going. Immediately I would start planning or looking for my excuse. I would wait until almost the last minute, then, like the folks in this story, apologize and not come.

Now I’m still not perfect in this. And I don’t do it consciously, as I used to. In most cases, though, I have learned to weigh invitations carefully. And if I say “Yes,” I’ll be there – whether it’s something I want to do or not. If I say “No,” I move on free from any need to backtrack.

Sometimes it’s hard to say, “No.” I’ve been invited to serve on many committees or participate in very worthwhile projects. In spite of how guilty I may feel, I’ve learned my own integrity is on the line. It’s better to decline the invitation rather than accept it knowing I’ll probably not follow through or I’ll give only a half-hearted effort.

This also allows me to say, “Yes,” without over-booking myself. I’m much better off doing a few things well rather than many things poorly. I don’t know what invitations may come my way today. I do know I’ll be ready to hear them, pray for guidance and make a clear decision.

What Will You Do Today?

Scripture – Luke 14:7-14: 7When 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. 9If 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. 10But 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. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Reflection: One of the neat things happening in our society these days is the growing popularity of random acts of kindness. The idea is to do something nice for someone without letting them know. The hardest part of that is to keep it to myself. My human nature leads me to tell someone at some time.

Several years ago I was given a great example of this. A woman connected with our church called me and said she wanted to do something nice for someone. She sent me some money, and asked that it be used to buy a gift for someone who needed a little encouragement. She didn’t want to know who that would be. She just gave the money.

I shared this with our Deacons here at Bethel – only telling them we had an anonymous donation and this was how it was to be used. They thought of a woman in our church who was in the midst of a very hard time in her life. So they bought her a nice sweater – a simple thing that she would like, yet she would not buy for herself. She was delighted. It gave her just the kind of pick-me-up the donor hoped for.

I’ve never forgotten this. The giver never knew who received. The receiver had no idea who gave. I think this is the kind of thing Jesus was talking about here. What random thing can you do for someone today? Will you do it? And will you keep it to yourself?

To Be Willing

Scripture – Luke 13:34-35: 34“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Reflection: What a powerfully simple image! Jesus spreading out His arms like a mother hen would spread out her wings. He offers protection and shelter. He offers a safe and secure place to be.

The only thing that will prevent me from taking advantage of the shelter He offers is my unwillingness. All I have to do is move under His care and trust Him to be my protector and savior.

Many people live in desolate houses because they’re not willing to trust Him. Many people stand out in the rain because they’re not willing to move under His shelter.
Remind me today, Lord, to humbly accept what you offer. Remind me to thank you for all you do. The fact is you make my life a lot easier and more peaceful. Thank you.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, May 10 – Luke 14:1-6: 1One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. 5Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” 6And they had nothing to say.

Too Personal?

Scripture – Luke 13:31-33: 31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” 32He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

Reflection: This seems like a cryptic passage. There’s the obvious reference to “the third day.” But I guess what stands out most clearly is that Jesus will not be dissuaded. He’s on His way to Jerusalem, the cross and the third day.

It’s ironic that the Pharisees try to scare Him away with a death threat. They don’t understand that’s why He came in the first place. Since He’s already given up His life, He’s got nothing to lose.

I’m also aware there’s something about Jesus that disturbs many people. I’ve seen it many times: we can talk about God in sort of a generic way and that’s okay. But when we bring Jesus into the conversation, that’s when people want Him to leave and go somewhere else. I guess He makes things too personal.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

A Place at the Table

Scripture – Luke 13:28-30: 28“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Reflection: When Christ returns there will be people who think they’re in line for a place at the table who will be shut out. There will be others, who those first people thought would never make it, who will have a seat. Indeed, there will be a great reversal. For in many places, as Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God, He makes it clear the value system of the kingdom is nearly the exact opposite of values in the world.

It’s not my place to decide who’s in and who’s out. It is my place to help usher as many people as I can in. For in Christ, our place is reserved. And that’s not based on anything I’ve done. It’s all because of what He’s done.

We can’t earn a place at the table. Through faith in Christ, we can only accept our place as a gift.

The Door Is Open Today

Scripture – Luke 13:22-27: 22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

Reflection: This is troublesome. There will clearly come a time when the door to eternal life will be closed. Right now everyone has the opportunity to go through that door. Many of us have done that. We’re safe and secure, and we don’t have to worry about those final days.

Many people have not made that decision. For whatever reasons, they resist. They refuse to accept the gift of life Christ offers. I don’t know why. There’s no downside to accepting Christ as Savior and Director of your life. Yes, it calls for a radical change and a new commitment to a new direction in life. That does seem daunting at first. At the same time, there’s no better choice I’ve ever made.

There will come a time when that choice is off the table. And the most troubling aspect of that is, people outside the house will know they’ve blown it forever. I encourage you – don’t be left outside. The door is open today.

God's Vast Kingdom

Scripture – Luke 13:18-21: 18Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” 20Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Reflection: Here are two brief snapshots of the kingdom of God. That’s really all we can see – different aspects of this vast kingdom. It’s like visiting one of our national parks. I can’t take a picture of the whole park.

So here, one of the snapshots shows a mustard seed. It’s a very small seed that’s intentionally planted. It grows into a very large plant, and opens itself to a new purpose – a place for birds to nest. Life in the kingdom is full of surprises.

Another picture (Or would it be a youtube video?) shows a woman working a little bit of yeast into some bread dough until all the dough is affected. Patiently working in the seemingly small areas of life will bring about the establishment of the kingdom here on earth.

If you were going to describe the kingdom of God, what pictures or videos would you use? What part of this vast kingdom stands out to you today?

Real Life Ministry

Scripture – Luke 13:14-17: 14Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” 15The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” 17When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Reflection: The woman was healed after suffering for eighteen years. (See yesterday’s reading.) The synagogue ruler became indignant. Jesus met his comments with very pointed and sensible words.

A couple of things pop out to me in this story. First, Jesus reminds us of what should be obvious: people are more important than animals (or things). Do I take better care of my car than my neighbor?

Second, when Jesus stood up to the church leaders, the people were delighted. I’ll remember today that ministry – in all its aspects – needs to touch base with real life if it’s to have any meaning.

Finding My Place in the Story

Scripture – Luke 13:6-9: 6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Reflection: Jesus used a lot of parables for His teaching. They’re little stories that have layers of meaning. I’ve learned one way to explore a parable is to see where I am in it. Which role (or roles) might I fill?

For example, in this story there are three main roles: the owner of the vineyard, the gardener and the fig tree. At different times I’ve been in all three.

Going a step farther, I notice the soil and the fertilizer. How would I fit in those roles?

Where do you see yourself? What lesson does Jesus have for you today? For me I see a lesson in patience and not giving up on something…..yet.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, May 3 – Luke 13:10-13: 10On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Changing Direction

Scripture – Luke 13:1-5: 1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Reflection: There are references here to a couple incidents with which the people would have been familiar. It’s like we might refer to the attacks of September 11 or the recent outbreak of this so-called swine flu.

The point Jesus makes is that things happen. Sometimes there is a tragic loss of life through an accident or outbreak of violence. People die. That’s a sometimes harsh reality of life. The question is, am I ready for that personally? In my spiritual life, am I ready to die?

Jesus calls us to repent. That’s an old Biblical word that means turn around. Stop moving away from God and begin moving toward Him. Let Him embrace you and draw you closer. Accept His love for you and His forgiveness. Then you, too, will be ready. It’s that simple. It’s that important.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.