The Times in Which We Live

Scripture – Luke 12:54-59: 54He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? 57“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Reflection: How do we interpret this present time? Things change so fast these days, it’s hard to even know what time it is in the present.

Technology allows us to communicate with almost anyone anywhere in the world at any time. Right now this Twitter stuff is taking off. Add that to texting and instant messaging, and we’re losing the ability to carry on conversations using full words an complete sentences.

I’m really at a loss in the face of this. It seems futile to try and change it by resisting it. Yet it’s leading us down a destructive road. The more we rely on technology, the more we’re relying on ourselves rather than Christ. If we’re not careful, we’ll end up being imprisoned by the very things that seem to set us free.

Choices

Scripture – Luke 12:49-53: 49“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Reflection: As Jesus walked on this earth, the cross must have always been with Him. He knew it was coming. He knew there was no other way for Him – at least, no other way He would take. I would guess much of the time the cross was on the back burner of His mind. But once a while, like here, it popped up front. He was distressed – troubled by what was coming.

He also may have been distressed by the fact He does bring divisions. There will always be people for Him and people against Him. We always have the choice before us – will I follow or not? Is He the Lord and Director of my life or not?

Today I choose, “Yes!” I’ll pay attention to the division that causes. As I follow my actions I’ll see which side I’m on.

Humilty or Self-Deception?

Scripture – Luke 12:47-48: 47“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Reflection: Here’s where humility can slip into self-deception. I know a lot of very gifted people who honestly believe they don’t have much to offer. I think of a woman in our church, for example, who doesn’t see herself as anyone special. Yet she uses her gifts very effectively in a wide variety of ways.

I know other people who prefer to keep their gifts hidden because they don’t want their lives to be disrupted by using them. They’re afraid if someone finds out they can do something, they’ll be asked to do it. So they, likewise, say they don’t have much to offer.

Where do I find myself in this? Where are you? We all have gifts. What will we do with them today?

Beyond Good Enough

Scripture – Luke 12:41-46: 41Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” 42The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

Reflection: Peter asked a simple question. As often happens, Jesus gives an answer with layers of meaning. At the simplest level, I think His answer to Peter is, “Yes!”

I find myself avoiding taking on some responsibilities because I’m afraid of where it may lead. If I do a good job, I’m afraid I’ll be asked to do more. And that may lead to some changes in my life I don’t want to deal with.

Still, Christ hasn’t called me to mediocrity. He doesn’t call me to do a job that’s just “good enough.” He calls me to do a job that needs doing and to give my best to that task.

What Do I Treasure?

Scripture – Luke 12:32-34: 32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Reflection: This passage raises a pertinent question: What do I treasure? That’s where my heart will be. What is most important to me in life? That’s where I will focus my attention.

Sometimes inner change is effected by changing behavior. Jesus says here to practice giving to the poor. Take what seems valuable and give it way. That will have a great effect on me. The more I loosen my grip on the stuff of this world, the more I uncover what’s truly valuable.

The irony is that which has the most value is that which God is pleased to give – at no cost. So today, I’ll practice holding loosely to the things of life. I’ll let my heart adopt a deeper treasure – one of true value – the kingdom of heaven.

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, April 26 – Luke 12:35-40: 35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Another Worry-Free Day

Scripture – Luke 12:27-31: 27“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Reflection: Here’s one of the great promises of the Bible. Yesterday was a worry-free day. That was a choice I made, and it affected the whole day.

I think I’ll do it again today. I’ll trust what Jesus says here. God knows what I need. He will give me what I need. So I am free to seek His kingdom without being distracted by needless worry.

This is such a simple lesson. I don’t know why I forget it from time to time. Today I will remember. This will be another worry-free day. Thank you, Lord, for your provision.

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.

Don't Worry

Scripture – Luke 12:22-26: 22Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Reflection: What a simple command! “Do not worry about your life.” There’s nothing more that needs to be said. I just need to obey.

So today I’m not going to worry about my life. I have an enjoyable day head of me. I will trust God to provide what I need along the way.

Thank you, Lord, for your command and your promise. Remind me today when I start to forget.

What Shall I Do?

Scripture – Luke 12:16-21: 16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He 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. 19And 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.”

Reflection: Here’s a question everyone faces – “What shall I do?” As I look around at what the Lord has provided in my life, what shall I do with the excess?

Part of the problem we face in our nation today – perhaps the root of the problem – is that attitude of instant gratification. I’m tempted to spend any money I have just because I have it. Then I’m led to spend money I don’t have. Then……..you know where that leads.

Somehow, here in the United States, we live with the great myth of entitlement. We live with the sense that I should have all I want now, and I should have a comfortable, even luxurious, retirement.

I can have all I want right now by simply wanting less. I can use the excess I have to continue Christ’s ministry in this world. And I can trust the Lord to provide what I need throughout the rest of my life as He always has. What shall I do?

Being on Guard

Scripture – Luke 12:13-15: 13Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14Jesus 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.”

Reflection: Greed is one of those things that sneak up on me. I’m committed to being generous – to living from the perspective that God owns everything. That means I have nothing to call my own – especially in terms of material possessions. God trusts me to manage some of His stuff for Him.

Still, I look around from time to time and realize my grip has tightened on some stuff. “Watch out,” Jesus said. “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”

I’ll pay attention today. I’ll be on guard. I’ll monitor when greed exerts its influence. In Christ I will not let it overpower me.

How about you? How does greed show itself in your life? How will you respond to it today?

He Is Risen!

Easter greetings to all! Remember to live on the bright side of the cross from now on.

I’ll be away for the next week. While I’ll keep up the Mini-Journal on paper, I won’t be posting anything. Here are the readings if you would like to follow along. And remember, you can always post your own comments anytime.

Monday, April 13 – Luke 11:37-41: 37When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. 39Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Tuesday, April 14 – Luke 11:42-44: 42“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 43“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”

Wednesday, April 15 – Luke 11:45-46: 45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” 46Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Thursday, April 16 – Luke 11:47-51: 47“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

Friday, April 17 – Luke 11:52-54: 52“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” 53When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54waiting to catch him in something he might say.

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.

Saturday, April 18 – Luke 12:1-3: 1Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

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.

Sunday, April 19 – Luke 12:4-7: 4“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Monday, April 20 – Luke 12:8-12: 8“I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

I Believe!

Scripture – Luke 11:29-32: 29As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Reflection: In Jesus we have all we need. In the Bible I learn all I need to know about Him. Living by faith in Him proves that what I read is true.

Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow is Easter. Those two events are bound together as one – like two sides of the same coin. Neither one has any significant meaning without the other.

I believe Jesus died on the cross. His lifeless body was laid in a tomb. I believe God raised Him to life again. He was alive in a physical body – in a new experience of life never before seen on this earth.

I believe in Him – in His death and resurrection – and I live with assurance that I have eternal life, as well. That has changed everything. I live now on the bright side of the cross. I need no other sign.

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 Easter Sunday, April 12 – Luke 11:33-36: 33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

Just Do It!

Scripture – Luke 11:27-28: 27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Reflection: One of the common threads throughout the whole Bible is obedience to God’s word. It’s not enough to learn what’s in the Bible. If I don’t put it into practice, it doesn’t matter.

For example, I need to lose some weight. And I know exactly how to do that. I don’t need to read articles or buy books. I don’t need more information on weight loss programs. I do need to put into practice what I know – eat less and exercise more.

In the same way, I don’t need to read more about loving my neighbor. I just need to love my neighbor. I don’t need to learn more of what the bible says about being kind. I just need to practice kindness with everyone I meet.

In short, there are blessings that come from obeying God’s word – from putting it into practice. And without obedience, I cannot find them.

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.

The Strongest Man

Scripture – Luke 11:21-26: 21“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. 23“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. 24“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

Reflection: This is a powerful key to Christian living. In my own strength, I am not strong enough to stand. There will always be people and powers stronger than me.

Christ is the ultimate power. He is God Almighty. If I keep my trust in Him and rely on His strength and power, I will be fine. In Him I can face anything.

The problem comes when I decide I can handle life myself. It’s like I tell God, “Thanks for your help. I can take it from here.” Inevitably, the “evil spirit” returns and finds my defenses are down. The clean house I have soon gets all messed up again.

I’ll remember today that He is my strength and shield. He is the strongest man who will protect me and even empower me with His strength. I will not walk alone today.

Huh?

Scripture – Luke 11:14-20: 14Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. 17Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. 19Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Reflection: One thing I strive for in this little blogging exercise is honesty. With that in mind, I must admit to some confusion here. I’m not sure what Jesus is trying to say.

The main lesson I take from this is to keep doing good, regardless of what people may think. My goal is to emulate Christ – to love and serve people as He did. To that end I will keep living today.

A Simple Lesson

Scripture – Luke 11:9-13: 9“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Reflection: One time I heard a speaker describe a simple exchange between him and his daughter. As it was getting close to suppertime, she asked him, “Can we have pizza tonight?” He replied, “Yes, we can.” And they did. Then he pointed out the simple fact that, had she not asked for pizza, they would have had something else.

A lot of times prayer is that simple. There are things God is ready to do for me. But He won’t do them unless I ask. So sometimes I fuss around about things – I wonder how I’m going to get something done – I feel lost and overwhelmed. And all I have to do is ask for help.

Sometimes I lose things and just sit around trying to think of where they might be, rather than looking for them. Sometimes I see a closed door and, rather than knocking, I assume no one’s home.

A lot of times it’s that simple. Today I’ll ask and seek and knock, rather than wonder how I’m going to get everything done that’s on my plate. I’ll expect to have what I need. I’ll expect a good day. And I’ll give up trying to do everything by myself.

Just Ask

Scripture – Luke 11:5-8: 5Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7“Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

Reflection: This story is couched so much in first century culture it’s hard to make sense of it today. Suffice it to say this is an image that the hearers of Jesus would easily picture.

From my perspective it reminds me that, while I may not get all I ask for, if I don’t ask I’m pretty much assured I’ll get nothing. A friend of mine has helped me see this simple truth. It doesn’t hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is I’ll be told no.

So I’ll keep asking. And I’ll be thankful for whatever I may receive.

Choosing a Better Way

Scripture – Luke 10:38-42: 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Reflection: This is certainly a timely word for me. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday – the beginning Holy Week. In our church we have some very focused worship experiences planned for Thursday, Friday and Easter Sunrise. These help us walk along with Christ as we act out the great drama of our faith.

Over the years I have sometimes let myself get so distracted by the preparations, I forget to absorb the meaning. That’ll even happen on Sunday mornings if I’m not careful. I’ll get so caught up in the logistics of our worship experience I forget to worship.

Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong in this passage. She’s the one who opened her home to Jesus. She was working to make sure everything was in place to make His visit a good one. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. It’s just that Mary chose what was better. I have a lot of Martha in me. Lord, for this Holy Week, remind me to choose Mary’s way, as well.

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, April 5 – Luke 11:1-4: 1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3Give us each day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

A Good Neighbor

Scripture – Luke 10:34-37: 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Reflection: How interesting! How instructive! The Samaritan didn’t just stop and feel sorry for the man. He went to him. He touched him and helped him. Then the Samaritan went out of his way to care for him. It cost him money and time to put his love into action. That’s a powerful lesson.

Then, after telling this story, Jesus turns everything around with his question to the “expert in the law.” The man’s original question was. “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus asks instead, ‘What does a good neighbor look like?’ Then He told the expert, “Go and do likewise.”

So the question is not about who my neighbor is. It’s about what kind of neighbor I am. Hmmmmm? That’s a powerful question to carry into the day.

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.

Expanding the Neighborhood

Scripture – Luke 10:30-33: 30In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

Reflection: Jesus told this story in reply to the question, “And who is my neighbor?” It’s probably one of the top five familiar stories from the Bible. The “Good Samaritan” is a common phrase in our North American culture.

Here’s where I have to discipline myself to read it as thought I’ve never read it before. It’s not hard to imagine this scene because similar things happen quite often in this metro area. People are randomly robbed, beaten and even killed – often for just a few dollars or a piece of clothing.

While I wouldn’t just walk by someone bleeding on the sidewalk, I do skip over the stories on the news. I don’t let myself be disturbed by them.

What more could I do when I read or hear about such incidents? Maybe this “neighbor” business extends beyond my neighborhood. I’ll see what Jesus says next. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye out for those in need around me.

A Test

Scripture – Luke 10:25-29: 25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Reflection: This story always trips me up. The “expert in the law” thought he was testing Jesus, but he was really being tested himself.

He asked a question a lot of people ask. Jesus turned it back on him as He pointed the man to his own Bible. Then, as Jesus pointed out, it was clear the man knew the answer. He just needed to put what he knew into practice.

Quite often I’ll raise questions when I already know the answer. What I’m really doing is looking for a more acceptable answer. Usually I know exactly what Jesus wants me to do in a given situation. It’s just not what I want to do.

In this passage, however, the man’s not asking a serious question. But Jesus throws him off by leading him to a serious answer. So the man counters with another not-so-serious question. Again, Jesus has an interesting answer for him. We’ll see that tomorrow.