“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” – John 14:12-14 (ESV)
“Why don’t I get what I want? I am, after all, asking for it in Jesus’ name.”
The answer is simple, but often unwanted, “Is what you want in line with the will of God?” When we are ‘me-centered’ people, we may not ask God to grant overtly wicked requests, but subtlety our selfish desires are reflected in our prayers. We can be consumed about our own well-being; we often are a far cry from being imitators of the One who gave up a home, friends, family, even His own life, for the glory of God.
Our prayers, especially our requests, should be to glorify God. This would radically change the way we seek Him and the types of things we ask of Him. Someone recently posed a question to me that has stuck – what are you trusting God for that only He could accomplish?
3/24/2006
3/23/2006
John 13 – The love of Jesus
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. – John 13:34-35 (ESV)
This is a memory verse for me. The problem with memory verses is that they don’t give the setting; we must be diligent to continue to place the memory verse in the proper setting. Here the proper setting shows the type of love Jesus gives and asks us to give.
This is the night of Jesus’ arrest. This is His last chance to be with His disciples before the cross. He washes their feet (even Judas’) but Peter doesn’t understand this act. Judas, one of the Twelve, leaves to betray Jesus. Jesus tells the disciples that they cannot come where He is going. Peter asserts his devotion only to be told that he will persistently deny ever knowing Jesus.
In the midst of all of this, Jesus talks about love: a love that persists in the midst of fighting, denial, and betrayal; a love that defines who we are as His followers because it is so different than the love we see elsewhere. Real love.
This is a memory verse for me. The problem with memory verses is that they don’t give the setting; we must be diligent to continue to place the memory verse in the proper setting. Here the proper setting shows the type of love Jesus gives and asks us to give.
This is the night of Jesus’ arrest. This is His last chance to be with His disciples before the cross. He washes their feet (even Judas’) but Peter doesn’t understand this act. Judas, one of the Twelve, leaves to betray Jesus. Jesus tells the disciples that they cannot come where He is going. Peter asserts his devotion only to be told that he will persistently deny ever knowing Jesus.
In the midst of all of this, Jesus talks about love: a love that persists in the midst of fighting, denial, and betrayal; a love that defines who we are as His followers because it is so different than the love we see elsewhere. Real love.
3/21/2006
John 11 – Christ our Savior: different than we expect
“Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. – John 11:50-52 (ESV)
The words of Caiaphas the high priest are correct, but he has the wrong intention. He was thinking materially – that is, what would the Romans do because of Jesus, how does this fellow jeopardize our ability to reform into a sovereign nation, or what will this miracle do to an already fractured and hurting Jewish population? Often we want Jesus to heal our ‘felt’ needs: money for this months rent, kids that would just be quiet and stay out of trouble, my family problems, troubles at work, etc. The problem is that we stop there – if He would just get me past this (whatever ‘this’ may be), then I could truly say that Jesus is Lord. Our focus is often on the material only.
Did Jesus care about the nation Israel? Absolutely. But His program is much different than the program that Caiaphas had in mind. And often times, His program is much different than the program we have in mind. Our response should be continued trust in our Savior, the one who is not only interested in our ‘material’ woes, but our true needs, our need for Him.
The words of Caiaphas the high priest are correct, but he has the wrong intention. He was thinking materially – that is, what would the Romans do because of Jesus, how does this fellow jeopardize our ability to reform into a sovereign nation, or what will this miracle do to an already fractured and hurting Jewish population? Often we want Jesus to heal our ‘felt’ needs: money for this months rent, kids that would just be quiet and stay out of trouble, my family problems, troubles at work, etc. The problem is that we stop there – if He would just get me past this (whatever ‘this’ may be), then I could truly say that Jesus is Lord. Our focus is often on the material only.
Did Jesus care about the nation Israel? Absolutely. But His program is much different than the program that Caiaphas had in mind. And often times, His program is much different than the program we have in mind. Our response should be continued trust in our Savior, the one who is not only interested in our ‘material’ woes, but our true needs, our need for Him.
3/20/2006
John 10 – Christ the King: different than we expect
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." – John 10:24 (ESV)
He did tell them, but they didn’t believe (v. 25). We have an idea of how God should act, but if this view is not informed by Scripture then several things occur. On the lighter end of the scale, we miss out on what God is doing. We have limited our Lord on what we think He is doing and now we are now either non-participants or even opponents of His work. More seriously, we are idolaters; we are now worshiping something that isn’t God, but some god we have constructed in our own minds. Lord Jesus, give us a clear vision of who You are, so we can worship You rightly.
He did tell them, but they didn’t believe (v. 25). We have an idea of how God should act, but if this view is not informed by Scripture then several things occur. On the lighter end of the scale, we miss out on what God is doing. We have limited our Lord on what we think He is doing and now we are now either non-participants or even opponents of His work. More seriously, we are idolaters; we are now worshiping something that isn’t God, but some god we have constructed in our own minds. Lord Jesus, give us a clear vision of who You are, so we can worship You rightly.
3/18/2006
John 8 – A fickle faith
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,” (v 31)…The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (v 48)…The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'” (v 52)…So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (v 59) – John 8 select passages (ESV)
John 8:31-59 shows a type of faith that disappears when the Lord reveals Himself for who he is. What Jesus was talking about earlier (being the light of the world), evidently garnered a seemingly positive response (v. 30) but it was a spurious response. The listeners turned on Jesus as He showed them who they really were and, in turn, He revealed who He was. While some may hold Jesus in high regard, this doesn’t mean that they have a full understanding of what He is claiming.
When we run into something that is uncomfortable in Scripture, we either (1) find some ‘smart person’ who agrees with us, helping us to avoid the uncomfortable issue, (2) ignore the issue, we mentally deny that the Scriptures actually said ‘that,’ (3) we say, ‘this isn’t for me’ and quit believing, or (4) we acknowledge that it is difficult, but we continue to trust our Lord and Savior. Lord, help us to always choose option four.
3/15/2006
John 5 – Who needs Jesus? (5)
One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. – John 5:5-9a (ESV)
The pools, called Bethesda (Aramaic for ‘house of outpouring’), are one of the archeological sites in Jerusalem about which there is little debate. A man had been waiting at a pool, hoping that he would be healed. We see how even the utterly hopeless, those who think their best chance at restoration is a fanciful stab at some capricious or non-existent fairy tale, can find true hope and true healing in Christ. Yes, truly, we all need Jesus.
This is a model of what the pools would have looked like in Roman times, two pools surrounded by red-roofed colonnades. They are set up like Roman baths and may have had some medicinal properties in their springs. There is some indication that the water may have been red, possibly from a chalybeate spring. You can still see the ruins of the pools in Jerusalem today. (Note: photo is from bibleplaces.com)
Now we see the fulfillment of Christ compared to the hopes of this age.
· In John 2, Jesus gives the new wine of the kingdom which the purification pots could never have produced.
· In John 3, Jesus gives insight that exceeded the learning of a Jewish ruler and religious teacher.
· In John 4, Jesus gives living water that the wells of Jacob never brought forth.
· Again in John 4, Jesus gives healing to a child who, for all his father’s power and connections, could not rescue him.
· And now in John 5, Jesus provides healing that no superstitious waters could ever supply.
3/14/2006
John 4 - Who needs Jesus? (3 & 4)
There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. – John 4:7a (ESV)
And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. – John 4:46b (ESV)
A woman is addressed by Jesus at a well. She was a Samaritan (a racial mixture of Hebrew and Assyrian, considered an apostate people by the Jews), an adulterer (actively rebelling against God, shamed by society for her sin), and a woman (limited social and economic mobility, usually only thought of in sexual and maternal contexts).
An official who has a sick boy has no hope. While he may have had access to the finest medical attention of the day (note the presence of servants and his ability to have information on Jesus’ whereabouts), his son was still dying.
Two more people who need Jesus. No one is so low that they are beyond His reach; no one is so connected that they can live life without His touch.
And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. – John 4:46b (ESV)
A woman is addressed by Jesus at a well. She was a Samaritan (a racial mixture of Hebrew and Assyrian, considered an apostate people by the Jews), an adulterer (actively rebelling against God, shamed by society for her sin), and a woman (limited social and economic mobility, usually only thought of in sexual and maternal contexts).
An official who has a sick boy has no hope. While he may have had access to the finest medical attention of the day (note the presence of servants and his ability to have information on Jesus’ whereabouts), his son was still dying.
Two more people who need Jesus. No one is so low that they are beyond His reach; no one is so connected that they can live life without His touch.
3/13/2006
John 3 – Who needs Jesus? (2)
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. – John 3:1 (ESV)
A man who is a Jewish ruler and a Pharisee comes to see Jesus. He is on the ruling council (John 7:45-52) and brings notable items to Jesus’ burial (John 19:38-42). So here is someone who is well respected in the community, someone who spends his life in the service and study of God, and someone who is financially secure.
The point is that he needs Jesus. Is there anyone who has their life so well put together that they don’t need Him?
Who needs Jesus? (1) is found here.
A man who is a Jewish ruler and a Pharisee comes to see Jesus. He is on the ruling council (John 7:45-52) and brings notable items to Jesus’ burial (John 19:38-42). So here is someone who is well respected in the community, someone who spends his life in the service and study of God, and someone who is financially secure.
The point is that he needs Jesus. Is there anyone who has their life so well put together that they don’t need Him?
Who needs Jesus? (1) is found here.
3/11/2006
John 1 – Being too ‘smart’ for your own good.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1 (ESV)
Compare: In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. – John 1:1 (New World Translation [Jehovah’s Witnesses])
I don’t know why I was thinking about this – maybe it was because I recently met a Jehovah’s Witness or because we passed by a Kingdom Hall the other day on the way home. At any rate, I was thinking about their translation of John 1:1 – the infamous ‘the Word was a god’ passage. Now there is more to the story with how the Jehovah’s Witnesses treat Christ, treat the Bible, view future events, what they do with the Old Testament, view grace, etc., but this translation touches on issues we deal with so I thought some clarity would be good.
First is the verse itself. There is a part of speech called the article. For us English speakers, there are two types of articles: the definite article (the word ‘the’) and the indefinite article (the word ‘a’ or ‘an’). In Biblical Greek, there is only one article. But because the article is there (such a word is called articular) in front of a substantive, it doesn’t mean that the article is definite. And the reverse is true as well; if there is no article (such a word is called anarthrous), then it doesn’t mean the substantive is indefinite. Now, the New World Translation (NWT) adds the English definite article when there is a Greek article and, in the absence of a Greek article, it adds an indefinite article – even if it makes the English impossibly difficult.
In John 1:1, there is no definite article before God, so the NWT puts an ‘a’ in front of (g)od. The problem is that they break this rule, because it does not make sense. Not only do they break it frequently, but they break it in John 1:1. The word ‘beginning’ is anarthrous; but they didn’t say, “In a beginning.” No, instead they put brackets, but yet they did translate a word that was anarthrous in the Greek with an English article. If ‘beginning’ needed an English definite article couldn’t God? I understand that this doesn’t prove that ‘God’ in John 1:1 requires a definite article, but the point is that English articles just don’t work like the Greek articles. This sort of dishonesty with the language shown by the New World ‘Translation’ of John 1:1 is leading millions and millions astray.
Secondly, there is the question of how we treat the Bible. I was just reading a journal of how one pastor slowly did away with the Bible – it was just too much for him, especially on a particular issue. The point is we cannot make the Bible say anything we want and this pastor apparently understood that. Yes, there are difficult passages and yes there are different ways to treat certain passages based on how you view the whole of scripture, but that does not mean that we are without limits when it comes to listening to Scripture. We must deal with what it says.
Language is a covenant: the author/speaker forms an agreement with the reader/listener that the reader/listener would attempt to understand what the author/speaker means. When we become so hardened by convictions that come from outside of Scripture or misunderstandings of Scripture and then, in turn, label them as ‘of the Lord,’ we are guilty of the same crime as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. At these times, we do not treat the Lord, the one who ‘breathes out scripture,’ with integrity; we fashion His words into what we want Him to say. But when we let Scripture sing and sting, allowing it to have its say (rather than letting our biases change what it says), we are endeavoring to do our part in honoring this covenantal relationship.
[For those who don't like to read long posts: read Scripture with honesty. Deal with what it says and don't change it.]
Compare: In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. – John 1:1 (New World Translation [Jehovah’s Witnesses])
I don’t know why I was thinking about this – maybe it was because I recently met a Jehovah’s Witness or because we passed by a Kingdom Hall the other day on the way home. At any rate, I was thinking about their translation of John 1:1 – the infamous ‘the Word was a god’ passage. Now there is more to the story with how the Jehovah’s Witnesses treat Christ, treat the Bible, view future events, what they do with the Old Testament, view grace, etc., but this translation touches on issues we deal with so I thought some clarity would be good.
First is the verse itself. There is a part of speech called the article. For us English speakers, there are two types of articles: the definite article (the word ‘the’) and the indefinite article (the word ‘a’ or ‘an’). In Biblical Greek, there is only one article. But because the article is there (such a word is called articular) in front of a substantive, it doesn’t mean that the article is definite. And the reverse is true as well; if there is no article (such a word is called anarthrous), then it doesn’t mean the substantive is indefinite. Now, the New World Translation (NWT) adds the English definite article when there is a Greek article and, in the absence of a Greek article, it adds an indefinite article – even if it makes the English impossibly difficult.
In John 1:1, there is no definite article before God, so the NWT puts an ‘a’ in front of (g)od. The problem is that they break this rule, because it does not make sense. Not only do they break it frequently, but they break it in John 1:1. The word ‘beginning’ is anarthrous; but they didn’t say, “In a beginning.” No, instead they put brackets, but yet they did translate a word that was anarthrous in the Greek with an English article. If ‘beginning’ needed an English definite article couldn’t God? I understand that this doesn’t prove that ‘God’ in John 1:1 requires a definite article, but the point is that English articles just don’t work like the Greek articles. This sort of dishonesty with the language shown by the New World ‘Translation’ of John 1:1 is leading millions and millions astray.
Secondly, there is the question of how we treat the Bible. I was just reading a journal of how one pastor slowly did away with the Bible – it was just too much for him, especially on a particular issue. The point is we cannot make the Bible say anything we want and this pastor apparently understood that. Yes, there are difficult passages and yes there are different ways to treat certain passages based on how you view the whole of scripture, but that does not mean that we are without limits when it comes to listening to Scripture. We must deal with what it says.
Language is a covenant: the author/speaker forms an agreement with the reader/listener that the reader/listener would attempt to understand what the author/speaker means. When we become so hardened by convictions that come from outside of Scripture or misunderstandings of Scripture and then, in turn, label them as ‘of the Lord,’ we are guilty of the same crime as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. At these times, we do not treat the Lord, the one who ‘breathes out scripture,’ with integrity; we fashion His words into what we want Him to say. But when we let Scripture sing and sting, allowing it to have its say (rather than letting our biases change what it says), we are endeavoring to do our part in honoring this covenantal relationship.
[For those who don't like to read long posts: read Scripture with honesty. Deal with what it says and don't change it.]
3/10/2006
Luke 24 – Blessing
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. – Luke 24:50-53 (ESV)
Isn’t it appropriate that Luke ends on such a ‘blessed’ note? May blessing be a part of everyone who encounters our risen Lord!
Isn’t it appropriate that Luke ends on such a ‘blessed’ note? May blessing be a part of everyone who encounters our risen Lord!
3/07/2006
Luke 21 – The widow
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." – Luke 21:1-4 (ESV)
The widow serves as a warning. In the passage right before this one, the scribes are condemned for (among other things) devouring widows. Right away, a widow is giving money – money she needs to survive. One can't help but wonder, is this another instance of a widow being devoured? During the Middle Ages, wonderful works of religious art and architecture were built by taxing and deceiving the poor under the guise of 'giving to God'. We should taken great care when we ask for money.
The widow also serves as a model. Regardless of the intentions of the scribes, the widow gives out of her poverty. To give sacrificially shows our dependence upon the Lord and our acknowledgement that He is the one who provides. The widow gives at the "Presidential Level" with her 2 coins while the others are merely giving at the "Lukewarm Sponsor Level" with their gifts. We should give our money generously towards items that have eternal significance.
3/06/2006
Luke 20 – The scribes
And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." – Luke 20:45-47 (ESV)
Pride and deceit. Lord protect us from ourselves.
Pride and deceit. Lord protect us from ourselves.
3/05/2006
Luke 19 – Zacchaeus and the rich ruler
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." – Luke 19:8-10 (ESV)
There is a song that I learned in Sunday school about Zacchaeus: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he...” The bad part of the song, as I remember it, is that the song ends with Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ house. That is only part of the story. Here in vv. 8-10, there is some disagreement over whether Zacchaeus was telling Jesus what he did, or what he was going to do. The later seems to be more plausible, but in either case, he is showing himself to be a recipient of salvation. This is a VERY generous move, by any account. In chapter 18, there is a ruler who refused to give away his money to follow Jesus. The people grumbled that Zacchaeus was a ‘sinner,’ while the rich young ruler received no such censure. While the ruler valued his money over Jesus, Zacchaeus shows the opposite. Two points can be made: (1) nothing is more important than Jesus and (2) no one is beyond the reach of Jesus.
There is a song that I learned in Sunday school about Zacchaeus: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he...” The bad part of the song, as I remember it, is that the song ends with Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ house. That is only part of the story. Here in vv. 8-10, there is some disagreement over whether Zacchaeus was telling Jesus what he did, or what he was going to do. The later seems to be more plausible, but in either case, he is showing himself to be a recipient of salvation. This is a VERY generous move, by any account. In chapter 18, there is a ruler who refused to give away his money to follow Jesus. The people grumbled that Zacchaeus was a ‘sinner,’ while the rich young ruler received no such censure. While the ruler valued his money over Jesus, Zacchaeus shows the opposite. Two points can be made: (1) nothing is more important than Jesus and (2) no one is beyond the reach of Jesus.
3/04/2006
Luke 18 – On prayer
And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" – Luke 18:6-8 (ESV)
The point of the parable is clear: we are to keep on praying and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). How often do I act like my Lord is not even as righteous as an unrighteous judge? Why do I stew around about the issues of life instead of bringing them before my just Father? When confronted with a seemingly difficult problem, do I just crumble, do I fight it in my own strength, or do I cry out to God, who gives quick justice to His elect? Oh how I do I need my Father!!
The point of the parable is clear: we are to keep on praying and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). How often do I act like my Lord is not even as righteous as an unrighteous judge? Why do I stew around about the issues of life instead of bringing them before my just Father? When confronted with a seemingly difficult problem, do I just crumble, do I fight it in my own strength, or do I cry out to God, who gives quick justice to His elect? Oh how I do I need my Father!!
3/02/2006
Luke 16 – On proof and faith
He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.' – Luke 16:31 (ESV)
Jesus gives us another parable, this time on the nature of proof. As a former student of science, I am moved by evidence, by verifiable results. Being convinced of something is a high value I hold and so this parable is very intriguing to me. Lazarus (a potential reference to Jesus’ friend?) has lived a poor life at the gate of a rich man. Upon their deaths, the rich man could see Lazarus, even though he was in torment, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his brothers. Abraham’s response is amazing, “They have Moses and the Prophets” (a reference to Scripture, i.e. that God has already spoken about this). If I were one of the brothers, I guess I’d want the dead person coming back to life too! But this means that I share the same lack of understanding that the rich man has: evidence draws people to the Lord. That, however, is not true. God draws people to Himself – even the miracle of a person rising from the dead cannot convince someone to have saving faith. For anyone who has shared the Gospel, this fact is all too evident. Simply giving proof of a miraculous resurrection (while helpful in certain cases) doesn’t mean that someone will put their faith in Christ. Is the evidence of a miracle more important for faith than God’s message? No, and we already learned this lesson in Luke 11.
Another interesting thing is that the real Lazarus did rise from the dead, as did Jesus, the person telling this parable. While I am more than anxious to read about the significance of these resurrections in Luke and in John (for Lazarus), M’Cheyne’s schedule makes us wait a little while longer.
Jesus gives us another parable, this time on the nature of proof. As a former student of science, I am moved by evidence, by verifiable results. Being convinced of something is a high value I hold and so this parable is very intriguing to me. Lazarus (a potential reference to Jesus’ friend?) has lived a poor life at the gate of a rich man. Upon their deaths, the rich man could see Lazarus, even though he was in torment, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus back to the land of the living to warn his brothers. Abraham’s response is amazing, “They have Moses and the Prophets” (a reference to Scripture, i.e. that God has already spoken about this). If I were one of the brothers, I guess I’d want the dead person coming back to life too! But this means that I share the same lack of understanding that the rich man has: evidence draws people to the Lord. That, however, is not true. God draws people to Himself – even the miracle of a person rising from the dead cannot convince someone to have saving faith. For anyone who has shared the Gospel, this fact is all too evident. Simply giving proof of a miraculous resurrection (while helpful in certain cases) doesn’t mean that someone will put their faith in Christ. Is the evidence of a miracle more important for faith than God’s message? No, and we already learned this lesson in Luke 11.
Another interesting thing is that the real Lazarus did rise from the dead, as did Jesus, the person telling this parable. While I am more than anxious to read about the significance of these resurrections in Luke and in John (for Lazarus), M’Cheyne’s schedule makes us wait a little while longer.
3/01/2006
Luke 15 – Lost things matter to God … and to us.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
‘It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ – Luke 15:1-2, 32 (ESV)
Three parables that illustrate God’s heart towards those who are lost: a lost sheep (vv 3-7), a lost coin (vv 8-10), and a lost son (vv 11-24). When the lost thing was found, there was great rejoicing (vv 6-7, 9-10, 23-24). There is a very important lesson about the Lord – He has a missionary heart that is filled with love. God comes to us, we do not go to Him.
Now, the chapter doesn’t end with that message; Jesus takes it one step further. Not only does God love lost things, but, as His people, we should as well. The older brother did not rejoice at the return of his sibling and the father corrected his perspective. He should be glad; he now has a brother, where he didn’t before.
This is a painting by Rembrandt titled, “Return of the Prodigal Son.” This painting is the focus of Henri Nouwen’s book by the same title. In the picture you see the younger son at the feet of the father while the older son stands at a distance. Nouwen’s progression started as seeing himself as the prodigal, then as the older brother, and then, finally, trying to become like the father. That should be our end as well, becoming like the Father.
‘It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ – Luke 15:1-2, 32 (ESV)
Three parables that illustrate God’s heart towards those who are lost: a lost sheep (vv 3-7), a lost coin (vv 8-10), and a lost son (vv 11-24). When the lost thing was found, there was great rejoicing (vv 6-7, 9-10, 23-24). There is a very important lesson about the Lord – He has a missionary heart that is filled with love. God comes to us, we do not go to Him.
Now, the chapter doesn’t end with that message; Jesus takes it one step further. Not only does God love lost things, but, as His people, we should as well. The older brother did not rejoice at the return of his sibling and the father corrected his perspective. He should be glad; he now has a brother, where he didn’t before.
This is a painting by Rembrandt titled, “Return of the Prodigal Son.” This painting is the focus of Henri Nouwen’s book by the same title. In the picture you see the younger son at the feet of the father while the older son stands at a distance. Nouwen’s progression started as seeing himself as the prodigal, then as the older brother, and then, finally, trying to become like the father. That should be our end as well, becoming like the Father.
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