Week of 6/20/21 - Pages 37 - 59

Our reading begins with Jesus asking us a question. I find that questions usually bring about some of my greatest insights, especially when I am prayerfully pondering the question. Now in this case Jesus also answers the question for us as we see in the following:

Jesus asks “What is the Kingdom of God like?”
It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.

Jesus asks “What else is the Kingdom of God like?”
It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.

For the purpose of this blog I am going to stay focused on the value of asking questions because questions can clarify, reveal and can lead us into meaningful self-examination.
Questioning as an instructional tool can be traced back to the fourth century BCE, when Socrates used questions and answers to challenge assumptions, expose contradictions, and lead to new knowledge and wisdom. At his trial for heresy Socrates said “An unexamined life is not worth living.” He also understood the importance of self-examination, or questioning oneself.
In the following verses the Bible speaks about the importance of self-examination.
·        2 Corinthians 13:5. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves ...

·        Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the Lord.

·        1 Corinthians 11:28. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

·        Galatians 6:4: Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,

Jesus’ two examples illustrates that the Kingdom of God starts small and grows big. A mustard seed becomes a tree. A little yeast used creates a beautiful loaf of bread. He wants to grow His Kingdom in you and I each and every day.
I would like to encourage you to begin your day by asking God if there is a question He would like to ask you. Than resist the temptation to defend yourself, deflect or answer quickly, but rather shoot for the moon by first following the Psalmist prayer “Create in me a clean heart Oh God and renew a right spirit within me.” Then let the examination begin and know that He is a good Father that only wants to bestow good things upon you and He will journey with you through the process of Biblical self-examination so that His Kingdom might grow and be made alive through you every day.

Week of 6/13/21 - Pages 19 - 37

 Knock, knock.

Nothing like an unexpected midnight request – to put a friendly relationship to the test! 

A few years ago, on a visit to Texas to see family, I pre-arranged with one of my brothers that I would stop and stay at his house on my first night. I advised him that my arrival would be “late-late” and he said that sounded “great-great.” I was serious. He was joking. I showed up after midnight…and that house was stone quiet – not a light in sight. Like a Luke 11:5-8 role-play, I made such a ruckus that my sleeping brother startled up and graciously opened the door. 

In my (embarrassing) example, getting what I wanted (“in”) required persistence…and yes a little swallow of pride (gulp-gone!). In Luke 11, Jesus is encouraging us to pray persistently! Actually, he is instructing us – and he goes much deeper:

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Luke 11:9

Keep on, keep on, keep on – three times persistence is featured. And this is no generic “be persistent” cheer. Jesus has given us three concepts, which are distinct yet inextricably linked in the context:

Asking. Making our requests known to our heavenly Father.

Seeking. Earnestly searching for God’s perfect perspective.

Knocking. Taking action – not a passive approach.

I feel like Jesus is goading us on, saying: “BRING IT!” 

All of this is coming across as more involved than how I’ve been thinking. More connected. Perhaps as I seek, I may find the answer to my request is different than the answer I thought I wanted. As I knock, I may find that my own action is the mechanism for accomplishing God’s purpose in a situation, and I still might not be getting what I think I want. 

The persistent prayer that Jesus is pressing in this passage – said bluntly, is not about getting what I think I want. In Luke 9:13, Jesus makes clear the result of persistent prayer: “… how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” What a gift! And with the Holy Spirit as my Counselor and my Advocate – my asking, seeking, and knocking is powerfully transformed! 

Today, join me in inviting the Holy Spirit to guide us as we pray persistently – asking, seeking, knocking. And as we pray – asking, seeking, knocking – may our personal perspectives give way to the perspective of the God of the Universe! 

Asking, seeking, knocking, Amen!

Week of 6/6/21 - Pages 1 - 19

Luke 1:1-6:49 

Luke 4:42; 5:15-16; 6:12 

42 Now when day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and they came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. 

15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. 

12 Now it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer with God. 

The early part of Jesus’ ministry quickly moves from zero to warp speed. Once the hurting people of the region hear about this man who can heal diseases and cast out demons, the hurting masses descend on Jesus and His disciples like a flood. There are times he literally receives and heals desperate and despairing souls all day and all night long…without rest. Think about the emotional, mental, physical – not to mention – spiritual toll the volume of demands must of have took on Him. You see in the gospels some of the disciples try and shield him from the needs of the crowd pushing and pressing in on this Nazarene whose compassion and teaching was unlike anything they’d ever heard. But Jesus would often rebuke his followers and allow significant time and attention for the broken, the marginalized, the unclean, and even the children to come to Him. 

You may be tempted to think that Christ was just a divine machine – like the “energizer bunny”– never stopping, always moving, ever-fixing, but the Gospel of Luke shares a different perspective. Like us, Jesus was human. Like us, He needed the Spirit of God, intimate prayer, solitude, and rest to accomplish His calling. This was a necessity if He was to accomplish what He was sent to do. 

I look at my own life and recognize that “busyness” is often more of a hinderance than a help to my Kingdom effectiveness. It’s easy sometime to keep saying “Yes” to people in need. In fact, if one is not careful, their identity and worth can be inappropriately attached and influenced by the pressure of others’ needs and gratitude. Saying “No” so that the Lord can refill your vessel that is running on empty is a much-needed reminder to you and those you serve that God alone is our source for all good things. As Paul told the Corinthian Christians, “We have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:7). Even Jesus knew His limitations as a man, and modeled for all of us a continuous commitment to personally reconnecting with and resting in the Father. So instead of rushing out to accommodate the next volunteer request, or meet the next need, make sure you’ve taken some private time to let God fill you up, and affirm the path ahead. 

Happy Reading! 

Pastor Lee 

Luke Chapter 24

Jesus joined two disciples traveling to Emmaus as they walked along preoccupied with their troubles. They were concerned more that with Jesus’s disappearance, now Israel could not be redeemed.  So much so that they did not recognize Jesus.  Far from their mind was what they had been told before about the resurrection and why it would take place.  Jesus had words with the disciples, asking them about being so self absorbed.  As Jesus broke bread with them, it was then that it dawned on them that this was Jesus.  Jesus knew they needed a sign. Jesus was annoyed yet he never gave up on the disciples. He gave them what they needed to move forward in their faith.  If we recall our past, I am sure that we can see ourselves in this passage.  May we pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and strength to decipher the Lords prompts and Devine words so we too can grow our faith every day.

Luke Chapter 23

Luke 23:1-25  -  Jesus Before Pilate and Herod

In reading this passage,  I can't help but wonder why Pilate was so unwilling to not pass the judgement of death on Jesus and why he worked so hard to put that responsibility on others,  as this man clearly had the power to do so.

Was he so afraid of Jesus and wondered if he truly was who he said he was, "The Son of God"  and did that fear lead him to try to have others condemn him for fear of the potential consequence of his actions?   He tried.....

Luke 23:7  "When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time."

But sending him to Herod didn't work as Herod sent him back to Pilate after he didn't get the answers himself to make a decision.  Then Pilate gathered all the chief priests and told them he had no evidence of the charges they cited against him and therefore, he couldn't put him to death, but instead, was just going to  punish him. Then the crowd spoke and Barrabbas came into play and Pilate was losing his ability to quiet them, so he finally relented and turned Jesus over to them.  All this took time and It was as if Pilate was stalling, or trying to drag things out.....but why?  PURE  FEAR.

It seems to me he was looking more for ways to NOT be responsible for condemning Jesus to death as it would have been easy to convict him being that he had the reputation and ruthlessness , power and authority to easily do so.

Pilate saw Jesus as a threat and that is why he feared him.  He saw that Jesus was not afraid of him and for a man with so much power over such a large area, this worried him.  It also left him not feeling comfortable because it questioned his dominating power and authority over the land.  But Jesus knew better and this is what got to Pilate.....that Jesus dismissed Pilot's belief that his power over the people and the state is what mattered.  Jesus let him know that he didn't hold his fate in his hands......only GOD did. 

I believe that there were many dynamics happening at once during this period and that GOD's hand in the ultimate plan of sacrificing Jesus for all of humanity in the great plan for salvation was perfectly played. 

Luke Chapter 22

Luke 22—Never Give up on Prayer

In Luke 22, God continued to move forward with His plan of redemption through Jesus for all who believe.  Specifically, in this chapter, we live with Jesus through Jesus’s last hours before His horrific crucifixion.  Jesus will suffer agonizing mockery and beatings yet He continued to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead.  Jesus teaches them, loves them, and gives them hope, strength, and encouragement to pray and stay away from temptations especially during the dark hours that lay ahead.

As the chapter unfolds, Judas had decided to betray Jesus but nevertheless joined Jesus and his fellow disciples at a last meal.  Here Jesus called him out as a betrayer and gave Judas a last chance to change his heart.   The disciples still argued about who among them was the greatest so that Jesus had to correct their thinking.  He focused them on servanthood in His kingdom and the hope they would have at His kingdom’s table.  Jesus reminded Peter of his leadership as the Rock that would strengthen his brothers after Peter’s repentance.  

Shortly thereafter at the Mount of Olives, Jesus prayed an agonizing prayer, and then Jesus reminded His disciples to pray so they would not give in to temptation. 

To the sorrow of both Judas and Peter, both men gave into temptation:  one to betraying Jesus and the other to denying Jesus.  The other ten disciples also gave into the temptation and feelings of defeat after Jesus was crucified when they went into hiding—that is until Jesus restored them when they saw His victory over death and trusted Him for forgiveness and grace.

What struck me in this chapter was Jesus’s love and continual call on all of us to pray and avoid temptations.  At the most difficult hour for Him, He prayed and He reminded His disciples and us to pray that we do not give in to temptations and then give up in those dark times over those long periods.  Too often, when I have prayed the same kind of prayer over years for God’s help and healing for myself and for others, I have been tempted to give up.  In this chapter, God encouraged me to continue to pray and ask Him what He wants to reveal to me during this waiting period and to give me understanding when He answers.

Luke Chapter 21

There will be signs……

There is some pretty alarming stuff in Luke chapter 21.  He texts about how the temple will be destroyed.  He warns of signs of war, earthquakes, famines, plagues and betrayals.  In Luke 21: 4-6 MSG reads, “It will seem like all hell has broken lose---sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be-quaking.”

This is scary stuff!!  We look at our world today and the unknown of the future and wonder…. What are the signs that Jesus refers to in Luke 21?? Are they happening right now??

---Could it be a sign when there was the horrific shooting of 17 high school students in Florida who simple got up and went to school on February 14th---and there are far too many incidents like this…..“There will be signs”.  Jesus said.

---Could it be what we read in the headlines and feeling like our prayers are unable to keep up with the pain and the needs of the world.  “There will be signs,”  Jesus said.

---Could the sign be waking up in a world each morning and wondering, “What’s next?  Where will it happen?  When will it take place?”  “There will be signs”. Jesus said.

 It might be any one of these….or thousands of stories like these.  Every one of us could tell stories of the day our world came crashing down around us.

Could it be that “there will be signs” are words of hope and assurance not words of warning and doom?  Jesus does not ask us to predict the future.  He is saying that we should always be ready!  Ready to stand up, raise our heads and know that help is on the way, our redemption, our healing, our savior has drawn near.

Luke 21 verses 24-26 says that the Lord will be a drop-in visitor. He promises to drop in unexpectedly.  He will not call ahead.  So here is the question and my challenge to us all,  “Is my house in order?”  He will not accept excuses.  He has warned us in advance that we should be prepared.  My takeaway is this, that I must focus on obedience to God and faithfulness, and let God handle the end of the world.

I believe that these signs are not a reason to hang our heads in despair or shrink from life.  The signs in our lives and the world mean that the circumstances we face contain and reveal the promise of Christ’s coming.  The signs are our hope and reassurance that God has not abandoned us, that God notices us, that God cares, comes to, and participates in life’s circumstances.

Yes, our lives can be difficult and painful.  But we never face those seasons without the signs of hope and reassurance, signs that point to the one who is coming. The question remains….is my house in order?

Luke Chapter 20

Death and taxes – the only two certainties, if you subscribe to the old adage commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

Today, I will submit to you an alternative, much more powerful adage. But let’s come to that later. First, let’s take a closer look at Luke 20. Here, the religious leaders continue their efforts to discredit Jesus:

21 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22 Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Let’s pause here. Their desire was to confront Jesus with a taxing dilemma of governmental proportions. Any response that was completely detached from the earthly realm (e.g., “Don’t worry about Roman taxes”) could be grounds for arrest and imprisonment. The response Jesus gave stupefied these antagonists:

24 “Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”  “Caesar’s,” they replied.  25 “Well then,” He said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

In very few words, Jesus affirmed that while on this planet, we are subject to both our earthly structure AND our loving and merciful Father in Heaven. God’s perspective is clear: paying our taxes is a baseline requirement. Fine. So, how about we replace that tired old fear- and dread-inducing death-and-taxes saying, with a new motto which I think is more powerful and purposeful:

“Eternal life and taxes!”

Let us shed fear of death and live boldly today with the blessed assurance of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. In Christ’s statement in Luke 20:25, it strikes me that as sons and daughters of the One, True, Living God, we are to be physically “grounded” on His created terra firma here in Silicon Valley. Yet, at the same time, we are meant to be spiritually “flying” for Kingdom purpose.

As you are simultaneously grounded and flying today, consider:  Are you delivering to God what belongs to God? What are you holding or hoarding that does not belong to you?

Luke Chapter 19

Today’s reading reminded me of what I read in Mark 11 as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  This chapter speaks to me about how Jesus was received then.  Some people accepted Him honorably, some were angry and wanted to kill Him, and some were just curious.  I wonder if Jesus were to come to San Jose, how would we receive Him?  Would He go to church?  Would He go to a bar?  Would He go to a homeless encampment?   Would the media be there?  How would He see our church CotC?  Would He be overturning our tables (our programs, activities, services?)  I think of what Jesus said as He drove out the money changers, vendors…”my house is a house of prayer” and try to understand…”you have made it a den of thieves…”  Have we taken away what the “real” purpose for being a church is?  We have great programs, activities, and fellowship but are we bearing fruit? I think in some ways yes we are, but in Mark 11 Jesus cursed the fig tree for just showing its leaves and not bearing figs.  Are our programs, activities, and fellowship just showing nice leaves?  I appreciate my participation in the New Testament Challenge as it forces me to think and involve others in the reading of Scriptures.  I just pray that this will bear fruit in leading others to become serious about being followers of Christ by reading and hearing about what it is to being a follower of Christ means from the Scriptures.  It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will open my eyes, ears, and heart to be more conscious of who God puts in my path each day, and be sensitive and bold enough to share my faith with them.

Luke Chapter 18

Luke 18:18-30 feels like a roller coaster ride.  Here’s the rich man who is doing a whole lot of things right.  He leans into Jesus asking, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus replies to the man on three levels:

1.    By saying that “God alone is good”, Jesus enlarges the man’s vision and imparts the truth that asking how a man can get into heaven is less important than being in relationship with the One who made heaven.

2.     Deeper still, Jesus knows the man’s heart and affection for his wealth.  Jesus instructs him on the “one thing” that is still needed.  “Sell everything, give it to the poor, then follow me.”  Jesus was calling the man into a deeper life, a more wonderful existence, reliant upon the Living God. 

3.    The man leaves Jesus in tears knowing he was not going to choose this.  Now the disciples are asking Jesus, “How can anyone who has it all enter into the kingdom of God?”  Like a loving parent, Jesus replies, “No chance at all, if you think you can pull it off by yourself.  Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” (The Message Bible)

This is what blows me away.  Jesus even gives me the choice to choose badly.  If I want to, I can major in the minors.  I can be “careful for everything” instead of being “careful for nothing”. (Philippians 4:6-8)  I can choose to be selfish and to use my life poorly.  Do you think the rich man in this parable ever stopped having a cry in his heart?  It’s a tragedy of gigantic proportions, to be called by the Living God into a deeper life, and to say “No, thank you”. 

What are the consequences of choosing badly?  I am haunted by Psalm 106:15 where the Israelites begged God for meat, I believe, instead of the daily manna.  God’s response?  “And he gave them their request: but sent leanness into their soul.”   

I know what it is to live large in God.  I know what it is to trust Him and to see miracles happen.  I also know what it is to live for self, being careful for everything and counting the costs.  For the rich man, I don’t believe salvation was denied him.  Instead, I believe the man was destined to live out his days in that oh-so-miserable spot on the fence.  Knowing the vibrant life that’s just over the fence, but never choosing to make the leap. 

Lord, give us courage to make the better choice, in Your strength when we cannot.