It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts

April 7, 2013 - Luke 6:43-49

    ^43-45 “You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

   ^46-47 “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.

   ^48-49 “If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.”

My Lord, thanks for giving me another new day for serving You. Your works in my life may not be in the sense that it's dramatic in every instance. But You are working continually in my life - healing my injury, strengthening my life, speaking to me with Your words day by day. You keep on reminding me that the characteristic of a believer's life is to experience Your Power in this clay jar like me. You want to shape my life - my inner being - more than what I can just achieve for you. Jesus says, "It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts." Pl. continue to build me up that I can become the person to be like Christ - inner being, inner strength, inner relationship with God are the essence of who I am. Let me continue to work the words into my life today. Amen.

God brings out the best of our life - sacrifice our self

April 6, 2013 - Luke 6:24-42

    ²⁴ But it’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made. 

   What you have is all you’ll ever get.

   ²⁵ And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself.
   Your self will not satisfy you for long.
And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games.
   There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it.

   ²⁶ “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

   ^27-30 “To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

   ^31-34 “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

   ^35-36 “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

   ^37-38 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”

   ^39-40 He quoted a proverb: “‘Can a blind man guide a blind man?’ Wouldn’t they both end up in the ditch? An apprentice doesn’t lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.

   ^41-42 “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Jesus spells out what a kingdom life is looked like:

- Your self will not satisfy you for long.

- There’s suffering to be met.

- Do not live only for the approval of others.

- Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.

- When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.

- Practice the servant life.  Live generously.

- Give away your life; you’ll find life given back.

That's the power of the Holy Spirit, working in a believer's life, and transforming the life to be like Jesus Christ who lived such a life on earth. Jesus intends to bring out the best in us through our suffering, our sacrifice of self, our prayer response to our enemies, our servant ministry, etc. that our life is to be gradually transformed to be like Him. My Jesus, I pray to you in the Spirit that You continue to grant me faith to pray to you; and love to follow you as my example - so that I experience Your presence, protection, and transformative power in my life today. 

Paradox of Kingdom's Life - Power and Weakness

April 5, 2013 - Luke 6:17-23

    ^17-21 Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke:

   You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.
God’s kingdom is there for the finding.
You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry.
Then you’re ready for the Messianic meal.
You’re blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the mourning.

   ^22-23 “Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they don’t like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.

Jesus' message came with the power of healing for people who had ailments and were disturbed by evil spirits. Even Jesus' presence was so powerful that people got healed through touching him. But at the same time, Jesus' message was so alien to this world and turned the contemporary worldviews upside down. Disciples of Jesus are blessed, though apparently losing, hungering, mourning, suffering for the sake of Jesus, as they receive the Kingdom of God, are ready for the Messianic celebration feast, have the comfort of Jesus, and experience the power and presence of Jesus in them through the Holy Spirit. 

Kingdom's Life of a believer of Jesus is always a paradox - suffering and losing for the sake of Jesus while at the same time receiving the spiritual blessings and experiencing the presence and power of Jesus. My Lord Jesus, teach me to be your disciple in faith, in hope, and in love - being with you everyday, following your example, and relying on your power to demonstrate the kingdom of God on earth by the Holy Spirit. 

We are called by Jesus to be His Disciples

April 4, 2013 - Luke 6:12-16

    ^12-16 At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles:

  Simon, whom he named Peter,
Andrew, his brother,
James,
John,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Simon, called the Zealot,
Judas, son of James,
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus is a charismatic person, who is always full of the Holy Spirit, sometimes prays all night before God, and performs miracles in healing and casting out of demons. But Jesus at the same time participates in human affairs - even messy lives of humans. Jesus is also incarnational in human lives. 

I (Matthew) am also one of the disciples called by Jesus. I am not Peter, James and John who are the key leaders of the apostles but I am still one of them to be called by Jesus. Jesus called me to follow Him and to leave my secular job as His disciple, his servant and even his friend. I am not only one of them but I am also a unique person to be called and loved by Jesus, my Lord. Jesus calls me to follow Him and imitate Him - to be incarnational in human lives (sometimes messy lives on earth - deal with people's sins, weaknesses, struggles), but at the same time, relying on Jesus, to bless and transform people's lives through preaching, teaching and healing by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus is the Lord - He is Compassionate

April 3, 2013 - Luke 6:1-11

    ¹ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. ² Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

   ³ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴ He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them,“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

   ⁶ On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

   ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

   ¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. The Pharisees and teachers of the law treated observing Sabbath and other rules as their Lord but Jesus affirms that He is the Lord of the Sabbath. He care about his followers more than concerning about the rules of the Sabbath. He allowed the disciples to eat the consecrated bread though they did not serve in the sanctuary; He healed the man with the shriveled hand on the Sabbath day though it was not acceptable by the religious leaders. Jesus performed miracles for the good of the people while the Pharisees and teachers of the law observed rules with the sacrifice of people's benefit. Jesus' heart is compassionate toward the needy while the hearts of the Pharisees and teachers of the law were hardened.

My Lord Jesus, may my heart be resonate with Your heart first that whatever I do, I do out of the compassion from you, and for the sake of the good of people and for Your glory. Thanks for protecting my life from another car accident yesterday. May I continue to see Your Compassion on people and Your mighty work on healing people through Your Spirit in my life and work today. 

Jesus' hand touches and cleanses us.

April 2, 2013 - Luke 5:12-17

    ¹² One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”

   ¹³ Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone.

   ^14-16 Jesus instructed him, “Don’t talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your cleansed and obedient life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.” But the man couldn’t keep it to himself, and the word got out. Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be healed of their ailments. As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.

   ¹⁷ One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting around. They had come from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as Jerusalem, to be there. The healing power of God was on him.

Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit, and Luke states that the healing power of God was on Jesus. Jesus is able to heal all our diseases, outer and inner. Jesus is God. Jesus came to seek the lost and heal the patients, spiritually sick and also physically sick at His time of ministry. On the other hand, Jesus is also compassionate on people in need. The man covered with leprosy knew that Jesus was able to heal but he was not quite sure if Jesus was willing to heal. This man uttered a prayer of request to Jesus, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." This man begged for Jesus' healing of his life - leprosy is incurable to him. Without Jesus' healing, he would remain a leper for all his life's time. His earnest prayer touched Jesus' heart and Jesus in turn put out his hand and touched this leper, saying, "I want to, be clean" - I really want to cleanse you, delivering you from this illness and bondage; I really want to give you a new life, having freedom from all kinds of slavery and living out a cleansed and obedient life to God; I really want to.....

My Lord Jesus, You are not only a mighty God but You are also the most compassionate One on earth. You want to cleanse me; You want to heal all my illnesses (spiritually or even physically though you may have your own way of working in me); You want to liberate me to live out a cleanse and an obedient life to you. You want to and You even stretch your hand to touch me - to show Your love; to show Your power of healing; to show Your affirmation, etc. My Jesus, let me experience Your touching in me today. May I experience Your words of affirmation - "I want to, be clean" and Your touching hands in cleansing and deliverance.

   

Push Out into Deep Water - See Jesus' Glory

April 1, 2013 - Luke 5:1-11

    ^1 1-3 Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.

   ⁴ When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.”

   ^5-7 Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.

   ^8-10 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.” When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon.

   ^10-11 Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.

Jesus did miracles in Peter's life, which were not manipulated by Peter himself. Rather, Jesus intervened in Peter's life - Jesus climbed into Peter's boat; Jesus invited Peter to join in his preaching ministry through using his boat as a pulpit; Jesus knew about Peter's frustration of catching   no fish after fishing hard all night. Most importantly, Jesus stretched Peter's faith by demanding Peter to push his boat out into deep water in order to let his nets out for a catch. Jesus demanded Peter's absolute obedience in Jesus' words and Peter followed. The miracle happened through submitting to Jesus' command and awe overwhelmed Peter and people around him. The occurrence of this miracle transformed Peter, enlightening Peter's eyes to see his sinfulness and Jesus' holiness. Jesus received the glory and people, like Peter, James and John, were transformed as well and became disciples of Jesus. 

My Lord Jesus, may the love of heavenly Father to you also be in me that I love you and become more passionate for your glory. I desire to see the glory of your Gospel and your mighty work that awe overwhelms my life. Give me faith to follow your command in my life and help me to follow. Stretch my faith and lead me to push my life out into deep water. Jesus is faithful and loving - "there is nothing to fear."