Matthew 11:25-30 Easy and Light

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Plymothian

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Easy and Light

Jesus, today as I prayed in front of about 1500 people, I did not feel a burden.  For a moment there, I was not concerned about myself.  I was focused on You.  As I prayed to you, I just felt that things were as they were meant to be.  I left my anxiety, shame, and anger behind.  It was a light moment.  Not a trivial moment, but I felt the lightness of being.  I was in the right place because I was in the presence of my God.  I was leading others in worship and prayer and that is how things are meant to be.

I felt enveloped by You.  I felt protected.  I knew that I had access into the throne room of the Father because You are his Son.  I have been adopted as Your brother and so I too am growing to know our Father.

Peace.  Peace that transcends all understanding.  Thank You.

Questions

  1. Why does Jesus tell his disciples he knows the Father?
  2. Describe Jesus’ yoke.
  3. How would disciples take on this yoke?
  4. Do you overburden yourself?
  5. How would life become lighter and more free?
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Matthew 11:16-24 To What Shall We Compare This Generation?

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Plymothian

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[e] For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

To What Shall We Compare This Generation?

Jesus, this generation is connected to each other like never before.  Ironically, a million little connections have made many of them shallow, starved, and lonely.  There is little time for deep connections in our over-busy society.  Parents come home late, set a meal in the microwave and snooze through their children’s development.  Longing for relationship is painful when your mentors flit from relationship to relationship and buy into a consumer mindset.  The consumer mindset sees children as a commodity to add to their portfolio between 30 and 35.

I love my son Daryl and his sister, Amelia.  However, their peers will be learning that You have little to do with life.  They will be deists.  They will believe in God but he will be irrelevant.  Oh, Jesus, they dictate to God how he must act and they declare he gives them no proof.  They are blinded by a superficial culture and you have hidden yourself.  I know, Jesus, that You can not be controlled, but I want you to reveal the bankrupt culture around us for what it is.  There’s no lasting satisfaction in anything other than relationship.  There is no eternal love, but Yours.  You don’t force Yourself on us, and we blame you for it.  If you forced Yourself on us, we would whine about our freedoms being violated.  In the end, this generation wants all the benefits without the responsibility.  Jesus, break through the apathy of my children’s generation!  Set a fire alight in us that burns 24/7 so that it might ignite those who follow.

Questions

  1. To what did Jesus compare his generation?
  2. How did John the Baptist and Jesus announce the Kingdom of Heaven differently?
  3. Why do you think people rejected both Jesus and John?
  4. Why isn’t Jesus a major player in the plans of this generation?
  5. How can we seek a method of preaching and teaching this generation?
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Winter Fest Camp

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Plymothian

I have just come back from Winter Fest where I laid out the first three of a series on discipleship.  Despite a few cultural mistakes, I made some good connections with students.  There is a lot of potential for the high school students who were present to be used mightily by God.  However, it was apparent that many of them are not sure exactly who is on their side.  Some are raised by single parents who love them, but they have little time to connect.  Others are raised by parents who just give them a key to the house and make sure the fridge is stocked with groceries.  Without an adult modeling any kind of  relationship, they don’t know how to have a relationship with Christ.  A lot of the high school students have had a huge turnover in adult mentors in their groups.  The loss of that connection is painful and developing trust with a whole new set of leaders is hard.

I was thrilled, though, to see the quality of the youth pastors at Winter Fest.  They care about their students and are exasperated by the lack of enthusiasm for their saviour.  I am challenged with the thought of whether the high school students who display no fruit have ‘accepted ‘ Christ on their own terms or whether they have bowed the knee to Jesus on Jesus’ terms.  The first step in discipleship is to give Jesus absolute authority as king.  The second step is to establish that authority in the community.  The third step is to keep searching for a Jesus who hides himself.  The fourth step is to maintain a faithful community of believers by actively forgiving one another.  The final assessment of our lives is whether we knew Jesus and more importantly if we revealed our true natures to him so that he could know us.

I pray that this path will be a worthy response to the cross of Christ.  If we understand a little of the gulf that Jesus crossed for mankind’s evil nature, we will follow the five steps of discipleship with unending gratitude and fervour.

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Matthew 11:7-19 Jesus Changed It All

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Plymothian

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’[c]

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Jesus Changed It All

Jesus, you changed it all.  You fulfilled the old system and John was the last great prophet.  However, he was making way for you.  You are a hidden king.  I think of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings as a picture of you.  His transcendent authority as King of Middle Earth is hidden in the guise of ‘Strider’ the Ranger of the North.  However, as time progresses, Strider takes on more the mantle of Aragorn, son of Arathorn of the Dunedain.  In a much greater way, you were hidden from those around you.  You subtly revealed yourself as the one worthy of John’s bold announcements.  He was the last of God’s fiery prophets making the way for the true King of Kings.  I’m sure Herod Agrippa and Herod Antipas were not pleased.

Jesus, teach me to find you as you are.  Help me, unlike John, to anticipate what sort of king you should be.  Tell me more clearly what sort of king you are.

Questions

  1. What was public opinion about John?
  2. What was Jesus’ opinion about John?
  3. To whom was John compared?
  4. Have you sought Jesus on his own terms?
  5. How do you prepare people to cultivate a relationship with Jesus on his own terms?
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Matthew 11:1-6 Disappointed With Jesus

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Plymothian

After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]

2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Disappointed With Jesus

Jesus, there are days when I would like you to be different.  I’d like you to be more spectacular.  I’d like you to take care of everything, and everyone.  I’d like to see Creation wrapped up with a bow.  Then I realise I am asking for Armageddon.  I am asking for you to baby us so that we don’t mature.  We have the cross and we have the Bible.  I believe there are miracles and people receive their sight and the lame walk.  I want the healings so that I am reassured, though.  There is very little philanthropic in my desires.

Help me not to stumble.  Help me not to create my own demands for what you should do to prove yourself.  Help me not to try and bend you to my agenda.  Conform me to what is truly best.  Help me to endure the tests and to ride out the storms.  Although I want the spectacular, help me to see the beauty in quietly changed lives.  Help me to glory in the gospel as it works its mighty effects in individuals.  Help me to be an agent who brings the gospel and knows that it is enough.

Questions

  1. Where was John?
  2. Why was John discouraged?
  3. How would Jesus’ answers prepare John to die?
  4. How do you feel seeing John discarded when his work was done?
  5. When do you doubt your faith and how?  What do you think Jesus would reply?
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Matthew 10:32-42 Jesus Divides

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Plymothian

 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c]

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Jesus Divides

Jesus, I think of you as a unifier.  I think of you as one who dies so that the church could be united.  I guess that I have become somewhat sheltered.  I need to get out more.  I was talking to Angela Brown at Moody and she said that we shouldn’t really ask people to tell us what they believe about God.  People create their own God more easily than they create their own Christ.  However, we do create our own Christ’s or Messiahs.  We have to drill a little deeper to find out what people really do think about you.  It is when we get beyond the thoughts of you as a good man, a moral teacher, or a social reformer that people divide.  If we look at the way you demanded absolute authority over people’s lives, that would really set the cat amongst the pigeons.  People accept a version of you, when you are satisfying their felt needs people accept you easily.  However, when you highlight needs for change, people balk at your influence.

There are many Christians who have not experienced you deeply.  They do not speak about you so they do not cause division.  Help us to be at least passionate enough about you so that we divide opinions between those who are for you and against you.

Questions

  1. What did Jesus not come to bring?
  2. How can Jesus be called the Prince of Peace?
  3. How were people divided over Jesus through history?
  4. How would you argue against those who would say that belief in religion starts wars?
  5. When did someone react negatively to your faith?

 

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Matthew 10:24-31 Evangelist

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Plymothian

 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Evangelist

Jesus, to whom do I explain important things?  I do talk about you from the pulpit and in two weeks time I will be talking about you at a camp.  It’s all rather formal.  I guess, now that I think about it, I am evangelizing my children.  They see the life that I live each day and they see if my words match up.  Your original disciples became like you by living with you.  You set up traditions with them.  You devoted every moment of every day to following the Father and walking in the Spirit.  You spoke about the Kingdom of God when you got up and when you walked around Israel.  You prayed in private and you prayed in public.  You sang songs and hymns.  I must sum up the courage to do likewise.

Let me set up traditions that deal with the mental, physical and emotional development of my children in a spiritually integrated way.  Let them see how God is God of the mind, body, and heart.  Let me not be afraid of sounding cheesy when talking about ‘Jesus’.  Let me have such a profound relationship with you that it oozes from my pores each moment of each day.  I know I am weak and foolish, but let that be a platform for your strength and wisdom.  Let me rest assured that I am known, loved, accepted, and forgiven.  Help me to walk in that position of assurance and strength.  Let me not be afraid, because I am worth more than a truck-load of sparrows – and I like sparrows.

Questions

  1. What is enough for a student?
  2. Whose student are you?
  3. Who is studying you?
  4. What do you teach by your day-to-day living?
  5. How can you instigate traditions, teaching, and adventures that would help those you influence to live every moment with Jesus?
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Matthew 10:16-23 The Precious Few

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Plymothian

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

The Precious Few

So, Jesus, you are sending us out like sheep among wolves?  I experienced that kind of opposition in Britain and Pakistan, but I have not yet experienced it here.  The worst I have had it in the United States is the odd person thinking that I am arrogant because I assert that I know truth.  It is ironic to me that they don’t see they think they know the truth about my arrogance.  We all assert some kind of truth, but in today’s society the Christian truth is much maligned.  The lie prevails that Christian truth is the oppressive belief of the majority.  However, a truly Christian oriented worldview is held by precious few.  I wish that we would speak out more as a people, but it seems that we are trying desperately to fit in.  How can we have so much activity and have so little impact?  I am not sitting idle but as I move around each day I meet precious few people who would disagree with my basic presuppositions in life.

I pray that North American Christians, especially those that I know, would speak out on issues with a different perspective than those around them.  I want, Jesus, for you to inform Christian thinking in all of those that I have taught at Moody and in churches.  I want you to come to mind each moment of every day and then for us to speak our minds.  Is the Christian Mind really dead?  Do we have nothing to say?

Questions

  1. What would the apostles experience as they brought Jesus’ message?
  2. What do you think the entire content of Jesus’ message is?
  3. How was the apostles’ message more holistic than our ‘get ’em saved’ reduction?
  4. Why do you experience the level of opposition that you do?
  5. Where could you become more of a lightning rod?
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Matthew 10:1-15

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Plymothian

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Freely Give

Jesus, I realize that you want us to live life under your authority and to carry out your mission.  As we are healed, we should heal others.  Ironically, I don’t feel much like evangelizing the world on this particular day.  My back hurts and I feel muggy.  I want to blame others for my lack of passion about things that matter, but I think I need to cultivate a passion for souls.  The physical condition of our bodies shapes so much else.  I think that I pushed it a bit far exercising with my son yesterday, and so my body doesn’t respond well to living for Jesus today.  However, when I think of those like Joni (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Foffh-gneRs)  and how they pull themselves out of bed each day and experience you so richly.

We have received so much through you, Jesus.  We don’t feel it or think about it a lot of the time.  We are entitled and spoiled children.  We wish we had more.  However, the message we have is so important that it needs to be unencumbered with possessions.  The disciples too nothing except a heart devoted to you and the Kingdom of Heaven.  They received food and lodging as they moved around.  It sounds like a wild adventure, but we would try and bottle it today and charge people for the experience.  We would try and create a curriculum and market it.  We would try and manufacture a program and have people attend.  You educated a key group and then sent them to reach out in spontaneous and powerful ways.  I guess that you send us in the same ways.

I want my small group to catch a passion for this adventure.  I want to become an agent to them.  I want the churches I preach at to catch on fire with a spontaneous life of service.  I do not want them to be passively entertained.   I want to worry less about what I don’t have or things I have lost, I want to rejoice in what I do have and share what I have gained.  Help me firstly to be grateful of the time that you have spent working in me.  Help me to communicate clearly what I have learned.  Help others to first of all find you and then to grow in you.  Let your kingdom come.

Questions

  1. To what did Jesus change the disciples’ title?
  2. What were the disciples to do?
  3. Why did Jesus send them and not go himself?
  4. How is Jesus making you a missionary?
  5. What needs to keep changing for you to become more of an evangelist?
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Matthew 9:27-37 Fighting Against Satan

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Plymothian

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Fighting Against Satan

Jesus, you were accused of being on Satan’s side when you weren’t.  I hate being falsely accused and I will often go too far in defending myself, but you not only carried on with the work.  You didn’t defend yourself all the time, but asked others to join you.  I don’t pray about evangelism and mission enough.  I pray that I would have it as a priority.  I do see that North America is a mission field and I am sending Christian teachers out to help stem the exodus of Christian children from the churches.  I want, though, for you to reach all those who stand outside the faith.  I want you to motivate people to talk about their faith.  I think many of your children lack confidence.  The older generation can be ineffective at communicating your dogma.  They seem to have little relationship with those younger than themselves.  Help us to live for you and also strike up authentic relationships with those who are not like us.  I don’t see many Christians striking up relationships with Muslims and Hindus.  When we do make new relationships its often with lapsed Catholics or disillusioned Baptists.

Help us, Jesus, to be looking for opportunities to free the oppressed from Satan and sin’s power.  Help us to know the truth and to see you affecting all of life.  Help us to naturally befriend people.  We are too wrapped up in tasks and people become resources or obstacles.  Help us to see humanity as sheep without a shepherd and to reach out with guidance.  It is not arrogant to hold out Truth for others to live by.  Yet I do fear people and their reaction.  Help me to see your love overwhelming my fears.

Questions

  1. What miracles did Jesus do in this passage?
  2. How did the leaders of Israel respond?
  3. How did Jesus respond to the plight of the masses in Israel?
  4. What are the needs of people in your country?
  5. How is Jesus working through you to meet people’s deepest needs?
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