This is a parable of the ten talents. As we began to read this, we thought we were going to read the same parable as it is in Mathew 25. But we found that this account in Luke draws a clearer picture of Christ as the ruler who returns to receive an accounting from those whom he entrusted with his kingdom. The servants who returned the large increases were praised as trustworthy and rewarded graciously by their king. The servant who merely return what was given to him, was not blessed by the king and had to return the coin so he had nothing. The excuse of that servant was a topic of discussion...he was afraid and considered the ruler a harsh man, reaping what he did not sow and taking what he did not deposit. It was brought up that we have the same problem as that servant when we claim ownership of the things God has given us, not recognizing that these blessings are a deposit that God makes in us so that we will invest them in His work. We fear losing what he gives us instead of trusting that He has empowered us to do what we should do. If we truly acknowledge that He is our king, then we need to faithfully and confidently trust Him. Which servants do you think looked forward to the king returning and which one lived in fear and anxiousness? Living with trust and faithfully serving Christ, gives us enjoyment today with a promise of riches tomorrow.
This parable also clearly points out that Jesus knows those who want Him to be ruler over their lives and those who reject Him, and the consequence of that rejection.
Discover and Proclaim the Truth of The Bible which is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:16 NRSV). Jesus came to humanity to proclaim and give evidence to that love and He has commanded us to do the same. We, who believe, must not merely be followers, but we must be proclaimers of the Gospel Message and we can only do that by being filled with the love of God.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Sunday Oct. 24, 2010...Sermon Text: Luke 18: 9-17
This week's study covered two separate incidents, but tied together the message of humbleness and a dependence on God's goodness and mercy. In verse 9, Jesus targets his comments to a specific group of people..."some who trusted in themselves and regarded others with contempt (looked down on everybody else..NIV). He told a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who both went to the temple. The Pharisee stood praying thanking God that he wasn't like others, thieves, adulterers, etc. and pointed out to God how good he was because he fasted twice a week and gave a tithe to the temple. The tax collector, in contrast, stood off at a distance and did not even look up to heaven and said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Jesus said that the tax collector went home justified before God rather than the Pharisee. Jesus said "...for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." Just as Jesus targeted the self righteous around Him, this message is targeted to us who suffer with this same self righteous attitude.
The next verses talk about Jesus welcoming the children. The disciples sternly ordered the parents to not bring the children, but Jesus welcomed them. In our discussion we saw ourselves in the disciples. We get busy doing Jesus' "important" work, yet we don't recognized what delights Him. The picture of child when a parent walks into a room; the pure joy, love, excitement, and happiness is impossible not to bring delight to the parent. That is how Jesus must react when we respond to Him like those children, making Him the center of our devotion, trust, dependence, and love. He said, "...for it is for such as these that the kingdom of God belongs." We felt as He was talking about himself when He talked of the kingdom of God, and we were drawn to the word "belongs". He offers himself for us to possess, to have as our own. He is not on loan or just for us to enjoy or experience temporarily.
In verse 17, Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." We discussed that we cannot go back and get rid of all the baggage we accumulate as we grow up, so to go back to our childhood innocence is impossible for us to do. But Christ offers us Himself, so if we humble ourselves as the tax collector did, recognizing our need for mercy and acknowledging that we are sinners, He will see us as His children...trusting, dependent, and delighting in Him. In our humbleness, we are justified and He freely welcomes us and we receive Him.
The next verses talk about Jesus welcoming the children. The disciples sternly ordered the parents to not bring the children, but Jesus welcomed them. In our discussion we saw ourselves in the disciples. We get busy doing Jesus' "important" work, yet we don't recognized what delights Him. The picture of child when a parent walks into a room; the pure joy, love, excitement, and happiness is impossible not to bring delight to the parent. That is how Jesus must react when we respond to Him like those children, making Him the center of our devotion, trust, dependence, and love. He said, "...for it is for such as these that the kingdom of God belongs." We felt as He was talking about himself when He talked of the kingdom of God, and we were drawn to the word "belongs". He offers himself for us to possess, to have as our own. He is not on loan or just for us to enjoy or experience temporarily.
In verse 17, Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." We discussed that we cannot go back and get rid of all the baggage we accumulate as we grow up, so to go back to our childhood innocence is impossible for us to do. But Christ offers us Himself, so if we humble ourselves as the tax collector did, recognizing our need for mercy and acknowledging that we are sinners, He will see us as His children...trusting, dependent, and delighting in Him. In our humbleness, we are justified and He freely welcomes us and we receive Him.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sunday Oct. 17, 2010...Sermon Text: Luke 18: 1-8
In verse 1 Jesus told in a parable their need to pray always. In our discussion it was pointed out that prayer is an avenue God has given us to be in relationship with Him...it is by His design.
The parable is about a widow who persistently went to an unrighteous judge for justice, a man who did not fear God or have respect for people. In our discussion we recognized that we live in a world where we must go to people for fair treatment, who are not fair and good. However in her persistence, the judge finally gave in and gave her justice.
Jesus pointed out the difference between putting our faith in men versus God, who is just and fair to his chosen ones. He said that God will quickly grant justice to them. Now we must recognize that justice for God must be according to His sense of order and righteousness. He will quickly put His plan of order for our lives to work when we pray, so we need to be thankful every time we pray, even if we don't see the order that He is bringing to us. His idea of justice may be different than ours.
This is evidenced in the Psalms 22, where David cries out day and night to God for justice. "Why have you forsaken me?" he cries, just as Christ did 1,000 years later from the cross. But in his persistence he acknowledges that God is his only hope...his God in whom he puts his faith. As Jesus died in the cross He did the same thing as He said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."
In verse 8 Jesus closes by saying, "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" When we pray, are we praying to God in whom we put all our faith and trust? If we are praying in doubt, is that a prayer that God will respond to? Prayer is an act of faith in which we acknowledge and praise God for who He is: "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them." (Pslam 22: 4)
The parable is about a widow who persistently went to an unrighteous judge for justice, a man who did not fear God or have respect for people. In our discussion we recognized that we live in a world where we must go to people for fair treatment, who are not fair and good. However in her persistence, the judge finally gave in and gave her justice.
Jesus pointed out the difference between putting our faith in men versus God, who is just and fair to his chosen ones. He said that God will quickly grant justice to them. Now we must recognize that justice for God must be according to His sense of order and righteousness. He will quickly put His plan of order for our lives to work when we pray, so we need to be thankful every time we pray, even if we don't see the order that He is bringing to us. His idea of justice may be different than ours.
This is evidenced in the Psalms 22, where David cries out day and night to God for justice. "Why have you forsaken me?" he cries, just as Christ did 1,000 years later from the cross. But in his persistence he acknowledges that God is his only hope...his God in whom he puts his faith. As Jesus died in the cross He did the same thing as He said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."
In verse 8 Jesus closes by saying, "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" When we pray, are we praying to God in whom we put all our faith and trust? If we are praying in doubt, is that a prayer that God will respond to? Prayer is an act of faith in which we acknowledge and praise God for who He is: "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them." (Pslam 22: 4)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010...Sermon Scripture: Luke 17: 11-19
Jesus Heals Ten Lepers...Class Observations
1. The fact that only one leper (a Samaritan), after being healed, turned around to praise God, falling at the feet of Jesus and Jesus pointing out that only a foreigner gave thanks led to a discussion on how we fail to give God credit for His blessings. We who proclaim Christ as our Savior, probably act more like the nine lepers who received their healing but failed to recognize and give thanks to the source of those blessings.
2. Jesus said, "Go show yourselves to the priests". The practice and traditions of the Jews was to have the priests examine and pronounce the person clean or unclean (Leviticus 13). Jesus made this pronouncement of the one who returned giving praise and thanks saying, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." Do you think that the priests had a problem with this?
3. The leper turned back when he saw that he was healed. Is he the only one who believed that he was healed? I believe that to be the case, and that is why Jesus said that his faith had made him well. The other nine may have continued on to the priests, because of their unbelief and lack of faith. How big of a problem is this in our own lives? Do we pray for Jesus' help and completely fail to recognize His blessing because we don't believe or have faith that He will actually touch us? Do we pray then turn to others, putting our faith in them, to solve our problems?
1. The fact that only one leper (a Samaritan), after being healed, turned around to praise God, falling at the feet of Jesus and Jesus pointing out that only a foreigner gave thanks led to a discussion on how we fail to give God credit for His blessings. We who proclaim Christ as our Savior, probably act more like the nine lepers who received their healing but failed to recognize and give thanks to the source of those blessings.
2. Jesus said, "Go show yourselves to the priests". The practice and traditions of the Jews was to have the priests examine and pronounce the person clean or unclean (Leviticus 13). Jesus made this pronouncement of the one who returned giving praise and thanks saying, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." Do you think that the priests had a problem with this?
3. The leper turned back when he saw that he was healed. Is he the only one who believed that he was healed? I believe that to be the case, and that is why Jesus said that his faith had made him well. The other nine may have continued on to the priests, because of their unbelief and lack of faith. How big of a problem is this in our own lives? Do we pray for Jesus' help and completely fail to recognize His blessing because we don't believe or have faith that He will actually touch us? Do we pray then turn to others, putting our faith in them, to solve our problems?
Friday, October 1, 2010
CRUMC...Sunday Sermon Sneak Preview Class
Wednesday evenings have turned into a blessing for several members of CRUMC who meet to study the upcoming Sunday Sermon Scripture. Our goal is to question. discover, and stumble our way into the relevance of the scripture, thereby giving Pastor Gill some insight into the message for our congregation. I believe that we also give him a lot of reasons to pray.
I leave each week feeling encouraged and strengthen by God's word. I can't say that I always leave with the satisfaction that all my questions have been answered, but I do know that God will keep revealing Himself and the answers until my eyes and heart are opened.
God Bless
I leave each week feeling encouraged and strengthen by God's word. I can't say that I always leave with the satisfaction that all my questions have been answered, but I do know that God will keep revealing Himself and the answers until my eyes and heart are opened.
God Bless
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