Devotion.al

Tag: leader

  • 25 November 2019

    Zechariah 12:1–8, Revelation 18:1–10, Matthew 20:20–23, Luke 22:14–20 (read online ⧉)

    A cup is a common thing. You probably have a few in your cupboards. You might even have so many you have to get rid of one to fit another. You might have ones for special times (like china for Thanksgiving). You might have Christmas themed ones. You probably have ones that were given to you as a reminder or an advertisement. There is nothing special really special about cups. However, as we read the , cups star in a number of places.
    Joseph used his cup (his very special one that only he had) to entrap his brothers. Pharoah and Nebuchadnezzar had their cupbearers. These cupbearers had authority within the courts of the leader. Cups, it seems, were not always so common.

    The prophet Zechariah has a vision of Judah being a cup. Nations would drink of this cup. The consumption part represents well the takeovers, wars, slavery, and exile. The nations around Judah (even their Semitic cousins in Samaria) really did a number on Judah. It’s not that Judah did the right things and was still on the losing . Judah had continually made the wrong decisions. God wasn’t just going to restore his people once they yielded their hearts. God would use Judah as the source of retribution for all the nations that had (by their actions) treated Judah wrongly.

    This imagery is echoed in Revelation. This time, instead of the small underdog being the source of retribution, it would now be the leading city (symbolized as Babylon) that would be the source of its own destruction and the nations that followed it. This symbolic Babylon was completely lost in the depths of unGodly practices. The nations that idolized it or followed its practices would end up with the consequences of their choices.

    In Matthew, Jesus uses similar imagery to hint to James and John that the contents of Jesus’ cup will do the same to them as it will do to him. Of course, they did not yet understand what that meant. Is some ways, while Jesus did not “give” them the seats at his right or left hand, he still symbolically handed his to them when he said they would drink from his cup. They probably felt better about not getting their “seats”, at least until they realized the cup’s contents.

    This really comes to a culmination in the Cup of . The “blood” of the New Covenant shared by Jesus with his disciples and eventually with us. The cup is Christ’s. When we the cup, we share in the and identity of Jesus. We also identify ourselves with and by the New Covenant. We also identify ourselves by his death and the freedom we bought. Lastly, though, each of us may have something that needs to be sacrificed to live a with and for Christ. We have chosen to drink from the cup and by so doing stated that we will accept what it brings.

    1)Do you have a favorite cup? Why is it your favorite? Without knowing the story of if, what could people learn about you from it?

    2) God’s and are often found in “ordinary” things. In what other “ordinary” things do you find God’s grace and love?

    3) Why is it important to look for and see God’s grace and love in ordinary things?

  • Pride Versus Repentance

    1 Kings 8:44–53, Zechariah 1:1–17, Acts 3:13–26

    That Solomon included this request for the Israelites who would be in exile while inaugurating the newly built should not be overlooked. It is significant. With so much foreshadowing of the Israelites going into exile, one would think that the Israelites would have figured it out. The great , Moses, foreshadowed it. Yet, rebellion (of a number of sorts), confusion, and hardened hearts meant that they were headed to exile eventually.

    When the exile did come, at least, God made it clear that exile wasn’t the . All they had to do was say, “sorry.” Yes, it’s a little more complicated than that. On the other hand, it is still that simple. God remains true to God’s and . There isn’t a free pass for the Israelites out of exile. The way to get back isn’t too onerous, for those who are not too full of pride.

    Even after all of that, pride was still an issue. Peter challenged the pride of the Jews, who built so much of their identity on their bloodline. Peter used that pride against them, really to make a point. They were so sure of themselves and their leaders that they killed the person they were waiting for.

    Peter makes it clear though…. Yes, it’s that easy.

    1) What do you take pride in? Has it ever interfered with your ?

    2) Do you take pride in certain parts of your (denomination, stance on an issue, etc.)? How could that interfere with your and your following Jesus?

  • Burning Jealousy

    Genesis 37:3–11, 1 Samuel 16:1–13, 1 Samuel 17:12–29, Proverbs 14:30

    Unrighteous is very much a feeling. Joseph’s brothers were, without question, jealous of Joseph. Their was—in many respects—the initiator of their jealousy, for he treated Joseph differently than them. He even had a special robe made for him. It is not unreasonable to look at the robe as a foreshadowing of the royal station that Joseph would get. It was completely inappropriate for the contest of being the 2nd youngest to be so elevated, yet he was.

    As the Proverb said, the brothers’ jealousy corrupted them down to their bones. Their brother was condemned to slavery (they thought). Yes, they didn’t kill them, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that it was their first thought. Then, in a capstone to their jealousy, they put blood on the “royal” coat and deceived their father. It was an of in regard to their father’s place in their lives. Mostly, however, it was an act of cruelty. They were able to get back at their father, too.

    Unlike Joseph’s dreams, with Joseph sharing them, David’s anointing was external. The man and (last) judge of Israel, Samuel, anointed David. David really had nothing to do with it, other than obeying his father (Jesse) and submitting to the anointing. We can see later on, though, that the brothers weren’t responding well to their brother. Eliab, the de facto leader of David’s brothers, spoke poorly to David. We can see by David’s that this is not a new thing. Yes, in many respects this is the reality of siblings. On the other hand, the Scriptures often highlight the important things, implying that Eliab’s jab was more than sibling rivalry.

    The jealousy that seeks to elevate oneself at the cost of another rots human “to the bone.” Jealousy is the sign of an unbalanced relationship.

    1) Why is focusing on the jealousy within families so important? What lessons can we from it?

    2) Unrighteous jealousy usually involves taking from . When have you seen this? What have you done, if you could, to resolve the situation?

    3) Usually all parties involved in a jealousy situation are affected/harmed. Why do you think the jealous person will often work against their self?

  • Denial and Grace

    Luke 23:50–24:12, John 19:38–42, Matthew 10:32–33

    Joseph of Arimathea is described differently by Luke and John. Luke describes him as good, righteous, and looking forward to the of God. John describes him as a secret disciple of . On the surface, these appear to be different. And, depending on the audience, they can be very different indeed. However, Joseph’s attitude toward Jesus was fairly clear. Joseph greatly admired Jesus. He also did (to a point) follow Jesus as “the women” from Galilee were with him, indicating that he did have a place in the larger circle of disciples.

    Joseph of Arimathea was part of the Sanhedrin. The religious and civil ruling council of the Jews is the “body” that pushed for Jesus’ crucifixion. Earlier in the Gospels, it seemed that the Sanhedrin was unanimous in its thinking. Joseph of Arimathea shows that there wasn’t unanimity in Sanhedrin. Joseph was concerned, however, with his place in the Sanhedrin. John calls it out as of “the Jews”. Luke doesn’t specify that, but as Luke does only note that Joseph went to Pilate, Joseph definitely did it cautiously and did try to avoid making a scene.

    John even pulls Nicodemus into the conversation. Nicodemus is first seen at night meeting Jesus (John 3:1–21). Next Nicodemus is seen defending (in a roundabout way) Jesus. Then we see him now bringing an amount of myrrh and aloe that was excessive (culturally). Nicodemus is still not declaring anything in the name of Jesus, but his actions show a turned toward Jesus.

    The actions of both men could seem to be contrary to Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:32–33. In fact, many of us might well be guilty of this. It all depends on how one defines “deny”. It could be like Peter, who denied Jesus 3 times. That’s pretty blatant, yet God’s carried Peter forward to be the first leader of the . Peter, like Joseph and Nicodemus, was afraid.

    In the world, fear drives many of our actions. Around the world, Christians are hated and hunted. Muslims that have converted to Jesus (and often in mysterious ways) hide their conversion in fear, as they are (justifiably in many cases) afraid of being killed for the ‘s honor. In India, Hindu extremists target Christians regularly. There have been a number of bombings of churches recently. Are these Christians denying Christ by not proclaiming Jesus from the rooftops, street corners, family gatherings, their homes?

    Many preachers, who are living in and are accustomed to religious and , have said exactly that over the years.

    1) If you are not declaring Jesus to everyone you , especially to every family member who is not a Christian, why not? In light of Jesus words, then, what is failing to acknowledge Jesus?

    2) What is the difference, if any, between denying Jesus, and not acknowledging Jesus?

    3) When was the last time you acted like Peter, Joseph of Arimathea, or Nicodemus out of fear?

  • Separating Works

    Deuteronomy 18:9–14, 1 Samuel 28:3–25, Galatians 5:16–26

    The list of people not to listen to is interesting. As part of the Israelites’ preparation to enter the Promised Land, these people were to not be sought out. From a cultural standpoint, this is not a small thing. These people were the ones that were sought for and guidance. For many leaders, they were (so-to-) the behind the throne. In our modern-day, we tie these practices to Satan, yet there is much more than that in this. If one gets rid of the diviners, fortune tellers, omen interpreters, sorcerers, magicians, mediums, spiritualists, and dead relatives, who do you listen to? God.

    The of these practices is more about human selfishness, pride, sin, and disobedience than it is about the Adversary. This is not to say that the does not use these to deceive, it’s just that it is human behavior and choices that make it these things effective in separating humanity from God.

    Saul’s own pride (and disobedience) resulted in God pulling favor from him. Saul mostly appeared to follow the visible laws, but it seems that his heart wasn’t there. When Saul finally seeks God (in desperation, not adoration), God does not respond. Saul decides to invoke the practices that God said were detestable. Saul, who had gotten rid of mediums and spiritualists (exile or death), goes to one to talk to…Samuel? That Saul would knowingly break the Law, go against his own actions, and want to talk to Samuel (a God-fearing prophet, leader, and deliverer of the news regarding the of God’s favor) all shows that Saul was not thinking well.

    Saul could have probably avoided the resulting disaster by abdicating to his sons or to David (God’s chosen one). Saul’s pride resulted in a disastrous defeat of Israel, and the beginning of the of his line. Saul had a number of paths he could have taken after being told of the loss of God’s favor. He probably chose the worst.

    When we get to Paul’s list of “works of the flesh”, idolatry and sorcery appear to be the only things in common with the Old Testament prohibitions. That isn’t so. The Old Testament prohibitions are, again, expressions of humanity’s desire to wrest control and authority from God. While the signs of what that is had changed, the underlying was still there. Today with New Age (which isn’t new anymore), (neo-)paganism, and occult practices on the rise in both practice and acceptance we now have both Old Testament and New Testament.

    1) Instead of wringing our hands and saying empty words, what can we do?

    2) Thinking of why people turn to such things, how can we show the better way (in , without lectures)?

  • People Needed

    Isaiah 30:8–17, 1 Thessalonians 2:2–12

    “To make Christlike disciples in the nations.”— of the Nazarene Mission Statement

    “Iron sharpens iron and one person sharpens another.”—Proverbs 27:17

    Discipleship is not a program, nor is it a class. It is a lifestyle. If we are not careful, Sunday School, Groups, Youth Group, Children’s Church, even Sunday Service become mere flattery of our wants and desires, rather than discipleship.

    If you aren’t being challenged by God’s and during or as a result of these (even as the ), then it is all empty. Will the challenge always occur? No. If it rarely or never occurs, that is the “best” indicator.

    The problem is that we often just want easy, even at Church. Church, sadly, isn’t meant to be easy. Church, as , is meant to be transforming. Transformation can often be painful or uncomfortable.

    In Isaiah, we read the consequences of flattery and (pointless/false) positive words, and it isn’t pretty. challenged the Thessalonians to listen for the , rather than be flattered by the speakers trying to turn them away from the Gospel and probably against Paul himself.

    We are to be challenged, not because our views are true or false, but through the maturing of our faith as it faces the real world is how we show the world the love of Christ, and become the of the world.

    The hard part for our egos is that we often want people to be nice when we need them to be kind. What’s the difference? Think of someone standing on the railing of a tall skyscraper with a strong wind. Nice: “be careful.” Kind: pull them back, even if it hurts them. One is passive (doormat). One is life. In a true discipleship relationship, we need kind people, and we need to be authentic. That is scary.

    1) What discipleship relationships and patterns do you have?

    2) It’s easy to say prayer, bible reading, and attending church are your patterns. However, plenty of people do those, too, and we don’t call them Christians. What is the difference?

    3) With the new Life Groups in the Fall, what new path will you take? Will you join (or lead) a Life Group? Or will you start a small band with the covenant to sharpen one another? Or will you stagnate?

  • Just Praying

    1 Samuel 1:1–18, Luke 18:1–8, Matthew 6:5–15

    “…The of a person is very powerful in its effect.”—James 5:16

    As a gift, prayer is probably second only to salvation and reconciliation. The ability to talk to the Creator of the universe. The God who calls us children.

    Prayer can take many forms. While there may not be as many forms as there are people, there are still many forms which can be done in many combinations. Prayer is also changing. Prayer doesn’t just us, but through our lives, our prayers change and how we pray changes.

    Hannah was thought to be drunk. However, her heartache was so acute that words failed her. In a culture where prayers were spoken aloud (especially in public at the Tabernacle), someone praying quietly (or silently) was abnormal, and (as Eli displayed) not particularly trusted. Hannah’s prayer was effective, however, along with even Eli’s . The boy who came of it, Samuel, was the spiritual leader of Israel for many years.

    Hannah shows the ‘s prayer. Jesu talked about persistent prayer. Regardless, for example, of what you think of him now, Franklin Graham (the of the famous evangelist Billy Graham) ran away from the faith of his . He was the prodigal son. Ruth Graham (the wife of Billy Graham) was persistent in prayer for her son, Franklin. After many years, Franklin returned to the faith. She, like the widow in ‘ story, was persistent. However, unlike the unrighteous judge in the story, our prayers are heard by the righteous God. Ruth Graham incorporated her prayers for her son in her daily devotionals.

    Who says which form (devotionals or a poured out heart at a single annual festival) is better? There are many Christians who look to Jesus’ words and draw huge generalizations that Jesus does not make. For example, the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have on me, a sinner,” has been used for years. People condemn it as babble because it is used in repetition. However, these same people often use the Lord’s Prayer (a mere 2 verses later) as memorized prayer without meditating on the actual words and meaning. Which is right?

    1) What are your preferred methods to pray? Why do you think that is?

    2) Have you ever tried to pray a different way? Why? What was the spiritual difference?

    3) How is your prayer ?

  • God’s Work Working

    Exodus 20:1–21, Exodus 32:1–19, Exodus 34:1–9

    The first “printing” of the 10 Commandments was wholly a God printing. God made the tablets. God wrote on the tablets. Imagine holding something like that in your hands. You witnessed yet another miraculous happening. Out of a mountain God created tablets, then God wrote on them.

    In a fit of () anger, Moses (unrighteously) broke the miraculous and tablets.
    God gives you something special, created in front of you…and you broke them.

    There is a transformation there. Moses transforms from (follow me) to (I lay down my ). This isn’t just about the failure of the Israelites, it is also about the transformation of Moses.

    God then does something…odd. Now, Moses is to make the tablets. God writes on them. God does talk about writing on hearts His law, and God calls our hearts stone. Does this mean the tablets are symbolic of our hearts and the Commandments symbolic of God’s Law? Probably not.

    What it is symbolic of is that instead of God doing it all again, God has Moses (humanity) put some sweat into it, and then does the true work. This is symbolic of how God does work through us. God chooses not to do it all. Instead, God chooses us to partner with Him. It is not because God needs us. It’s because we need God and because we have a need to be valued. God shows us that God values us by having us be part of God’s work.

    1) God wants YOU to work with God to do God’s work. When you reflect on that, what are your thoughts?

    2) At times, God will take our bad decisions and doing something (later) that is positive. Other times, God doesn’t. Why do you think that is? How do you not get discouraged or troubled when God doesn’t transform negative to positive?

    3) God created us in God’s image. What does that mean to us when we think of doing God’s work here on earth?