Matthew 24:36-51 (Revelation 22:7-21): He is Coming Soon!

Presented to the Swift Current Corps, 27 June 2010 and Corps 614 Regent Park and Warehouse Mission in Toronto,  27 November 2016. By Captain Michael Ramsay

This is the Toronto 2016, version. To view the original click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2010/06/matthew-2436-51-revelation-227-21-he-is.html

A fellow was speaking to God and he said, “Lord, I have two questions for you, I was wondering if you could help me.

1) A Millennium, a thousand years, is a long time to us – how long is that time for an eternal God?”

“It is just a second”

2) “God, there is a lottery draw coming up next Saturday and I was wondering if I could have the winning lottery ticket?”

“Sure, in just a second.”

Advent is about waiting. Advent is about being prepared and Advent is about waiting. Advent is about remembering the wait for Jesus to be born and advent is us today waiting for him to come back. Who here likes to wait?

I remember when Susan was pregnant with Heather six plus years ago. Heather was quite a few days later than her due date. Mom especially was understandably a little bit impatient to meet babe as the days wore on. When Heather finally did arrive, it was a real time of celebration because the due date was about 2 weeks before baby showed up and so everyday we were getting more and more eager for her to come and everyday it was another day closer and every hour it was another hour closer and every minute it was another minute closer. Two plus weeks past the due date and we were ready for Heather to arrive.

Through this time we didn’t necessarily know exactly when she was coming but we were ready. Our bags were packed and in the car. I kept the camera and the phone list at my side. Grandma and Boppa came all the way from Vancouver Island to the small city on the prairie where we were living. They were ready and they were with us since just before baby’s first due date to help look after the other children when baby arrived. We knew baby was coming soon, sooner than ever before…but she wasn’t here yet. We thought a doctor said that baby was coming on the 16^th of June but the 16^th came and went and the baby hadn’t come yet. We saw a doctor had written that the baby was coming on the 17^th but the 17^th came and went and the baby hadn’t come yet. I thought the ultrasound technician said the baby was coming on the 20^th or the 21^st; Susan thought they said the 22^nd but the 20^th came and went and the 21^st came and went and the 22^nd came and went and Baby hadn’t come yet. We were prepared for the baby many days before all those dates, in between all those dates, and after those dates. We knew that the baby was coming soon, all through June (and before) but –until the 29^th - the baby hadn’t come yet.

Revelation 3:11, Jesus says, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” But Jesus hasn’t come back yet. Revelation 22:7, Jesus says, “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” But Jesus hasn’t come back yet. Revelation 22:12, Jesus says, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” But Jesus hasn’t come back yet. And Revelation 22:20, “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” But Jesus hasn’t come back yet.

The people in the first years after Jesus rose from the grave – when the early church was formed - expected him to come back soon, any minute, but Jesus hasn’t come back yet. The people in the first decades after Jesus rose from the grave – when most of our New Testament was written - expected him to come soon, any minute but Jesus hasn’t come back yet (cf. Luke 17:26-27).[1] The people in the first centuries after Jesus rose from the grave – when most of our church fathers lived - expected him to come soon, any minute but Jesus hasn’t come back yet.[2] The people through the first millennium after Jesus rose from the dead – when the church continued to spread through North Africa, Europe and Asia - expected him to come soon, any minute but Jesus still hasn’t come back yet. The people through the second millennium after Jesus rose from the dead – when the church experienced its Renaissance and Reformation - expected him to come soon, any minute, but Jesus still hasn’t come back yet. And now we are into the third millennium…and still Jesus hasn’t come back yet.

In the time between Baby’s due date and her unknown arrival time, there was a lot going on in our small city where we lived then, in our community, in our ministry –races for which we provided the concession, food drives, new phone system installation and training in our building, farewell events for soldiers and employees, 3 corps and community barbecues - even when Susan was becoming quite anxious about Baby coming, I could have continued on just working on what I thought needed to be done on what I wanted to do or on  what I thought was best (cf. the sin of Judges: Judges 21:25). The longer we waited for Baby to come the more I could have slipped back into a regular work routine or turned my attention to real emergencies that ordinarily would have taken me away. There was a massive flood near the border. We sent an Emergency Disaster Services team (Lloyd Blyth, Elaine Blyth, Rachel Sloper, Alvin Gador, Larry Jaster, Lori Reimer; who did a great job, btw)[3] down to Maple Creek Saskatchewan. As the Emergency Disaster representative, I should, would, or could have gone to help with that but if I did, as a result, I would risk missing out on our baby’s birth. Instead –as was needed - I decided to stay by Susan’s side prepared, watching and waiting for Baby Heather. I was still working of course, fulfilling my duties in this post-modern age of laptops and blackberries, but I remained close, waiting, ready for Baby to arrive.

Similarly relating to our Lord Jesus, Matthew 24:42-51 that we read from earlier, records (cf. also Luke 12:42-46):

⁴²"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

 ⁴⁵"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. ⁴⁷I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' ⁴⁹and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. ⁵⁰The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. ⁵¹He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Advent is about waiting and being prepared. Let us look a little closer at this story. What is it about? It is about the fact that Jesus is coming soon and we – even more than doctors and ultrasound technicians - we really don’t know when Jesus is coming but we need to be ready because, like our baby was, Jesus is coming soon (Matthew 24:26, 25:13; Mark 13:32; Luke 12:39-40, 46). He is coming like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:34) and we should be ready (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3, 16:5). This is important. We know this is important for a couple of reasons not the least of which is the fact that Matthew records for us that Jesus says this is important and he repeatedly makes this very point in a number of stories placed back to back to back here in the text.[4] This story of being ready for Jesus to come because he will come like a thief in the night is in the context of a number of similar parables about Jesus’ immanent return.[5]

Advent is about waiting and being ready and Matthew 25:1-13 compares Jesus’ immanent return to bridesmaids waiting for the bridegroom and the whole wedding celebration to begin (cf. Luke 14:16-24).[6] This is a big deal. It is the party of the year and no one wants to miss it and their ticket in, in this case, is to be prepared by having oil in their lamps when the groom returns. There are those who started waiting but they weren’t prepared to wait quite long enough and then the bridegroom shows up when they have already gone to do something other than wait for him so they don’t get to celebrate with the groom upon his arrival. They weren’t prepared and, like an out-of-town father when his baby is born, they missed their opportunity to greet him (cf. Heb. 3:7–4:13).[7]

Advent is about waiting and being ready. There is also the so-called, ‘Parable of the Talents’, Matthew 25:18-30 (cf. Luke 19:11-26).[8] Remember that story about waiting and being prepared, about being ready? An employer, a master divides his investment portfolio between his employees, giving them responsibility for it. He gives his servants, his slaves some money, some talents, to be in charge of while he is away. He tells them to take care of his talents. Two of the three servants do just this and thus they are ready for their master’s return. The third – he is thrown into the darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:31). He is not faithful with a little when the master was away so how can he be trusted with the treasures of heaven when the Lord returns (Matthew 25:21,23, 30)? He was not prepared for his Lord’s coming.

Advent is about waiting and advent is about being ready. And we all know the parable of ‘The Sheep and the Goats’ (Matthew 25:31-46). Here when the Son of Man comes he divides the nations on his right and his left. Those who are prepared to reap the benefits of his Kingdom take care of the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick and the prisoners while they were waiting for Him. They are prepared and, to them, He says ‘take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ and he says ‘well done my good and faithful servant’. However there are those that did not do this and as such they were not ready to meet their maker and they did not celebrate at his return (Cf. Exodus 23:6,11, Lev. 19:10,15, 23:22, 27:8, Deut. 15:7, 15:11, 24:12-15, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 22:26, 34:6, 35:10, 82:3, Ezekiel 16:49, 18:12, 22:29, Amos 2:7, 4:1, 5:11-12, 8:4-6, Isaiah 3:14, 15, 10:2, 11:4, 26:6, 32:7, 41:17, 58:7, 61:1; Zechariah 7:10). He still came but they did not celebrate. They were cast aside. They were not prepared for his return so they miss out on the blessings of the coming of his kingdom.

It is like with Heather’s birth. When the first due date came and went we could have taken the camera out of the baby bag and put it where it usually belongs; when the next anticipated due date came, we could have taken the baby clothes, Susan’s magazines, and toiletries out of the baby bag. When the next day came and went, we could have taken the very baby bag itself, in which we held everything in anticipation of baby’s arrival, and filled it with various work or play related items instead so that we were no longer prepared. If we did all of this it wouldn’t stop the baby from coming. We just wouldn’t be prepared for her arrival and even if I am looking for everything that we had unpacked and I can’t find what I need in time, baby will still come at the pre-appointed time, I just may miss out on the blessings of that moment. Also if I was away helping out with EDS or something else when baby came I would have missed the occasion or if baby had come early, a few days before the due date instead of 2 plus weeks after the due date, my parents wouldn’t have been a part of it. They would have missed out on baby’s arrival. Baby just barely got there before they had to leave as it was! But we didn’t know when she was coming; all we knew was that she was coming and she was coming soon and with every day, every hour, and every minute that passed baby was coming even sooner. Baby was coming soon whether we were ready or not and if we weren’t ready we would miss out.

Advent is about being prepared and then waiting. Jesus is coming back. In our life, will we miss out on Jesus’ arrival? Or are we ready for him? Are our spiritual bags still packed? Or have we in the weeks, months and years since we gave our lives to Christ, have we been slowly unpacking our heavenly baby bags? Do we still have our Bibles that we read daily in there or did we put them back on the shelves because Jesus hasn’t come just yet? He’s still coming. How about our incessant, fervent prayers: do we still practice them daily or have we put them away until we feel we need them? How about our offering of food, clothing, and love to the least, the lost, and the last: is this still with us and in our spiritual baby bags or have we filed these away somewhere; leaving us unprepared for the immanent arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming soon?

What about all of us here today? If Jesus comes like an overdue baby tonight, are we ready? Will we be there to greet him or will we miss out on his return? Today, are our bags packed with our prayers, Bible study, and love for our neighbour? Are we ready to meet our maker when he returns? As sure as Baby Heather was coming soon and indeed did arrive about six and a half years ago, Jesus also is coming very soon. So when he does arrive, are we ready? Are we ready for when he shows up like a thief in the night or will we be left outside like the unprepared bridesmaids? Are we investing the talents God is entrusting us with? Or will He take back even the very life that He has loaned us because we wasted it? Jesus is coming soon. When he does, will he say to us ‘away from me’? Or will he say to us, because we are prepared to meet him, ‘take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’ - and ‘well done my good and faithful servant’? In short, I ask us today, Jesus is coming soon, whether we are ready for it or not; so are we ready?

Let us pray.

www.sheepspeak.com

--- 

---

---

[1] Cf. Douglas R.A. Hare, Matthew (Interpretation: Louisville, Kentucky: John Know Press, 1993), p.281.

[2] Volume 120 of The Expository Times has a good series of articles on the church fathers. See for ex. Judith L. Kovacs ‘Clement of Alexandria’ in The Expository Times, Vol. 120, No. 6 (March 2009), pp. 261-271

[3] Information about the team and their mission is on-line at: http://renewnetwork.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html#1586402264514679316

[4] Cf. R.T. France, ‘Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary’, Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 1), S. 342. Endurance is a prominent apocalyptic theme (cf. e.g. Dan. 12:12–13).  

[5] Cf. Michael Ramsay, 'Jesus use of Parabolic and Metaphorical Methods to Affect the Listeners of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants', Presented to William and Catherine Booth College (Fall 2006). Available on-line at http://sheepspeak.com/NT_Michael_Ramsay.htm

[6] Luke includes the parable of the Marriage feast – the third of Matthew’s three (Matt. 22:1-14) - in an entirely separate setting (Luke 14:16-24); it is not mentioned at all in the account of Mark and neither Mark nor Luke mention the parable of the two sons (Matt 21:28-32).

[7] Cf. Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14-28. (WBC 33B: Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1995), 612.

[8] There are several commonalities in the parable’s contextual setting. It is recorded after the triumphal entry when the people proclaim ‘Hosanna’ or ‘blessed be the king’ and that Jesus is the ‘Son of David’ (Matthew 21:10-11, Mark 11:9-10, Luke 19:38); the clearing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-46); and Mathew and Mark’s account of the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-26; cf. Mark 11:12-14, 20-22).

2 Kings 23:29-30: 888,246 Ceramic Poppies

Presented on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #56 to the Community Remembrance Day 11 November 2014 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and to Warehouse Mission and Corps 614 Regent Park, Toronto on 13 November 2016 by Captain Michael Ramsay

.

This is the Toronto version, to view the original click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2014/11/2-kings-2329-30-lest-we-forget.html

.

On this day in 2014 there were 888 246 ceramic poppies encircling the famous Tower of London in England; they create a powerful visual image to commemorate the centennial of the commencement of the First World War. The 888 246 poppies filled the Tower’s moat. Each poppy represents a military fatality during the war. We Canadians fought as part of the empire; our family members and our countrymen lived, served, and died in the ‘Great War’, the ‘war to end all wars’, the First World War.

.

When World War One broke out Canada was a very small and sparsely populated country of just over 7 million people. Most were farmers or involved in other primary industries. Many boys and young men left their family farms and businesses here to serve in the war there. I have read stories of bankers and teachers and minors and scientists and athletes and farmers and very young men from across this country and Newfoundland who put their jobs, their careers, their parents, their girlfriends, their new wives, their young children, and their whole lives on hold until they returned home from the war - only many never did return home from the war. They were never to be seen again by their wives, their children, their brothers, their sisters, their mothers, their fathers.

.

Almost 7% of the total population of our country – 619 000 Canadians served in this war and 66 976 Canadians never returned. That was almost 1% (0.92%) of our country's whole population and it was almost 1-out-of-every-5 boys aged 16-24: meaning that in a community the size of Regent Park (Cabbage Town) now, 150 (120) people would have been killed in the war. If you lived in Canada then, you would know more than one person who did not return. On River Street alone in the few blocks where 614 is today from just past Dundas to Queen St., seven young men gave their lives – and many more on the side streets here too. In the very short walk down Parliament St. from the Warehouse Mission to the food bank, were the homes of five more young men who gave their lives. I want to share one of the many stories I happened read about young people who left their homes here in our city to serve in the mud of Europe:

.

Allan McLean “Scotty” Davidson was one of Canada’s early hockey heroes. As captain of the Kingston Frontenacs, he led the team to the Ontario Hockey Association’s junior title in 1909 and 1911. During the 1912-1913 season he joined the National Hockey Association, playing for the Toronto Blueshirts, scoring nineteen goals in twenty games. The following year, as team captain, he led the Blueshirts to Toronto’s first-ever Stanley Cup title.

Lance Corporal Davidson was the first professional hockey player to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1914 serving with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment). He was 24 years old when he died in France on 16 June 1915 and is one of over 11 000 Canadians whose remains were never found or positively identified. He was only 24. He lived and worked in our city and he was killed in the mud in France. He is just one of the almost 20% of Canadian young men aged 16-24 who never returned from his European service. Let us not forget.[1]

.

We remember just before Remembrance Day in this country a couple of years ago too: a couple of young service people had their lives cut short in Ottawa. Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers, who along with Curtis Barrett and others, acted to save many in confronting a gunman on Parliament Hill, said “On behalf of all members of the House of Commons Security Services team, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo. Our prayers are with you.  Our thoughts are also with Constable Son, who … suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.” I also heard reported that Kevin Vickers when asked about the gunman, said, “All I could think of was his mother.” Let us remember her and let us remember Kevin Vickers, and let us remember Curtis Barrett (the one who delivered the fatal shot that saved many) and all that he is going through. He has suffered serious PTSD since the event. Let us remember all our service people and let us remember everyone affected there here today.

.

Today in the Scriptures we read about King Josiah. Josiah was the last great King of Judah. He was a good man, used by God to do good things and he was the last significant ruler of his country. Josiah, when he was 26 years old, this young leader marched out to battle and never returned. Josiah’s life was over. Josiah’s reign was over. Two chapters later, the two books of the Kings are over. And two chapters later the two Kingdoms of Israel and Judah are over.[2] They are destroyed. Lest we forget the tragedies of war. Let us not forget.

.

Like Josiah, so many of our Canadian soldiers of the 20^th  and 21^st  Centuries, left their families behind, left their work behind, left those who loved them behind. Let us not forget the many good people who marched out to battles from Canada all risking and some laying down their lives for God, for King and for country.

.

When World War 2 broke out, Canada was a country of 11 million people and we sent more than one million of our family members to serve in the military and of those more than 100 000 sustained casualties; 45 000 gave their lives. Many of us have friends and family who marched out of Toronto here to offer their lives up in service to us. I met one such man at Kiwanis last week.  My own grandmother’s brother who left the family farm to serve overseas never did speak of the day they were surrounded by the Germans in the war. We who have not served in that way can’t possibly even imagine what he and others experienced on that day.

.

My grandfather returned home to Canada from California where he was working when war broke out so that he could serve God, King and country in the Second World War.

.  

I have these cards from my family members who served in both world wars. These are some of my treasured possessions. This one from April 2, 1917 says:

.

Dear Sister, Just a line to let you know that I am alive yet, and hope to continue the same. Tell Albert when he gets time to drop me a line. Bye, Bye, Love from Frank.

.

These are some of my cherished possessions. I look at these and I remember my family. I remember all those that risked their lives for us. I remember. I hope I never forget. I hope my daughters never forget. I hope we never forget. Let us never forget their sacrifices and let us not sacrifice the peace that they won for us. Let us not forsake them and let us not forget them

..

            Our bothers and sisters, our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents, our comrades-in-arms who are veterans all lived and some died so that we would not have to live through the horrors of war. I have been a legion chaplain for many years and was honoured to hear their remembrances as clear as if they were yesterday: What they lived through. They lived and their friends died so that we wouldn`t have to live and die in war. Many cry when they see how cheaply we treat the peace that they bought us at such a high price. They lived and died fighting for an end to war. When we refuse the peace they died for, I have been told we devalue their life; we make their sacrifice mean less. Jesus Christ himself died so that we could be reconciled to God and each other. He rose again so that we could serve Him, the Prince of Peace, whose government will never stop ruling and whose followers will never stop being peaceful. And that is my hope for each of us here today – that we would, honour the sacrifices of our veterans as well as our Lord and Saviour by living in peace with one another.

.

It is said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Two years ago today, across the ocean, there were 888 246 ceramic poppies to remind us of the terrible price of war. Today we are wearing poppies as a pledge that we will never forget our friends, our family, our loved ones, and our veterans who offered their lives in service to us. Let us not forsake them. Let us not forget. Lest we forget. Lest we forget.

.

Let us pray.

.

www.sheepspeak.com 

---

---

[1] COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION – Canadian Agency http://www.cwgc-canadianagency.ca/a128/Canadian+War+Dead+from+the+Sporting+World.pdf

[2] Choon-Leon Seow, The First and Second Book of Kings, in NIB 9, ed. Leander E. Keck, et. al. (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999): 287 points out that salvation is not meted out on a basis of works.

.

Devotion 2.29/81: John 15:13: Life

Presented to River Street Cafe, 11 November 2016

Read John 15:12-15

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends, John 15:13.

On November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed to end the Great War, the war to end all wars – the First World War. Canadians, our friends and our family, in service to God, King, and country, marched overseas to lay down their lives for our friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

On November 11, 1813, 200+ years ago, Canadians repulsed an horrific enemy invasion, with the help of our friends, the British and the First Nations. We laid down our life for our family. They laid down their life for us, their friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

On November 11, we remember also our friends and families who headed overseas for World War II, in service to God, King, and country to lay down their lives for their friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

In the Cold War that followed, again Canadians headed overseas – this time to Korea – to offer our lives on behalf of our allies and to lay down our lives for our friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

As the cold war progressed, Canadians donned blue berets for the first time protecting and reconciling populations, and still offering our lives for our friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross so that we all may live.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

Through the real horrors of the wars a great thing happened: Canada’s primary foes during 1814, 1914, and 1944 are now some of our closest allies. Our soldiers laid down their lives for us, their friends. And they laid down their lives so that we could be reconciled to our brothers. Canada is reconciled to her old foes and united with them more than ever because of the sacrifice of friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, our veterans.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

And it was through Jesus’ death and resurrection that we all may experience this same reconciliation with God.

Jesus laid down his life for us, his friends.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace and today we are still fighting for peace as our soldiers are still laying down their lives so that one day the dreams of World War I can be realized; one day ‘the war to end all wars’ will finally have been fought and then their deaths will not have been in vain for their will be no more need for tears or for brave young men and women lay down their lives for their friends.

Today as we remember those who have laid down their lives for us, their friends, so that we could be reconciled with our old foes, let us us – as veterans do every year – remember that Christ laid down his life for us, his friends so that we could be reconciled to God.

www.sheepspeak.com

Devotion 2.28/80: Genesis 18:14: Nothing

Presented to River Street Cafe, 04 November 2016

Read Genesis 18:1-15.

Every month we go to the Arthur Meighen Centre to lead a service for the senior citizens. Can you imagine if when we are at the retirement home next a ninety year-old lady gives birth? This is the miracle of Isaac’s birth. Nothing is too difficult for God.

An angel of the Lord tells Abraham that his 90 year-old wife will give birth.Sarah hears this and she laughs. The Angel calls her on it, saying, ‘why did you laugh when I said you were going to have a baby’? Sarah replies, ‘I didn't laugh’; The Angel says, ‘yes you did’; so God and the Angel call her child ‘Isaac’ which means ‘Laughter’ to remind her and us not to doubt the power and the providence of God. Nothing is too difficult for God.  

Every time Abraham and Sarah would be tempted to doubt that in the future they simply had to laugh or recall their son Isaac’s name, and they would be reminded of his miraculous birth and that nothing is too difficult for God.

This is important. Nothing is too difficult for God. Sarah and Abraham had some really difficult challenges in their lives but nothing is too difficult for God. Twice Sarah said that she was Abraham`s sister instead of his wife so people wouldn’t kill her husband and take her away. And even though Abraham and Sarah messed things up by trying to solve the problem on their own, God took care of them. Nothing is too difficult for God.

Having a child was seen as being blessed by God; someone who did not have a child was thought to be cursed. This troubled Sarah and Abraham greatly. And even though Sarah messed things up a bit, God took care of them. He gave her a child and named him ‘Laughter’ to remind them that even though they laughed at the prospect of having this child, here he is because nothing is too difficult for God.

Before that Sarah even went so far as to force her slave girl to have relations with her husband so that she could have her child. And even though Abraham and Sarah messed things up by trying to do things without Him, God took care of them. He gave them this child and another child, named ‘Laughter’, who was begotten of them both to remind them that nothing is too difficult for God.

Every time after that someone laughed or every time after that they heard their son’s name, I’m sure they could laugh assuredly in the providence of God. Many times in their life Sarah and Abraham messed up but God took care of them; nothing is too difficult for God.

Many times in my life I have messed up, made serious mistakes, done bad things, but God takes care of me. Nothing is too difficult for God. God has been with me through my darkest hours, just like he was with Abraham and Sarah and later Isaac and his sons and their sons. Nothing is too difficult for God.  God took care of them and God can take care of us no matter what our challenges for we are invited to remember that nothing is too difficult for God.

Devotion 2.27/79: 1 Samuel 28: Ghostly

Presented to River Street Cafe, 28 October 2016

1 Samuel 28:3-25:

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a witch, a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”

“There is one in Endor,” they said.

So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”

But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”

Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”

Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

“Bring up Samuel,” he said.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth.”

“What does he look like?” he asked.

“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.

--- 

What has happened in this story? Saul who was the King of Israel, his job then just like our Queen’s job today was to be Defender of the Faith. He was supposed to be a King who worked for God. But he abandoned God and went to a witch, a medium, to consult the dead for help instead. Saul left God and so in his darkest hour ahead, God was not with him. And it ended badly. He and his sons the very next day joined the ranks of the dead.

But it didn’t need to be that way. As the Bible tells us in John 3:16, ‘for God so loved the whole world that whosoever believeth in shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ If, instead of like King Saul here, like others we turn to God in our times of trouble He promises He will never leave us nor forsake us. As we persevere in our faith, God promises that He will see us through. And He will. We can trust Him who is faithful and He will give us the strength to keep keeping on.

Devotion 2.26/78: 3 John 11: Imitation

Presented to Riverside Cafe, 21 October 2016

Read 3 John 11

Late one night, a burglar breaks into a house that he thinks is empty. He tiptoes through the living room but suddenly freezes in his tracks when he hears a voice say: “Jesus is watching you!”

When it becomes quiet again, the burglar creeps forward. And again the voice says, “Jesus is watching you.”

The burglar stops dead in his tracks. He is frightened. Frantically, he looks all around. In a dark corner, he spots a… birdcage and in the cage is… a parrot.

Gathering his senses, he asks the parrot: “Was it you all this time who said, ‘Jesus is watching me?’”

“Yes”, said the parrot.

The burglar breathes a sigh of relief, then gaining some confidence he asks the parrot: “What’s your name?”

“Clarence,” says the bird.

“That's a dumb name for a parrot,” sneers the now confident burglar. “What kind of a silly person would name a bird, ‘Clarence?’”

The parrot replies, “The same person who would call his attack dog ‘Jesus’… Jesus is watching you.”

Parrots are good imitators and our verse today is exhorting us to be good imitators, it says, 3 John 11: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

Pertaining to this imitation: I think that we have all heard the analogy at one time or another in a sermon about counterfeiting counter-measures and how the authorities spot counterfeit currency. What they don’t do to learn how to identify counterfeit money is study counterfeit money. Instead what they do do is study real money. When they can identify the real thing then they know that all else is not the real thing. It is the same with us as it is only when we spend more time focusing on Christ, in prayer, worship, and Bible study, and less time on ourselves indulging in the selfish values of the world that we recognize what is good and what is evil. And also as we spend more of the currency of our time with God we will obviously become more like Him; however, there are those who will choose instead to use their time spending the counterfeit currencies of the world doing what is selfish and what is evil. 3 John tells us these people have not even seen God. We need to spend time with God to see Him and we need to spend time imitating what is good to build up for ourselves the real treasures that are in heaven (Matthew 6:19-24).

3 John 11: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”