Month: October 2019

Monday Morning, 21 Oct 2019 – Matthew 24:29-51 ~ be ready all the time

Monday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening –  A Collect for the Renewal of Life (Monday)

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Morning Reading -Matthew 24:29-51 (NLT)

“Immediately after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.  In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Morning Reflection:

be ready all the time

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”
– Matthew 24:44 –

Watchful preparation is necessary since no one knows the day, the hour, the month, or the year when Jesus will return. The alternative is to live life as usual without regard to the King’s return. Jesus deliberately discouraged believers from setting dates so that we would always be ready for his return. But that’s not easy to do since the daily grind, tends to lull us into dangerous complacency.

It’s normal for even remarkable signs of an impending change to have no effect on people. For example, when TV meteorologists announce the coming of a hurricane or tornado, there are always some people in its path who refuse to seek safety. All the more so when meteorologists hype the danger and often get it wrong.

Questions for consideration:

  • How do you prepare for an impending natural disaster such as a hurricane, or tornado? Please explain.
  • Have you ever ignored the warnings of TV meteorologists? Why? What happened? Please explain.
  • Earthquakes, on the other hand, occur suddenly without waning? How would you prepare for an earthquake? Please explain.
  • Jesus’ return is likened to something between a hurricane and an earthquake – there will be warning signs, but it will happen suddenly? What would it take for you to be prepared? Please explain.
  • As a believer caught up in the daily grind, what sort of things lull you into complacency regarding Christ’s return? Please explain.
  • What can you do to live as a faithful, sensible servant of King Jesus, always ready for his return? How would that change your priorities, or lifestyle? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For Watchfulness (Lancelot Andrewes)

Thou, who with thine own mouth hast told us that at midnight the bridegroom shall come: Grant that the cry, “The bridegroom cometh!” may sound evermore in our ears, that so we be never unprepared to meet him, or forgetful of the souls for whom he died, for whom we watch and pray. And save us, O Lord. Amen.
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“I Will Wait For You (Psalm 130)” – Shane & Shane

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

19th Sunday after Pentecost, 20 Oct 2019, Luke 18:1-8 ~ always pray and never give up

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Prayer:

Faithful God, tireless guardian of your people, always ready to hear the cries of your chosen ones, teach us to rely, day and night, on your gracious care. Support our prayer lest we grow weary. Impel us to seek your enduring justice and your ever-present help. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

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“Here I Bow” – Brian & Jenn Johnson

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Gospel Reading: Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)

Parable of the Persistent Widow

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.

A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

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“Before the Throne of God Above” – Selah

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Intercession:

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth: watch over us, and hear our prayers –

+ For church leaders around the world, that they may remain faithful to the Scriptures….
+ For believers around the world, that we may grow in wisdom and trust of Christ Jesus….
+ For missionaries around the world, that they may graciously endure the hardships of their work…
+ For believers in Syria and the Middle East, that they may never give up praying for your protection and peace….
+ For all who are troubled and hard pressed, that we might never give up praying for your help and deliverance….

Our help is in your name, O Lord, watch over us in our coming and going, and respond with mercy and loving-kindness to your people in need. We ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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All the Poor and Powerless – Shane & Shane

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Closing: Ephesians 3:20-21 ((NLT)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 19 Oct 2019 – Matthew 24:1-28 ~ signs of the end

Saturday Morning

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: Matthew 24:1-28 (NLT)

Jesus Speaks about the Future

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.
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Morning Reflection:

Signs of the End
“Tell us what sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”
– Matthew 24:3 –

The disciples’ questions link the return of Christ with this present age and the establishment of his Kingdom, i.e. the end of this world as we know it. The same concerns occupy believers today. Nevertheless, Jesus was clear –

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen,
not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.
Only the Father knows.“
– Matthew 24:36 –

Still, the signs will preface a cataclysmic event on the Day of Judgement –

  • False prophets and messiahs, liars, deceivers and rampant sin…
  • Counterfeit signs and wonders by these false messiahs
  • Desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem
  • Wars and threats of war between nations and kingdoms…
  • Natural disasters – famines, earthquakes, lightning flashes

But don’t panic –

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world,
so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
– Matthew 24:14 –

Questions for consideration:

  • Consider current world events; do you see any signs that might point to the end? Please explain.
  • As you read through the signs of the end that Jesus described, are some more worrisome than others? Please explain.
  • What does your faith community teach about the end times? What do you expect? Please explain.
  • Since no one knows exactly when the end will come, what can you do to be prepared? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:
for Trustfulness In Times Of Worry and Anxiety –

Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“Days of Elijah” – Robin Mark

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Friday Morning, 18 Oct 2019 – Matthew 23:23-39 ~ on hypocrites and hypocrisy

Friday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Almighty God, whose beloved Son first suffered pain and crucifixion before entering into glory: Mercifully grant that we, walking in his footsteps, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 23:23-39 (NLT)

Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders (Cont.)

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

“But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
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Morning Reflection:

on hypocrites and hypocrisy

Hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs
to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.

Jesus continues to describe the nature of hypocrisy in today’s reading.

  • sticklers for details, but blind to great principles
  • distortion of God’s will as revealed in Scripture
  • elevation of the authority of human interpretations
  • flawed doctrine leading to ruinous practice
  • concern for outward appearance instead of inward purity
  • self-righteousness preventing humility and self-awareness
  • self-righteousness preventing others from receiving Kingdom blessings

At the center of Jesus’ condemnation of hypocrites and hypocrisy is the failure to recognize and accept him as the Messiah – the Son of the Living God and the only way to the Father. The result is disastrous – they will receive the full force of God’s wrath on the day of judgement.

Questions for consideration

  • Can you think of areas in your life that reflect hypocrisy, i.e. your behavior doesn’t reflect your beliefs? Please explain.
  • Self-righteousness prevents self-awareness and results in false pride.  Can you think of areas in your life that need honest examination in light of God’s word? Please explain.
  • What do you consider more important, outward appearance, or inward purity? How does that actually work out in your life? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:  For Holy Thought

O God, without whose beauty and goodness our souls are unfed, without whose truth our reason withers: Consecrate our lives to your will, giving us such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time we may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
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“From the Inside Out” – Maranatha! Music

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Thursday Morning, 17 Oct 2019 – Matthew 23:1-22 ~ Blind guides!

Thursday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Guidance – Thursday)

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: Guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our lives we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 23:1-22 (NLT)

Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

“Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
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Morning Reflection:

Blind guides!

“What sorrow awaits you!” – Matthew 23:16 –

In today’s reading Jesus confronts the Pharisees – arbiters of religious observance- as hypocrites and blind guides. The irony of it all was In their attempt to honor the Word of God, they were actually farthest from God.

Hypocrites – they presumed to take on Moses’ teaching authority, however…

  • They don’t practice what they teach
  • They crush people with unbearable demands
  • They’re all show, self righteous attention seekers

Blind guides –

  • They rejected the Kingdom of heaven
  • They rejected Jesus’ kingdom authority
  • They did more harm than good in people’s lives
  • They misunderstood and misapplied Scripture
  • They led people to hell, over the cliff of legalism

Instead of serving people, they used their leadership positions to control them.
Jesus, by way of contrast in Matthew 20:27-29 (NLT).

“Whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Questions for consideration:

  • How would you assess the leaders of your faith community? Do they practice what the teach? Do they make excessive demands on you? Do they draw attention to themselves? Please explain.
  • How would you assess your faith community on a scale of 1 to 10 if legalistic were 1 and gracious were 10? Please explain.
  • Do you know anyone who has been harmed by the misunderstanding and misapplication of scripture? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer – For Inner Renewal Through The Word of God

Gracious God and most merciful Father, you have granted us the rich and precious jewel of your holy Word: Assist us with your Spirit, that the same Word may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us according to your own image, to build us up and edify us into the perfect dwelling place of your Christ, sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues; grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

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“Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)” – Hillsong Worship (Germany)

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen