Tuesday Morning, 22 Oct 2019 – Matthew 25:1-30 ~ use well what you are given

Tuesday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Peace – Tuesday)

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 25:1-30 (NLT)

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Parable of the Three Servants

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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Morning Reflection:

use well what you are given

He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone…
dividing it in proportion to their abilities.
– Matthew 25:14-15 –

Faithfulness, as Jesus illustrates in the story of the three servants, involves using what God has entrusted us to advance His interests in the world.

The teaching points include –

+ All that we are given are gracious gifts of God, distributed according to the abilities he has given us.

+ The gifts God has given us are a kind of working capital to use for his glory.

+ Faithfulness involves taking some prudent risks; fear of doing something wrong stifles our potential.

+ The greater our gifts and abilities, the greater our risk, and the greater our responsibility.

Questions for consideration:

How would you assess the gifts that God has entrusted to you? Think in broad terms, e.g.spiritual gifts, natural abilities, the gospel, opportunities for service, money, community, ethnicity – all that things that make you uniquely you. Please explain.
Can you think of ways that you have used some of these gifts to glorify God and advance his Kingdom purposes? Please explain.
When you consider the gifts that God has entrusted to you, do you think you have lived up to your potential? Why / why not?
Where do you need to risk stepping out in faith in order to glorify God and advance his Kingdom purposes? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the potential You have given us –

+ For the potential You see in us and the possibilities that lie ahead:
Christ be before us.

+ For our plans and their fulfillment, for Your promises and their unfolding:
Christ be before us.

+ In the problems that beset us and the perils that ensnare us:
Christ be before us.

+ Be around us, above us, and beneath us.
On Your path, O my God and not my own,
be all my journeying.

Rule this heart of mine that it be only Yours.
Amen.

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“Rule In My Heart” – Beth Croft

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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

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:

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

Wednesday Morning: 16 Oct 2019 – Matthew 22:23-46 ~ The Two Most Important Commandments

Wednesday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Grace – Wednesday)

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 22:23-46 (NLT)

Discussion about Resurrection

That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’ Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. Last of all, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

“But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.”

When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.

The Most Important Commandment

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’

Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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Morning Reflection:

The Two Most Important Commandments

“The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
“‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Pharisee asked Jesus another controversial question to which various Scripture experts gave various answers.

The rabbis documented 613 commandments in the Mosaic Law, 248 positive and 365 negative. Since no one could possibly keep them all, they divided them into “heavy” (more important) and “light” (less important). The Pharisees taught that the Jews needed to give attention to all the laws but particularly the “heavy” ones. This Pharisee was asking which of the “heavy” ones Jesus considered the “heaviest.”

To answer, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and then Leviticus 19:18.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (love God) is great because it is primary, i.e. our relationship with God.
Leviticus 19:18 (love People) is similar in character. i.e. our relationship with people.

The rest of the Old Testament hangs from or flows out of these two commandments. All the other laws deal with specific applications of one or the other of these two commands. The prophets consistently stressed the importance of heart reality with God and genuine love for one’s neighbor. Without these two commandments the Old Testament lacks unifying summaries.

Questions for consideration:

How can you put God first in your life? What would it mean for you to love God with all your heart, soul. and mind? What would change? Please explain.
How can you love people unselfishly? What would it mean for you to put someone else’s interests before your own? Who comes to mind? Please explain.
The New Testament also contains a large number of commands. Which ones are emphasized in your faith community? Which of these do you think is most important? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Of Confession – Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Of Pardon – If we confess our sins to him,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
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“You Don’t Love God If You Don’t Love Your Neighbor” – Rhonda Vincent

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Closing:

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

Tuesday Morning, 15 Oct 2019 – Matthew 22:1-22 ~ Come to the banquet!

Tuesday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Peace – Tuesday)

Morning Reading – Matthew 22:1-22 (NLT)

Parable of the Great Feast

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

“So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

“The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Taxes for Caesar

Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply amazed them, and they went away.
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Morning Reflection:

Come to the banquet!

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
– Matthew 21:14 –

Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a great wedding feast for a king’s son. All the preparations have been made and invitations have been sent out to his subjects but the message is treated with contempt, and in some cases the messengers are even killed. But the banquet is ready, the time is come; so the king fills his banquet hall with anyone the servants can find, good and bad alike. And what happened to those who rejected the invitation? They were destroyed. Jesus ends his illustration: “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

What are we to make of this story living in and around unbelievers, in fact living in entire societies that have heard the call but have rejected Jesus?

Teaching point: Not all whom God has invited to the kingdom will participate in it. Only those who respond to God’s call and prepare themselves by trusting in Jesus will enjoy the feast.

Questions for consideration:

Can you think of a person who has heard the Good News, but is unrepentant – who has rejected Jesus? Please explain.
Reread the illustration of the Great Feast. How many chances did the king give his invited guest to respond?
What were some of the reasons they gave for rejecting the king’s invitation? Please explain.
How do these excuses relate to people who reject Jesus today? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the Unrepentant –

Merciful God, you desire not the death of sinners, but rather that they should turn to you and live; and through your only Son you have revealed yourself as the God who pardons iniquity. Have mercy on the unrepentant and those who do not believe, [especially…]. Awaken in them, by your Word and Holy Spirit, a deep sense of their sinfulness and peril. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of your Word. Grant them to know and feel that there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which they must be saved, but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so bring them home and number them among your children, that they may be yours for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

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“Come To The Table” – Sidewalk Prophets

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Closing:

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

Monday Morning, 14 Oct 2019 – Matthew 21:28-46 ~ Christ the Cornerstone.

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)

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Morning Reading – Matthew 21:28-46 (NLT)

Parable of the Two Sons

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

“Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first.”

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Parable of the Evil Farmers

“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
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Morning Reflection:

Christ the Cornerstone

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’
– Psalm 118:22-23 –

I don’t think I’ve ever thought of Jesus as a dangerous person. But in today’s allusion to the “cornerstone” (foundation of a building), or “capstone” (top of a building), rejection of Jesus has serious consequences – they stumble over him and are broken, or are crushed when he falls on them.

As in the illustrative stories Jesus told –

listeners still have time to repent and believe – they may have said “No” to Jesus earlier, but it’s not too late to change their minds.
societal status is of no benefit in his Kingdom – outcasts who repent and believe are welcome, while the in crowd who reject Jesus are banned.

In both cases the issue is our willingness to submit to Jesus’ authority – over all things,especially over our daily lives as Kingdom people.

Questions for consideration:

When you think of Jesus’ authority over your life, what comes to mind? Please explain.
How is Jesus’ authority a comfort / a challenge to you? Please explain.
When you think of people who have rejected Jesus’ authority, who comes to mind? Please explain.
If rejection of Jesus leaves one broken or crushed, how then should we pray – for ourselves / for others? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For Christ to be the Cornerstone of our lives –

Lord Jesus, we want you to be the Cornerstone of our lives, now and always.
+ We have professed our faith in you, and we want to make you first in our lives.
+ Strengthen us by the power of your Word and Spirit to live lives that honor and bless you.
+ We welcome your presence into every aspect of our lives- our thoughts, our decisions, our actions.
+ Thank you for seeking and saving us; we love you because you first loved us. It’s all too wonderful.
Lord Jesus, we pray that we would become living stones that glorify your name. Amen.

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“Cornerstone “ – Hillsong Worship