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Reflection on John 6:1-21

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Scripture
After the people saw the miraculous signs that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Observation
Jesus and His disciples cross the lake and the people follow them. Seeing the crowds, Jesus asks Philip, “How are we going to feed these people?”

Andrew brings a boy with his lunch. Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks and distribute it. He does the same with the fish, and 5000 men are fed. When they pick up the crumbs, they fill twelve baskets.

Seeing that the people want to make Him king by force, Jesus draws away by himself.

When night comes, the disciples get into a boat to cross the lake. A storm breaks out and Jesus appears walking on the water. He gets into the boat and immediately the boat arrives at its destination.

Application
I am always amazed at the stories of the feeding of the 5000 and of the 4000. John links this story to Jesus walking on the water, with the detail that the boat is miraculously transported to its destination.

The take home message from this passage is trust Jesus for everything.

He knows what you need and is able to supply it in abundance. If you are walking with Jesus then He will make sure you get what you need. Do not be anxious.

He knows where you need to be and He will get you there. Many people struggle with questions about where they should live or work or what God’s plan is for their life. Do not be anxious- He will get you to the place He wants you to be,

Prayer
Lord Jesus help me to trust you for everything I need, for food to eat and the knowledge that I am in the right place. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 3:14-22

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Scripture

Now unto him who is able to do immensely more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

Observation

Paul prays for the church in Ephesus and for the universal church. He prays for power through the Spirit that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.

He prays that we will dwell in love and know the unknowable- the dimensions of Christ’s love, and in that to be filled with the measure of the fullness of God.

Application

Christ’s love for us is in a sense unknowable- it is infinite, unending, unfailing, not bound in any possible way. The love of Christ is not just infinite in extent but also in quality. The human mind has no way of expressing or even understanding the implication of God’s love for us. Paul wants us to know this experientially and not just as a doctrine.

This is something that we best experience in community, “together with all the saints.” We understand the love of God as we experience it in the love of other people.

Knowing the love of Christ is not just receiving but also giving. The love of Christ is poured out upon us. How can we understand this love until we begin to love like He does, pouring love out on others, especially the ones we find least likeable?

Prayer

Lord grant me the power to grasp the height and depth, the breadth and length of your love, living in the power of love in all my relationships. Amen.

Reflection on Psalm 14

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How stupid to deny you Lord

How foolish to pretend

There is no God or judge

There is no heaven or hell

…

Even worse are those who

Give lip service to you

Praising you on Sunday

Serving self on Monday

…

Keep me free O God

From all self-will

Make me humble God

And all my deeds right.

Reflection on 2 Samuel 11:1-27

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Scripture

She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Observation

It is spring time, and instead of leading his troops into battle against the Ammonites, David remains in Jerusalem. There he sees a beautiful woman named Bathsheba and determines to have her. He sleeps with her and she becomes pregnant.

David then tries to cover up his adultery by calling Bathsheba’s husband Uriah back to Jerusalem from the front. Being an honourable man, Uriah sleeps at the palace gate rather than going home.

David then conspires to have Uriah killed in battle. He has Bathsheba brought to the palace, but the Lord is displeased with all David has done.

Application

David was a man after God’s heart, but he could sin as extravagantly as he worshipped.

Ancient kings were free to do anything they pleased with their subjects, but the king of Israel was subject to God’s Law as much as anyone else. David failed at this point because he stopped looking to God’s ways.

One of the temptations leaders must always fight is a sense of entitlement, This applies to ministers, political leaders and business people. The temptations can be subtle: “You deserve more,” “You work so hard to serve others”.

If we are not careful, we can easily find ourselves doing things that we would have once never dreamed we were capable of doing, and justifying to ourselves why it is acceptable.

Prayer

Grant me a humble heart, Lord, and insight into the temptations that assault me. Help me to stand firm in your ways. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 6:30-34,53-56

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Scripture
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Observation
The apostles return from their ministry tour and begin to tell Jesus all they have done. Jesus takes them away to a quiet place because the crowds a pressing in. The people follow them, and Jesus has compassion on them so He starts teaching them.

They cross the lake, and people instantly recognise Jesus. They run to bring the sick to be healed. All who touch Him are healed.

Application
Jesus is motivated by compassion for the people who seem to Him to be like lost sheep, All that He did in His earthly ministry was motivated by this deep love- whether He was healing, teaching or performing miracles.

Even His death on the cross was a result of His love for people who have lost the way to the Father. His love for me caused Him to lay down His life for me so that I can have eternal life.

What an awesome thought this is.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your great love for me. Amen.

Reflection on 2 Samuel 7:1-17

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Scripture
“Your house and your kingdom will endure for ever before me; your throne will be established for ever.”

Observation
David becomes concerned to build a Temple for the Lord. David is living in luxury, but the Ark of God remains in a tent.

At first Nathan the prophet tells David to go ahead, but the word of the Lord comes to Nathan and says the Lord doesn’t need a house built by David. In fact the Lord will build David a house- a dynasty that will rule the kingdom for ever.

Application
David wanted to build the Lord a Temple, but the Lord said He didn’t need anything that David could give Him. The Lord is the provider for David, not the other way around. The Temple would be built, but this was not David’s task.

God doesn’t make demands on us as if He is dependent on the things we can give Him or do for Him. His Lordship is one of invitation and grace. He lets us participate in His work and provides us with all that we need to serve Him, and more beside.

The secret to the christian life is learning to hear His invitation and to respond without fear or hesitation. It is then that we see the miracles unfold.

Prayer
Father, give me a sensitive ear and a willing heart to participate in your works of grace. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 6:14-29

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Scripture
The king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests he couldn’t refuse her.

Observation
Everyone is talking about Jesus and speculating about his true identity. Herod believes that Jesus is John the Baptist resurrected.

Some time before this, Herod had John the Baptist imprisoned because John had criticised Herod’s marriage to Herodias. Herodias’ daughter had danced before Herod’s dinner guests, and he had vowed to give her whatever she asked for. At her mother’s instigation, she asked for the head of John the Baptist.

Application
Speaking up for righteousness can still be punished severely in a world that is opposed to the gospel.

The current flash point for christians in the West is same sex “marriage”. Where christians in good conscience cannot comply with the demands of the dominant culture they are imprisoned, fined or forced out of their job or business.

When confronting a sinful society we need to be aware of our ultimate destiny. We are people who live and die for eternity and not just for this life.

Our words and actions always have to be measured by the requirements of our Lord and not by the approval of the world.

Prayer
Father please help em to stand firm in you, even when the cost is high. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 1:1-14

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Scripture
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

Observation
Before He made the world, God decided to adopt us into His family. He has poured out His grace upon us, purchasing our freedom with the blood of Christ.

Everything in the whole of creation will be brought under the authority of Christ. Because we are united with Christ we have an inheritance in Him.

God’s plan was to unite Jewish and Gentile believers together. As the sign that we belong to Him, He gave us the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our salvation.

Application
It is so easy to underestimate God’s grace or to limit it to salvation. The fact is that God has poured out , and continues to pour out, blessing after blessing into our lives.

We were chosen from before the world began to be a part of God’s family, and He gives us the Holy Spirit as a sign of our identity in Christ. This is a guarantee that we will receive our inheritance in Him.

The overflowing abundant grace of God never runs out.

Prayer
Help me to appreciate, Lord, how great is your love for me. Amen.

Reflection on 2 Samuel 6:1-19

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Scripture

Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

Observation

David gathers his elite troops to bring back the Ark of God from Baalah of Judah (known also as Kiriath-Jearim). They put the Ark on a new cart to transport it.

As the Ark is going along, the oxen stumble and Uzzah outs out his hand to steady the Ark. Immediately he is struck dead.

David is angry at this and decides to leave the Ark right there. As a result, the people’s whose house the Ark stays in are greatly blessed by the favour of the Lord. David decides to resume his plan to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.

This time they do it properly as described in the Law of Moses. David dances and leaps before the Lord as the Ark moves onward.

Finally the Ark arrives in Jerusalem and is installed in a tent prepared for it.

Application

David’s love for the Lord was passionate and unrestrained. He danced before the Ark in a way that his wife Michal deemed to be undignified. But David didn’t care about her judgement as his heart was to praise God.

It was important for the Ark to be transported in God’s way. To do otherwise could be deadly.

When we come into God’s presence we need to do so with humility, awe and reverence as well as joy and passionate celebration. If we treat God with a measure of disdain or over-familiarity we may die- if not literally, then at least on the inside.

Prayer

Lord I love you, I worship you, I praise your name. Help me to retain an appropriate attitude of awe mixed in with the love. May I never take your mercy for granted. Amen.

Reflection on Mark 6:1-13

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Scripture
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Observation
Jesus returns to Nazareth and teaches in the synagogue. The amazement of the townspeople turns to resentment and anger. Consequently Jesus is not able to do many miracles there except to heal a few people.

Jesus then moves from village to village. He sends out the Twelve in pairs. They are not to take any extra clothes. When they go to a house they are to stay there until they leave that town.

The disciples go out and preach a gospel of repentance. They heal many sick people and drive out demons.

Application
Armed with only a partial understanding of the gospel, the disciples were effective in telling people about the kingdom. Although they were not yet filled with the Holy Spirit, they carried the authority and grace of Jesus to expel demons and heal the sick.

If they could do so much with so little, what can we do who know about the cross and resurrection, and who have been baptised in the Holy Spirit?

What is holding me back?

Prayer
Make me bold, Lord, in telling others about you and in healing the sick. I renounce all fear today in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.