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Reflection on Matthew 2:13-23

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Scripture

“A cry was heard in Ramah –

weeping and great mourning.

Rachel weeps for her children

refusing to be comforted for they are dead.”

Observation

The wise men leave and, having been warned in a dream, they bypass Jerusalem. Joseph again has a dream in which an angel tells him to flee with the child to Egypt.

Herod orders all the boys under two years old who were born in or near Bethlehem to be killed.

After Herod dies, Joseph again has a dream that reassures him that it is time to return. The family settles in Nazareth in Galilee.

Application

When God is at work, we can be sure that satan is at work also, trying to undo God’s plans. Ironically, satan is often just dancing to the tune previously set by the Lord.

The Messiah is born, and satan seeks to destroy Him. He provokes the anger of Herod in an attempt to destroy God’s rescue plan. This plot, wicked as it is, was foreseen by Jeremiah hundreds of years prior.

Satan loves to think he is in control. He tries to convince God’s people to be afraid of him, to avoid big steps of faith, because of possible consequences. Yet, satan at every step is shown to be weaker than God.

The child of God has no reason to ever be afraid. “Greater is he that is in you than he than he that is in the world.”

Prayer

Father, the grief of those mothers and families whose little boys were killed by a paranoid king was great. Yet your grief for humanity lost in sin is even greater. Thank you for the knowledge that you have won the victory over the devil. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 2:1-12

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Scripture

“In Bethlehem in Judea.” they said. “For this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you O Bethlehem in the land of Judah

are not least among the ruling cities of Judah

for a ruler will come from you

who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Observation

Some wise men from the East arrive in Jerusalem announcing that they have seen a star indicating there is a new king in Israel.

Herod is disturbed by this, so he gathers his advisers together and asks them where the Messiah is to be born. “In Bethlehem,” they say.

Herod then meets with the wise men and sends them to Bethlehem. He asks them to report back to him so he can worship the king too,

The wise men go on their way. The star guides them to Bethlehem, stopping over the very house where the child is. They worship Him and present gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh.

Application

The birth of the Messiah was the most anticipated event in the history of Israel, and the scribes, priests, and religious leasers missed it. They knew what the Scriptures had to say about this event, but they failed to see it when it happened.

Perhaps these people were too invested in the status quo. They were people of influence and had no need for a Messiah to come and mess things up.

Perhaps they were so jaded by prophetic expectations that the arrival of astrologers saying that a star indicated the Messiah had come was not enough to stir their interest.

It is still possible for us to miss what God is doing in our lives. We see a miracle and make up reasons to explain it away. We hear God telling us to step out, but we hold back because it means giving up too much.

Let us be attentive to the voice of the Spirit and brave enough to move out in faith at the right time.

Prayer

Father, please break through my hardness of heart, and speak to me about your plans for my life. I don’t want to miss it, Lord. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 1:18-25

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Scripture

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded, and took Mary as his wife.

Observation

Joseph and Mary are engaged, but Mary becomes pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph is a good man, and he does not want to shame Mary publicly, so he decides to break the engagement quietly.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream. The angel tells Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit. The baby is to be named Jesus as He will save His people from their sins.

So Joseph does what the angel told him to do, and he takes Mary as his wife.

Application

It must have been a huge shock and disappointment to Joseph to find out that his wife- to- be had been unfaithful to him. Then an angel appeared to tell him that all was not as it seemed.

The simple faith of both Mary and Joseph is instructive to us. They both just humbly obey God, regardless of the social norms and the possible consequences. They must have had many questions, but they moved forward in obedience.

When God calls us to do something, He has the consequences in hand. He will make it all work out according to His plans.

When we say “No” to God, we are effectively saying that we know better than He does. We know how to handle our lives and don’t need any directions from the Creator of the Universe.

Faith is the admission that we don’t have our lives perfectly ordered.

Faith is recognising that there may be a higher and better way that we have never considered.

Faith is saying “Yes” to God.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the example of Mary and Joseph. Please help me to always say “Yes” to you. Amen.

Ephesians 4:2

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Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:2 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:2

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Paul now list some of the characteristics of a life lived in accordance with the calling that we have received in Christ. In this verse, we have some qualities that Christians are supposed to exhibit towards one another, qualities that work positively to building up a community of faith.

Humility is an attitude in which we seek to glory in other people rather than ourselves. In Philippians 3:3, Paul exhorts us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourself.”

Humility is the rare ability to assess honestly our own gifts and limitations. CS Lewis used the analogy of a painter who rejoice is in an artwork regardless of whether it was his own or somebody else’s .

Every christian is a unique creation. We all have different gifts, different willingness to use those gifts, and different ways of expressing those gifts. We are at varying levels of spiritual, emotional, and physical maturity. How can I in any truthful way decide that I am in some way better or more spiritual than another person?

Humility is the way of Jesus – a life marked by serving rather than being served.

Paul says we should be gentle.

Gentleness is the ability to control strength in such a way as to build people up rather than pulling them apart. A parent is gentle with a baby or young child, because they know that the baby is fragile and will be injured if they throw her or stomp on her.

Gentleness is the ability to see the preciousness of another believer and to moderate our words or actions so as not to cause harm .

There are people who have shared my life for decades, with whom I can be direct and tell them exactly what I think. With other people, I need to be careful to use words that encourage, words that coax strength rather than fear.

In gentleness, I take a mental step out of my body and imagine what my words or actions will do to another person. I am not always good at this, but as gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 23), I trust that over time the Holy Spirit is developing this in me.

We are to be patient with other people (or long suffer as older translations put it).

Patience is the ability to wait without anxiety, and to trust that the desired outcome will arrive in its time .

Patience is a fruit of faith as we learn that God provides what we need at the right time. In the same way, He develops in people in His time the potential that we might see now.

Patience is at odds with our culture in many ways. We are surrounded by devices that do things faster; we can buy fast food or heat up precooked meals in minutes in a microwave; we expect instant communication and rapid responses to our wants.

God requires us to be patient because now is not always the right time.

Farmers cannot shorten the time it takes to make a crop – although plant breeders can. Mothers cannot shorten pregnancy .

We always need to recognise that in any collection of believers, some have not been on the journey for as long as we have. Others may face barriers to spiritual growth that we cannot imagine. Others just bloom slowly.

We have to be patient with one another, because God is patient with us.

To bear with one another does not mean that we tolerate them with gritted teeth. Bearing with one another does not mean that we summon enough self-control to not slap that annoying person.

To bear with them means that we recognise their different personalities and quirky ways, and love them regardless.

That person who irritates me with their continual chatter, or that person who is always boasting about their sporting ability, may be the very person who has the ability and time to fix my plumbing problem. They may be the very person that God has sent into my life to teach me love and empathy .

Bearing with other people means learning to see and appreciate who they are as a person uniquely created by God and loved by him .

Over all of these things comes love. This is agape love, God’s perfect love. It is love that makes it possible for the church to exist as the reflection of God’s love for the world.

It is because I have experienced the perfect love of God that I can become a channel of love to others and received their love in return.

We can not bear with others or exercise patience, humility, and gentleness unless God’s love is at work in us. This is the mystery of the church – that people of diverse abilities, backgrounds, personalities, and interests should be united in one body because of the love of Christ.

Key points in this verse:

  • We are to be humble and gentle with one another
  • We have to put the needs and the weaknesses of others ahead of our own inclinations
  • Humility is the way of Jesus
  • We are to be patient with one another and bear with one another
  • We cannot hurry up God’s work in other people
  • Love is the gift from God that enables us to love others, especially those who on the surface a different to us

Reflection on Luke 2:8-20

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Scripture

The angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I bring good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour- yes the Messiah, the Lord- has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David.”

Observation

An angel from the Lord appears to some shepherds minding their sheep near to Bethlehem. The angel tells them that the Messiah, the Saviour has been born. They will recognise Him when they see a baby lying in a manger.

A vast host of angels appears, praising God.

The shepherds decide to go and find out what is going on. They find Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger.

So the shepherds tell everyone they see about what has happened.

Application

Shepherds don’t get angelic visitations- unless they have been drinking too much! How odd that the first witnesses to the coming of the Lord should be people of such ill repute.

Imagine if the local drug dealers were the people to see the angels.

These shepherds must have been wondering themselves how they came to be in this position. A whole army of angels. A tiny baby in a manger. The Messiah! The Lord!

The rulers didn’t see it! The priests didn’t see it! The religious leaders failed to understand it!

It was the shepherds who saw this thing.

This is encouraging for all of us. We don’t get overlooked by God because we don’t fit the picture of people’s expectations.

Any one of us can receive a revelation that will win nations to Christ.

It could be me.

It could be today.

Prayer

Almighty God, you reveal yourself to shepherds and princes alike. Please help me to see you and to know your presence. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 2:1-7

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Scripture

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first-born child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.

Observation

The Roman Emperor Augustus decrees that a census must be taken across the Empire. Everyone must go back to their ancestral town to be registered. Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, the city of David.

While they are there, Mary’s baby is born. She wraps him in strips of cloth and lays him in a manger.

Application

God’s plans never pan out as we might expect them to. Even a theological degree is no guarantee of insight into the ways of the Lord. The scribes and all the learned men of Israel knew the prophecies about the Messiah, but even they missed Him.

Jesus, the Son of God, becomes flesh and He establishes His Kingdom in the world. This Kingdom is nothing like the kingdoms and empires of this world.

There is a hint of this in the fact that His birthplace seems to be dictated by the whims of the Emperor. In this first power play between Jesus and the world, it seems that the world is stronger- until you remember the ancient prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Mary and Joseph did the parenting thing as parents have done for millennia. It is all so humble and ordinary.

How could this baby in a manger possibly be the Son of God who defeats all the kingdoms of the world and even the power of evil?

Prayer

Lord, you chose to come to us in weakness and humility, as a child. The all-powerful God comes in such a tiny package. Holy Spirit, please help me to understand the mystery of Christmas. Amen.

Reflection on Exodus 27:1-28:43

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Scripture

“Insert the Urim and Thummim into the chest-piece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence.”

Application

This is a beautiful picture of the High Priest carrying God’s will in his heart. The Urim and Thummim were used to determine God’s will in specific issues. They were part of the High Priest’s ceremonial clothing.

Jesus is our High Priest. He did not carry the Temple title or role, but the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives Him this title.

Out High Priest carried God’s will in His heart. Everything He did was to please the Father.

The night before He was killed to pay the price of our sin, Jesus prayed, Father if possible please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”

We also are priests under the great High Priest. Therefore, the will of God should always be in our hearts. Above all other things, we should be wanting to say to God, “Not my will but yours be done.”

How do we live in the will of the Father? We must read the Bible daily to have God’s instruction in our heart. We must also cultivate the habit of listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Father, I desire in my heart to place your will over all other things. Please help me to make this a reality in my life every day. Amen.

Reflection on Exodus 26:1-37

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Scripture

“Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the Ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.”

Application

The Tabernacle, and later the Temple, had a graduated series of areas that kept sinful people away from the glorious presence of the Lord. So gentiles, women, men, and priests could only advance so far.

Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and then just one each year on the Day of Atonement.

By contrast, we Gentiles, who were once far off, have been grafted into God’s people. And in Christ we can enter the Holy of Holies, the place of God’s presence, at any time.

We need no elaborate cleansing rituals and sacrifices. All of this has been done for us in Christ.

We are all priests in God’s kingdom. Therefore we have not only a privilege but a responsibility to draw near to God, to pray and interceded for the lost- not just one day a year, but every day.

The curtain of the Temple was torn at the time of Christ’s death. The barrier to entering the presence of the Lord is gone.

So let us enter boldly to the throne room of the King of Kings.

Prayer

Holy God, thank you for pulling down every barrier between you and me. Thank you that in Christ you have provided the sacrifice for my sins. Amen.

Ephesians 4:1

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Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:1 . I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 4:1

“As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” [ literally, the calling to which you have been called.]

Paul is a prisoner of the Lord ( or for the Lord), as was discussed previously. This was his calling at the time. He had gone from being an Empire traveller to being locked down to one location for the sake of Christ. The Ephesians were not called to the same calling of imprisonment, but they were called to live in a particular way .

The rest of Ephesians is devoted to the particular principles of following our calling in Christ.

The church is the ekklesia, the “called out ones”. So this idea of being called is central to the faith.

We are called by God, chosen by Him to be His representatives in the world. In Roman Society, the ekklesia were the called out ones, the assembly of people who represented the community and had authority to make decisions for the community.

As christians, our responsibility is to represent Christ to the world – that is our calling. This means that we are to live lives that are holy and honourable and which demonstrate at every level the love of Christ for the world.

Whether we are, like Paul, suffering for our faith or living in freedom, we are to live a life worthy of this calling to represent Christ.

We are to be holy first of all. This means that we must conquer the power of sin in our lives. In Romans 6, Paul tells us that in Christ we have died to sin. We must no longer allow ourselves to be slaves to sin, but rather be slaves to righteousness. The choice is ours, depending on what we choose to obey.

Holiness is not legalism. It does not mean learning a long list of what is and is not allowed. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to change our affections and priorities .

To be holy means to be set apart for God’s purposes. In the same way that sacred vessels in the temple we’re not put to ordinary purposes, we should make sure that our lives are dedicated to glorifying the Lord alone.

A life that is worthy of the calling we have been called to is one that is marked by love for other people. In simple terms, this means that we place the needs of others above our own desires. We look to serve them rather than ourselves .

Paul writes in later chapters how this principle of love should work out in normal relationships.

We should note here that love is a primary calling for all who follow Jesus. The Old Testament principle was to love your neighbour as you love yourself. Jesus gives us a new commandment – that we love one another as He loved us. This is sacrificial love .

Love is laying down our lives for the sake of others. Love is caring for people who can offer nothing in return. Love is standing up for those who are the victims of injustice .

Throughout history, Christians have had the reputation for going beyond the normal sense of duty to a neighbour. In ancient times, when people fled a town on the arrival of plague, christians stayed to minister to the sick and dying at the risk of their own lives. When unwanted babies were abandoned in Roman times, it was christians who recued and adopted them.

These two characteristics of holiness and love guide us in living a life that is worthy of the calling to which we have been called .

Key points in this verse:

  • Each Believer has a calling that is both unique and which is shared with other believers
  • We are called to a life of holiness that goes beyond legalismWe are called to a life of love for our neighbours which goes beyond society’s norms.
  • Love means laying down my life and my personal desires for the sake of other people.

Reflection on Exodus 25:1-40

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Scripture

“Be sure that you make everything according to the patterns I have shown you here on the mountain.”

Application

I have to confess that I don’t get very excited about the items in the Tabernacle. Some people get great revelations about the shape and design of the various items. I am not wired that way.

But Moses was told to make everything according to the pattern that God showed him on the mountain.

According to Ephesians, we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore it is essential that we build our lives on God’s pattern.

This means that we are to be holy- dedicated to God’s purposes. All of our ambitions and plans need to be surrendered to Him.

It means we are to be obedient. When we receive guidance from the Holy Spirit, we should follow Him and not our own thoughts. When we read something in the Bible we should obey it.

We are meant to be clean. That means we should not indulge in sin.

The Tabernacle was the place in the wilderness where people met with God. We should be the places where people come and find the living God because of our words and lifestyle.

Prayer

Lord, please make me into a living holy vessel for your purposes. Amen.