reflection

Reflection on Luke 3:15-22

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Scripture

“I baptise you with water, but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am- so much greater that I’m not worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Observation

People are eagerly expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they begin to ask John the Baptist if he is the one. John says that there is someone coming soon who is much greater, and who will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

One day, Jesus comes to be baptised by John. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends , and a voice from heaven says, “You are my beloved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Application

The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance from sin. The baptism of Jesus is a baptism into the Holy Spirit and fire.

When we turn from our sins and ask Jesus to take control of our lives, we are immersed, soaked and filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the empowering to live for Christ and in Christ. The Holy Spirit comes with many gifts to enable us to have the power of Christ, and the fruit to give us the character of Christ.

Sometimes the expression of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is delayed. I have no explanation for that. I do know that at conversion we get all of the Holy Spirit.

There is another baptism, a baptism of fire. Fire represents judgement on sin. For those who do not follow Jesus it is a destructive fire. For those who so know Jesus, it is a purifying fire, a fire that burns away all of our sin.

Water baptism is a one-off event that symbolises our death to self and resurrection in Christ. Spirit baptism is a constant process in which we soak continuously in the grace of God.

Prayer

Glorious God, thank you for the baptism in the Spirit and of fire. Soak me and burn away all the chaff from my life so that I can be totally dedicated to you. Amen.

Reflection on Acts 8:14-17

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Scripture
The Holy Spirit had not come on any of them, for they had only been baptised in the name of Jesus.

Observation
Many people are turning to Jesus in Samaria under the preaching of Philip. The apostles send Peter and John to investigate what is happening. They find that none of the believers have received the Holy Spirit because they have only been baptised in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John lay their hands on the believers, and they receive the Holy Spirit.

Application
Many christians, and many pastors, are blasé about the words used in worship and in prayer. We all want to be spontaneous and led by the Holy Spirit.

I would not want to get trapped into a liturgical mind set where the words are recited by rote and with little care for their meaning. Yet, there are times when the words that are spoken are important to the Lord and so they should be important to us also.

The disciples in Samaria believed in Jesus and were baptised, but they lacked the Holy Spirit. This lack was so obvious that the visiting apostles saw it straight away.

The problem was that they had been baptised only in the name of Jesus and not in the full Trinity- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A failure in words led to a failure in the sacrament.

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul takes the church to task for its inadequate expression of the Lord’s Supper. He even states that because they failed to celebrate Communion with the right spirit, some of them had died.

Words in worship carry significance.

Prayer
Lord, purify me heart and my lips so that when I come before you to worship I do this with an undivided heart. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 43:1-7

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Scripture

“Don’t be afraid for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”

Reflection

God calls Israel (and us, His followers) to not be afraid. The Lord is God, and He has called me by name. He knows me; He knows my circumstances; He knows my fears.

The Lord says to me, “Do not be afraid! I am with you.”

God has ransomed me. He is my Redeemer. We celebrate the coming of Christ into the world at Christmas, and it is easy to miss the point that the baby will grow and mature and give His life as a ransom for many. A ransom for me!

If God loves me like this, can anything overcome Him? Can anything hurt me so that I should be afraid?

No! God’s love is never ending. He has ransomed my soul. I was in captivity to sin, but He has set me free.

He has called me by name. I am not a number in a computer, but a person with a name. God knows my name. He called out to me as Jesus called out to Lazarus, “Lazarus come out!”

My captivity is over. My bondage is broken. I am dancing on my chains!

I am Christ’s, He declares that He owns me. I am no longer living without purpose or direction. Now I follow Jesus, and He directs my path.

I am His, but not as a possession or a plaything. I am a part of the Bride. He tells me, “You are mine” because He loves me. I am safe at His side.

Prayer

Thank you so much Lord for redeeming me, ransoming me, setting me free from bondage to sin and death. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 3:1-12

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Scripture

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Observation

Paul is a prisoner of Christ for the sake of the Gentiles.

God’s plan is for both Gentiles and Jewish believers in Christ to share equally in God’s riches. Both are part of the same Body, and enjoy the same blessings because they belong to Christ.

God’s purpose is to display the riches of His wisdom in the variety of His people.

Application

The universal church is a majestic organisation composed of members from every tribe and every nation. Every culture is represented in the Body of Christ.

There are millions of congregations around the world, representing evangelical, orthodox, pentecostal, catholic and other streams. It seems chaotic because there is no centralised structure or chain of command,

Yet this amazingly diverse organisation is subject to Christ, and it reflects the glory of God.

We often think of the church in human terms- how we relate, styles of worship etc. We are often aware of our duty to proclaim the gospel to the people around us.

Paul tells us, though, that the church, in all its diversity, is a testimony to the unseen powers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

We preach the gospel to the world, but our most powerful testimony is in the heavens.

When christians gather to worship, or to evangelise, or to serve the poor, we are proclaiming the name of Christ add His victory, to the demons and principalities. They shrink in awe at the wisdom and power of God to redeem humanity.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing me into your Body, the church. Help me to find my proper place so that I can be a part of this powerful message of your love. Amen.

Reflection on Colossians 3:12-17

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Scripture

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Observation

God chose us to be His holy people and we need to put on His character- tender mercy, humility, gentleness and patience. We are to forgive others, just as Christ forgives us.

We must let the message of Christ, the Good News, fill our lives as the community of Christ. We are to teach and counsel each other, and sing songs of praise and worship together. Above all, we must make Christ the centre of all we say and do.

Application

God chose me to be part of His holy people. He called and I responded. Now I must live the life He has called me to, a life set apart for God’s purposes.

There are certain attitudes or ways of relating that mark the Christ follower. Christ must be born in my heart then flow out to others in my daily relationships.

Paul describes these qualities of love, peace, patience etc as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, but here he tells us we must clothe ourselves in these qualities.

There is no contradiction here; it is a bit of both. We must allow the Holy Spirit to grow the qualities in us, but we must also take the responsibility of living the Christian life. As the Holy Spirit convicts us of sinful actions or wrong attitudes, we should repent and turn again to God. At that point, the Holy Spirit gives us grace to replace the sinful thing with His fruit.

It is always a partnership between us and God, between “clothe yourselves” and allowing God to grow Himself in us.

Prayer

Lord I thank you for your graciousness. You chose me to be holy, to be a part of your people. Please work in my heart and help me to live the life you have called me to. Amen.

Reflection on Malachi 3:1-5

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Scripture

“Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Observation

The Lord will send His messenger to prepare the way. Then the Lord will come suddenly and appear in the Temple.

The Lord is coming like a refiner’s fire. He will purify the silver, the Levites, so that He will have men who bring Him offerings in righteousness. Then the offerings of Judah will be acceptable.

Then the Lord will come against the sinners and the oppressors of the weak and vulnerable because they refuse to fear the Lord.

Application

The Lord has a different idea of time to us. Malachi, writing about 400 BC says the Lord will appear suddenly in His Temple. It took 400 years, but then it did seem suddenly when Jesus came.

The Lord is good in all things, even in His timing and in His “suddenlies”.

Jesus refined the people. He brought judgement, but not in the way that people expected.

Those who are looking for salvation in Christ and who turn to Him in repentance will find forgiveness and new life. They will be free of sin.

Those who refuse to follow Jesus will be judged because they refuse to fear God and turn away from the sins.

In John 3:16-21 we read that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but His coming set a clear dividing line between the righteous and the evil. It is like a catalyst that is dropped into a test tube, and everything changes even though the catalyst remains untouched.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of a saviour who came so that everyone who trusts in Him will live for ever.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the message of Christmas. Thank you for sending Jesus into the world “suddenly” for my salvation. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 21:25-36

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Scripture

“Keep a constant watch over your soul, and pray for the courage andgrace to prevail over these things that are destined to occur, andthat you will stand before the presence of the Son of Man with aclear conscience.”

Observation

When the Son of Man returns, there will be perplexing signs in the heavens, raging of the seas, and earthquakes. Then the Day ill come when Jesus returns in clouds and with power and miracles.

The trees show the changing of the seasons and, similarly, when we see these prophetic signs cme to pass, we will know that the earth is yielding to God’s kingdom.

The Day will come suddenly, and we are to make sure we keep our hearts and souls pure.

Application

The doctrine of Christ’s return is not about looking for the signs of the end times so much as making sure that we are ready.

Jesus here tells us to “keep a constant” watch over our souls.” In other words, I must constantly be aware of the state of my soul. That means watching out for sinful attitudes, treating people in a way that confirms Jesus’s love for them, being in touch with God through prayer, Scriptures and corporate worship.

Jesus wants us to have the grace and courage to overcome the adversities and temptations in our lives. This is not about the Great Tribulation and the Antichrist, but our daily life in the world. Am I allowing bitterness or vengeance or secret sins to take hold?

The aim of this is simple. Jesus wants us to be able to stand before Him with a clear conscience. How can we enter spiritual worship if our sins condemn us, much less enter the divine throne room?

All of us sin, even after we start to walk with the Lord. We must confess our sins to Him and receive His forgiveness so stand guiltless in His glory.

Prayer

Thank you Father that through the Blood of Christ I am free from sin. Help me to stay clean in you. Amen.

Reflection on Jeremiah 33:14-18

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branch-stump

Scripture
“In those days and at that time, I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line.”

Observation
The Lord promises to restore to His people all that has been taken from them. At the right time there will be a Branch from the line of David- a righteous branch who will do what is right.

The Lord will also ensure that there will always be a descendant of David on the throne of Israel and a priest to continually offer sacrifices.

Application
The righteous Branch would come from David’s line at the right time- the kairos time, the appointed time.

The Branch, of course, is Jesus, whose birth we celebrate in a few weeks time.

God had promised that there would always be someone from David’s line on the throne in Israel. Jesus is that person. He reigns not just over Israel but the whole world.

King Jesus, the righteous Branch rules in righteousness. All earthly kings carry the stain of sin, but Jesus is not only sinless, He has defeated sin.

The righteous Branch from David’s line is bringing justice and holiness to the world even today.

Prayer
Lord you are that righteous Branch from the line of David. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah! Amen.

Reflection on John 18:33-37

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Scripture

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Observation

Jesus is before Pilate on trial for His life.

Pilate summons Jesus and says, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replies asking, “Is this your own idea?”

Pilate then asks, “What is it that you have done?” Jesus answers that His kingdom is not of this world, it is from another place.

Jesus goes on to say that He is in fact a king who has come into the world to testify to truth. Pilate cynically asks, “What is truth?”

Application

Jesus’ kingdom, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, is not of this world. All human kingdoms, no matter how benevolent, carry the taint of sin. Every king who was ever born was a sinner and therefore not perfect.

The values of Jesus’ kingdom are different to the values of human kingdoms.

The kingdom of Jesus does not expand by violent invasion. Rather it is like salt or yeast which seems to be insignificant but actually transforms what it is mixed with.

The kingdom advances by the salvation of individuals. Hearts and minds are changed from the kingdom of this world to allegiance to the king of heaven.

Unlike Islam, which advances by conquest and domination, the kingdom of Jesus advances quietly and by freedom.

As Jesus says, if His kingdom were of this world, His servants would physically fight for Him. This has been tried in the past with disastrous results.

God’s kingdom is the kingdom of agape, sacrificial love. That is our weapon.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you laid down your life for me. Help me to lay down my life for the sake of you and your kingdom. Help me to give myself away in loving my neighbours for your sake. Amen.

Reflection on Revelation 1:1-8

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Scripture
“I am the Alpha and the Omega- the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come- the Almighty One.”

Observation
John describes his letter as a revelation from God of events soon to come. God blesses the person who reads the prophecy and those who obey it.

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the ruler of the kings of the world. He is coming, and everyone will see Him.

God is the first and the last, the one who is, who always was and is yet to come.

Application
God is the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is outside of time, and there was not a time when He did not exist.

When we look at the powerful forces at work in the world whether military, political or corporate- we can be overwhelmed by them. Who can stand against them?

God is stronger than all these things. He is bigger than any created thing. He was there before them and will be there long after they have turned to dust. He is the first and the last, the Almighty God.

When it comes to our personal sufferings, our problems, relationships that are difficult, sins that we struggle with- God knows the end from the beginning. He is already at the place where these things are worked through.

God sees our heart, not just the situations we live through.

God is unchanging. He is always the same. Mountains may fall but God will not. Countries and cultures, families and neighbourhoods change, but God does not.

He is the rock. He is the one we can depend on always.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the certainty that you will always be here. You will always be who you are now. There is no shadow of turning in you. Amen.