Author: mamaroo43214595

Just recently, I watched a video about the rescue of an elephant calf from a well.  The beginning was rather distressing, because in order to help rescue the baby, the humans had to drive the mother elephant away, for safety for themselves.  This added to her distress, and she stayed in the distance calling her calf.  After what seemed like for ever, they freed the calf from the well she had fallen into, and she took off at a rate of knots towards the sound of her mother’s voice.  When the mother realised her baby was free, and running towards her, she thundered towards her, hotly pursued by an accompanying auntie.  When the baby reached mama, mama put her trunk round the baby who stood underneath her and no doubt had a drink, while mama rumbled.  No doubt the conversation was the equivalent of mama!  I’m home!  Yes sweetheart, you are and you are safe!

To see them running towards each other and the emotional reunion, reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son, where on the return of the son, the father sees him and runs to greet him.  There are further parallels, in that the son has “fallen in a well”, of his own making.  He has wasted his inheritance, and ended up feeding pigs in an attempt to earn some money.  How low must that have been for a Jew to have had anything to do with pigs?

Instead of humans helping him out, his memories of his loving father brought him to his senses, and he headed for home.  He was truly remorseful and humble;  he realised his sin, and had repented, and was prepared to be as a servant, because he knew even so he would be fed and sheltered, and treated fairly.  Instead, his father, who was obviously watching and waiting for him, saw him coming and ran to meet him.  Like mama and baby elephant, there was an emotional and no doubt tearful reunion, and a celebration!

So Jesus searches for us.  He doesn’t force us, he calls us, and waits for us to respond.  Then He lifts us out of the ditch of our own making.  We who were dead in our sins, He takes us by the hand and lifts us out.  He left His home in glory and came to us.  Then He took the punishment that we deserved and brought us home.

While we were in our sins He called us, sometimes gently, sometimes more forcefully. But He kept on calling till we responded, and then He ran to us.  He enfolded us in His loving arms and celebrated!  Here is the lost sheep!  The lost coin!  The prodigal son!  Heaven rejoiced!

Christ’s steps were to us, now we walk together.

I do not have a problem with people worshipping corporately on Saturday.  I do not have a problem with people worshipping corporately ANY day.

I do not have a problem with people wishing to have a day without work on Saturday.  I do not have a problem with people wishing to have ANY day without work.  Their bosses might, but if they were working for me, having any day off would not be a problem if it was arranged before hand.

However I do have a problem if someone says that unless I  “keep” the same day as him/her I am doomed, will lose my salvation, or some variation on these themes.  Where in the Bible does it say this?  Where in the Bible does it mention a day at all except for the covenant between God and Israel?

And how do I “keep” a day anyway?  The first instruction in Exodus 16 told the Israelites to stay in their tents.  In Exodus 20 they were forbidden to work.  ANY sort of work.  And further instructions are found in the Bible on how to achieve this.  They were forbidden from getting their slaves, or any foreigners staying in their towns/cities, to do the work for them.  They were to rest.  Their animals were also to rest.

But SDAs seem to think it’s about worship.  And a day off work.  They can turn on heaters, use phones, computers, even tvs if the “right” sort of thing is watched.  You can’t do the washing, but you can undertake an “appropriate” activity.  I mean really.  Where is this in the Bible?
It’s all about the day isn’t it?  It isn’t REALLY about worshiping God.  It’s about being SEEN to worship on “His” day.  I don’t know how many times I have asked for proof that Jesus wanted worship on a particular day, and time and again I am told about the 4^th commandment…which was given to the Children of Israel!  Well I can’t say I know anyone at the present time that would fall into that category.  We have had the odd Jewish family in this community, but they moved on with their work.  None here right now.  Some of those families were secular Jews, but there have been a couple of “religious” Jewish families, and Sabbath was very special to them.  Full of ritual and meaning.  All their various celebrations were.

The various church communities around here have differing traditions, but ALL of their church services are about worshipping God.  They do it with great joy and fervour.  Then adjourn to their various church halls (or maybe someone’s house…there are a couple of churches that don’t have halls) for refreshment of some sort and LOTS of fellowship.  It is really still worship, just in a different way.  Depending on the occasion, it’s noisy or prayerful.  Sometimes in turn.

And this isn’t always on Sunday.  It can be any time of the week.

That is the big difference.  It is about God.  It is not about a day.  These people worship EVERY day.  Their whole lives are an act of worship.  It is not saved up for one day.

The only day I have heard mentioned for a day of worship is TODAY.  So let’s do that.  Worship Him today.  At home on your own or with your family, corporately with your CHURCH family.  TODAY.

34But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Note what Jesus said here.  He was asked the great commandment in the Law.  He did not answer with any of the ten.  Why was that?  Were the ten not important to Jesus or the Jews of that time?  Well no.  The ten were the words of the covenant. Ex 34:  28So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. Ten categories if you like.  And there were, according to some, 613 commandments that made up these ten categories.  The Jews of that time didn’t aim to keep the ten, they aimed to keep the law of Moses.  And that to them was the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses, and all the commandments therein.

The term Ten Commandments is only found in the old testament.  There is no reference to them at all in the new, expect where Paul refers to them as the ministry of death.  You will find reference to particular commandments, but never to the ten as they appear in the old testament.  The Greek text in the new testament refers to commandments, and it refers to law.  Never to TEN commandments.  Jesus gave MANY commandments in the new testament, but it is really interesting that He goes back to the old for what is now known as the two great commandments.

And on these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.  The Greek word translated here as depend is κρέμαται (krematai).  Can also be translated as hang, suspend.  The whole law and the prophets, virtually the whole old testament, suspend from these two commandments.  Rather than this being a summary of the ten commandments, it is a summary of the whole law of Moses, and the whole law of God.  Concepts are here that are not included in the ten commandments;  these two are all inclusive.

So you get the feeling that the lawyer was told you need to go even further than they were already doing.  How could anyone love that much?  Simple!  Only God could   and did!  His Son gave His life to save us, to fulfil the law and the prophets.  No one else has or could do that.

God is love.  His law is love.  Romans 13:10  Love is the fulfilment of the law.  Jesus did that.  He has commanded us to do the same.

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made…

I remember hearing Keith Green singing this many years ago.  It is a paraphrase of Psalm 118:24, by Les Garret, a New Zealander, who at one stage lived in Australia.

Now which day was the psalmist talking about?  Passover, that great day in the Hebrew year, where the children of Israel were redeemed for God, by the blood of lambs, and the Angel of Death passed over them, and they were delivered from slavery in Egypt.

Of course it’s almost Easter Sunday here, and the Christian church could be singing about the day of resurrection. Easter marks when the followers of Christ have been redeemed by the blood of the One Perfect Lamb of God, who alone was worthy.

Or perhaps Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came and gave courage to that very small band of Jesus’  followers, who then went out and converted thousands of people at a time.

Or perhaps Today.  Every day is the day that the Lord has made, and we should indeed rejoice in the Lord every day.  Plus the Lord appointed “Today” in Hebrews 4:7.

 

In Matt 11: 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  The invitation has been given.  There is no time given for here, but today would be most appropriate.

To rest in Jesus  is rest indeed

I owe the idea for this article to my friend Kate.  We were talking the other night about how many different types of love were mentioned in the New Testament.  I told her I’d find out!

I remember from my studies in Greek there were four different types mentioned, forgive me if I’ve forgotten any.

One is Εροσ.  (eros).  Erotic love.

Another is Στοργή. (storge).  Familial love.

Another is  Φιλἐω.  (phileo).  Affection, liking.

And of course, Ἀγάπη.  (agape).  Unconditional love.

 

Neither eros or storge are mentioned by name in the New Testament. Phileo and agape are.  In the exchange between Jesus and Peter in John 21:15-18 both are used.  Jesus using agape and Peter phileo.

Agape of course is used in that wonderful 1 Corinthians 13 passage.  It is of God’s love to and for us.  All love comes from Him.  Without His love we cannot love.  Any attempts we have of loving, even so, whether our fellow humans or loving God back, are pretty miserable at times.  But imagine what would happen if we didn’t have God’s love?

It’s Good Friday today.  The commemoration of the greatest example of God’s love:  that Jesus loved us so much, He would die to save us from sin.  And that gift is given freely by His grace.  We only need to accept it.

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Stuart TownendCopyright © 1995 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)

At times (not often) I get lonely.  I just want someone to love me unconditionally.  Then the other day I woke up to myself.  That is how God loves me.  And I have a lot of friends, online, and around me who DO love me that way.  They would jump over the moon if I asked them to.  Sure they don’t live with me (and that really would be the test), but they love me warts and all.  No questions asked.  That love is much deeper than phileo, it’s the human version of agape.

It has really touched me.

So…in the New Testament, there are two types of love mentioned by name.

Greek is such a rich language!

Australia is a vast and beautiful country.  It is also harsh and cruel.  In one part there can be droughts, another bushfires, another floods.  Even earthquakes.  At the moment we are awaiting our first tropical cyclone of the year in far north Queensland.  Cyclones are late this year, and this one is expected to become a category 4 before crossing the coast tomorrow or Tuesday.  Evacuations have been ordered in its path and more are expected.

We have no control over these weather and natural events.  We can only await their outcome.  This is true of so many parts of the world.  And so we await.  These Queensland people are waiting to see whether the cyclone will affect them, and whether they have to evacuate.  Last summer people in New South Wales during particularly bad bushfire weather, (including me) were waiting to see whether a fire would start near them, and whether they would have to evacuate.  I was ready to go.  Others in different parts of Australia, were waiting to see how high the flood got, and whether they needed to go.

But waiting is not necessarily always bad.  We wait for birthdays, particularly as children.  At present I am waiting for a visit from my daughter on Tuesday.  In just over a month I am waiting for a visit from a dear friend whom I haven’t seen for years and years.  As Christians we are awaiting Easter, to commemorate the crucifixion of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and then His resurrection!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

And of course, again as Christians, we are awaiting His coming again.  The signs are there…it will be soon!  And how joyful then will be the reunions of family and loved ones, as they finally meet their Saviour, and meet again those they loved who have gone before.  And of course so many new friends!

But what are SDAs waiting for?  Sunday laws!  Ellen’s predictions!  Doesn’t it make your heart break that they are awaiting such nonsensical issues?  I mean there is NOTHING in the Bible about any of this.  The Biblical signs are clear.  But still they prefer ellen’s version.  Things are happening now that make us SURE of Jesus’ soon coming.  Things are happening that ellen never foresaw.  She didn’t see Islam.  Nor the computer revolution.  Nor Christians being persecuted and murdered FOR JESUS!  She didn’t see what pollution is doing to our world.  Nor climate change.  Nor the methane deposits.

She saw the shut door.  The IJ.  Probation.  Amalgamation.  Persecution of Sabbath keepers.  I mean really?  The sign of Christianity is LOVE.  Why would Christians want to do that to people who worship on a different day?  Have you who are supporters of ellen really, I mean REALLY thought about this?

Come on SDAs.  Jesus is calling you.

Why did Jesus come to earth?  I’m sure we can think of many reasons, for example, He came to seek and to save those who are lost.  (Luke 19:10)  He came to fulfil the Law and the Prophets.  (Matt 5:17-20)  He came to serve.  He came to reveal the Father.  And so on, and so on.

But did He come to “keep” anything?

Jesus was born and raised a Jew.  He was circumcised, presented at the Temple.  He took part in the Jewish festivals.  There is very  little said in the Scriptures about the “missing years”, from when he was small up until He started His public mission.  It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see that He was educated, and also He was called Rabbi.

Boys started education at an early age, and the Torah was a very big part of that learning.  The Jews after all had been set apart from the whole earth by God, and had been given the law of Moses shortly after they left Egypt.  The law of Moses was found in the Torah, which consisted of the Pentateuch and the Oral Torah, which is now embodied in the Talmud and Midrash.  Depending on the age of the child and the circumstances they would also be learning the family trade.  Jesus certainly learned a trade, and became a carpenter (Mark 6:3)

 

The Jews of that time observed the rules and regulations of the Torah.  The ten commandments  were not mentioned in the New Testament at all, except for the reference to them by Paul as the ministry of death.  The ten commandments were the words of the covenant (Deut 4:13).  To the Jews, they were/are a summary of the whole law of Moses.  If you like, they are the ten categories.  There is no separation between the ten, and the whole law.  This separation is a “modern” construct, being brought in by the Roman Catholic church.

Jesus then went on to upset the Pharisees by “breaking” the Sabbath.  This is recorded in several places in the Gospels, and Matthew 12 explains how He could “break” the Sabbath and be guiltless, like the priests who sacrificed on the Sabbath.  If anyone has read the list of the priestly work load!  My goodness!  They must have been exhausted!  Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath.  Lord EVEN of the Sabbath.  This does not mean He was subject to the rules.  He was LORD!  He was not bound by its rules!

He was also given a task not given to any of us.  To be the sacrificial Lamb.  To atone for us.  To redeem us.  To save us from the wrath of God.  No wonder he sweated blood.

So did He come to “keep” anything?  No!  He came to fulfil! He came to save!  Redeem!  Atone!  Seek and save!  Reveal the Father!  Serve!  I’m sure you can insert a few more…

And He certainly did not come to “keep” the ten commandments….

Yesterday I watched a charming little video about a most unimpressive looking fish that builds the most amazing display in the sand to attract a mate.  He builds this most incredible design, using only his fins.  How does he know what to do?  Does he know how beautiful it is?  Obviously, it is hardwired in. God has given him the knowledge of what to do.  And what a beautiful job he does.

Really, when you think about, God has similarly cared for us.  He has given us a job to do, and He always makes sure we can do it.  He has commanded us to proclaim His Gospel, and He always equips His servants adequately.  He gives us gifts.  Some of these gifts He gives us at birth (they still come from Him) but others are given specially when we are converted, and some are given to us for a specific time/need.  But He always equips us.

Some of us are called to do more than one job.  We are all equipped to proclaim the Gospel, whether it is in a formal or informal way. Some are called to do more than one thing, for example, some are called to preach formally, or be pastors, teachers, welcomers, encouragers etc etc.  But for whatever job we are called, we are equipped.

Wherever we are, whoever we are, we are equipped to do God’s work.  We are all unique, and each of us can reach people no one else can reach.  And our job is to proclaim the Gospel to all, be it with words, or our actions.  We don’t know whether people will believe us, only God knows that, and our job is not to beat them over the head to convince or convict.  That is God’s job.

Some of us, because of our knowledge, have the added responsibility of caring for our less mature Christian brethren, and feeding them milk until they are mature enough to cope with the meat of our faith.  Some of us, again because of our knowledge, have the added responsibility of speaking to certain sections of society, for example SDAs, who are legalistic, but think they know the truth, when they do not.  Some of us have been given special gifts to make it easier to approach them on a level they understand.  Others are equipped to approach agnostics and atheists.  And so on.  But whatever responsibility we are given, we are equipped.
In some areas our message is not a popular one.  That is when we will be ridiculed, abused and, as the messenger, “shot”.  At times it will appear no one is listening.  But Jesus said we must proclaim His Gospel to the whole world.  We do not know whether a person will reject the message outright, accept it now, or accept it somewhere down the track.  We can only sow the seeds, or water the seeds that have been planted, perhaps by someone else.  It is not up to us to decide a person is not worthy to hear the Gospel.

Just remember that Jesus is with us always.

And that this message is worth dying for.

There seems to be two basic types.  The first makes a big show of warming the pew on their chosen day of worship, but doesn’t carry it through for the rest of the week.  They are judgemental and selfrighteous.  Very big on what they do which is in accordance with what they say the Bible says we should do.  Not very big at all on Christ’s redeeming Blood. Very similar to the Pharisees of old.

The second also warms the pew on their chosen day of worship, when they can.  They are just as likely to turn up in their gardening clothes, because they have appointments doing some sort of work after church, usually helping someone.  The day is not holy to them.  During the week they are kind to people.  They quietly help those in need.  They are happy, even if their lives are tough.  Their Christianity is a way of life to them.

Which sort is closer to Jesus’ example?
In Matthew 25:31-46, we see what Jesus says about the final judgement:

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,^f you did it to me.’

41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

We see He divides the sheep from the goats, and how He does it.  It is not by who keeps the ten commandments.  It is not by who keeps the Sabbath, or tithes.  It is not by who eats the right food, or reads the right version of the Bible.  It is not by who spends the most time in church.  It is not by wearing the right clothes, or by not wearing jewellery.

It is by who loves his neighbour, who is kind to those in need, those who quietly go around helping people.  Quite simple really.  They are the ones who are following the example of Christ.  They have His Light in their hearts.  They do not do any of this to big note themselves, or earn brownie points, they do it as an act of worship.  Their whole life is a witness to God’s glory.

So which sort of Christian are you?  Are you a sheep or a goat?

We women have a lot to thank Christ for.  In most cultures, until recently, women were considered second class citizens, and in some places they still are.  At the time of Jesus, women were not allowed to testify in court. Nor could they engage in commerce.  They were the “property” of their father until they were “transferred” to their husband.  The  situation is reflected in the ancient synagogue prayer:   ‘Blessed art thou, O Lord God, king of the universe, who hast not made me a woman.’

Yet Jesus honoured women.  Many of his disciples were women.  Women were entrusted with the news of His resurrection.  And in the early church, there was at least one woman apostle, Junia.  Some lead churches, and some were missionaries.  There is a record of one giving instruction to Apollos, co-worker of Paul, by Priscilla.

 

And in Galatians 3:28, Paul says There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^g nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And in Corinthians Paul constantly says he wants male AND female to exercise the different gifts of the spirit.  And in Acts 2, Peter says:  This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and daughters will prophesy. (Acts 2:16-17)

So why in several parts of Corinthians and in Timothy, does Paul say that women must remain silent in church, and they must not teach or exercise authority over men?

 

There is so much evidence that women were leaders in the early church, but Paul wanted them to be quiet, and they couldn’t teach, or have authority over men?

If you read 1 and 2 Corinthians, you have an insight into the formation of one of the early Christian churches.  People came from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and different cultural backgrounds.  Some were Jews, some were Gentiles.  Their meetings seem to have been rather rowdy, in fact at times they seemed like a free for all.  Paul called for order.  Not just from the women, but from all of them.
Paul recognised all these people were part of the Body of Christ, including the women, but he saw the need for order.  He encourages ALL to take part in the service, to speak in tongues, to interpret, to prophesy, to pray, to sing, but to do so with order.

 

Paul wanted the women to take part in the service, but to do so with order.  This is  a lesson in reading passages in context, and not to cherrypick.

And of course we have 1 Tim 2: 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.   But look at verse 11: 11Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.  Paul, like Jesus had a higher opinion of women than the general community.  Remember, women were second class citizens, but Paul thought they were capable of learning!  Obviously he did not want them teaching anyone till they had learned something!  And it’s still true, even today, for a woman to be able to teach a man, she has to know what she’s talking about.

So…..women do not teach men while they have nothing to teach them.  She is to learn.  Quietly.  Then, like Priscilla teaching Apollos, she has something worthwhile to teach him!

And, in normal events, who was your first teacher?  Not only in matters of spirituality, but EVERYTHING.  Your MUM.

God gives gifts to all of us.  Doesn’t matter whether we’re male or female, rich or poor, educated or uneducated.  We are all equal in the sight of God.  We ALL have jobs to do.  Pastors, teachers, musicians, people who make the coffee or do the dishes.  We are all commanded to proclaim the Gospel.  The manner of our proclamation depends on what gifts we are given, and what opportunities we are given.  The Gospel can be passed on just as well over a cup of coffee in an informal setting as in a church service from the pulpit.

We need to remember God sees us as equal, and that we are all workers for Him.