20 September 2010
Psalm 80; Esther 4:4-17; Acts 18:1-11; Luke 1:1-4, 3.1-14

Mordecai pleads with Esther to use her position to influence the king with respect to his edict. Esther says it might mean her death to approach the king without being bidden. The king was set apart and would not allow anyone to come into his presence unless he extended the royal scepter to invite them there. Mordecai’s argument is that God will deliver His people one way or another, with Esther or without her. She has been uniquely positioned to be able to do this, she has been chosen by God for such a time as this. There is a parallel with Nehemiah in this decision she takes to go into the presence of the king and his decision to allow the king to see him with a downcast face. In both cases they make the decision to take personal risk for the potential good of their people.

Could Luke have given us more precise information as to the dating of Jesus’ birth? Look at all the names of leaders he has in that first sentence in chapter 3. John’s message was repent and believe. The repentance part is important and we mostly get it confused with confession but it means that not only do we confess we also turn our lives in a different direction. Confession is agreement with God about what constitutes sin and it also means we adopt God’s attitude towards sin in our lives, we find it abhorrent and turn away from it. John here tells the people coming to be baptized that they are simply seeking protection and refuge rather than real repentance and changed lives. Is that a problem in the church today? Have we so concentrated on getting people saved that we have forgotten to disciple them?

Paul was a man willing to argue with the Jews at the drop of a hat it seems. Does that mean he is simply an argumentative man or is he being Christ-like? His point and purpose is to show them that Jesus is their Messiah, the one to whom the Scriptures point. It seems that they would be the simplest place to start as they have the most information about the Messiah. He argues with them until there is no point in arguing any longer and then moves to speak to the Gentiles and when he does a synagogue official becomes a believer also. He received a word from the Lord to keep on preaching and so he remained eighteen months with this encouragement. Paul was a man who understood what it meant to repent and turn around.
The same folks who now persecute him also persecuted Jesus.

Let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.