23 October 2011

Psalm 63, 98; Haggai 1:1-2:9; Acts 18:24-19:7; Luke 10:25-37

Haggai speaks for the Lord in calling the people to the work of rebuilding the temple. Heretofore it would seem that they have been engaged primarily in rebuilding their own houses and seeking to rebuild a life for themselves. The prophet says that the difficulty they have experienced in eking out an existence is because the Lord has not blessed their work, He is calling them to worship, calling them to rebuild the temple and if they will set His honor and His glory as their aim then He will bless their lives. This passage compares favorably with Matthew 6 when Jesus says not to worry about your own needs but to seek first the kingdom of God and all the rest will be added. Was it because God wanted a building where they could worship or was it because they needed to have Him at the center of life that He called them to this work?

The first two who passed by the man in the parable had religious reasons for not helping. He had been beaten and was left “half-dead” by the side of the road. Presumably, he was bloodied and in fact might not live. If either the Levite or the priest touched the man they would be ritually unclean and unable to perform the religious duties assigned. In answering the question posed by the expert in the law, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”, Jesus makes the commandment personal and clear, loving requires something of us. In this parable, clearly the other is not loved as the self, self has come first and last. It would have been deeply offensive to see a Samaritan cast as the hero of the story, and we see that in the final response of the man with respect to who was the neighbor, "The one who showed him mercy." An easier response would have been to say, “The Samaritan.”

In both these passages we see people who knew only the baptism of John, baptism for repentance of sin, not empowerment for life and mission. There is something missing in their lives and in both cases it is evident. With Apollos we are told that he was speaking and teaching accurately and two converts, Priscilla and Aquila, noticed there was this something missing and taught him more. After their instruction Luke tells us that Apollos began “powerfully refuting” the Jews. In Ephesus Paul finds some disciples who have no idea about the Holy Spirit and asks, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" I thought believing entailed the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul prays for them to receive the Spirit and they immediately give evidence of this new baptism by speaking in tongues and prophesying. In all these lessons the question arises, what happens when you put God’s agenda first?

God Himself is with us: Let us now adore Him,
And with awe appear before Him.
God is in His temple, all within keep silence,
Prostrate lie with deepest reverence.
Him alone God we own, Him our God and Savior;
Praise His Name forever.

Tune