31 August 2013

Psalm 20, 21; 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; Acts 28:17-31; Mark 14:43-52

What a glorious moment in time when all the dedicated vessels are brought into the newly dedicated temple, the Holy place is set up and then the ark is brought into the Holy of holies!  Did you notice that all that was in the ark were the tablets of the Law?  At one time there was manna and the staff of Aaron's that budded to signify he was God's chosen man for the priesthood.  I wonder what happened to the tent itself.  It was truly amazing that this fabric tent had survived forty years in the wilderness and then the period of the judges which we put at about 350 years, the kingships of Saul and David and the period it took to build the temple.  As the ark is set into place, the glory of the Lord fills the temple so that the priests cannot stand to minister there.  The smoke of the voluminous sacrifices would have filled the city and been seen for miles.  Solomon steps in as both priest and king to dedicate the temple.  In many ways this day is the fulfillment of the promises of God to Abraham and the proof is the shekinah glory in the temple.

It seems strange to juxtapose the betrayal of Jesus in the night with this passage about the dedication of the temple.  Solomon said, at the beginning of his dedication, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness."  The glory was inexpressible, incomprehensible light, just like the light that shone through at the Transfiguration of Jesus only a short time before this night.  The time for betrayal was night, darkness, and Jesus calls them out on it, "Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me."  Then, the saddest sentence in the Gospel, "And they all left him and fled."  It looks like Jesus is going to give up without a fight so they all take off.  One, whom we believe to be John Mark, flees but is caught up until his garment breaks away and he flees naked, and we presume, ashamed. 

Although Paul was a prisoner of the state in Rome he was not kept from preaching the Gospel.  He summoned the Jews first to make his case and they say they have heard nothing from Jerusalem about him but they have heard about this sect, that it is everywhere spoken against.  Paul reasons with them through Scripture but there comes a time when everyone has to decide for themselves if they believe.  Some do and some don't.  Paul then quotes Isaiah against them and their unbelief and now it is time to move on to the Gentiles, they know where they can come for more but he isn't going to dispute with them forever.  For two years Paul preached the Gospel in Rome freely and then we know no more.  The glory of God was there for, as Paul wrote the Corinthians, we are the temple of God, the home of His Spirit.  Does the world see that in you?

30 August 2013

Psalm 16, 17; 1 Kings 5:1-6:1,7; Acts 28:1-16; Mark 14:27-42

Hiram, king of Tyre, we are told always loved David.  He had sent lumber for David's house and now he wanted to assist David's son.  The timber for the temple was supplied by the master woodcutters in Tyre and Sidon and Solomon's people fetched the timber and brought it to Jerusalem.  This was one of the greatest public works projects ever seen, with hundreds of thousands of men employed over the period required to build the Temple.  As he did this work, Solomon's wisdom grew and he also enjoyed rest on every side and peace with Hiram as well.  Prosperity was also increasing even as they expended great sums of money and productive labor on the building of the temple.  What a glorious time to be an Israelite!

The disciples all, not just Peter, affirm that they will never betray or forsake Jesus.  Peter, of course, is first to step up and he is also the one most in need of humbling.  Jesus speaks prophetically concerning his boast that he will betray him not once but three times before the rooster crows twice.  It must have seemed a bit odd to hear such a particular prophecy and I wonder if anyone actually took it seriously and literally.  As they go out of the city to the place they were staying for Passover, Jesus goes to pray and the disciples are too weary to remain awake with Him in His hour of trial.  Ultimately He will be alone and there will be none to comfort Him.  He knows what is next and yet submits to the will of the Father.  His spirit is willing and His flesh too is weak but the spirit controls and Jesus goes to meet His betrayer.

Wherever Paul went the Lord used him.  Even here on Malta after being shipwrecked without preaching at all Paul was a witness to the islanders.  When the viper bit him and he did not get ill and die they were astonished.  Their first reaction was that he was clearly guilty since the viper bit him, they apparently believed in something like karma.  When he remained healthy they decided he was a god, just like at Lystra.  At least this one turned out better than that occasion when they later stoned him.  Here, he was used to heal the father of the chief man of the island prior to going on to Rome.  His stay at Rome wasn't a prison, it was more like house arrest and we know that the Lord continued to use him there to preach and teach and write.  Paul made the best of every situation, made it his business to preach to all and sundry. 

29 August 2013

Psalm 18:1-20; 1 Kings 3:16-28; Acts 27:27-44; Mark 14:12-26

Strange isn't it that the case by which Israel "stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice" was a case between two prostitutes.  We tend to gloss over that little detail but you would think the test case for wisdom involved women of higher repute.  God chooses the most unlikely situations in which to glorify Himself.  We saw in yesterday's Gospel reading that the one person in the room with Jesus who seems to have gotten it right at the home of Lazarus the leper was a prostitute.  Sometimes those whose sins are more egregious, more public than others can see more clearly the grace of God because they see the separation their sin has caused a bit more clearly.  If everyone knew our thoughts, words and deeds, if they were all public records, wouldn't we all be separated from one another?  In the end, love won out in this case, it revealed truth and mother and child were reconciled.  Wisdom was knowing that reality, love wins.

Jesus sends the disciples on a mission to acquire the place where they might eat their Passover meal together.  People in the city were required to make room for strangers during this feast and you can wonder why this particular man had a vacancy as it were where Jesus and the disciples might share the meal together, why was it not already taken.  A man carrying a large jar of water was a bit strange, mostly women bore the water for the house, perhaps he had no family who had reserved his guest room.  At any rate, the mission is successful and they are gathered round the table celebrating the Passover and there is great anticipation at that meal, the expectation that Elijah will come and the nation will be restored, masters of the Land once again, the great King sitting on the throne.  Instead, Jesus speaks of betrayal and points to one of the twelve who will do this thing.  He re-interprets the symbols as His own body and blood and says He will not eat of another Passover until He eats it in the kingdom of God.  What does He mean by this saying?  Would anyone there have believed what was getting ready to happen?

For two weeks they have been in this horrible storm, unable to make land.  Some of the sailors decided to abandon ship and surreptitiously let down the ship's boat (the life boat) but Paul knows and says that saving all lives is contingent on them remaining aboard.  The soldiers now believe Paul has some supernatural wisdom concerning the situation and the boat is cut loose, they will live together or they will die together, free men and prisoners alike.  In this midst of all this chaos and turmoil they have a picnic at Paul's behest, the man of peace in the middle of the storm imparting that peace to all.  Amazingly, all 276 passengers, including Luke himself, are able to survive after the ship is crashed on the rocks, Paul's prophecy was true.  Now what?  Sometimes the wisdom from above is sufficient only unto the day, we don't get tomorrow's wisdom until we need it. 

28 August 2013

Psalm 119:1-24; 1 Kings 3:1-15; Acts 27:9-26; Mark 14:1-11

Yesterday's lesson ended at verse 4 of chapter 2 with David reminding Solomon in his charge to him to keep covenant with the Lord and the Lord would then maintain one of their descendants on the throne of Israel.  We skip forward to chapter 3 today but the rest of chapter 2 is the establishment of Solomon's kingdom by settling some of David's old scores with those who had dealt treacherously with him.  The peace of Solomon's kingdom is established by ridding it of those who could not be trusted by either David or Solomon.  The marriage alliance here with the king of Egypt was also an important factor in assuring that peace.  After these things are taken care of God poses this opportunity of receiving whatever he asks for.  Does the fact that he asked for wisdom tell us that he already possessed a good measure of wisdom?  Notice that what he wants is what Adam and Eve attempted to get from fruit in the garden, the ability to "discern between good and evil."  The Lord renews the covenant with Solomon that He had made with David, and it is contingent on walking in His ways and keeping His commandments.  The covenant blessings are conditional but the covenant is everlasting, it awaits the one who will walk perfectly.

The woman who anoints Jesus with the oil is likely a prostitute.  She would have worn this flask in order to smell nice to attract men and now she pours it over Jesus as an offering.  It is both her repentance and her testimony of Jesus.  She is forsaking her old life by pouring out that which set her apart and committing herself to Jesus.  The disciples' reaction is to scold her for wasting such precious oil which could have been otherwise sold.  Jesus, however, receives her offering and scolds the disciples for their lack of understanding.  In so doing, He says that this woman's story will always be told where the Gospel is preached and in Mark's Gospel it is recorded for all time.  How amazing that this sinful woman might be remembered because she did this act of contrition and love!  This apparently is the last straw for Judas, hanging out at a leper's house with prostitutes whom Jesus affirmed at his expense.  He is operating on common sense wisdom rather than godly wisdom.

It is impossible to blame the centurion for choosing to listen to the captain and owner of the ship rather than to his prisoner, the tent-maker, Paul on the matter of safety at sea.  Even though Paul says that his wisdom comes from the Lord the man had no real reason to believe that Paul heard from whatever Lord he might be referring to, it didn't seem to have done him much good so far since he was a prisoner.  Nonetheless, Paul's words are borne out as true when they find themselves in a terrible storm which threatens to ruin the boat and kill all aboard.  In the midst of the storm Paul speaks, beginning with "You should have listened to me, I told you so."  The good news, however, is that though the ship will be lost none will die.  The wisdom of this man seems to have exceeded that of the sea-faring men, perhaps the Lord does give him wisdom.

27 August 2013

Psalm 5, 6; 1 Kings 1:38-2:4; Acts 26:24-27:8; Mark 13:28-37

Adonijah learns that Solomon has been anointed king by his father David and that the nation has received him as their king.  Adonijah makes the smart play and goes to the altar and lays hold of the horns of the altar, refusing to leave or let go until Solomon has pledged not to harm him.  We speak of giving sanctuary and we see it in The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.  It was a significant part of English church history, and a frequent sticking point in the relationship between crown and church.  Solomon essentially says that Adonijah will be given pardon for what he has done and will be judged in the future on his actions.  David begins his charge to Solomon by reminding him of the necessity of keeping the law of Moses and teaching it to his children and also by reaffirming the covenant the Lord has made with David concerning the throne and David's descendants.  It is a covenant based in their fidelity to Him.  It is not based in perfection but it is based in keeping the Lord first and making knowledge of Him and His ways primary. 

Stay awake!  That is the command Jesus gives us concerning the end of days.  What does He mean?  We are to remain alert, watching like the doorkeeper that the master of the house not be kept waiting when he arrives.  We are to be like that doorkeeper in that we are to be always watching for the return of Jesus, not the signs of his return but for Him personally.  We must also cling to the cross as Adonijah clung to the horns of the altar.  Jesus told the disciples to pray first for the coming of the kingdom of God and then for daily bread.  David instructed Solomon to keep the main thing the main thing and Jesus tells us that is also our marching orders.  If we are longing first for the kingdom, seeking it as He says in Matthew 6, then we will be perfectly fine and prepared for His arrival. We are spiritually awake so long as we remain in Him.

Festus, who is not Jewish, believes Paul has lost his mind as he speaks of heavenly visions and a man who suffered and died but was raised from the dead as the hope and light of the world.  It does sound far-fetched doesn't it?  Festus objects "in a loud voice" and yet Paul bores in on the king, Agrippa, as one who should know that such things are in keeping with Moses and the prophets.  Agrippa is amazed that Paul would expect him to accept such things and become a Christian based on these few words.  Paul's argument isn't based solely on his own testimony, however, he makes it clear that what he is saying is well known, it wasn't done in secret and Agrippa already must know these things.  He indeed wants not only Agrippa but all men to accept the truth.  The one thing the king knows is that this is certainly not worthy of death in any circumstance and so, because Paul has appealed to Rome, to Rome he will go.  Paul's one thing was his testimony about Jesus and we hear it recounted many times in Acts and the epistles, he was a man who was always awake and his desire was to wake others.