I know.......it's been a while. I am reading I Peter every day, and will post my observations when I can sit down and organize my thoughts in a comprehensible manner.
Meanwhile......God is working (that seems so lame to say.....isn't He always?), well, at least I am seeing how He's working, and am delighting in the ways that He is dealing with me.
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Sunday School I Kings chapters 19 and 20. Bart Lester
After the confrontation with the pagan prophets, Jezebel is told of the encounter, and that Elijah put all 850 prophets of baal and asherah. She sends a message to Elijah: "I will do the same to you by this time tomorrow."
Next line: "he was afraid....." It was pointed out the different versions translate this differently. Others state,"then he saw".......meaning that he observed that nothing was changed in Israel by the encounter with the prophets. God was revealed as the powerful God, but no change ensued.
I have always been taught that Elijah was afraid, and the meaning is that he is just like us all. And that the following encounter with God @ Mt Sinai was demonstrating God's gentle care for him, and encouragement. I've been taught that Elijah was pity-partying, and God set him straight.
But this morning it was pointed out, and makes more sense in keeping with the rest of Scripture, that Elijah was bringing an accusation against Israel to God. The accusation is that they are totally apostate, and only Elijah still serves God. He is not being self absorbed, but is concerned that God's Name is not glorified. God listens, then provides a little demonstration, in the wind, fire and earthquake......all dramatic events. But God was not found in them. Then, He is heard in the form of a small whisper.
The point: Don't look for God in the spectacular, but in the small, unnoticeable things. Elijah once again brings his accusation. And God's reply is to reveal His plan.....an ongoing plan that will span over a length of time. Elijah is given instructions to follow, along with the promise that there will be a remnant in Israel, 7,000 to be exact, who have not bowed to or served baal.
Elijah follows God's directions for him, including the call of Elisha to follow in his footsteps.
Elisha asks to be allowed to go home first and say goodbye to his family. Elijah obliges. I must admit that this has always puzzled me, in light of Jesus' words to the young man in the gospels who wanted to wait to follow Him until after he'd gone home to his family. But it was pointed out this morning that Elisha was burning his bridges......effectively eradicating anything that would lure him back. He sacrificed his oxen, their yokes, and severed ties with family. He was fully and wholeheartedly accepting God's call. He caught up with Elijah and served him.
Next we have the story of 2 encounters between Ahab and Ben-hadad of Syria. A prophet tells Ahab twice of upcoming battles with Ben-hadad, and wonder of wonders, Ahab listens. But the end is tragic.
Ahab is willing to listen to God when the prophecy benefits him. God says, twice, go and fight the Syrians, and I will win the battle for you. Ahab is all up on that and obeys willingly. But when he refused to do another thing God has said to do.....destroy (kill) the pagan kings, Ahab does what is right in his own eyes, rather than obey. He lets Ben-hadad live, and works out a plan for economic prosperity for himself and Israel. God isn't pleased and sends a prophet to tell him that his life will be taken for the life that he let go, when God had said destroy him. Ahab's reacton: he went home angry and sulking.
Another observation was this: Israel's decline can be noted in the ideas of the pagan nations regarding the God of Israel. Recall during the conquest of Canaan, that the kings feared Him greatly, and even acknowledged that the God of Israel was all powerful. Now, the surrounding nations have no clue, because of Israel's disobedience. They reduce Him to a god like theirs, who is limited in knowledge, power and scope. "He is the god of the hills, so thats why Israel won the battle the first time......we fought in the hills so their God was powerful. But if we fight them in the plains, he cannot help them." To me, this is a sad commentary on the state of God's people.
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Sermon, Billy Joseph on the Woman at the Well, John 4:1-27
This was a wonderful take on this scripture.
Taken from the standpoint of evangelism, this is an example of how to present the gospel to outsiders. Note that the previous chapter was about dealing with insiders (Nicodemus). Never thought of it that way.
First, not the 'boundaries' Jesus crossed. While most Jews chose to cross the Jordan twice in order to get around Samaria, He chose to go straight through. He was a Jew, speaking to a Samaritan. Unheard of! Also, he was a male, speaking to a female in public, which was forbidden. Even more, He was asking to use her drinking utensil, which would make Him ceremonially unclean. Point: He met her on her turf, breaking all kinds of rules to do so. But, note this: He did not do so in a bold, brash, defiant, and public way. He wasn't parading His freedom or his breaking of the rules, but quietly meeting her where she was in order to communicate the Gospel to her.
He also revealed His weakness to her. When I heard that, my mind revolted! Jesus? Weakness? Never! But yes, He did. He was weak in that he was tired and thirsty, but He had no means to draw water. Sure, He, being Jesus, could have worked a miracle, but it is the Word that brings us to Him, not signs. She didn't need to see a sign. She needed the Word. And He gave it. Another way to see this is that He revealed the commonality between them. Though Jew and Samaritan, they both go hot, tired, and thirsty, and both needed the correct tools to get water.
Jesus opens the conversation in a normal way, asking for some water. She responds with questions about the cultural acceptability of His action. He responds with a leading question, "If you knew who was asking, you'd be asking ME for some living water." She takes the bait, reminding him that He has no means to draw any water, and anyway, where would one get this 'living water'.
Jesus then gives her a little more information about the benefits of the living water. She is interested! "Give me some, so I won't have to draw water anymore!" She wants it, but she is not quite understanding the spiritual nature of His words. He doesn't point this out to her directly, but gives a direction for her to go get her husband, to which she replies, "I have no husband."
Ah....there's the rub. Jesus acknowledges what she says, and even more, He reveals her sin. (He is God, remember, and CAN do that......we do not have such immediate knowledge, but must develop relationship in order to see it). She owns that, and her next speech reveals that more light is dawning on her. She asks, in a way, where she can learn more, or get such water, by pointing out that the place they are was once a place of worship. Jesus goes on to tell her that now it isn't about where you worship so much as how you worship......in wisdom and truth. She goes a step farther, indicating that she is aware of the prophecies about the Christ. And, moment of truth, He reveals Himself to her as such.
In the rest of the chapter, she goes and calls her townspeople to come out and meet Him, and many believe.
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