Tawa Baptist

Last Words

Scripture: Luke 24:44-53

Video Link: https://youtu.be/cYNN9ua1JCc

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Continuity
  • Commission
  • Ascension
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

A few years ago Eddie Murphy starred in a movie called A Thousand Words. Jack McCall (played by Eddie Murphy) is a fast talking literary agent, a bit loose with the truth. One day a tree appears in his backyard. The tree has a thousand leaves on it. Each time Jack says a word a leaf falls off the tree. When all the leaves are gone the tree will die and so will Jack.

Jack learns the value of his words and of speaking the truth. But with so few words left what is most important to say? Despite the changes he makes, Jack is misunderstood and loses his relationships with those closest to him.

In the end, the tree has only three leaves left. How will Jack use his last three words? I won’t spoil it for you. But think about this. If you had only 1000 words left, how would you use them? What would you say and who would you talk to?

Last Thursday was Ascension Day in the church calendar. Ascension is the day we remember and celebrate Jesus’ return to heaven.

For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples on earth. He spoke with them, ate with them, restored them and generally reassured them that he was, in fact, risen from the dead in every sense. They weren’t seeing a ghost, nor was his resurrection just a cute metaphor.

Then, forty days after rising from the dead, Jesus was taken into heaven where he sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us, representing us to God.

This morning we take a short break from our series in Deuteronomy to consider Jesus’ ascension in the gospel of Luke. From Luke 24, verses 44-53 we read some of the last words of Jesus to his disciples on earth…

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Three words to give you a handle on this passage: continuity, commission and ascension. Jesus joins the dots for his disciples, showing them the continuity in God’s plan. Jesus commissions his disciples to be his witnesses to all nations. And Jesus ascends to heaven.

Continuity:

In trying to come up with an illustration for the continuity of God’s plan, I googled ‘oldest business in the world’ and found this list of companies.

The oldest company still running today is a Japanese construction firm established in 578 AD. Apparently the Japanese are quite good at continuity planning. The five oldest companies in the world all come from Japan.

The oldest companies in Ireland and the UK are both pubs. Interestingly, seven of the oldest continuously running companies are hospitality related businesses.  

But none of these companies even comes close to the oldest tree in the world. Experts reckon the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine is over 5,000 years old. That’s roughly 1,000 years older than Abraham.

It turns out the Bristlecone Pine has survived so long because of the harsh conditions it lives in. Very cold temperatures together with high winds contribute to a slow growth rate which creates really dense wood. This in turn makes the Bristlecone Pine resistant to insects, fungi and rot.

Despite the Bristlecone Pine’s longevity, it still can’t boast the continuity of God’s plan of redemption which has been unknown centuries in the making. Long before Abraham and the Bristlecone Pine, God was at work to restore humanity to himself.

In Luke 24, the risen Jesus says to his disciples…

44 “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 46…This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day…

To say, ‘This is what is written’ is the equivalent of saying, ‘It has been God’s plan all along.’ In other words, the new is not the new. Rather, it is the old properly interpreted. [1]

Three times during his earthly ministry Jesus told his disciples plainly that the Messiah must suffer, die and then be raised from the dead. But it seems the message didn’t get through.

The disciples were still taken by surprise when Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, beaten and crucified. Sort of like we are often taken by surprise when things seem to go pear shaped for us. 

In verses 44 & 46, Jesus reminds his disciples that what happened with his death and resurrection was all part of God’s plan of redemption. Jesus’ suffering was in continuity with what Jesus himself predicted and with what the whole of the Old Testament was saying in relation to the Messiah. 

Perhaps, in some ways, the purpose of God and the people of God are a bit like the Bristlecone Pine. Both have survived for such a long time, not in spite of harsh conditions, but because of harsh conditions.

The church has fallen out of favour with mainstream New Zealand society in recent years. We are not persecuted but we are misunderstood and marginalised to some degree. Church attendance, generally across most denominations, has been declining and we might wonder what the future holds.

When times are tough we need to remember, tough is to be expected. That does not mean we fold our arms and do nothing. To the contrary we do everything we can to bless and prosper the church. And we continue to offer God’s hospitality to a world which is angry with him or ignoring him. We maintain a growth mind-set and we remain open to what the Spirit of God is doing.

In verse 47 Jesus says: “…and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem…”     

God’s plan did not finish with Calvary. Jesus’ ministry of preaching repentance and forgiveness continues with his followers from 2,000 years ago, right up to the present day.   

The more thoughtful among you may be thinking, ‘Wait a second. Aren’t repentance and forgiveness about discontinuity?’ And you would be half right.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in behaviour. Repentance is essentially a realignment of one’s whole life toward God. When we repent we discontinue the path we are on in order to follow Jesus.

Likewise, forgiveness is about release or letting go. Forgiveness goes hand in hand with repentance. Forgiveness releases us from the guilt and shame of our past mistakes so we are free to realign our lives to follow Jesus.

While forgiveness and repentance do imply a disconnection from our old way of life, at the same time, they enable us to walk in continuity with God’s way. 

Continuity does not necessarily mean the same old same old. Continuity does not exclude change. Continuity may require repentance and forgiveness. Continuity may mean we have to adapt to new and different ways of doing things.

I’m guessing those businesses that have lasted centuries in Japan managed to do so because they were able to flex and move with the times, without discarding their core values.    

At the end of the day we remember the continuity of the church does not depend entirely on us. The church belongs to God and he won’t let his purpose fail. Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke about continuity just before commissioning his disciples.         

Commission:

When we look at the word commission we notice it is actually two words: com and mission.

Com derives from a Latin word meaning ‘with’.

And mission refers to a special assignment or task.

So the word ‘commission’ literally means mission with. In this context, the mission is with Jesus.  

Jesus doesn’t just give his disciples a mission or a task to do and then say, ‘See ya. Bye. I’m off now.’ No. Jesus com-missions his disciples. In other words, he is with his disciples in the mission he gives them. He sends them out with training, help and support.

You see, commissioning isn’t just a one-time event. Commissioning is a process. To become a commissioned officer in the army you have to undergo some sort of officer training. Either that, or rise up through the ranks. There might a special commissioning ceremony at the end of the training process to formally recognise you as an officer, but without the training you wouldn’t be commissioned. The training is part and parcel of the commission.

From the time Jesus called his disciples he had been commissioning them. As the disciples watched Jesus’ example and had a go doing the things Jesus did, they were in the process of missioning with Jesus.

Relating that idea to our context, when we serve in some aspect of the life of the church, like Sunday school or youth group or when we enter into a mentoring type relationship with another believer, we are doing mission with Jesus.

In verse 45 of Luke 24 we read…

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
                                                                              

This opening of the disciples’ minds is part of their commissioning also. Jesus doesn’t send his disciples into the world blind. He gives them understanding of the Scriptures so they know why they are to preach repentance and forgiveness. 

We might be quite intrigued as to what Jesus said to open their minds. Perhaps what Jesus did here was to give his disciples a different lens through which to read the Bible.

When we read the story of David slaying Goliath or Joseph forgiving his brothers or Abraham having faith in God we might be inclined to think, this is about me. I need to be like that. I need to have courage like David or grace like Joseph or faith like Abraham.

And while the Scriptures can be applied in that way, the Bible is not primarily about us. The Bible is first and foremost about Jesus. So the shepherd king David, points in some ways (although not in every way) to Jesus. Just as Joseph and Abraham and others point to Christ in their own ways.

Jesus is the key. When we read the Bible asking ourselves, ‘what does this say about Jesus?’, then (with the Spirit’s help) our mind is unlocked to understand.

The most obvious verses relating to the disciples’ commissioning though are verses 48-49, where Jesus says…

48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The disciples are witnesses of Jesus’ ministry, his suffering, his death and his resurrection. Jesus is simply asking his disciples to bear witness to what they have seen, heard and experienced.

I like what John Stott says about Christian witnesses…

The Kingdom of God is His rule set up in the lives of His people by the Holy Spirit. It is spread by witnesses, not by soldiers, through a gospel of peace, not a declaration of war and by the work of the Spirit, not by… political intrigue or violence. [2]

Sometimes we make evangelism or mission more complicated than it needs to be. At its core, mission is about sharing our experience of Jesus with others. We may not have physically seen the risen Jesus, like the disciples did, but we can talk about the difference Jesus has made in our own life and in the wider world.

We may not have been present at the last supper but we can break bread with our neighbours and work mates. We can pay forward the hospitality and warmth we ourselves have enjoyed with God.

In verse 49 Jesus refers to the promised gift of God’s Spirit, power from on high. The Holy Spirit is the most vital and real connection we have with Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot carry out Jesus’ mission.       

Not only does the Holy Spirit empower Christian believers to share the good news about Jesus, the Spirit also empowers people who do not yet know Jesus to become believers. The Holy Spirit works with both the transmitter and the receiver of the message to create connections with and for God.

Jesus joins the dots for his disciples, showing them the continuity in God’s plan. Jesus commissions his disciples to be his witnesses to all nations. And Jesus ascends to heaven.

Ascension:

Next weekend is Queen’s Birthday weekend. In actual fact Queen Elizabeth II was born on the 21 April 1926, which means she is 96 years old.

Queen Elizabeth was crowned the monarch of England on the 2 June 1953. This Thursday will mark 69 years since her coronation.

When Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1953, she wasn’t just walking up some stairs to sit on a fancy chair in a big church. She was changing her relationship to all the people of England. She was becoming their sovereign, their queen. That relationship is an objective reality, which is true for all people of England, whether they support the monarchy or not.

From verse 50 of Luke 24 we read about Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

Jesus’ last words to his disciples were words of blessing.

With his ascension to the right hand of God in heaven, Jesus’ relationship with all people everywhere changed. This means Jesus is officially our Sovereign, our King. That relationship is an objective reality, whether the people of this world believe in Jesus or not.

Now, when we read that Jesus was taken up into heaven, we must not think that Jesus literally went into the sky to float around in the clouds. Heaven is not in the physical sky. Heaven is in another realm, not limited by our laws of physics. Heaven is God’s home, hidden behind the curtain of this material world.

Nor should we think of Jesus’ ascension as his absence from earth. While it is true that Jesus is not physically walking around like he did 2000 years ago, he is still present in a spiritual sense.

Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus could only be in one place at a time. Now he has ascended, Jesus can be everywhere and anywhere at the same time by his Spirit and through his people. The ascended Jesus is not limited by our understanding of time and space.

You don’t build a house not to move into it. If the universe is God’s house, then Jesus’ ascension is Jesus moving into the house. Likewise, you don’t buy a car not to drive it. If the universe is God’s car, then Jesus’ ascension is Jesus getting behind the wheel.   

The other thing that often gets overlooked here is that Jesus ascended as a human being. This means a human being is in charge of the universe. Not a frail, imperfect, flawed human being, but a perfect, gracious, divine human being who has walked in our shoes and understands how difficult this life is.       

Our King was not raised in a palace. He was raised in a working class home. He is a man of sorrows, familiar with pain and loss, joy and love. Jesus gets you.  

When Jesus descended to earth as a baby born in a manger, he came to represent God to humankind. Jesus shows us God’s character, his heart, his intention.

By the same token, in ascending to heaven, Jesus represents humankind to God. Theologians call this the vicarious humanity of Christ.[3] Vicarious is a word which means, experienced by way of someone else. As in, we live vicariously through Jesus. We experience closeness with God vicariously through Jesus.

This means when we pray, however imperfectly, Jesus takes our prayers and makes them acceptable to God. It also means that Jesus has already lived the perfect life in our name and on our behalf. So when we mess up, we do not need to despair. God is not focused on our mistakes. He sees us as perfect in Christ.

This does not give us a license to do whatever we want or to be slack. To the contrary it provides us with the motivation to align our life style with Jesus, because it is his name and his reputation that we carry. As followers of Jesus, other people experience Jesus vicariously through us. 

Our church’s vision statement is Christ in community. This means a number of things. One of the implications of this statement is that, by God’s grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the wider community encounters Jesus through us.

It is a thing of wonder that Jesus would use us, as imperfect and foolish as we are, to be his representatives (his salt & light, his body) in this world.

Conclusion:

The gospel of Luke finishes in the same way it began, with worship in the temple. From verse 52 we read…

52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

By worshipping Jesus in this way, the disciples were acknowledging that Jesus is divine. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus’ last words were words of blessing and the disciples’ last words were words of praise.

Let us join our voices now, in continuity with the disciples, as we sing…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • If you had only 1000 words left, how would you use them? What would you say and who would you talk to?
  • Why do you think Jesus emphasised the continuity of God’s plan with his disciples? Has there been a time in your life when things went pear shaped? Looking back, are you able to see the continuity with God’s purpose in those circumstances? 
  • In what ways do you (or have you) done mission with Jesus? Are you (or were you) conscious of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment? If so, how?
  • What would you say, from your own experience, if someone asked you about Jesus? Or, what could you do to show Jesus’ warmth and hospitality to others?
  • What do we mean by the vicarious humanity of Christ? What are the implications of Jesus’ ascension for us?
  • Choose a story or a verse from the Old Testament. What difference does it make when you read this story / verse asking, ‘what does this say about Jesus?’

[1] Refer Fred Craddock’s Interpretation commentary on Luke, page 291.

[2] John Stott’s commentary on Acts, page 42

[3] See for example T.F. Torrence.

Tawa Baptist

Life Admin

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Video Link: https://youtu.be/kFuCyBhANQk

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God’s faithfulness (roots)
  • Moses’ administration (trunk & branches)
  • Israel’s justice (fruit)
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Are you familiar with the term ‘life admin’?

According to the Urban Dictionary, life admin refers to one’s personal day to day chores of an administrative nature.

Life admin could include things like paying your bills, responding to emails, managing your superannuation plan, organising insurance and so on.

More broadly than that, life admin may also refer to other non-paperwork tasks which have to be done but which are not necessarily enjoyable. Like getting a warrant of fitness for your car or having your prostate checked or doing jury duty or removing hair and soap scum from the shower drain.

Life admin is basically all those jobs which must be done but which you don’t really want to do and don’t get paid for. Although life admin may seem boring or burdensome it is still quite important. The consequences of not attending to our life admin can be quite damaging.   

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. Last Sunday we looked at the opening verses which point to the importance of time, place and words in the book of Deuteronomy.

The people of Israel are on the edge of the Promised Land with all the possibilities and problems that anticipates. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness they are about to find a home for themselves, with God’s help.

Of course, finding and keeping a home involves quite a bit of life admin. Life admin, on a national level, seems to be what Moses is talking about in today’s passage. From Deuteronomy chapter 1, verses 9-18, we read…

9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. 10 The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 11 May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!  12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? 13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.” 14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” 15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. 16 And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. 17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.” 18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Today’s Scripture passage can be thought of like the three parts of a vine.

Verses 9-12 are talking about God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises. God’s faithfulness is like the roots providing stability and nourishment for the vine.  

Verses 13-15 show us something of Moses’ administration of the nation. The system of administration that Moses put in place (some might call it the law) is like the trunk and branches, giving structure and strength to the vine.

Thirdly, verses 16-18 outline the principles of Israel’s justice system. Justice is the fruit of the vine.

First let’s consider God’s faithfulness…

God’s faithfulness:

If you like watching cowboy movies then you probably know the way many of those movies end, with the hero riding off into the sunset after saving the day.

It is a classic end scene and usually leaves us feeling good as we walk out of the theatre. That kind of ending imagines there is no life admin for the cowboy to do. He is free, without a care or responsibility in the world. Or so it seems.

But have you ever thought about what happens after that? I mean, quite apart from the fact that the hero has to deal with sun strike, he isn’t going to get very far before he needs to stop and set up camp for the night.

From a practical point of view, it would make more sense to ride off at dawn the next day, with the sunrise at your back. Or better still, not ride off at all but stay and make a life with the people you have helped, because the cowboy’s life is pretty lonely really. Sleeping in the desert with rattle snakes isn’t much fun.

Deuteronomy is not like a cowboy movie where the hero (God) rides off into the sunset after saving the day. God is faithful and sticks with his people, despite all the extra life admin Israel causes him.

In verse 9, on the edge of the Promised Land, Moses reminds the people of what he said to them 40 years earlier at Horeb (aka Mount Sinai)…

9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. 10 The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 11 May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised! 

What Moses is pointing to here, is God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises.

A few hundred years earlier, God had promised to bless Abraham with many descendants and make him into a great nation. God’s promise also included a special covenant relationship with Israel and the gift of land in Canaan.

Moses is acknowledging the fact that God has kept his promise to bless Abraham with many descendants and God has created a covenant with Israel. Now, as they stand poised to enter Canaan, Moses reassures the people that God can be relied upon to keep his promise with the land too.    

God’s faithfulness in keeping his word is the source of our life and redemption. If our faith and hope are not rooted in the eternal promises of God, then our life admin loses its meaning and the fruit doesn’t develop as God intended.  

God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob put the nation of Israel in a privileged position. But with blessing and privilege comes great responsibility. In verse 12, Moses recalls the weight of that responsibility…

12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?

There is a parallel telling of this story in Exodus 18. When Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, visited Moses and saw how Moses was being worn out dealing with the life admin of the whole nation, he gave some fatherly advice about delegating responsibility and Moses listened.

Leaving the wilderness to enter the Promised Land is not the end of the story, where everyone lives happily ever after. In Deuteronomy, Moses makes Israel face the facts that blessings, gifts and prosperity (the so called good life in the land) comes with work. It requires people to pull their weight and share the responsibility of administering justice and mercy. If you want the treats, you have to do the mahi (work). 

Moses’ administration:

God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises is like the roots providing stability and nourishment for the vine that is Israel. In keeping with this metaphor, Moses’ administration is like the trunk and branches giving structure and strength to that vine. From verse 13 we read…

13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.” 14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” 15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.

Moses uses a somewhat democratic approach, letting communities and tribes within Israel choose their own leaders. But unlike contemporary western democracy, which is done by popular vote, Moses identifies three criteria for selecting leaders. They should be wise, understanding and respected.

Wisdom, in the Bible, is a very practical thing. It is not abstract or theoretical. Wisdom is knowing how to do what is right.     

Understanding is also practical. It is not something you can gain simply by reading a book, as helpful as reading is. Understanding comes with life experience.

Wrapped up in this idea of understanding is something we call discernment. If wisdom is about knowing how to do the right thing, then discernment is about knowing what the right thing is to do. Being able to separate good from evil.

Wisdom, understanding and discernment are about competence. Good administration relies on people who are capable. 

It’s important too that Israel’s leaders be respected. Respect is different from fear. In New Zealand culture, respect is something that is earned through service and exhibiting good character qualities. Respect goes hand in hand with moral authority and trust. Respect holds the door open for right relationship. It allows good chemistry between people to happen.   

We asked Becca if she would consider leading our children’s ministry because Becca is competent. She has practical wisdom and understanding in working with children and relating with families.

Becca is also respected. She has done her apprenticeship. She has served in the life of the church in a variety of ways and demonstrated good moral character in the process. The staff and Deacons know that Becca will work well with the team. Competence, character and chemistry.

Returning to Deuteronomy. Different societies and cultures organise themselves in different ways. The kind of society or culture we come from shapes the way we do our life admin.

In broad terms, the culture of the ancient near east was more collective and less individualistic than modern western culture and this is reflected in Moses’ system of administration. 

For example, Moses encourages the Israelites to take collective responsibility, rather than exercise individual freedom. Accordingly, he sets up a system in which decisions are made in consultation with the group, rather than each individual doing what seems best in their own eyes.

There is a clear hierarchy with Moses’ administration but this is not at the expense of equality. As we will hear shortly, Moses instructs those in positions of authority to treat everyone equitably.

The hierarchy, with leaders in charge of tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands is functional. Being a leader does not make a person more valuable than anyone else. Everyone, whatever their role, is to be afforded value and respect.   

It is interesting that Moses chooses a mainly collective approach to the administration of Israel. For a great deal of his life, Moses worked alone in the wilderness taking care of sheep and goats. He enjoyed (or perhaps endured) a lot of personal freedom and didn’t really have to answer to or consult with anyone.

Collaborating with others (as usually happens in collective societies) wasn’t really an option for Moses. He didn’t have much choice except to be self-reliant.

And as for identity, well Moses grew up in the Egyptian palace, separated from his kin. When he tried to identify with his own people they rejected him. Moses never really fitted or belonged with any collective group. His strong personal identity was formed in the crucible of alienation and solitude.

Perhaps it was precisely because Moses had lived so much of his life on his own, as an individual, that he could see the wisdom in a collective approach.

Whatever the case, a nation or an organisation that relies heavily on a single leader at the top is not sustainable or resilient over the long haul.         

Moses’ collective approach to the administration of Israel stands as a kind of critique of our modern western approach.

Mark Sayers, an Australian pastor and cultural commentator, says this…

“The whole of contemporary Western culture – from the structure of our malls and cities, to the very fabric of the internet and social media platforms – are ideologies that shape us toward a vision not rooted in the eternal, but in the unlimited freedom and pleasure of the individual.”

In other words, we live in a me society, not a we society. And our society is orientated toward the fleeting feel good moment, not the eternal promises of God.

Interestingly, Mark Sayers sees an opportunity in this self-destructive hedonism. The individual pursuit of unlimited freedom and personal pleasure has a way of imploding on itself eventually. It creates a vacuum of meaning which makes people hungry for God.

Sort of like the prodigal son who only came to his senses when he was feeding pigs and starving. Sometimes, in order to really appreciate that Jesus is the bread of life, we must first realise there is a hunger in all of us which nothing in this world can satisfy.

Having said that, not everyone comes to their senses like the prodigal son did. Some people do not survive the black hole of extreme individualism. Some are swallowed whole by our consumerist society. So I’m not suggesting we must all

go off the rails, like the prodigal son, in order to find meaning in Christ.  

Nor am I suggesting collectivism is the answer. No. Jesus is the answer. Extreme collectivism is just as dangerous as extreme individualism. There is wisdom in finding the middle way, borrowing the best from both worlds.

Paul’s words in Romans 12 are particularly relevant for our time.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Returning to the structure of today’s message; God’s faithfulness is like the roots providing stability and nourishment for the vine that is Israel. Moses’ system of administration is like the trunk and branches providing structure and strength for that vine, while justice is the fruit of the vine. 

Israel’s justice:

In verses 16 & 17 Moses reminds Israel of some principles of justice. These principles reflect the justice of God. Moses says…

16 And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. 17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike…” 

The first thing we note here is that justice listens. Judges are to hear both sides. This might seem so obvious that we take it for granted but actually, giving people a fair hearing is essential to justice.

When we make room to listen we give people a voice and when people feel heard, their dignity and worth as human beings is upheld. When we are able to speak our truth cleanly, some measure of justice is released in us.

So that’s the first thing, justice listens and hears. The next thing is that justice is fair, impartial, even handed.

The statue of lady justice shows a woman, with a blindfold, holding a pair of evenly balanced scales in one hand and a sword in the other. Justice is blind to whether a person is rich or poor, powerful or not, a natural born citizen or a foreigner.

In other words, a person’s demographic is irrelevant. What matters with justice, is putting things right.

You may wonder why justice is portrayed as a lady in the statue. If the statue finds its inspiration in Scripture, and to some extent it clearly does, then it could be associating justice with wisdom. Because in the Bible, wisdom is personified as a woman. Sophia, is the Greek word for wisdom.    

As I’ve said on other occasions, there is no peace without justice and there is no justice without wisdom.

Verse 17 continues with Moses saying to the judges, ‘Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God’.

Nothing interferes with the faculty of discernment like fear. Justice requires a non-anxious presence.

Moses’ advice here can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Perhaps Moses is saying that human judges represent God. Or maybe he means that human judges should not be swayed by the shifting sands of public opinion or what others may think of them. Rather, they should fix their minds on God’s standard of justice.

Whichever way we interpret this verse, justice is important to the Lord. God and God alone has the right to pass judgement. Ultimately we all answer to God.    

Verse 17 finishes with Moses saying: “Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.” 

In our judicial system people often have a right of appeal if they don’t agree with the decision made by the judge. But verse 17 is not saying that. In this context, it is not the complainant or the defendant who appeals to a higher authority, but the judge himself.

If the judge can’t decide the case, then they can pass it up the chain to Moses.

A case might be too hard if the judge doesn’t have the powers of discernment to see who is in the wrong and what should be done about it. But a case may also be too hard if the judge senses a conflict of interest.

The point seems to be that justice requires the humility, the self-awareness and the personal integrity to recognise our own limitations, blind spots and prejudices. As Jesus said, we need to take the plank out of our own eye so we can see clearly to remove the speck from someone else’s eye.

Now these principles of justice, outlined by Moses, are not only for those who work in the judicial system. We all have a duty to God, our neighbour and ourselves to act justly.

As the prophet Micah famously said: What does the Lord require of you? To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Conclusion:

This morning we have talked about the vine that is Israel. In the gospel of John, Jesus says of himself, “I am the true vine and you are the branches”.

Jesus proves the faithfulness of God. Jesus fulfils the roots of God’s promises.

Jesus provides the wisdom and the Spirit, the truth and the grace, the structure and the strength, we need to do our life admin well.

It is only as we stay connected to Jesus that we are able to bear the fruit of justice, mercy and humility.

Let us pray…

Father God, you are faithful. May our faith and hope be deeply rooted in your eternal promises. May our lives be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we would have the understanding to discern your will and the wisdom to know how to do your will. Keep us close to Jesus we ask and make us fruitful for your glory. Amen.      

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Can you think of some life admin tasks which you have been putting off for a while? Why do we need to attend to life admin? Do you have a plan or a system for administering your life admin? What does that system look like?
  • How is Deuteronomy different from a cowboy movie, where the hero rides off into the sunset while end credits roll?
  • Why does Moses set up an administrative system for managing Israel’s life admin? What is notable or distinctive about Moses’ administrative system?
  • In verse 15 of Deuteronomy 1, Moses recommends three qualities for leaders. Why are these qualities necessary for leaders?
  • Discuss / reflect on Mark Sayers’ comment: “The whole of contemporary Western culture – from the structure of our malls and cities, to the very fabric of the internet and social media platforms – are ideologies that shape us toward a vision not rooted in the eternal, but in the unlimited freedom and pleasure of the individual.”

What do you think this means? Do you agree with Mark Sayers’ comment? How might God redeem a society like this?

  • What principles of justice do you see in Deuteronomy 1:16-17? How are (or can) these principles of justice be applied in our personal lives and our wider society today?    
Tawa Baptist

Time & Place

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:1-8

Video Link: https://youtu.be/tL-huaR34VI

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Time
  • Place
  • Word
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

In order to run a horse needs four legs. Cars are similar, they need four wheels to drive. And the human body functions best with four limbs, two legs and two arms.

The early church, during the first century, used the Old Testament for their Bible. The New Testament (as we know it today) was still a work in progress. Four Old Testament books in particular were favourites of the early Christians: Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah and Deuteronomy.

These four books were like the four legs of a horse or the four wheels of a car or the four limbs of the human body. Early Christians relied on them.

Modern Christians are different though. We quite like Genesis, the Psalms and Isaiah but we are not as keen on Deuteronomy. If we think of the Old Testament as a body, then it’s like we’ve got four limbs but we are only using three of them.  Certainly I have preached a lot from the Old Testament through the years but not much at all from Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy is quoted over eighty times in the New Testament. It was a favourite book of Jesus, John & Paul, yet it is largely lost on us. So, with that in view, we are embarking on a new sermon series in the book of Deuteronomy. Let’s learn how to use this limb which has been sitting idle for so long.

Not sure how long it will take. Probably we will have to do it in parts, like we have with other larger books of the Bible. Hopefully we survive it together. Anyway, here goes. From Deuteronomy chapter 1, verses 1-8 we begin…

These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. 2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.) 3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. 4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 5 East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying: 6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighbouring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Now, with an opening like that, it is little wonder that a modern audience is not inclined to read Deuteronomy. The first few verses seem quite dry. They don’t exactly start with a bang like a Hollywood movie. It mostly sounds like a list of names and places we haven’t heard of and that don’t mean much to us.

What we notice, on reflection though, is that these eight verses are talking about time, place and words. Specifically, the words of Moses. So, if we are going to understand Deuteronomy, then there’s something important we need to grasp about time, place and words. Let’s start with time.

Time:

Do you remember the story of Rip Van Winkle? It is a fictional story about lost time. Rip Van Winkle is walking in the mountains one day with his dog Wolf, when he comes across some shady characters who give him a strange substance to drink. Rip is quite happy to imbibe the ale but falls asleep soon after.

When he wakes up, his dog is gone, his beard has grown to his waist and his clothes are falling to pieces. Rip returns to the village to discover his children have grown into adulthood and the American Revolution has been and gone.

His walk in the woods, which should have taken no more than a day, has ended up taking 20 years. The world has moved on and changed without him. He has some adjustments to make. With the rate at which the world is so rapidly changing today, some of us may feel like Rip Van Winkle at times.

From verse 2 of Deuteronomy 1 we read…

2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.) 3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them.

It seems that a journey which should have only taken a couple of weeks ended up taking 40 years. Like Rip Van Winkle the people of Israel lost quite a bit of time in the wilderness. Unlike Rip, the Israelites were not sleeping.

Moses lived around the 13th Century BC. So that’s about 3,300 years ago, give or take. If we read the opening verses of Deuteronomy at face value, then Moses’ words were delivered at a time of transition for the Israelites. The nation was on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, with all the possibilities and problems that entailed.

When you dig a little deeper though, you find that Deuteronomy contains a timeless message. It wasn’t just helpful for Israel in the wilderness, preparing to take the land, it also had something to say to the people of Judah, around 600-700 BC, who were trying to hold their place in the land. Then later, after the people had been taken into exile, Deuteronomy spoke a word to those hoping to return to the land.

It seems Deuteronomy is particularly relevant for times of transition and change. This might be one of the reasons Deuteronomy struck a chord with the early church; because Jesus’ coming brought monumental change, both on a personal level but also at a wider societal level.

We, today, live at a time of unbelievable change and transition. What might Deuteronomy have to say to us?

Place goes hand in hand with time. You can’t have a time without a place.

Place:

In New Zealand culture, and in Maori culture especially, place is very important. When someone gives their Pepeha, when they introduce themselves in Maori, they refer to the place they come from. They talk about where their Marae is located as well as the name of their mountain and river.

When we talk about the place we come from and the people we are related to, we are essentially describing our home.

A place to call home was very important to Israel as well. The people had just spent 40 years wandering the wilderness with no place to call home. Now they were about to take possession of a place God had promised them.

The first two verses of Deuteronomy 1 are peppered with place names. For example: The Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.

We also come across a place called Horeb. Horeb, is another name for Mount Sinai. Kadesh Barnea comes up a few times too.

It is verse 7 though, where Moses quotes the Lord in describing the boundaries of the land…

…go to all the neighbouring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. 

A place is more than just an empty space. For a space to become a place, it needs boundaries. There was a lot of empty space in the wilderness of Sinai but the wilderness was not Israel’s place.

The boundaries of the land, given in verse 7, define Israel’s place. Deuteronomy is a book which defines boundaries. Not just physical and geographical boundaries but moral and ethical boundaries as well.

Without boundaries, space becomes terrifying and dangerous. Boundaries provide security and freedom; they make a place safe and functional.

The boundaries God gives are generous and wise. They are tailored to fit his people.        

Patrick Miller makes the observation that Israel’s land (their place to call home) is promised, given and taken.

God promised the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The people of Israel have not arrived in this place by accident. They are there by God’s design.

The Promised Land is given by God. It is not deserved or earned. It is offered.

At the same time though, the land needs to be taken by Israel. Israel needs to act if they are going to take possession of the land. Divine gift and human action are two parts of the same whole.

The Promised Land is for us a symbol of God’s Kingdom, our salvation. God’s kingdom is both given by God and, at the same time, taken by us. God’s offer of salvation requires an active response from us, if we are to realise it.    

For us, Israel’s place in the Middle East is associated with a long history of conflict. I don’t really understand the politics of it and I don’t think it would helpful to try and unpick that history too much.

We are followers of Jesus, the Christ. Jesus was never that interested in geopolitical conflicts. Jesus is interested in place though. In John 14, the night before his crucifixion and death, Jesus said to his disciples…

“Do not be worried and upset. Believein God and believe also in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. 3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. 4 You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.”

The place Jesus was talking about here is a place with God; a room in God’s home. This place is eternal and secure.

If we think of this life as a journey through the wilderness, then crossing the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land is like passing through death to eternal life to be with God our Father.  

John 14 often gets read at funerals and that is appropriate but it also speaks to us in this life, when we feel out of place, like we don’t fit or don’t belong.

God is our home and Jesus is the way home. 

We have been talking about time and place. Deuteronomy is a book that is relevant for all time, especially times of transition and change. At the same time, Deuteronomy is a book about place. It defines the boundaries which give a particular place security and freedom.

Deuteronomy is also a book of words; the words of Moses. Moses’ words give meaning, purpose and identity to Israel’s place, their home. Moses’ words remind Israel of who they are and why they are.

Words:

We live in an age of information overload, an age of advertising, marketing and hype. True silence (inner silence) is a rare and precious thing.

Ironically, the effect of this inflation of information is that words seem cheap to us. Words appear to have lost most of their value. But appearances can be deceiving. Words are still very powerful.

The right words, spoken in the right place at the right time are like seeds planted in the soil of our mind. Good words have the potential to grow and bear fruit in our lives.

There are three references to Moses’ words in the opening five verses of Deuteronomy chapter 1.

The book of Deuteronomy starts like this: These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel…  

Then, in verse 3 we read: Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them.

And in verse 5: Moses began to expound this law…

We could think of Deuteronomy as Moses’ last and perhaps greatest sermon series to the nation of Israel. The book is presented as three or four speeches by Moses. But these sermons are not just Moses’ ideas. Moses is proclaiming and explaining God’s word so the people can understand it and know how to apply it.

Simply put, Moses is the mediator of God’s word.

If God’s word is like a seed, then Moses is like the gardener who plants the seed and waters it and protects it.

Or if God’s word is like information being sent through a fibre cable, then Moses is the technician who connects the cable to your house.

Or if God’s word is like a foreign language that we don’t understand, then Moses is the interpreter making the meaning clear to the people.

Or if God’s word is like electricity, then Moses is the electrician who installs the wiring and switches so we can turn the lights on and see.

Or if God’s word is like flour and water, yeast and salt, then Moses is the baker who kneads the dough and bakes the bread so the people can eat.

Or if God’s word is like an aeroplane, then Moses is the pilot and navigator flying the passengers to the airport of a new and different country.     

Moses is the mediator of God’s word.

The gospel of John, in the New Testament, opens like this…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind.

The Word that John was writing about here is Jesus, the Christ.

While Moses was the mediator of God’s Word, Jesus actually is God’s Word.

Therefore, Moses’ words in Deuteronomy were pointing to Jesus.

A few verses later, John makes a connection between Moses and Jesus saying…

16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Do you see what John is saying here? The law of Moses is grace already given. We might be inclined to read into these verses a disconnect between Moses and Jesus, as if the law that came through Moses was somehow different from or in opposition to the grace that comes through Jesus.

But the law of Moses and the grace of Jesus are not two separate things. They are not divorced from each other or opposed. The Law of Moses and the grace & truth of Jesus are an organic whole. They go together. They are in continuity with each other. Jesus fulfils the law of Moses. 

If we think of Deuteronomy like the roots of a tree, then the gospel of Jesus is the fruit of that same tree. Deuteronomy is the gospel according to Moses.

The difference here is not between law and grace. The law of Moses is an expression of God’s grace. The difference between Moses and Jesus is that Moses was the mediator of God’s word, whereas Jesus actually is God’s word incarnate, in the flesh, in human form.

To put it another way, if we think of God’s word as light, then Jesus is like the sun (the source of light) and Moses is like the moon, which merely reflects the sun’s light.

Conclusion:

Time, place and words. In Deuteronomy, Moses is sowing the right words at the right time and in the right place. The seeds of his words were given by God to grow into a home for Israel and for all God’s people. 

If you are homeless, adrift in the world, living on the edge of possibility, somewhere between hope and despair, then I believe Deuteronomy contains God’s word for you.

Or if your security is threatened, if your family are under pressure and you are struggling to keep your home together, then I believe Deuteronomy contains God’s word for you too.

Or if you have lost your home, had it ripped out from under you so that you no longer feel like you fit. If you long to return home, then I believe Deuteronomy contains God’s word for you also.

Let us pray…  

Father God, you are our home. Lord Jesus, you are the way home. Holy Spirit, you are our guide. Help us at this time and in this place with the words of life we need to bring others with us, as we make our way home to the Father. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.      

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Which are your favourite books in the Old Testament and why? Have you spent much time reading Deuteronomy? Why or why not? Why was Deuteronomy a favourite book for the early church?
  • What societal changes have you noticed in your lifetime? What transitions are we (in NZ) currently going through? What do you think our country needs at this time?
  • Why are boundaries important?
  • Have you ever felt out of place? What was that like? Discuss / reflect on John 14:1-4. What do these verses tell us about our place (our home) and how to get there? 
  • Can you think of a time in your own life when you received the right word at the right time and in the right place? What happened and what was the effect?
  • What is the relationship between Moses and Jesus?
Tawa Baptist

Pure

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Video Link: https://youtu.be/zzIlGG3rT3A

Message:

Good morning everyone and happy Mothers’ Day.

Jesus says, in Matthew 5, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

This morning, because it is Mothers’ Day, our message focuses on a mother in the gospels who shows us what it means to be pure in heart. From Matthew 15, verse 21 we read… 

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes Lord,” she said. “But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

There was a woman by the name of Monica who lived around 300 AD. She was married to a hot-tempered man by the name of Patrick, who was often unfaithful to her. Monica and Patrick had a son who they named Augustine. Patrick refused to allow Augustine to be baptized but Monica saw to it that Augustine at least went to Sunday school.

Augustine was more interested in girls than he was the Bible and during his teenage years he went off the rails a bit. Right through his 20’s he lived a life of debauchery and licentiousness.

Through this whole time though, Monica never gave up praying for her son. No matter how badly Augustine behaved, Monica never gave up hope. She loved Augustine and always believed it was possible for God to save her son.

Monica interceded in prayer for her son faithfully, everyday and often with tears, begging Jesus to save him. Then one day her prayers were answered.

Augustine was baptized during the Easter of 388AD. He then went on from his baptism to become arguably the most influential Christian thinker of his time, since the Apostle Paul. Augustine wrote hundreds of books, refuted 5 major heresies and shaped the theology of the church right up to the present day.

Soren Kierkegaard, another famous theologian who lived many centuries after Augustine, said that ‘purity of heart is to will one thing’.

Monica was pure in heart, motivated by love. She willed one thing for her son and she saw God answer her prayer.

The Canaanite mother, in Matthew 15, was like Monica in a way. She was pure in heart too and motivated by love. She willed one thing: for Jesus to deliver her daughter.

But before we get ahead of ourselves let me set the scene. In the context of Matthew 15, Jesus has just had a bit of a run in with the Pharisees. The Pharisees were giving Jesus’ disciples a hard time for not washing their hands before eating. In their minds washing your hands wasn’t just a personal hygiene thing, it was a religious thing. They thought handwashing rituals made a person spiritually clean or more acceptable to God.

But Jesus defends his disciples and explains, saying…

17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

Jesus’ point was that God is more interested in the cleanness or holiness of our inner life. Are we motivated by love? Or do we just want to make ourselves look good in the eyes of others.

After this conversation about what makes a person clean or unclean, Jesus and his disciples walk 80 kilometres north into the region of Tyre & Sidon. In doing this they leave the holy land of Israel behind and cross over in to the un-holy land of the Gentiles.

In the Old Testament, Tyre & Sidon were renowned as places of evil. Places the Jewish people expected God to destroy, like Sodom & Gomorrah. So there Jesus is, with his disciples in an unclean place, when all of a sudden they meet two people their Jewish upbringing taught them to avoid.

A Canaanite woman and her demon possessed daughter. You cannot get much worse, if you are a Jewish man. The Canaanites were the arch enemies of Israel.

This mother knows what the Jews think of Canaanite women. She understands full well the prejudice she is up against. It says something about her courage and character that she is willing to approach her enemies for help. Or perhaps it is an indication of her desperation. 

We don’t know a lot about this woman. We know vaguely where she comes from but we don’t know her name, or how old she was or whether she had other children. Was she still married or had her husband walked out because things got a bit tough? We don’t know.

We do know for certain that life was difficult for her. Robyn quoted me a line from a novel she was reading recently that struck a chord with us both…

‘Mothers are only ever as happy as their unhappiest child.’

This mother diagnoses her own daughter as demon possessed and says that she is suffering terribly. If the daughter is suffering terribly then so is the mother.

We can’t be certain what the problem was exactly. In ancient times all sorts of illnesses, whether physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual were attributed to demons.

Most likely the daughter and her mother were socially ostracised as a consequence of the problem. This mother had probably been coping with loneliness and high levels of stress for a prolonged period of time. After a while fatigue sets in. It would have been hard for her to imagine a future for her daughter.

The powerlessness and vulnerability of parenthood is terrifying. And so it is little wonder that this mother cries out to Jesus. She doesn’t approach Jesus quietly or politely. She risks all hope, shouting and making a scene.

Notice how she addresses Jesus as Lord and Son of David. Now at that time calling someone Lord wasn’t such a big deal. It was like calling a man Sir, a way of showing respect.

But hearing this Canaanite woman call Jesus the Son of David is a big deal. Very few of Jesus’ own people would have the insight or the courage to call Jesus the Son of David. This was the same as calling him the Messiah, the King.

Think about that for a moment. This woman has the audacity to ask the King of her enemies for mercy for her daughter. It was risky and politically complicated.

During the Vietnam War the Texas Computer millionaire, Henry Ross Perot decided he would give a Christmas present to every American prisoner of war in Vietnam.

According to David Frost, who tells the story, Perot had thousands of packages wrapped and prepared for shipping. Then he chartered a fleet of Boeing 707s to deliver the presents to Hanoi.

But the war was at its height. What Perot was wanting to do was risky and politically complicated. He was asking America’s enemies for their cooperation. The Hanoi government refused to cooperate. Officials explained that no charity was possible while American bombers were devastating Vietnamese villages.

The wealthy Perot offered to hire an American construction firm to help rebuild the villages but the Hanoi government still refused to help.

Christmas drew near, and the packages were un-sent. So a determined Perot flew to Moscow, where his aides mailed the packages, one at a time, from the Moscow central post office. And all the packages were delivered intact to the American POW’s. Perot persisted and when his enemies would not cooperate, he found another way.

In some ways Perot reminds us of the Canaanite mother in Matthew 15. She was not rich and powerful like Perot but she was tenacious and she had the boldness to approach the leader of her enemies for help. Like a postage stamp she sticks to one thing until she reaches her destination.

In verse 23, of Matthew 15, we read that Jesus remained silent, even though the mother was loud and unrelenting in her cry for help.  

We see the wisdom of Jesus here. The woman was basically proclaiming to everyone that Jesus is Lord and King. She was acting as a kind of evangelist, perhaps without realising it. Jesus listened.

Jesus’ silence also had the effect of drawing out what was in her heart. Silence does that. Silence invites those parts of ourselves which are hidden in the ocean of our unconscious, to surface, like a whale rising from the depths of the sea to breathe.  

The disciples become irritated with the mother’s repetition, eventually saying to Jesus, “Send her away for she keeps crying out after us”. In other words, give her what she wants so we can have some peace.

But Jesus says to his disciples, so the woman can hear: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”.

We have the benefit of hindsight and so we know that Jesus’ mission was to start with Israel and then move outward to reach people of all cultures and ethnicities. Later, at the end of Matthew’s gospel, after his death and resurrection, Jesus gives the command to go and make disciples of all nations.

But this woman encountered Jesus before his resurrection and so she does not know what we know. She doesn’t have the benefit of hindsight.

Undeterred the woman knelt before Jesus saying very simply, “Lord, help me”. She does not use a lot of words. She does not try and make a deal with Jesus. She does not try to emotionally blackmail Jesus or threaten him. She does not prescribe what Jesus must do. She simply asks for help and trusts Jesus to decide what is best. This is a picture of pure, uncomplicated faith.

We know Jesus likes faith and so, at this point, we would expect that Jesus, full of compassion and love, would be moved to heal the child. But no, what Jesus does next is shocking.

In verse 26 Jesus says to this woman, who is already suffering terribly, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’

In other words, charity begins at home.

The children, in Jesus’ little parable here, are the people of Israel. And their food is the healing and life that Jesus brings – Jesus is the bread of life.

Dogs is a reference to Gentiles generally but also to this Canaanite woman and her daughter specifically.  

Now, in our culture a dog is man’s best friend. A dog is loyal and trustworthy and loved by the family. But in ancient Jewish culture a dog was unclean. Dogs were despised. To refer to this woman and her kin as dogs is a racial slur, an insult.

When Jesus ignored the mother’s cries for help, she persisted.

When Jesus refused to help her child, the mother responded in faith.

How will she respond to the insult of being called a dog?

What will Jesus find in her heart? 

To her credit this mother answers with humility and wit saying, 27 “Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

This is a clever response. The woman is implying that she, a Canaanite, is still part of Jesus’ household, albeit with a very different status from the children.

Like Monica, this mother wills just one thing: that Jesus save her daughter. She is pure mum. Her heart (her inner life) is clean and holy and so she sees God’s salvation.

Jesus commends her saying: “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

No other Jew in the gospel of Matthew receives this sort of commendation for their faith from Jesus. A Roman Centurion is commended as having more faith than anyone in Israel but none of Jesus’ own people are said to have great faith, like this woman.

So what exactly is it that makes this mother’s faith so great?

It is her love for her daughter. Love is what motivated this mother to ask her enemies for help and to go on asking when she was ignored, refused and insulted. None of us knows the purity of our love unless it is met with resistance. Love, that is willing to suffer, makes faith great.   

That being said we might still wonder, ‘Why did Jesus put the woman through this? Why did he make it so difficult for her?’ Because it seems totally out of character for Jesus to refuse anyone in need much less be rude about it.

Well, it appears Jesus was using this encounter with the Canaanite mother as a teachable moment for his disciples. Jesus can see this woman’s holiness, but his disciples can’t.

He had just been telling his disciples that it is the state of a person’s heart that makes them clean or unclean. Now they have seen for themselves what purity of heart looks like, in this Canaanite woman, someone they had always believed was inherently unclean.

Jesus was showing his disciples what really matters to God. Faith, hope and love.

When we look at it this way we see that Jesus was not being callous or insulting at all. Jesus was actually showing great respect for this woman. He refused to patronise her or be condescending. 

As tired and frustrated as this mother may have been, Jesus knew he was not dealing with a weak or timid person. He was dealing with someone who was a force to be reckoned with. And that’s why he pushed back. Jesus knew the strength of the woman’s faith, hope and love. He knew she could handle it.   

So what does all this mean for us?

Well, the mother’s love for her child reflects God’s love for us.

God’s motherly love is like a hurricane. It is powerful but there is a calmness in the eye.

Unlike a hurricane, that destroys everything in its path, God’s motherly love is jealous. Not envious, not wanting what belongs to someone else. But jealous in the sense of wanting to protect what rightly belongs to him. God’s jealous love is powerful to protect his children from evil.

God’s motherly love is also pure and holy. The Canaanite woman was pure in heart, she willed one thing: for Jesus to heal her daughter. And the purity of her love was revealed in the way she was willing to suffer much for her child.

God’s love (like a mother’s love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

It is this kind of love that makes a person clean, holy and pleasing to God.

Let us pray…

God Almighty, we thank you for your motherly love for us. A jealous love, which is powerful to protect. A pure love, which is longsuffering. Help us to receive your love with grace and respect, that we would be fruitful for your glory. Through Jesus we pray. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What was your mother like? What do you appreciate about her?
  • What does it mean to be pure in heart? Can you think of examples, either from the Bible or your own experience, that illustrate what it looks like to be pure in heart?
  • Try to put yourself in the shoes of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. What do you imagine her life was like?
  • Why do you think Jesus is slow to help the Canaanite woman?
  • What can we learn about prayer / intercession from the mother’s example?
  • In what ways does the Canaanite mother reflect God’s love? 
Tawa Baptist

Open

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Sm-a5vJA_Gg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Open mouths
  • Open book
  • Open home
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

What do these four things share in common: a thumb print, a cork screw, a pin number and a key? [Pause]

That’s right, they open things. A thumb print opens your phone. A cork screw opens a bottle. A pin number opens your bank account and a key opens a door.

This morning, because we are in the season of Easter and because we are celebrating communion, our message focuses on Luke chapter 24, verses 13-35. In this passage Jesus opens the mind of two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus, the afternoon of the first Easter Sunday. From Luke 24, verse 13 we read…

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven milesfrom Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this passage Jesus opens his disciples’ minds to the reality of his resurrection. This involves opening their mouths, opening the book (of Scripture) and opening their home. First let’s consider how Jesus opens the disciples’ mouths.  

Open mouths:

Do any of you have a cupboard at home that you use to hide your mess. Perhaps the things in this cupboard were stuffed away in a hurry, because you had guests coming over and you needed to make the place look tidy. 

Sorting out the cupboard is one of those jobs you know you need to do but somehow just can’t seem to find the time or the motivation for. Avoiding the cupboard will eventually create more stress for you though, when you can’t find what you are looking for.

To tidy up the messy cupboard you have to start by taking everything out and sorting it into piles. Decide what you are going to keep and what you are going to throw out. Then put the keepers back in the right place.

Sometimes our hearts and minds can become like the messy cupboard. We stuff thoughts and feelings, doubts and anxieties, hopes and longings into a metaphorical cupboard inside us, which no one else sees and which we ignore, because it is easier than unpacking everything and sorting through it.

That strategy may work for a little while but it’s only a matter of time before the contents of the cupboard cannot be contained any longer. Talking about the things that are troubling us (the messy things we stuff away, out of sight) is one way to empty the cupboard in our mind and get our head straight.

We need to exercise wisdom though in choosing who we talk with about our mess. You are probably best to avoid sharing deep personal stuff with someone who is not equipped for that kind of conversation or who can’t be trusted with the information.

God is equipped though and he can be trusted. A big part of prayer is emptying the cupboard in your mind by talking with him and asking his help to sort the mess.  

In Luke 24, Jesus found two of his disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus talking about him and all that had happened, in particular, his suffering and death.

They didn’t recognise Jesus at first. Perhaps the thing that prevented them from seeing Jesus was the messy cupboard in their mind.

Jesus seemed to understand this and so he got them talking (he opened their mouths as it were) simply by asking them what was on their mind. Jesus knew it was important that they be allowed to express their thoughts and feelings.

It’s interesting that Luke gives quite a bit of space to what the disciples have to say here (at least seven verses). The implication is that listening to others empty the messy cupboard in their head is really important. It is a sacred duty in fact. 

Sometimes when we are listening to someone else we can feel tempted to jump ahead of them. Perhaps anticipate what they are going to say or short circuit the listening part and give them the benefit of our advice. But that never works.

The first and most essential part of cleaning out the cupboard is emptying the contents. Letting others talk is how we empty the contents. If you give your advice before someone has finished talking, that’s like putting more stuff in, you only make the mess worse.

Jesus gets his bewildered disciples talking and he listens.

In verse 21 the disciples express their disappointment when they say…

21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

They had high hopes that Jesus was going to deliver them from their enemies the Romans. But their hopes of military and political supremacy were dashed when Jesus was killed.

Jesus does not minimise or deny his disciples’ feelings. Jesus accepts that they feel disappointed but he does not leave them in the pit. After they have finished saying what they need to say, Jesus opens the book of Scripture for them.

Open book:

When we were kids we used to love doing those join the dot pictures. You know the ones, where each dot on a page is numbered so that when you draw a line, following the numbers in the right order, you end up with a picture.

Before joining the dots, you can’t really see the pattern. It’s only afterwards that you see the image. It was a bit like that for the disciples. They needed Jesus to help them join the dots.

In verse 27 we read: And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.     

The Scriptures that Jesus used to join the dots were the Hebrew Scriptures, what we know as the Old Testament. The Scriptures are sort of like a map. They provide some perspective and direction. They help us find our way in life.

Of course, we need to know how to read the map. Maps are two dimensional. They don’t always show you how rugged or steep the terrain is. One inch on a map might not seem far but if that inch includes a mountain or a deep gorge, then it may take more than a day or two to navigate on foot.

When the disciples read the map of the Hebrew Scriptures they saw the parts about the victory and the glory of the Messiah and they overlooked the hard terrain, about the Messiah having to suffer first.

So their hope was built on the false assumption that the Messiah was going to deliver Israel from suffering. Whereas the Prophets were actually saying that God was going to bring deliverance through the Messiah’s suffering.

And that deliverance wasn’t just for Israel but for all the other nations as well, including Israel’s enemies 

So, how might we know we are on the right track with our reading of the map of Scripture?

In verse 32, after the disciples had recognised Jesus, they said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Three things we note here. Firstly, the disciples’ hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke. Fire is a symbol of God’s Spirit. I understand this to be a poetic way of saying they felt the presence of God’s Spirit within them.

This is not to imply that God’s Spirit always feels like a burning sensation within. The Spirit may manifest himself in any number of ways.

One point of application for us is, when we read Scripture we may find a particular verse stands out for us or we get a strong impression that God is wanting to speak to us through a specific passage. We need to pay attention to that sensation in our spirit and ask God to confirm it and clarify it. 

Secondly, the disciples felt the burning sensation together at the same time.  When it comes to reading the map of Scripture we need to do so in dialogue with other believers. If our individual understanding is not in harmony with the Christian community, then we should not put too much weight on it.  

The third thing we note in verse 32 is that the disciples saw the meaning in the rear vision mirror (as they reflected on their experience). Often the meaning God wants us to get from the Scriptures is not obvious to us until after the fact, when we are looking back on it with the benefit of hindsight.

Some of you here may do the daily Wordle on your phones. Robyn does it and recently (while on holiday) I joined her. With Wordle you have six chances to work out a five letter word.

You start by guessing any five letter word. If you guess the right letter in the right place it shows up as green. If you guess the right letter in the wrong place it shows up as yellow. And if the letter is not in the word at all, it shows up as purple. It’s a process of elimination.

This particular day our first guess was GRACE. We got the E in the right place so our next guess was SPIKE. The I was correct too but we still needed to find the other three letters.

After a bit of thought we went with the word OLIVE. The O was spot on. We were getting closer but still no cigar. The harder I looked at the word OLIVE the more the answer evaded me. I could not for the life of me think of a five letter word that started with O, had an I in the middle and ended in E.       

After doing something else for a while, Robyn figured it out…

The word was OXIDE. In hindsight it seemed so obvious. But beforehand I just could not see it. This is often how it is with discerning what God is saying. We get a few clues along the way but the harder we strain to figure it out the more it alludes us. Eventually though the answer comes (with patience).

So, to recap, three keys that open the book of Scripture (from verse 32) are the Holy Spirit, other believers and hindsight.

That means we need to read the Bible with a prayerful sensitivity to God’s Spirit. We need to dialogue with other believers to discern a shared understanding of the Scriptures. And we need to reflect on specific Bible verses in light of our own experience (in hindsight). 

Interestingly, it was not an exposition of Scripture by itself that opened the eyes of the disciples. Rather, the revelation came when the disciples opened their home to Jesus.  

Open home:

In verses 28-29 of Luke 24 we read…

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

It would have been more difficult and dangerous to travel alone in the dark and so the two disciples open their home to Jesus for the night, even though they still have no idea that it was Jesus who had been walking & talking with them.

By inviting him in to their home, the disciples were opening their lives to Jesus personally. What we notice here is a process of drawing closer to Jesus. A journey towards intimacy.

It’s sort of like pass the parcel. You know, that party game where you pass a parcel around a circle of people and when the music stops, the person holding the parcel takes a layer of wrapping off, and so on, until you get to the final layer and the present is revealed. Verse 30 tells us what happens when the last layer of wrapping is removed.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.

It is at this point that the disciples’ eyes and minds are opened and they realise that Jesus has risen from the dead. This is the greatest revelation of all time, indeed the greatest present ever.

Note the oddness of this scene though. When you go to someone else’s house for dinner you expect the host to serve the meal. But Jesus, who is supposed to be the guest in this situation, takes the role of the host and begins to serve the disciples.

Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks and breaks it, just as he did at the last supper and just as he did when feeding the multitudes. Just as he will do again one day when we feast in heaven with him.

The point is that Jesus is the host of our salvation and we are his guests, if we accept the invitation.

After this we read that the two disciples wasted no time in returning to Jerusalem to tell the others. Their joy could not be contained. And when they arrived their experience of Jesus’ resurrection was confirmed. Peter had also witnessed the risen Jesus.

Conclusion:

Jesus opened his disciples’ minds to the reality of his resurrection first by opening their mouths and listening to them and then by opening the book of Scripture so they could join the dots. 

The disciples responded by opening their home to Jesus and sharing the good news of his resurrection.

Where are you at in this process of realising that Jesus is risen from the dead?

Are you cleaning out the cupboard in your mind?

Are you joining the dots of Scripture?

Have you invited Jesus into your life and your home?

Or perhaps you are ready to tell others the good news that Jesus is alive?

Let us pray…   

Lord Jesus Christ, you have conquered death. Thank you for listening to us and joining the dots of understanding. May we make room for you in our hearts, our homes and our daily lives. Open our minds to the reality of your resurrection. Move us to faithfulness by the impulse of your love. Amen.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why does Jesus ask the disciples what they are talking about? (in Luke 24:17 & 19)
  • How do you manage the messy thoughts and feelings in your life? Do you have a trusted friend you can unpack the messy things with?  How do we listen effectively to others? 
  • Take some time to do a join the dots picture. Make it a hard one that isn’t obvious before the dots are joined. Why do you think it was difficult for Jesus’ disciples to join the dots of Scripture?
  • Discuss / reflect on the three keys for opening the book of Scripture? (Refer Luke 24:32) E.g. How might we recognise (or be sensitive to) God’s presence / Spirit when reading the Bible? What practical things can we do to reflect on Scripture in light of our own experience?
  • What is significant about Jesus acting as host while a guest in his disciples’ home? Why do you think the disciples recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread? How does Jesus’ resurrection inform the way we understand communion?   
  • Using the four stages in the Emmaus story as a framework, where are you at in the process or realising Jesus is alive? Are you cleaning out the cupboard in your mind? Are you joining the dots of Scripture? Are you ready to invite Jesus into your life and your home? Or are you ready to tell others the good news about Jesus? What do you need in order to progress in this process?