Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 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.
TO PONDER
I don't think that the pressure to conform to new social ideas and philosophies and to reject traditional ideologies and perspectives has ever been stronger at any time in my life than it is right now. Now I didn't live through any other major social upheavals like the American Civil Rights movement, or the Women's Suffrage movement, To be honest, up until recently, the world has experienced an almost unprecedented level of peace.
That's not to say it was perfect, there will always be wars and conflict in places around the world, but I do remember growing up hearing about the Gulf War on the news. It was something we kept an eye on in our house, but I don't ever remember seeing protests in the streets like we are seeing today about the war in the Middle East.
It's easy to get caught up in a mob. Mob mentality does have some kind of strange effect on our thinking. But Paul urges us to not be sucked in by the mob. To not conform to the pattern of thinking and behaviour of this world, but to Let God transform your thinking and renew your mind. If you want to read more about this, you might try Allan Hirsch and Rob Kelly's book called 'Metanoia' (available through ACR). But essentially, they and the apostle Paul in this verse, suggest that if we are really going to follow Jesus as his disciples, we have to let go of the old ways of thinking and let God really 'blow our minds' with not only a new life but a new understanding and thinking and perception of reality altogether.
So don't let yourself get sucked into some of the crazy thinking that seems to be popular these days. Give your hearts and minds to Jesus and let him show you something completely different...
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I ask you to help transform my thinking. Help me to understand what life with you is supposed to look like and what it is all about. Help me not to be swayed by mere popular opinion, but to stand on what I know is true, your life transforming love and mercy. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
TO PONDER
I have to confess, I have heard a lot of pastors talk about what this man might have meant in his response to Jesus. I'm not so sure it's about what the words literally mean but more about the attitude behind them. Here was a man who thought he wanted to follow Jesus, but in that moment, he does not seem to be able to prioritise following Jesus over dealing with his family.
Now as a pastor with three young kids of my own, I get it. Sometimes, in fact often, our children and families demand a lot from us, our time our attention, our finances, and it is right for us to see to those needs. However, I hear more and more often these days, "I'm sorry we haven't been to church recently pastor. It's just that Sunday morning is the only time in the week we have for a bit of 'family time'."
Don't get me wrong, family time is great, we should carve out time in our week to spend with our families, but when did time together, as a family, at church or worship on a Sunday, stop being a valid and important mode of family time? When did the faith of our children and their participation in the family time of God's family, begin taking a back seat to local sport teams, lazy Sunday morning breakfasts.
I wonder what Jesus response might have been if this man had simply rephrased his response to something like this instead, "I will follow you Lord, would you come and meet my family?" We can't know for sure, but I think Jesus may have done that if he'd been asked. Being a follower of Jesus does sometimes come with a cost, but it is not at the cost of our families, especially if our families are following Jesus too.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you told your disciples to Go and make disciples of all nations, help me to make disciples of my family. Help me to teach them and to share with them everything your have shown, taught, and commanded me during my life and help us to walk together as a family of your disciples. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, lifeWay Newcastle
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
TO PONDER
In John 20:17, Jesus has just risen from the dead and refers to his disciples for the first time as his 'brothers'. I love this fact because it shows us that something changes in our relationship with Jesus, our relationship with God, in light of the resurrection. On Friday they were disciples, on Sunday, they were set free and were his brothers.
And it is not a coincidence that Jesus uses this language. It is only because he, the Son of God, has set them free that they can now be rightly called, brothers [and sisters] in Christ.
Jesus knew this was coming, he eludes to it in today's reading from earlier in John's gospel. But the great thing about being a son or a daughter of God's family, is that your place in God's family is yours for as long as you accept it. Just like in an everyday family, you can choose to go out on your own, but it doesn't mean you are "cut off". The minute you return you are welcomed back with open arms.
You can go out on your own, live life the way you choose, live outside of the guidance of your Heavenly Father. It won't stop Him loving you, but it is dangerous. It's a path that often leads to bondage and slavery to all kinds of things that suck and drain the life out of you. That's not what the Father wants for you. Life freely with him as his children and know what it mens to be truly free.
PRAYER: Jesus, my brother and friend, help me to recognise and live within the will of God, our Heavenly Father. Help me to know more of the freedom I have to live as one of His children and teach me to treasure the privilege of being able to truely call you my brother. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
TO PONDER
I often wonder about the anxiety that Mary must have felt as she saw her son Jesus butting heads with the Pharisees and other members of the religious elite. With all the faith in the world, I'm sure she must still have worried about his safety and the rising interest and opposition he was encountering.
I know that for many older people in the church, one of their biggest concerns is that their children will no longer talk to them about faith or about church. That their response tends to be a bit like that of Jesus' own family, "stop talking to me about that crazy stuff, you'd have to be out of your mind to still believe all that today."
This is a difficult pressure point for many faithful parents whose children no longer worship in a church of any description. While it may not seem much of a consolation, sometimes the best thing we can do is to hand them to God and trust them to His care. We are not 'giving up on them', simply praying and trusting that God knows the path they have to take to find a meaningful relationship with himself, and that if he has a part for us to play along that journey, then he will help us to play it well.
In the mean time, keep showing your kids the love and mercy of Jesus. They may not realise it, but the way you love them, might just be the thing that shows them who Jesus really is.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, family relationships are sometimes tricky. Please help me to show your steadfast love to all my family members, even the weird aunties and uncles, cousins and siblings. Help me to remember that we are all your children, no matter what family we come from. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
TO PONDER
Is that how you feel? When you stop and take a look at your church, do you think, "What can I do? My church is just a small part of a small denomination in a small part of the world and I am only one very tiny and insignificant part of it?" Well if you have, then you are in good company.
Gideon was a bit preoccupied with size and status. I don't think scripture describes him as a short man, but I always imagine him that way. When God asks him to take the Israelite army to go and fight their enemies, Gideon began with 32,000 men. This still left them heavily outnumbered by the Midianite army which were supposedly about 135,000 strong. So Gideon was nervous and uncertain. As Gideon questioned God and asked for more signs of God's presence and promise of victory, God also dwindled the number of Gideons fighting force down to 300, before he told Gideon to attack the Midianites.
When you read through the Bible, it becomes clear pretty quickly, that God has never really been impressed with 'great men', at lease not those that the world considers to be great. God is much more interested in those people who can see that he is the one and only 'Great God'. Our earthly families may not have a great name, or a great empire, or a great history. However, families that have great faith in the Great God, can be confident that they are part of the greatest family of all time, the family of God.
So don't let your family history, of even your family's present situation, get in the way of you living your life as a child of God, because that is the greats thing any one of us can hope to be.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to break free of any family history that may still be having a lingering effect on my life. Help me to life fully each day in my identity as one of your precious children and part of your eternal and forever family. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
TO PONDER
I wonder if this verse sounds a bit surprising to you as it did to me. Aren't we told in various places throughout scripture that loving those who are our friends and family is nothing special; that even the pagans do that? Why then, the sudden change in tone, be and do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.
In the Roman society at the time of Paul and the apostles, it was rare for people to show much of any kind of concern for anyone outside of their immediate household. Now Paul is not telling the Galatians not to show care and hospitality to strangers, he does ask the to do good to all people after all. However, the paradigm that care and support and loving acceptance could be found outside of your own immediate family was a novel idea at the time and it bore great witness to the message of the gospel, when gospel people demonstrated care, and compassion toward one another. That kind of relationship with people outside of your own family and very close friends was simply unheard of.
Fast forward some two thousand years, and here we are in twenty first century Australia. Statistics report that the traditional family structure of a mum and dad with a couple of kids all living together is becoming an increasingly rare thing. Marriages and families are experiencing more domestic violence than ever before, and our community at large seems to be growing increasingly aggressive and tribal, even within certain tribal groups.
What a different picture of family and community we can bring by being a family of believers that actually goes out of their way to love and do good to one another. I don't think that it is unrealistic to say that the way people within the family of believers have treated one another in the past, or even at present, has done much to damage our witness to the gospel message of Jesus. Perhaps if we actually showed a radical kind of love and goodness to one another, the rest of the world might start listening to us and the message of Jesus again?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, Forgive me for the times I fail to see others the way you do. Help me to love all people with your love. I pray today also for my church family, that we may also grow in showing your love to one another and that by this, you may draw even more people into your family of believers. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
TO PONDER
I wonder if we have become less hospitable over the last few years. I often remember my parents hosting dinner parties with friends and neighbours when I was younger. It was not uncommon for us to have visitors sharing a meal with us on either a Friday or Saturday evening.
I suspect the shift may be because the pace of life has increased; people seem busier today than what they perhaps used to be. But that busyness, in many ways stems from the opposite of those traits listed in the verse above. Be devoted to one another is the opposite of being too busy taking care of our own needs, Honouring others above yourself is the opposite of making time to ensure you have time to binge your favourite television show. Don't lose zeal is the opposite of 'I'm too tired' or 'I can't be bothered'.
Family time is important, and every family should try to find some time to connect with one another and check in with one another, but I can't help but think many families have traded in 'hospitality' for more time withdrawing and keeping to themselves. Why not try getting the family excited about working together to put on a nice meal and inviting others into your family. That kind of hospitality, over time, often leads to an opportunity to talk about Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you came down from heaven and joined the human family, bringing with you a gracious invitation of hospitality and adoption into your family. Help me and my family to not lose our zeal for serving others and offering hospitality. Use me and my family to extend your heavenly hospitality to others. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
TO PONDER
Sometimes it's had to be thankful for family.While family can often be a place of safety and acceptance, that safety sometimes causes us to behave in ways towards our family that we would never even consider behaving towards our friends or workmates.
The key to addressing this issue is here in this passage from Colossians and is repeated in other ways in the other letters of Paul. We are members of one body. Yes that is in regards to the family or body of Christ, which is the church, but it also applies to individual family units. Sometimes the behaviour or choices of children cause their parents grief and consternation, and while discipline and correction are necessary, to enact those things with the peace of Christ in our hearts promotes and encourages the 'oneness' of the family, rather than positioning parents against children, or husbands against wives, of brothers against sisters.
Remember when one part of the body is struggling or unwell, all the other members of the body are also impacted. So let us be led by the love of Christ in our families and promote a peaceful and calm approach when the body (family) hits a bump in the road. Handle it together, with the peace and love of Christ as the focus.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you have made us all members of your body and united us by your Holy Spirit. Help my family to love and care for one another so that others may know that it is your peace and love that make us able to work together and love each other, even when we inevitably end up hurting one another. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Then Peter said, “Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Walk.”
TO PONDER
When I consider this meeting, I try to imagine this man’s immediate thoughts, ‘here are two men, surely, I’ll get a coin or two, they say they have nothing but they use the name of this man Jesus and I can walk, how wild is that!’ As he recovered taking Peter hand to help him up, he jumped and shouted with joy and sang praises to God in the Temple courts. Would that I would be as vocal singing and shouting my thanks and praise to God for his special gifts to me; even my thanks when I met my future husband and I was gifted with two beautiful children was quite subdued in the light of the crippled man’s reaction.
We can learn a few valuable lessons from this encounter, Peter and John looked straight at the crippled man. When we give do we always look straight into the receiver’s eyes, inviting a closer connection, a chance to pray for that their need be attended to, an opportunity to tell of God’s grace and goodness? Peter spoke because his faith led him to believe God would act. In faith we can ask for God to help, not in a casual throw away manner as is often the case, but with unshakable faith that God will act. This took place at a busy time of day, in a very busy place and Peter took the opportunity to speak to the assembled crowd about Jesus. Many of us would find that a challenge, but we can humbly tell others about our faith and trust in God’s promises and how he has answered our prayers. God knows our hearts and motives so we should consider how we pray; while he is our loving Father, he is also Sovereign God over all, our requests should be respectfully presented and we need to accept that he may not grant that request or answer differently than we expect.
Prayer:Lord Jesus, teach me to really see the person I am responding to and so invite a closer relationship so I can share your goodness to me, and how it is available to everyone who has faith in your word and promises. Let me less inhibited when it comes to praising you and giving thanks for all you have done for me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle