Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
TO PONDER
These are the words of Jesus to his disciples just before he gives them the mandate to go and make disciples of all nations.
I know that this task can seem so huge and unachievable at times. Even as a pastor, I sometimes wonder if all the preaching, teaching and pastoral work ever makes much of an impact when it comes to the task of making disciples in all the world.
But what a difference it makes to remember that we are sent by Jesus, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given, and whose authority has been vested in us for that specific purpose. If we go where he sends us and do what he shows us, then we have no need to fear because his power and authority is with us.
The only time we have any reason to be concerned is when we take that authority and try to use it for other purposes. It has been given to us to go make disciples of all nations, if we expect the power and authority of Jesus to be visible and at work in us for any other purpose, then we really are setting ourselves up for disappointment.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus. Therefore, go and make disciples in his name and surely he will be with you, even to the very end of the age.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, when it comes to my salvation, I know you have done all that is required through your suffering, death, and resurrection. And yet the work of reconciling all the world to yourself is not yet complete. Help me to see the times and places where you are calling me to exercise your authority to call people to yourself and help me each day to walk more in step with you as your disciple. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
TO PONDER
Apologies to any one who heard my sermon on Sunday, you'll probably recognise most of today's devotion.
Reading this verse for this week I was struck by two things which I had never directly considered before. Authority is something that is always given. The Pharisees and the temple priests ask Jesus the question, "who gave you this authority". And it is true, the manner in which authority is given and by whom might be different in various circumstances but authority is always given by someone (or a group of people) to another individual or group of people. Not only that, it is given for a purpose.
These same temple officials ask Jesus what authority he has to be doing these things. If you read the surrounding context of this verse, you'll realise Jesus has just turned over the tables of the vendors and money changers in the temple courts.
When Jesus tells his disciples at the end of Mathew's gospel that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him, and with that authority he sends them to make disciples of all nations, Jesus gives them the necessary authority to do exactly as he said. To employ the power and authority of Jesus to make disciples of others.
Too often, Christians have been tempted to act in the power and name of Jesus simply for their own benefit. That's not the purpose for which it was given.
Too often, Churches have been caught out insisting that thing be done 'their way' and according to 'their rules and traditions'. That is not what the authority which Christ gave to the church is for.
It is to make disciples of others, baptising and teaching them everything Jesus said and did and taught to us. Things like how to love and serve one another, how to practice mercy and forgiveness, how to encourage and support one another in prayer and in practice. These are the things for which Jesus gives his authority to his disciples. So what are you waiting for?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that you send us out as your people with your power and authority to do the work you have called us to do. Help me to get busy at the work you have left for me and help me to be confident in your power and authority as I strive to follow you as your disciple. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
TO PONDER
It always astounds me the different reactions of people to Jesus.
I had the privilege to be invited to an advanced screening of the first instalment of season 5 of 'The Chosen' in a local cinema in Newcastle this week. What it highlighted for me in a way I have never quite taken the time to consider were the varying levels of complexity behind people's reactions to Jesus. Some obviously counted him as friend and rabbi; others saw him as a political threat, a theological problem, a heretic and blasphemer, a worker of signs and wonders, and for many - a king, the long awaited descendant of King David come to establish a kingdom that will never end.
Of course that is exactly what Jesus did, and yet, he did not do it in the way the people expected.
Maybe your week has not turned out how you had expected. Perhaps your prayers have not bee answered the way that you had hoped for, but Jesus is still the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
Maybe your family relationships are difficult and strained at the moment. Perhaps your financial situation is being strained to breaking point, but Jesus is still the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
Don't let the events of the past week, or the plans and events of the week to come distract you or change your perspective on who Jesus is and what he has done. May your reaction to Jesus always be, "Hosannah! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, forgive me when I lose sight of who you are and why you lived, died and rose again among us, your people. Forgive me when my faith is shaken by things not turning out the way I hoped or planned. Help me to remember that you can bring life even from the jaws of death and to look for your help in all circumstances. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Whatever you do work at it with your whole heart, as working for the Lord, not men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ that you are serving.
TO PONDER
I have to admit that I knew nothing about Colossians except it was written by Paul from prison and it comes between Philippians and 1 Thessalonians in the Bible. So, I decided to read Paul’s letter to the Colossians completely from start to finish. The four chapters are easy to read but I found myself wondering where he was going in Chapter 3 under Rules for Christian Households because he covered these with one line but was very detailed about servants and masters. It all fell into place when I read the verses that are the basis of today’s devotion.
We were slaves to sin until Christ paid for our redemption on the cross. Each time we partake of Holy Communion, our sins are forgiven but we do not work in order for God to redeem us, we are saved by grace through faith. We work for the Lord for the joy it gives us to serve him, knowing our reward will be living with him in eternity.
How do we serve God? Wholeheartedly! It can't be an outward show that may impress those around us. God knows us intimately, so we put our full effort into it as if we were serving our earthly employer. We should approach our service with joy which results in fulfilment. We should not see it as a drudge or means to an end. This joy in service should flow over into all aspects of our lives, relationships, even our leisure time.
Sometimes, if you are like me, we can wonder “Am I doing enough?” The answer is usually simple; work well at what tasks you feel God has given you – one small task done well is worth more than many that are rushed over because there is not enough time or energy and always remember salvation does not come through works. When we serve Christ, as Christian believers, we demonstrate that our hearts are transformed and a new way of living our faith is reflected in our actions.
PRAYER: Gracious God, I thank you that I can express my joy in my salvation by joyfully serving you, I ask for your strength to do the work you set me honestly and well because I know that the reward is the inheritance promised to us, life in your presence forever. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.
TO PONDER
My Bible has the heading prior to verse nine – Love, and to the end of chapter twelve, Paul speaks about living in harmony with those around us based on Jesus’ teaching; our words and actions need to be authentic as we face situations that arise in our everyday lives.
Paul writes about ‘spiritual fervour’ in the text; it’s an active word, a bit like water boiling in a pot with bubbles bursting everywhere. When we totally embrace the Holy Spirit living within us and serve others using the gifts of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-26] we can become like that pot of boiling water. Every word and action as we serve others has a richness of Holy Spirit coming from God’s word at work in us. We cannot catch one of those bubbles from the boiling pot of water but as they burst, we can feel some droplets; as we serve others, no matter what their need, may the droplets from our bursting spiritual enthusiasm infect them with a desire to know God and love him and grow in them a desire to serve him.
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for your gift of the Holy Spirit living in me. May I always cherish this gift and share it wholeheartedly with others as I serve you by serving others using the gifts of the Spirit. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
TO PONDER
This morning, I went to read my emails, only to find someone trying to scam me. It was not a pleasant experience giving rise to many negative thoughts; things I considered were interfering with my life; I just wished I was elsewhere.
King David expresses how his soul is thirsty, just as he can see the hunted deer in the desert panting and searching for water, so does he want refuge from his oppressors, and his soul thirsts for the living God. He wants to seek God in his temple, to be able to worship him and find rest.
I needed that comfort this morning; we all need that comfort at times. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, he made it easy for us to approach God. Jesus referred to himself as “Living water" [John 4:10] and the promise of eternal life. Jesus himself said his soul was troubled “to the point of death” [Mark 14:34] and again in John 12:27 “Now my heart is troubled and what shall I say….” Jesus’ reaction was to pray to his Father.
This is our starting point, taking those things that take our peace away to God in prayer. Like we said in yesterday’s devotion, have that deep truthful spiritual connection with God, share your cares with him. But like the psalmist we need more, we need to seek God, this God who is alive. King David sought God in his temple, we need to seek him through his word. By listening to his word and joining with other believers we are drawn into his presence and find our souls being sated. It becomes natural to want to give thanks and praise to God, to want to serve him, honour and obey him every day of our lives.
PRAYER:Gracious God, you are the person I flee to when pressures of this life burden me and I long to be in your presence. I thank you for Jesus death and resurrection so that I can bring my burdens to you and find peace as I share them with you. I ask for your forgiveness when I decide I can fix things on my own and usually end up making things worse. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle.
Yet a time is coming, and has now come, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks; God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
TO PONDER
Jesus spoke these words during his meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well. The Samaritans worshipped the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but failed to accept much of his revelation beyond the first five books of the Bible. This meant they really knew very little about him. Jesus told them salvation would come from the Jews, in fact it had come at that present time, in the person of Jesus himself.
We can be challenged by Jesus’ next words which indicate a move in the understanding and practice of worship; he speaks of specific qualities rather than being confined to physical locations or external rituals. Jesus says we will worship in spirit and truth; God is spirit and he seeks people who will worship him in spirit and truth. His desire is that our worship is genuine and heartfelt and that it goes beyond mere religious practices. The challenge here is to evaluate our understanding and practice of worship.
God knows our inmost thoughts and desires and it is from this place we can begin to connect with God in spirit, we are to seek a genuine encounter, not just going through religious motions or seeking personal fulfillment. We are to approach God with reverence, humility and an authentic desire to honor and adore him. We know God is spirit so he is everywhere, thus we can seek him at anytime no matter where we may be, our workplace, our home or as we negotiate a crowded place. We need to seek him with sincerity and a desire to know him intimately and as our hearts align with his, we can worship him wholeheartedly; we will find peace and comfort in our lives as our spirit connects with God’s and then making and keeping this connection will become a very natural and necessary part of our lives.
PRAYER: Father God, I yearn for a close and intimate relationship with you. Jesus has explained that this also your desire, that I come to you and speak the truth from the deepest part of my being, that my spirit connects with yours. May I always remember and practice this so that it becomes as frequent and easy as taking a breath. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
One thing I ask of the Lord. This is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
TO PONDER
Anxiety and sadness are my companions as I write this devotion. I get through each day by seeking God’s face, as I share with him situations that only he can change I am comforted knowing he is love and in him is forgiveness and peace. So I can empathise, to some extent, with King David who wrote the beautiful words of the Psalm we are contemplating today
King David wrote these words while he was in the desert with his enemies pursuing him. He was only asking one thing of God, he just wanted to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life.
In those days the temple was seen as God’s home, it was safe, secure, a refuge against the turmoil of life, giving him not only physical safety but spiritual and mental refuge as well. He wanted to live with God, serve God, sit at God’s feet learn more about his ways; he wanted the peace that only comes from loving and trusting God.
This is the season of Lent, a time for soul searching, repentance and drawing closer to God; a time to have those difficult discussions grounded in the conviction that God is real and God is good and he sent his Son into the world that we may be saved. The horror of the cross is what allows us to seek God with our one request – to live in peace with him all the days of our lives.
PRAYER: In the cross of Christ I glory, towering o’er the wrecks of time; All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sublime. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, By the cross are sanctified; Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide. Amen. - Lutheran Hymnal 171
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”
TO PONDER
The Greek language has several words to describe ‘love’, all the way from the simple affection of friendship to something much, much, deeper. In the above verses the verb used was ‘agapao’ – the commitment of devotion that is directed by the will and can be commanded as a duty. Jesus’ words leave little doubt that to love our Lord above everything and with our whole being is a command.
In Sunday school I can remember we were taught this verse and it always was with the First Commandment – ‘You shall have no other gods’ What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
When Jesus died on the cross, he bore all our sin and we, with our sinful nature, are no longer abhorrent to God and can approach him in prayer anytime, all the time, knowing he will hear us. When we share our cares and worries with God, we are trusting him and can find peace. When we try to fix things ourselves, we have taken our eyes off God and our issues become our idols. Daily we are faced with situations, and people, that can take our eyes off our God. However, the more we include God in every aspect of our lives the more we learn to love and know him, to entrust our lives to him and the stronger our devotion to him becomes
When God is the sole object of our devotion we want to serve and please him. When we look at how his son Jesus, served his Father while he lived on earth, we see the kind of love we are commanded to show. We see our love of God requires us to love our fellowman and not to discriminate; it demands that we help those in need, care for the helpless and share generously God’s word, telling our stories of how God has blessed us and enriched our lives and how much he loves us, wanting to live in close loving relationship with us. - this is the first and greatest commandment.
PRAYER: God of love, I thank you for my parents, teachers and so many of your faithful children who have explained, taught, and shown by example what wholeheartedly loving you means. I thank you that with the help of the Holy Spirit you continue to help me trust you more completely and talk with you about my joys and sadness and every other issue, knowing you hear me, I praise and thank you for that. Amen
Today's devotion written by Maureen Macpherson, LifeWay Newcastle