The Castle. One of the great Australian movies about the Kerrigan family. They stick together through tough times - a son gone to gaol; a government that couldn't care less; a corporation hellbent on repossessing their home. The Kerrigans celebrate the banal "What do you call this love?" "Rissoles..." "Why go out when you can get this good tucker every night!" They enjoy the serenity of Boony Doon. They celebrate the wonder of a daughter graduating from Sunshine TAFE. This is what it looks like to be part of the Kerrigans. This is what it means to belong to their family.
What does it mean to belong to God's family? What does that look like? Well Jesus and the Jews have differing views...
John 8:39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did."
The Jews believe that to become part of God's family is merely resting on their ancestral pedigree. But Jesus says that it's not a matter of being in Abraham's family tree they need to be like Abraham himself. You need to do the things that he did.
So what did he do? Firstly he was obedient and not independent...
Genesis 22:1, 2 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love...sacrifice him there as a burnt offering..."
Abraham declares "Here I am". A great expression of obedience - "Here I am, where do you want me to go? What is it that you want me to say? Here I am..." God speaks and Abraham obeys.
And Jesus says that obedience is proof of being part of God's family...
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples."
Jesus calls on us to hear what he says and put it into practice. This is the mark of a true disciple. This is what it means to belong to God's family. Obedience is what Abraham did.
But how do you become part of God's family? It's a gift not a pedigree...
Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Even though Abraham was a sinner - he was a liar, slept with another woman, dismissed their son without care or concern - God declares him righteous, makes him right. God does this for Abraham as a gift through faith. And Jesus echoes the same...
John 8:34-36 I tell you the truth, 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.
All of us sin. But by receiving what Jesus has done for us on the cross we can be set free from sin. It is a gift from The Son to make us sons and daughters of God's family. So to become part of God's family it's not about ancestry or pedigree. Rather it is a gift through faith. This is what Abraham did.
And if your faith is in Jesus your place in God's family is eternal not temporary...
John 8:35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever
and...
John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.
Because Jesus is alive he can give permanence. Assurance. Eternal life. If your faith is in him he has given you a place in heaven, something incredible to look forward. And this is what Abraham did too...
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went...for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Abraham heard and obeyed God's promises. He lived a life of discipleship. His kept his trust in what God had done for him. And looked forward to the day God would fulfill his promises. This is what it means to belong to God's family. This is what it means to call God "Father". May we do the same. May we do what Abraham did.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
One wedding and a funeral Genesis 23-25
All of us face big events in life - birth, death, career, relationships, marriage. The question is how do you go about dealing with them?
Abraham shaped the big events of his life via his faith in God. And we can see this in the death of his wife Sarah. Problem is, he's got nowhere to bury her. The Hittites offer him a cave for free in language reminiscent of God's promise to Abraham...
Genesis 23:11 "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead."
But Abraham knocks back their offer because he knows that God will give him the land. He doesn't want anyone to say "I gave Abraham his start..." Rather he relies on God's promises. So he buys the cave with his own money and buries Sarah. Though she has died Abraham's faith still remains in God.
And speaking of wives...it's time for Abraham's son Isaac to find Mrs Right. Rather than just pick a local Canaanite girl Abraham's faith shapes this big event too...
Geneis 24:7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, `To your offspring I will give this land' he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there."
Abraham's faith shapes this big event and implores Isaac, who is the heir of the promise to follow suit.
So how do you go about dealing with the big decisions of your life? Does God get a look in or is God the first port of call in prayer? Do your friends have a greater say than what the Bible says?
Abraham's faith grew and grew as he got older and the big events of life were left in God's capable hands. Even though he died with just a glimpse of the promises it's no surprise that author was able to say this about him...
Genesis 24:1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
By trusting the big events in life to God Abraham was truly blessed. Let us do the same.
Abraham shaped the big events of his life via his faith in God. And we can see this in the death of his wife Sarah. Problem is, he's got nowhere to bury her. The Hittites offer him a cave for free in language reminiscent of God's promise to Abraham...
Genesis 23:11 "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead."
But Abraham knocks back their offer because he knows that God will give him the land. He doesn't want anyone to say "I gave Abraham his start..." Rather he relies on God's promises. So he buys the cave with his own money and buries Sarah. Though she has died Abraham's faith still remains in God.
And speaking of wives...it's time for Abraham's son Isaac to find Mrs Right. Rather than just pick a local Canaanite girl Abraham's faith shapes this big event too...
Geneis 24:7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, `To your offspring I will give this land' he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there."
Abraham's faith shapes this big event and implores Isaac, who is the heir of the promise to follow suit.
So how do you go about dealing with the big decisions of your life? Does God get a look in or is God the first port of call in prayer? Do your friends have a greater say than what the Bible says?
Abraham's faith grew and grew as he got older and the big events of life were left in God's capable hands. Even though he died with just a glimpse of the promises it's no surprise that author was able to say this about him...
Genesis 24:1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
By trusting the big events in life to God Abraham was truly blessed. Let us do the same.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What happens when God visits Genesis 18, 19
We all expect judges to judge. Police to pull over the speeding driver. The parent to reign in an unruly child. Today Tonight to find the shonky wedding planner who has ruined the bride's big day. But allow God to judge? That's wrong. God is a god of love...God would never judge anyone...
But if Today Tonight can judge...surely God can. Have you ever told someone "Go to hell!"? So, you can judge but not God?
God's judgment therefore is not something to shy away from or be embarrassed about. Rather it is good news and light in a dark world. One day judgment will fall and all wicked, evil and injustices will be overthrown. All that is wrong will be made right. Isn't that welcoming good news?
And so when we come to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah we can see God's justice at work. And you'll notice two things. Firstly, God is slow to anger...
Genesis 18:20, 21 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
God does not fly off the handle. Unlike the parent who lashes out or the teenager who talks before they think God's judgment is informed and reasoned.
Which raises the question why? Why not flick the city off the map? Because judgment is never God's final word. Grace is...
Genesis 18:32 Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" The Lord answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
For the sake of ten "good" people God is willing to spare a city full of ratbags. A city that gave a damn about no-one (Genesis 13:13; Ezekiel 16:49). God is willing to show grace to anyone who would turn and receive it.
So Lot accepts God's grace...but only just (19:16). He really didn't want to let go of the world. Lot's future sons-in-law laughed in the face of grace and knocked it back (19:14). And though Mrs Lot was staring grace in the face she sadly turned her back on it (19:26). And so only a few escaped the judgment that fell.
It'd be tempting to think that I'm not like that...and that God would never judge me. I've received God's grace so I'm okay. But listen to Peter...
1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Judgment begins with the Church. It begins with the person holding the placard "God hates fags". It begins with the minister decrying corrupt governments. It begins with the Church goer bemoaning the teenage hooligans in her street. Judgment begins with us and so what sort of people ought we to be?
We are to live a life that reflects the grace that has been shown to me. We must not be like Lot hesitating with the good news, happy to have one foot in the kingdom and the other in the world. And we need to take the good news out into the world...
2 Peter 3:9 God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
God is still slooow to anger. God still holds out grace. And one day God will judge. All that is wrong will be made right. But judgment is never God's final word - grace is. Therefore let us live out the grace that has been shown to us. Let us live in light of that great day.
But if Today Tonight can judge...surely God can. Have you ever told someone "Go to hell!"? So, you can judge but not God?
God's judgment therefore is not something to shy away from or be embarrassed about. Rather it is good news and light in a dark world. One day judgment will fall and all wicked, evil and injustices will be overthrown. All that is wrong will be made right. Isn't that welcoming good news?
And so when we come to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah we can see God's justice at work. And you'll notice two things. Firstly, God is slow to anger...
Genesis 18:20, 21 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
God does not fly off the handle. Unlike the parent who lashes out or the teenager who talks before they think God's judgment is informed and reasoned.
Which raises the question why? Why not flick the city off the map? Because judgment is never God's final word. Grace is...
Genesis 18:32 Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" The Lord answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
For the sake of ten "good" people God is willing to spare a city full of ratbags. A city that gave a damn about no-one (Genesis 13:13; Ezekiel 16:49). God is willing to show grace to anyone who would turn and receive it.
So Lot accepts God's grace...but only just (19:16). He really didn't want to let go of the world. Lot's future sons-in-law laughed in the face of grace and knocked it back (19:14). And though Mrs Lot was staring grace in the face she sadly turned her back on it (19:26). And so only a few escaped the judgment that fell.
It'd be tempting to think that I'm not like that...and that God would never judge me. I've received God's grace so I'm okay. But listen to Peter...
1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Judgment begins with the Church. It begins with the person holding the placard "God hates fags". It begins with the minister decrying corrupt governments. It begins with the Church goer bemoaning the teenage hooligans in her street. Judgment begins with us and so what sort of people ought we to be?
We are to live a life that reflects the grace that has been shown to me. We must not be like Lot hesitating with the good news, happy to have one foot in the kingdom and the other in the world. And we need to take the good news out into the world...
2 Peter 3:9 God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance
God is still slooow to anger. God still holds out grace. And one day God will judge. All that is wrong will be made right. But judgment is never God's final word - grace is. Therefore let us live out the grace that has been shown to us. Let us live in light of that great day.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Giving God a helping hand Genesis 16, 17
DIY shows are everywhere. The impossible now seems possible - the deck surrounding the pool...the new kitchen and bathroom...the bedroom makeover...the pergola and patio. But what we don't see is that these DIY shows are run by experts which are backed up by a team of experts. They're the ones off screen doing the real work whilst the hosts are giggling in front of the camera and wondering "Will we get it all finished in time?"
DIY is an attitude that we can have towards God and his promises. We're happy to trust God with the situation in Afghanistan...but take matters into our own hands when it comes to our money. We're happy to trust God with Sudan...but not how I feel about an ex, or my parents or some other relationship. We're happy to trust and pray that the situation is under control in North Korea...but in terms of my own future it's amazing how God's will seems to align itself with mine. What a coincidence...or is it?
Abram's is famous for having great faith...but it wasn't focused 100% of the time...
Genesis 16:1-6 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me." "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
Rather than relying on God's perfect timing to fulfill his promise Abram and Sarai take matters into their own hands. Their DIY ends up in hurt, misery and alienation. But rather than rub out Abram God remains faithful to his promise...
Genesis 17:3-8 God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
God repeats his promise to Abram. The thrust of which can be seen in all the "I wills". When you count them all you realise that it is God who will keep the promise; it God who will do all this; all Abram needs to do is trust and obey. Which he finally does...
Genesis 17:23-27 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
That must have hurt. But it was a sign that Abraham also cut off his DIY religion and began believing once again that God would keep his promise.
So how about you? Are you willing to cut off your stranglehold on your finances and trust them to God? Are you willing to cut off your grip on sex, relationships, career, the future and let God guide you in these big life decisions? What's to lose? God remained to faithful to Abraham though he did some lame brain things in his life. He came to realise that his DIY God paled in comparison to the real deal. Let us realise the same.
DIY is an attitude that we can have towards God and his promises. We're happy to trust God with the situation in Afghanistan...but take matters into our own hands when it comes to our money. We're happy to trust God with Sudan...but not how I feel about an ex, or my parents or some other relationship. We're happy to trust and pray that the situation is under control in North Korea...but in terms of my own future it's amazing how God's will seems to align itself with mine. What a coincidence...or is it?
Abram's is famous for having great faith...but it wasn't focused 100% of the time...
Genesis 16:1-6 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me." "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
Rather than relying on God's perfect timing to fulfill his promise Abram and Sarai take matters into their own hands. Their DIY ends up in hurt, misery and alienation. But rather than rub out Abram God remains faithful to his promise...
Genesis 17:3-8 God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
God repeats his promise to Abram. The thrust of which can be seen in all the "I wills". When you count them all you realise that it is God who will keep the promise; it God who will do all this; all Abram needs to do is trust and obey. Which he finally does...
Genesis 17:23-27 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
That must have hurt. But it was a sign that Abraham also cut off his DIY religion and began believing once again that God would keep his promise.
So how about you? Are you willing to cut off your stranglehold on your finances and trust them to God? Are you willing to cut off your grip on sex, relationships, career, the future and let God guide you in these big life decisions? What's to lose? God remained to faithful to Abraham though he did some lame brain things in his life. He came to realise that his DIY God paled in comparison to the real deal. Let us realise the same.
All that glitters Genesis 13-15
The Hubble Telescope got off to a shaky start but has over time produced the most amazing images of space and time ever. Hubble has enabled us to look with incredible detail into far away places never seen before.
Wouldn't it be great to have Hubble-like vision here on earth? To be able to look so forward that we'd understand were we are heading, what the future holds and how things would pan out. Wouldn't it be great to have Hubble-vision?
Abram's nephew Lot is not interested in having this type of vision - he's content to seeing only as far as his nose. So, Lot looked at Sodom; he saw that it was beautiful and took possession of it. The grass looked greener. But before Abram could feel cheated, God appeared to him and reminds him of not what he should look to, but who...
Genesis 13:14-15 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted."
And...
Genesis 15:5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be."
God reminds Abram that there are two ways to look. One is to look to at the earth; the other to God. One is to things that are temporary, the other toward eternity. God calls upon Abram to look to him. To trust in his promises. To not be sucked by what he sees...to not be like Lot. Looks can be deceiving. All that glitters is not gold...
And so how are your eyes? Do you look to God or are you diverted by the things of this earth? Are you fixing your eyes on God's promises or on fighting the seven signs of ageing...looking thinner...more money...bigger house...retirment et al? How often do you look forward to God fulfilling God's promises...because this is what Abram was famous for...
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham...made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country...for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Lot's eyes were fixed in the things of the earth; the temporary buildings of men...which were later to crumble and fall. But Abram looked forward to the city that lasts forever. From humble, small, insignificant beginnings, he looked to the day God would fulfill his promises. That's what you call eyes of faith. Telescopic-Hubble-like eyes of faith. Let us do the same.
Wouldn't it be great to have Hubble-like vision here on earth? To be able to look so forward that we'd understand were we are heading, what the future holds and how things would pan out. Wouldn't it be great to have Hubble-vision?
Abram's nephew Lot is not interested in having this type of vision - he's content to seeing only as far as his nose. So, Lot looked at Sodom; he saw that it was beautiful and took possession of it. The grass looked greener. But before Abram could feel cheated, God appeared to him and reminds him of not what he should look to, but who...
Genesis 13:14-15 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted."
And...
Genesis 15:5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be."
God reminds Abram that there are two ways to look. One is to look to at the earth; the other to God. One is to things that are temporary, the other toward eternity. God calls upon Abram to look to him. To trust in his promises. To not be sucked by what he sees...to not be like Lot. Looks can be deceiving. All that glitters is not gold...
And so how are your eyes? Do you look to God or are you diverted by the things of this earth? Are you fixing your eyes on God's promises or on fighting the seven signs of ageing...looking thinner...more money...bigger house...retirment et al? How often do you look forward to God fulfilling God's promises...because this is what Abram was famous for...
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham...made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country...for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Lot's eyes were fixed in the things of the earth; the temporary buildings of men...which were later to crumble and fall. But Abram looked forward to the city that lasts forever. From humble, small, insignificant beginnings, he looked to the day God would fulfill his promises. That's what you call eyes of faith. Telescopic-Hubble-like eyes of faith. Let us do the same.
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