reading for: 7 October

MATTHEW 22:1-14

The disaster of refusing God’s Kingdom invitation

• READ

In this parable of the Kingdom of God, the king summons his guests through his servants but he is snubbed by everyone. Surprisingly, however, the king graciously extends a second summon, and with the specific instructions to let his guests know “you don't know what you're missing. Please reconsider”. The king really wants these people at the party.

Then the conflict turns violent. While some invitees only neglect the king's hospitality in favour of their own everyday concerns, the rest, mistreat and kill the royal servants, thus bringing upon themselves the wrath of the king who loses his patience and slaughters the murderers and fills his hall with whoever can be brought in from off the streets.

Who are these people from the streets? Firstly, they could represent the many people targeted by Jesus' ministry: "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:6; 15:24). Secondly, in anticipation of the Gospel being spread through Apostle Paul’s ministry, these people could represent the Gentiles (all non-Jews) who come to salvation. 

This disturbing story leads us to realise that to reject Jesus ultimately leads to God’s penalty and punishment upon ourselves for our rebellion against him. For the Jesus’ Jewish audiences, it was a challenge for them to reconsider what being ‘Chosen’ means - being natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob does not automatically mean they are ‘the elect’. Ultimately, it is those who hear and respond to God’s summons.

• REFLECT

Have we been negligent or rebellious in our response to Jesus’ call on our lives? 

reading for: 8 October

EXODUS 32:1-14 

Pleasing God rather than men & working to reconcile both

• READ

  Moses leaves the people in Aaron and Hur’s hands has he goes up Mount Sinai (Horeb) to receive the 10 Commandments. After his absence of 40 days, the people ask Aaron: "Come make gods for us, who shall go before us", unable to see that YHWH is the one who has liberated them from Egypt, provided food and water for them throughout their journey and who is leading them into the land he has promised them. 

   Aaron behaves as a people-pleaser, giving the people what they want, more anxious and fearful to please the people than to please God. Aaron is depicted as a practical leader; willing to compromise on the theological details a bit in order to appease the people. The people want tangible images of GODS (gods who are a bit more accessible than Yahweh and/or intermediaries who are less stern than Moses

  God is angry and wants to replace his ‘Chosen’ people with Moses’ own descendants but Moses takes on Aaron’s role of ‘priest’ and mediates between God and the people, interceding on their behalf and begging God to change his mind. A lesser man might have taken up God’s offer which is clearly the easier way out. 

• REFLECT

  What are some insights you gather about God, fleshly human desires and spiritual leadership? What inspires or challenges you?  

reading for: 9 October

PHILIPPIANS 4:1-9

Standing Faithful as His Chosen people

• READ

  Paul's view, is to live by the promise that Christ will transform us, and will subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:21). This promise has quite specific effects in the present. It issues in a call to reconciliation between warring church members (4:2-3). It nurtures habits of the heart (4:4-7) and habits of the mind (4:8-9) that open us to the peace of God (4:7), which is indeed the presence of the God of peace (4:9). 

  To stand faithful is firstly to works towards reconciliation. Like Moses, Paul plays the role of mediator, but in this case between 2 quarrelling women leaders, Euodia and Syntyche. He pleads with them to make peace and asks the church to help resolve things because they are both were valued fellow missionaries who had shared Paul's struggles. Paul's plea for reconciliation draws on his earlier depiction of "the mind of Christ," in Philippians 2:1-5. Just as Paul generally exhorted the Philippians to "be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind," so now he brings it home in a specific situation of discord. He also lists Euodia and Syntyche among those "whose names are in the book of life." (v2-5) This is an unusual expression in Paul's letters, but here, the hope of eternal life encourages us to be reconciled to our fellow Christians. We will be spending a long time with them! 

  To stand faithful is to rejoice! How surprising this is, coming from the horrors of a Roman prison. The reason is not difficult to find: "The Lord is near." Paul expects the imminent return of Christ, who will put all things right. But as we have seen throughout the letter, Paul also experiences the nearness of God in Christ, even in his present captivity. So he commands us to rejoice. 

  Paul tells us to focus our minds on what is true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise. This is because we live in two worlds. One world is where human beings are constantly at war somewhere, betraying one another, brutally suppressing each other in order to get ahead, and so forth. This was true of the Roman Empire, and it is true today. Every day we hear and see a culture that focuses on what is false, dishonourable, unjust, impure, and shameful. We begin to think that to act hopefully in such a world is unrealistic. The other world is one where the reality of God's redemption is already here and still drawing near. Training our minds to think of this reality, and thereby to act with hope, is a daily mental discipline. For such a discipline, we need to experience the counter reality of God's rule in the midst of tangible human relationships.

• REFLECT

  How are you standing faithful? How do you live faithful to God while you live in this world? 

reading for: 10 October

PSALM 106:1-6, 19-23

Standing on God’s past Faithfulness to plead for His salvation

• READ

  In this account, the past is not a good memory. It is a story of distrust and disobedience on the part of Israel. The story would have ended in destruction – except for the powerful intervention of Moses. 

  The Psalm starts with praise and prayer (v1 – 6), celebrating God’s faithfulness, his mighty deeds and steadfast love along with an exhortation to wisdom (v3) followed by a personal plea to be included in God’s favour and a confession of sin.  

  What follows is a recount of God’s faithfulness and mighty deeds whereby the Psalmist uses as the basis upon which he asks for God to override the consequences of Israel’s long-standing pattern of sin.  

  Verses 19 – 23 in particular reflect on Exodus 32. Here is where we see Scripture (Psalm) interpreting Scripture (Exodus). The Psalmist helps us to see how later Jews understood that particular episode in Exodus. 
  Verses 44 – 48 is where everything comes together. The Psalmist is pleading God to save them despite their rebelliousness just as God saved the ancient Israelites in the time of Moses, despite their rebellion and ungratefulness.

• REFLECT

  One way to grow in the content and substance of our prayers is to use the Psalms. Like the Psalmist, we can call upon God to remember his past miracles and wondrous deeds as we plead with him to intervene in our current situations. Try it together as a Life Group.