PENTECOST • 41

Do we choose to serve the Lord?

This week’s readings challenge us to choose to serve the Lord.

reading for: 18 Aug

John 6:56-69

Choosing to accept the Lord

  • READ

These past few weeks, we have been reading passages from John 6, and we have seen Jesus preaching that he is the bread of life, that he is the living bread that comes from heaven. What Jesus is saying is that to believe in Jesus is to have life. To eat of his flesh and drink of his blood is to have life. 

This message is one that many find hard to accept. Some disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (v60) The words of Jesus in the next verse when he knew that the disciples were grumbling about his words, “Do you take offense at this?”(v61), makes their state even more apparent.  The disciples were openly grumbling about the words of Jesus and found his words offensive and hard to accept.

Why were they so offended by the words of Jesus? Perhaps they found that the claims that Jesus made that it was not Moses who gave them the bread, but the Father offended them. Alternatively, it could be when he talked about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. They might have thought or reasoned to themselves that it is not possible. There are probably many more reasons why they took offence at the words of Jesus and why they took offence at Jesus himself.

Jesus continues his reply with these words, “Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”(V62-64) Jesus is saying that if you find those words to be offensive, what reaction will there be if they see him ascending to where he is before. The text does not specify what the reaction will be. It could be one that they finally accept the words of Jesus, or that this ascension will cause them to br even more offended.

The train of thought continues that it is by the Spirit, the giver of life that we can hear and accept the words of Jesus and not by the flesh. (V63) Jesus tells the disciples that some of them will not believe and that only those the Father has granted access to can come to him. (V64-65) Only those that the Father has granted access by the Spirit can hear and accept the words of Jesus.  This leads to many of his disciples turning away and no longer following him. Jesus then turns to the twelve and asks them the question point-blank, “Do you want to go away as well?”(V68).

Peter, in one of his finest moments, answers that there is no other one that they would rather turn to, for Jesus has the words of eternal life and that they had come to believe and know that Jesus is the Holy One of God. (v69)

We see two different kinds of responses to Jesus, one that accepts Jesus like Peter and the rest of the twelve (except for Judas) or some of the other disciples (not part of the twelve) who turned away from following Jesus. One response accepted that Jesus has the words of eternal life and the other took offence at Jesus.

  • REFLECT

The passage presents two different responses to Jesus, one of taking offence at Jesus and the other believing that Jesus has the words of eternal life. When we hear the words of Jesus, how do we respond? Do we respond with offence, or do we accept those words and the speaker of those words? Do we allow the Spirit to lead us into life by showing us what the words of Jesus mean?

May we respond to the words of Jesus with acceptance and believe like Peter when he says that Jesus has the words of eternal life and that we have come to know and believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God. May Peter's response to Jesus also be our response to the Lord.

reading for: 19 Aug

Joshua 24:1-2,14-18

Choosing to serve the Lord

  • READ

    The passage for today recounts the people of Israel renewing the covenant that they had with the Lord.  The account starts with Joshua gathering all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the leaders of Israel. All of them presented themselves before the Lord. (v1) Joshua then spoke the words of the Lord to them, recounting that it was the Lord who took their Father Abraham and led him through the land of Canaan and gave him many offspring. Joshua then proceeds to talk about Isaac, Moses, and Aaron, of how he delivered their Fathers from Egypt and gave them the land. (v2-13)

    In brief, Joshua was recounting the critical moments of the actions that God had done for the people that were standing before him and their forefathers. This is the grace of the Lord that was being shown to them how they are now able to possess the land and eat the fruit of the vineyards and orchards that they did not plant. The Lord has been good to the people of Israel and their forefathers. Despite their numerous feelings, the Lord did not abandon them.

    Joshua wanted the people to choose to fear and serve the Lord with faithfulness and sincerity and put away their false idols. Joshua issues the people a challenge. They could choose to serve the Lord, or they could choose to serve other gods. Joshua declares emphatically that for his household, they will serve the Lord. (V14-15)

    The people respond to the Lord by saying that they will not forsake the Lord and will serve the Lord, for it is the Lord that brought them and their Fathers out from the land of Egypt into the land that they were now in. (V16-18) A few verses down, the text tells us that Joshua made a covenant with the people that they will serve the Lord that day. (V25) The people chose to serve the Lord.

  • REFLECT

    What are some actions that the Lord has done for us, our family, our friends and those in our LG? Remember those miracles that the Lord has done for us and those around us. Praise God for those actions and graces that he has extended to us.

    Do we choose this day to serve the Lord? Remember that Joshua did not make this challenge out of thin air but only after reminding the people of what the Lord has done for them and their forefathers. We can serve the Lord because he is good, and he has done wondrous deeds for us. Will we be like the people of Israel and choose to serve the Lord, or will we choose to serve other idols?

    Pray that we will serve the Lord and remember that the Lord is good.  Praise the Lord with the song “Remembrance” by Hillsong Worship that reminds us of the goodness of the Lord in our lives.

reading for: 20 Aug

Ephesians 6:10-20

Armour for those who are serving the Lord

  • READ

    This passage is at the end of Ephesians, and it is the final substantive section of Ephesians before Paul moves on to final greetings and ending off the letter. By this time in Ephesians, Paul has taken his readers through a journey of expounding the gospel, how they were dead and made alive in Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-5) Paul has spoken about how God in Christ is reconciling Jews and Gentiles to God. How we are fellow citizens of God and how in Christ we are being built into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22) Paul then challenged them to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, to live out the life they had. (Ephesians 4:1) He spends multiple chapters talking about how this manner of behaviour looks like, how they were to walk in love. (Ephesians 5:2)

    Paul now tells them that to be strong in the Lord. (V10) They were to put on the full armour of God so that they could stand against the schemes of the devil, for they were not fighting against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers of evil. (V11-12) Therefore, they needed to put on the full armour of God so that they can withstand in that evil day and stand firm. (V13) Paul then spends the next few verses listing out the various pieces of the armour, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. (V13-17) Then Paul speaks about the importance of praying in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication for all the saints, including himself, also by asking the Ephesians to pray for him that he may declare the gospel boldly. (V18-20)

    The critical point to note is not merely the individual pieces of the armour or how many pieces the armour, but it is about putting on the full armour of God so that they may stand firm against the schemes of the devil. These schemes of the devil will come because they are living the life that Paul calls them to live. The devil does not want us to live this kind of life and hence will do all he can to resist and distract us from living in the way of holiness and love. They were to put on the entire armour of God and not merely only faith or righteousness in their defence against the schemes of the devil.

  • REFLECT

    Living the Christian life that Paul calls us to live will lead to attacks from the devil. These attacks can come in various forms, such as numerous distractions or words from people that hurt us.  These attacks will destroy us if we are not prepared, hence Paul exhorts us to stand strong in the Lord by putting on the full armour of God. Will we put on the full armour of God? Pray that we will put on the full armour of God so that we can stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

    Sometimes different actions of people hurt us, they might say words that we find deeply offensive and hurting. May we see with the proper perspective that we are not fighting against flesh and blood or the person who said those words or did those actions, but we are fighting against the devil who is actively at work trying to tear us down and destroy us. Pray that God will help us see with fresh eyes that the devil is the mastermind behind all these hurtful actions and words.

reading for: 21 Aug

Psalm 34:15-22

Praising the Lord who delivers us

  • READ

    David wrote this psalm in the days where he was fleeing from King Saul. King Saul was out to kill him. David intended to seek refuge with Abimelech, the King of Gath. However, when he saw the response of the servants of the King of Gath, he was fearful and pretended to be a madman so that he could flee. (1 Samuel 21:10-15) This was a time in the life of David that he was fleeing for his life, the lowest of valley moments.

    However, David had a proper view of who God is and depended and trusted in the Lord. He saw the Lord as good and righteous and that the Lord is looking out for the righteous. (V15) The Lord takes care of the righteous and will punish the wicked. (V16) When the righteous comes to the Lord, David declares that the Lord will hear and deliver them out of all their afflictions. (V17-20) On the contrary, the wicked will be slain by the affliction. (V21) David says that the Lord is good and righteous, and he takes care of the righteous. He also will not let the guilty go unpunished. This is how David saw God and his character. In the midst of the turmoil that David was facing, David did not lose hope and doubt God. David was resolute that the Lord is good and he will deliver the righteous.

    David did not dwell in his fear but chose to praise the Lord who will deliver him. He knew the character of the Lord and chose to sing praises to the Lord.

  • REFLECT

    In the world, we face many challenging moments that may cause us to fear and doubt God. Let us remember the character of God, how he is good. God is good and righteous, he will deliver the righteous who call on him. He will at the same time not let the guilty go unpunished. Praise the Lord and remember the goodness of our Lord with the song “Goodness of God” by Bethel Music.

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