PENTECOST • 53

Who do we depend on in the midst of distress?

This week's readings invite us to look to Jesus, our high priest in the midst of distress.

TO ACCOMPANY YOUR LECTIONARY READINGS, LISTEN TO THIS SONGS WHILE YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:

reading for: 10 Nov

Mark 13:1-8

Depending on Jesus in the midst of distress

  • READ

Mark 13 is known by many as the olivet discourse, and it is recorded in Mark 13, Matthew 24-25, and Luke 21. Today we are examining the start of the olivet discourse as told by Mark.

Mark starts the scene with Jesus coming out of the temple and one of his disciples telling Jesus about the wonderful stones and the wonderful buildings. (V1) Considering that Jesus and his disciples were coming out of the temple, it is likely that the disciple was referring to the temple when he commented on the stones and the buildings. It is like a modern tour of a monument where we as tourists exclaim with amazement at the beauty of the monument.

How did Jesus respond to the remark given by the disciple? We might imagine that Jesus will agree that it is a great building full of beauty. Yet, this is not what Jesus said. Jesus said this in verse 2, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (V2) What Jesus was saying is that the buildings are great but that the temple will be destroyed. We can imagine how we would feel if we were leaving a monument after a tour, and being told this. We will probably think this person is crazy. Because for a monument to be destroyed is not something that we can easily imagine and that it would take a lot of evil to happen first. Similarly for the temple, it would be hard for any person to imagine that the temple will be destroyed.

Jesus then withdrew privately to the mount of olives where some of his closest disciples asked him, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” (V4) It is hard to imagine that “these things” is not referring to the destruction of the temple. The disciples wanted to know when it would happen and what would be the signs. Jesus then tells them that some signs would be many will come in his name and lead many astray (V5-6), wars and rumours of wars(V7), nation rising against nation (V8), earthquakes (V8) and famines (V8). Jesus calls this merely the beginning of birth pangs. (V8) In the next few verses that follows, Jesus warns them to be on their guard and remain faithful to him in the midst of persecution and that the gospel must be preached to all the nations. (V10-13)

History tells us that the destruction of the temple happened around 70 AD. This destruction took place in the context of war in Jerusalem where Jerusalem was conquered. Mark 13 contains Jesus’s warning to his disciples and that he wanted them to be on their guard and preach the gospel. Mark 13 may prophesise events that refer beyond 70 AD until the end of the world. It is fair to say that persecution, wars and rumours of wars exists in the modern world. This is a world that in the last 100 or so years has experienced two world wars. Earthquakes are also happening at a rapid rate. Persecution also exists in the modern world in varying forms. The point that Jesus makes to his disciples remains relevant in this modern world. Just like the disciples, we are to be on our guard in the midst of persecution and distress, so that we may stay faithful to Jesus. We are also to preach the gospel to all the nations.

  • REFLECT

The last two years have been years where we are facing the distress of the pandemic. Let us reflect and be on our guard in the midst of this distress so that we remain faithful, depend on and move with Jesus in the midst of the pandemic. Let us also heed his words to preach the gospel to all the nations starting with those around us.

Who is one person in your life that needs to hear and experience the gospel? Would you pray and ask for an opportunity this week to do that?

reading for: 11 Nov

Daniel 12:1-3

Jesus is the one who is control in the midst of distress

  • READ

    Daniel 12:1-3 follows after Daniel 11 which contains a series of world events full of wars and invasions. This culminates in Daniel 11:21-45 which describes a person who is initially not a king but eventually will be a king who is powerful and conquers many. He is a king that has his heart set against God and is exceedingly prideful. Most take this figure to be Antiochus Epiphanes who was a king in the second century BC who set his heart against God. However, this is likely not restricted to Antiochus Epiphanies but may refer beyond him to the end of the world. It can refer generally to any king or leader in the world who sets themselves against God and choose to rule with pride and arrogance. It refers to a time where the people of God will be persecuted and challenged to stand firm and remain faithful to God.

    Daniel 12:1 starts with “At that time” linking back to the verses that preceded it. It describes this time as a time of great trouble of enormous magnitude. However, God does not leave his people to worry for themselves, but he causes Michael, the great angel to arise who has charge over them and the text is emphatic that those who name are written in the book will be delivered. The key point to note is that Michael is just the agent of deliverance. It is not in Michael that we trust but in the one that sends Michael. God is the one that is control in the midst of the greatest distress.

    Daniel 12:2 speaks of the awakening of many who sleep in the dust of the earth. It is almost certain that this speaks of the people who are physically dead and their bodies lies in the grave. There will come a time where the resurrection will take place, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame. Daniel 12:3 continues with a promise that those who are wise and turn many to righteousness will shine brightly.

    Daniel 12:1-3 speaks of a time of great distress for the people of God, where they are facing great distress and persecution. This is a time where they must depend on God who is their deliverer. He is the one who sends Michael to deliver them. He is the one that will awaken those who are dead. He is the one that will cause the righteous to awaken to everlasting life and shine brightly. He is the one that we must depend on and stand firm in.

  • REFLECT

    In the world today, we face various levels and forms of distress and persecution where the people of God are challenged to remain firm and depend on God.

    Are you going through a distressing time now? Do you feel tempted to fight your way out of it or give up?

    Pray that we will remain faithful to God and learn to see that he is the one that is control of the various situations and he will deliver us from these situations in his timing.

reading for: 12 Nov

Hebrews 10:11-25

Responding to Jesus our High Priest

  • READ

    For the past few Fridays, we have been looking at the book of Hebrews and how it describes Jesus as our high priest. Today, we continue and deepen our understanding of Jesus our high priest.

    Our passage today starts in Hebrews 10:11 which reminds us of the priest in the nation of Israel, how they had to stand and offer daily sacrifices. These sacrifices are the same and repeated. If this sacrifices could actually work, that would still be acceptable, but the author of Hebrews tells us that this sacrifices could never take away sin. Verse 12 to 14 speaks of Jesus as the high priest as offering a single sacrifice one time for sins, sitting down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until the enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. The contrast between this two types of priest is clear. Jesus offers a single sacrifice which takes away sin and hence his work is completed. So he sits down at the right hand of God. The priest in the nation of Israel however never completes his work and hence never sits down.

    The passage then continues with the Holy Spirit bearing witness to us by the author of Hebrews quoting a passage from Jeremiah 31:33-34. Jeremiah speaks of the new covenant and how God will put his laws or our hearts and write them on our minds, remembering our sins no more. Our sins truly have been forgiven by the one sacrifice of Jesus, there is no longer any need for repeated offering of sacrifice.

    Hebrews 10:19-25 contains the application and response to the previous few verses that we have just read and the passages from the previous Fridays. The author provides the application and response with three let us statements. Firstly, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. “(V22) Secondly, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (V23) Thirdly, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. “

  • REFLECT

    Over the past few weeks, we have reflected on what it means for Jesus to be our high priest. The author of Hebrews offers three points of application which we should spend some time to reflect on.

    Firstly, have we drawn near to him with a true heart, with a heart that is sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water? Or are our bodies and hearts far from him?

    Secondly, have we held fast the confession of our hope without wavering? Do we even know what this hope is? Are we wavering and ignorant of what this hope is?

    Thirdly, have we stirred each other up to love and good works? Do we bring encouragement to each other in our LG and inspire each other to move with Christ in good works? Do we neglect to meet and encourage each other?

    Reflect and share with your LG on this points of application and reflection. Pray for and encourage each other to draw near to him. Stir each other up to love and good works.

reading for: 13 Nov

Psalm 16

Depending on Jesus

  • READ

    Psalm 16 is a psalm of David in which David takes refuge in the Lord.

    David starts by declaring his trust in the Lord and asking the Lord to preserve him. (V1) He declares that, “You are my Lord;” I have no good apart from you.”(V2) He is saying that he fully depends on the Lord and that apart from him, there is no good.

    David declares that the Lord is his portion and his cup, and that his lot is in the hands of the Lord. The lines have fallen for him in pleasant places, and indeed he has a beautiful inheritance. (V5-6) David is a person that has placed his trust in the Lord and he knows that with the Lord, there is good. Without the Lord there is no good.

    David sets the Lord continually before him, blessing the Lord that gives him counsel. Because he depends on the Lord, he will not be shaken. (V7-8) David also speaks of the Lord making known to him the path of life and how in his presence there is fullness of joy. (V11)

    In this psalm, we see David depending on the Lord. David takes refuge in the Lord and know that with the Lord, there will be life and joy. Without the Lord, there is nothing good. The life of David is in the hands of the Lord.

  • REFLECT

    Reflect on the words of this psalm. May we personalise the words and heart of this psalm by making this psalm of David our own.

    Will we depend and trust on Jesus to be the provider of life and joy? Will we come to him and ask him to help us to depend on him and trust him?

Season of PentecostCNL