THE LORD SPOKE (March 02)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Numbers 18-19

Tom Sawyer got others to paint the fence for him by elevating it to a position of honor. God, without employing any shade of deception, lets us know that it is an honor to serve Him. To Aaron He said, “I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.” (Num. 18:7). This is a reminder that it is a high calling and privilege to serve the Lord.

There was a great deal of responsibility that came with the job. Already two of Aaron’s sons had been struck dead because of their presumption in offering unauthorized fire before the Lord (Lev. 10). In other words, they weren’t free to make things up as they went. They were required to follow the instructions precisely. The physical work load itself was daunting so God had given Aaron the Levites as helpers (Num. 3:9; 18:6) but with clear instructions as to their duties - how far they were to go and exactly where they were not to tread.

In both cases, priests and Levites were made to understand that their service to the Lord was a privilege. It was a gift from Him to be allowed to minister in such a way.

It still is! We may no longer have animal sacrifices or other aspects of the priestly services but it is still true that those who serve the Lord are privileged to do so. And it is still true that God grants that special privilege to some and not to others. As Paul, by inspiration, said:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.... (Eph. 4:11)

True, their job is to equip all the saints for works of service (Eph. 4:12). And, true, we are all a nation of priests (I Pet. 2:9). As such, every believer has certain rights and privileges. But, more importantly, he has certain responsibilities for service, not to be taken lightly. Today’s NT reading is a good reminder of that. Jesus’ parable of the servant’s responsibility (Lk. 17:7-10) enjoins us to not forget the duty side of our job.

But the truth remains, not everyone is called to be a servant at the same level. Tom Sawyer wasn’t so far off. It’s an elevated honor that comes with a bended-knee task.


New Testament: Luke 17

Jesus loves the little children. Several times already in this gospel that has been emphasized. Now (Lk. 17:1-3) He cautions against doing anything that might cause one of them to sin.

The similar passage in Mark 10 is placed in Capernaum. That setting makes Jesus’ reference to a millstone (Lk. 17:2) very vivid. One of the industries employed by the people of Capernaum was the production of millstones. Perched as they were on a basaltic sill, the raw material was readily available for the manufacture of basalt grindstones. Limestone, the primary stone found everywhere in the country, was not good for grindstones because it continually produced grit in the pancakes and pita. But basalt is excellent for the job and, to this day, archaeologists find an abundance of basalt grindstones at Capernaum - evidence of their trade in this area.

So, when Jesus has a child, a grindstone, and the Sea of Galilee close at hand, no one had to imagine much to visualize what He was talking about. Even the small millstones weighed 30+ pounds and would successfully resist any flotation efforts a swimmer might make. The larger millstones which were also produced at Capernaum, weighed well over 200 pounds.

That’s how much Jesus loves the little children. Be careful, He says, that your words or your example does not hurt one of them in any way. In practical terms, what can/should we do in this area?

1. Find a child that you can encourage and help to grow. Work hard to earn his trust. Make sure he breaks into a big smile every time he sees you or hears your name.
2. Listen to what a child says. Encourage him to talk to you. Get down on his level so he’s not talking to your kneecap.
3. Play with a child. Read a book. Draw a picture. Let him explain his drawing to you. Roll on the floor with him.
4. Tell a child about God - how He made the white hailstones, or the pretty blue sky, or that little hand with five perfect fingers.
5. Touch a child. Let him feel your tender embrace. Give that little hand a gentle squeeze. Hold him on your lap and sing him a song.
6. Go for a walk and carry him piggy-back. Stop and smell a flower together along the way. Let him see that an adult isn’t just a big hulk that barks out orders all the time.

Jesus loved the little children. You can do no better.

THE LORD SPOKE (January 30)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 20-21

“Truth is not a polite tap on the shoulder, it is a howling reproach. What Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai were not the Ten Suggestions - they are Commandments. Are, not were. The sheer beauty of the commandments is that they codify in a handful of words acceptable human behavior, not just for then or now but for all time.” - Ted Koppel

Are we right in separating the Ten Commandments from the rest of the Mosaic Covenant given at Mt. Sinai? It’s certainly true that it came as a package deal. The remainder of the book of Exodus is an amplification of these ten commandments. In fact, so is Leviticus. Deuteronomy also is a repetition of the same code with further clarifications. The remainder of the Old Testament continues to do so.

But so does the New Testament. Every one of the ten commandments is repeated in the New Testament, with the exception of the one regarding the Sabbath and even it comes in another form. The Sermon on the Mount is a commentary on the Ten Commandments with a reordering and a strong reiteration of them. There’s good evidence that the answers Paul gives to the Corinthians are structured mainly on the Ten Commandments.

Yes, these ten can be set in a category different from the rest because:

1. God himself wrote them the first time on stone tablets.
2. They were accompanied by special revelation - most notably, the ineffable Name (Ex. 3:13-14; 6:3).
3. They were kept separately inside the Ark of the Covenant - which was always in front of the people and the first in any line.
4. They were kept in the most central position in both the Tabernacle and the Temple, inside the Holy of Holies and underneath the Mercy Seat.
5. All synagogues since the Babylonian period (i.e. throughout the New Testament period) have given them prominence.

The Ten Commandments continue to be essential for us to understand and to “use the Law properly” (I Tim. 1:8) because:

• they display the holiness of God and identify the standard of holiness required to have fellowship with Him (I Pet. 1:15-16 - “be ye holy for I am holy”)
• they identify sin (Rom. 7:7 - “I would not have known sin...”)
• they condemn sinners (II Cor. 3:6f)
• they point man to the holiness of Messiah, our Savior (Gal. 3:14 - “a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ”)
• they motivate us to obedience and praise

They are not now nor have they ever been the means to obtain salvation or a good standing with God. But they have always been a revelation of God’s holy character and of His just and righteous standard. Only through Jesus Christ is man enabled to keep these commandments in a way that is acceptable to God.


New Testament: Mark 2

You need to have a good Bible atlas beside you when you read the Gospel of Mark. He likes to say things like “they went to the other side” when referring to movements around the Sea of Galilee. If you don’t start in the right spot or if you miss a step, you can find yourself turned around, not knowing where you are.

One helpful directional anchor is the town of Capernaum. Matthew (9:1) tells us that Jesus made it “his own town” and Mark (2:1) calls it “home” for Jesus. It’s the center of Jesus ministry around the lake and frequently the site of miracles and significant events. Usually when we find Jesus walking beside the Sea of Galilee, it’s in the vicinity of Capernaum - see, for example, Mark 1:16 with vs. 23 and Mark 2:1 with vs. 13.

While we most often associate Capernaum with fishing and fishermen, being located right on a political border between Herod Antipas’ and Herod Philip’s territory, Capernaum was also a tax town. Matthew (aka Levi ben-Alphaeus in Mk. 2:14) had his toll booth set up there. On one occasion, Jesus spotted him at his collection agency and simply said, “Follow me.” Just as simply, “Levi got up and followed him” (2:14).

Simply? Hardly that. How many accountants have you known that could walk away from their sharpened pencils and log books? Matthew’s actions might be even more striking than that of the fishermen who left their boats to follow Jesus. In both cases, it involved leaving behind their source of livelihood to follow an Unknown.

What comes next is also striking. Matthew organizes an evangelistic dinner party for his friends and co-workers with Jesus as the guest speaker. While others criticized the motley crowd of the Crooked Business Bureau, the Son of God sat down to an enjoyable evening with them. Did they play some numbers games? Were the place mats a Sudoku challenge? Maybe they shared some good lawyer jokes around the table.

But Jesus saw clearly the needs around that table. They were people who were sick and hurting. They needed the balm and healing of the Great Physician. You may be sure - He didn’t miss the opportunity that night to address their deepest need. They were sinners in need of a Righteousness not their own.

How about you? Do you have some neighbors or colleagues at work that need an invitation to your house for just such a party?