Human Praise

Posted on by korgrocker

“But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.”
“Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.”
John 12:37, 42-43 NLT

So John records that many people believed in Jesus although most didn’t.  There would have been a third category as well – those sitting on the fence, not sure whether to believe in Jesus or not. But essentially, these would have been people included in the “most didn’t believe” category. Today we call the fence-sitters agnostics, people who aren’t sure whether or not God exists, and so they make no effort to find out the truth. I was once an agnostic, a “fence-sitter”, until I found myself working next to an evangelical atheist, a member of the British Humanist Society, and I was so appalled by his fatalistic world view of life, totally devoid of hope, that I hurriedly got off the fence and searched for Jesus. Thankfully, He found me and He has been my Friend and Redeemer ever since.

John recorded that the Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus kept quiet about it, for fear of being thrown out of their synagogues. Synagogues were more than religious buildings. They were the centre of their society, impacting social, family, religious, and business relationships; so to be excommunicated would have been a disaster for them in many ways. But John was a bit scathing about these people, recording that “they loved human praise more than the praise of God.” Then and now, to “come out” as a believer in God will impact our lives. Christians today are reviled and abused for their faith, and many will prefer to down play and even deny their faith, to avoid problems. They too followed in the ways of the Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus. 

Jesus taught much about the importance of being His witnesses. We have the account in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”. There is a well-used question often asked at rallies and similar gatherings – “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven”. Something believers do is to be salt and light in their communities, publicly acknowledging Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Some years ago, a next door neighbour who had recently moved into the house, asked where we went as a family every Sunday morning. We told her of course, and she joined us soon after, attending the same church as we did.  People around us notice what we do and how we do it, probably more than we either think or expect.

Those who love human praise rather than God’s praise put themselves in a dangerous place before God. Jesus was scathing about such people in the Laodicean church and he said, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16).

We pilgrims are not lukewarm people, though, are we? At every opportunity we lift up the name of Jesus, declaring His Lordship and love. Yes, the response might not be ideal, and lead to someone’s conversion, but we chip away at the forces of darkness holding people back and blinding their senses, in prayer and word. The Holy Spirit will step in and bring about a miracle whenever He can.

Father God. We thank You for saving grace and love. Amen.

The Incarnation

Posted on by korgrocker

”So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son”.
John 1:14

Every year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Nativity plays in the Sunday schools. The Baby in a manger scenes. Decorated churches and Christmas trees. But the greatest event the world has ever seen has been swamped by materialism. John’s few words, “So the Word became human and made his home among us” was a statement so profound that most people, then and now, missed it. Maudling sentimentality at best. Ignoring it ever happened the worst. And the devil is having a field day, doing what he does best, corrupting and distorting the event of a virgin peasant girl in her early teens giving birth to the Son of God. A recent media story was of a church nativity play where a priest played the part of Joseph and Jesus had two mothers. Sometimes, we wonder if some of our church leaders even read the Bible, God’s Word, at all.

But enough of looking at the negatives. God isn’t fazed by the excesses of sinful man, and He knows that the devil is a defeated foe. Isaiah, through a prophecy given to him by the Holy Spirit, wrote, ”All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)” (Isaiah 7:14). And hundreds of years later this event really happened, just as God revealed it to Isaiah. The events around that “sign” weren’t recorded in John’s Gospel, but the details can be found in Luke’s. John went on to say that the human Word “was full of unfailing love and faithfulness”. Other translations record “full of grace and truth”. Love, faithfulness, grace and truth. We could go on listing the attributes of our wonderful God. God’s plan for the salvation of the human race started in humble ways, through which the Creator experienced what it was like to live as one of His created beings. And all the way to Calvary He loved and blessed those He came into contact with. 

Words cannot express enough our response to our wonderful God. Those of us pilgrims who have ourselves seen a glimpse of His glory, can only fall down onto our knees in worship. Grateful hearts fumbling inadequate words from our mumbling mouths. But we need to pause often to gaze upon the incarnate Jesus. He came to show us the way to eternal life with God, and we follow in His footsteps, day by day. 

Dear Lord Jesus. In deep gratitude we worship You today, the God who came to Planet Earth to bring the Good News right to our doors. Amen.

The Weak in Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.”
Romans 14:1 NLT

We are all at different stages in our Christian lives. In a functioning fellowship there will be some who are the elder statesmen and women, who have lived the Christian life for many years. But there will be others who are spiritual toddlers, taking their first steps bravely into a new world. Of course, those who have been journeying in the faith for many years will have advice for the baby Christians. In fact, the Bible encourages it. 

But you will perhaps notice my use of the word “functioning”. Sadly, so many of our church fellowships are populated by older people, and the family life they should represent lacks the younger people, teenagers, and children. In fact, some of our churches seem to be more like departure lounges at an airport. The Church of Jesus Christ is not supposed to be like that but, thankfully, it isn’t. There are many vibrant and active, Bible-believing, fellowships in the UK, and elsewhere in the Western countries. Jesus said He would build His church, and He is doing just that.

A church family, made up of people of all ages, physical and spiritual, is a lively and exciting place to be. Multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic, families combine to demonstrate the rich nature of life in Christ. But inevitably there is a clash sometimes, and Paul addressed that problem in his writings that we consider today. At the point of making a decision to follow Christ, the Holy Spirit will start to gently expose the new Christian to what is right and wrong. For example, people who smoke usually, sooner or later, come to realise that it might not be fully compliant with how Christians behave, even though there is no specific guidance in the Bible. This realisation might take just a few weeks or months, or might never happen, but there will always be those who are quick to point out the problem of addiction to tobacco. In Paul’s day there was the issue of foods offered to idols. Some thought it perfectly acceptable to eat such food. Others didn’t. We need to remember that in our Christian journeys, the Holy Spirit fine-tunes a growth package just for us individually, and the interference from other Christians can get in the way.

In the fellowship family life, there are roles for everyone, and Paul gave some good advice in his epistle to Titus about how, for example, older women should help those younger. “These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God” (Titus 2:4-5). In that culture, internet and Google-free as it was, principles of parenting and family life were shared and encouraged in a church setting. The next verse in Titus involves younger men, “In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely” (Titus 2:6). 

But in all of this Paul gave a warning. He said, “don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong”. There is a fine line, a balance, between encouraging and arguing. We need the Holy Spirit to help us discern issues and help each other to overcome them. I was very fortunate to be born again into a church where the pastor very patiently helped me through my first early steps in the faith, and I was never conscious of other more mature Christians arguing with me. But that may not be the case with everyone. Personally, I was helped most by conversation that piggy-backed on a normal task, like car maintenance, or mixing concrete. Decorating a room, or some such activity as that. A conversation is much more effective than a confrontation. And the best way to help those who Paul called “weak in faith” is by example.

The final arbiter for right or wrong comes from the Bible, with interpretive assistance from the Holy Spirit. The act of loving and nurturing each other is something that sets Christians apart from all other religions. And the bond that builds between us is a bridge over which God can often deliver the help that we all need from time to time.

Dear Father God. We thank You that because of all the love that You have poured out upon us we can love one another. Please help us to build each other up and not tear others down. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Dark and Dirty Deeds

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armour of right living.”
Romans 13:11-12 NLT

Paul was writing here to the Christians in Rome. These were people who had been through much for their faith – it wasn’t easy being different in the culture of the first century AD. But Paul felt the need to write to them about the way they were living, because he was expecting the return of Jesus imminently. He compared the period in which they were living as “night”, a time period of blackness followed by the dawn. 

Here in the UK there is not a sudden transition from night to day. The sky starts to lighten in the East, and objects around us become less indistinct. A couple of years ago I was standing on the foreshore of a Scottish fishing village just South of Aberdeen, watching the sun rise. The sky was clear and the hint of a beautiful dawn was followed by the appearance of the sun. It rose over the horizon as a large red disc that gradually but perceptibly rose above the sea. It was an almost magical moment and one shared with appreciative early morning walkers.

But when Jesus appears there will be a sudden transition from the “night” of His absence to the “day” of His arrival. We read in Luke 17:24, “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes”. Jesus won’t appear gradually, giving people time to sort out their lives. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever”. We get a picture of the sudden appearance of Jesus accompanied by “a commanding shout”, “lightning flashes” and the “trumpet call of God”. It will be an awesome experience, accompanied by some strange happenings as believers appear from wherever they had been buried, land or sea, coffins or urns, followed by those who are still alive finding themselves being “caught up in the clouds”. And as Jesus comes, He will be met by this huge gathering of His people, who “will be with the Lord forever”. A fairy story? Many may think so, but at their peril. Paul believed it would happen this way because He received a direct revelation from the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15, “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died” (emphasis mine).

So Paul warned his friends in Rome about what was to come, telling them to get their lives sorted out. He compared their behaviour as being like “dirty clothes”. A graphic illustration of how we must look to God. Would we behave as we do if we really thought God was looking on? Imagine turning up to a wedding wearing old and dirty clothes covered in paint and oil! In John’s Revelation, he quoted Jesus, who said, “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed” (Revelation 16:15).

But then we remember His grace, and His offer of cleansing power through Jesus, constantly available to us. After David’s disastrous encounter with Bathsheba, where he broke several commandments all on the same day, we read his Psalm of contrition. he wrote, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). We desperately need to allow God to cleanse us from all our sins, and he will, as we repent and turn from our “dark deeds”.

We have a choice about the way we live. God’s way or the wrong way. Which way will we choose? There is no time for complacency. “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here“.

Father. We thank You for Your patience with us. We pray today for more of Your cleansing love and grace, removing the soil and dirt that so easily sticks to us from the societies in which we live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Love One Another

Posted on by korgrocker

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law.”
Romans 13:8-10 NLT

In these days of mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other forms of debt, this verse, at least at first sight, would seem to be a problem. Was Paul saying that we should save our money so that we can pay in advance for what we need without taking out any form of a loan? If he was in fact saying this then we Christians would be unable to live in our societies in the same way as our neighbours. 

In my Christian life I have been taught that we should always be able to pay our financial debts should that be necessary. In other words, we should be able to realise the equity in our possessions to clear the debts. But that principle needs to be overlaid and reconciled with the basic needs of life, such as a roof over our heads. Paul had already dealt with the need to pay taxes in the previous verses in Romans 13, and this should also be applied to our “taxes” of interest payments when we need to borrow money.

But perhaps “owe nothing to anyone” is more concerned with spiritual debts, particularly the debt of loving God and each other. When asked about which commandment was the greatest, we can read Jesus’ reply in Mark 12:29-31, “Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these””. Paul wrote that it is our love for our neighbour that is the only significant debt. 

The old Apostle John, the disciple who was probably the closest to Jesus, had a heart so soft that he couldn’t stop writing about the love of God. I can just picture him, with tears in his eyes, writing, “Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:7-8). The word “love” appears over nine times in the next chapter where we read, “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23).

The message we pilgrims must glean from the years since Jesus died is the importance of loving one another. Paul wrote that it is a debt so strong that it is not an option, and it will never be repaid in this life. We go on loving, and loving, knowing that we are doing is what Jesus exampled and commanded. 

Dear Father. We confess our love for You this morning. Please help us find opportunities to love those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revenge

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.””
Romans 12:19-20 NLT

Paul follows on from his previous theme of not responding to evil with more evil. He warns his readers that they should never take revenge, instead leaving room for God to deal with the perpetrators of evil. It should be noted that God will get angry with them, as He does with all sinners. And He has promised to deal with these evildoers. 

Paul quoted two Scriptures in the verses from Romans 12 . The first is from Deuteronomy 32:34-35, “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things, sealing them away in my treasury? I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them’”. God may not deal with those who commit evil acts straight away, even though we might want Him to, but He has promised to take a careful note and put it somewhere safe in His “treasury”. There is no escape for those who commit evil acts, because one day they will have to account for their behaviour. No deed ever committed will go unpunished. So that crime committed against an old lady, for example, that roused such indignation in the community, will catch up with the perpetrator one day. The books being stored in God’s “treasury” will one day be opened and the video of what really happened will be replayed before everyone. Imagine the shame! But, worse, will come the verdict – Guilty! 

Some people struggle with the thought that God gets angry. Well, Jesus did. Not often but we read in Mark 3:5, “He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored”. Jesus was angry with the irrational and misguided responses of the Pharisees in the synagogue, but note that, although He had the power to zap them on the spot, He moved on and healed a man with a withered hand. Those Pharisees were in for trouble, because God made a note of their evil response to His Son. Jesus was angry, yet in His anger He didn’t sin. 

The second Old Testament Paul quoted came from Provers 25:21-22, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you”. How does that work? In God’s Kingdom, there are a different set of rules applying. Whereas in our earthly kingdoms, our enemies will be locked up, and their malevolent intentions suppressed, in God’s Kingdom, we citizens treat our enemies with respect and compassion. We provide them with the basics of life, food and water, and show them kindness when none is deserved. That’s hard! It goes against everything we feel inside. But that is what God has asked us to do. Imagine a world where every evil act received such a kind, loving and compassionate response. There wouldn’t be much evil remaining for long. 

There is a battle raging against Christians in the West, around the gender ideologies. And the proponents of this evil want to close the churches who resist their wayward demands, demands that are in direct conflict with what the Bible says. We could join or organise the marches, the rallies, and write angry banners, or we could pray for them with compassion for their confusion. We gently make our views known to our politicians, expounding the love that we have. And as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:8b, “ … for love covers a multitude of sins”. I know that this verse was meant for Christians, but the principle remains. 

Paul wrote that there was a partnership between God and His followers. We respond to evil well and without sin. He will bring the punishment on those who sin against us. That is God’s way, and, by following it, we will truly conquer the evil that is so prevalent in our communities and nations. Small steps accumulate. Short prayers are answered. And we pilgrims will one day experience the reward promised us. 

Dear God. You promised to deal with evildoers. That takes a lot of pressure from us, because we don’t have to. Thank You. Amen.

Love and Hate

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Paul wanted to see no false love between the Roman Christians. He made the point that they should “really love” each other. The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, implored his readers to love each other too. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). And he reminds them that sins can be mitigated by loving each other, covering over their impact by a loving response of forgiveness. Peter, of all the Apostles, knew what deep love means. After denying Him three times, Jesus took the initiative and restored the relationship between them, the discourse recorded in John 21.

Paul could see that wrong things – behaviour, attitudes and sin in general – could destroy the relationship between those early Christians, hence his reminder to them that they should avoid doing, or being part of, anything that was wrong because it would potentially destroy them and their fellowship. Paul went even further, strongly emphasising that avoiding wrong was not enough. He implored them to “hate” anything that was even tainted by what was “wrong”. But what is “wrong”? How would we define that? I suppose, as some have found helpful, we could imagine God standing with us as we go about our daily lives. Would He approve of what we are doing, or watching, or saying? Is our behaviour sinful? Hmmm…

The Bible advises believers to hate anything to do with evil, and the writer of Proverbs lists a few. It is a sobering situation when we apply these to life today. Proverbs 6:16-19, “There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family“. Some of these things that the Lord hates are easier to imagine than others. For example, telling lies is obviously wrong. Plotting an evil deed shouldn’t happen. But one thing that grieves me deeply is the practice of abortion, the killing of “the innocent”. In England and Wales nearly one in four pregnancies result in a termination. And I shudder to think of the consequences for those whose “hands” are involved.

But we pilgrims should strive to do good, not letting any possibility pass us by. Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians the following, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (Galatians 6:10). We look out for ways in which we can bless those around us, and not just our fellow believers. The old lady next door might need someone to do some shopping or a practical repair in her home. A meal cooked and shared. A kind word to someone struggling with depression. We must be proactive in looking out for opportunities. It’s all about developing a mindset where doing good to others becomes a way of life to us. Matthew 5:16 records what Jesus said, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father“. Of course we remember that we are not saved by good works but saved for good works. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago“. 

So we do good and hate evil. A strategy in which we grow in our Christian faith, day by day.

Dear God. Please help us to discern when we are in danger of falling into evil ways. Lead us, we pray, in the ways of goodness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Loving Others

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Paul takes another breath, pausing while he thinks about what comes next, following his Holy Spirit inspired thoughts about the motivational gifts. We can almost see him with his pen held above the parchment, ink ready to flow. The Holy Spirit prompts his thoughts towards love. Loving others. In his mind is, perhaps, the memory of the strife in Rome, between the Jewish and Gentile believers. And he writes that they should love each other. And not just outwardly, with a false sense of going through the motions, but with real love, coming from deep within them.

This is a theme that he returned to several times in his letters. He wrote the much quoted section in 1 Corinthians 13 about the qualities of love, and how it should be applied. He wasn’t talking about a “what’s in it for me” sort of love. Rather a love that desires the other person’s highest good. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 bears repeating here, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”. Paul sets out a measure against which we can gauge our success in loving. How patient are we with our husbands or wives? Do we get irritable with them? Do we remember those times when our partners wronged us, failing to forgive and forget, but instead bringing up the issue at every opportunity? Do we get jealous when someone we know and love achieves something that we wish we had achieved? Hmmm…

Jesus taught His disciples the importance of loving each other. We read in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. Jesus gave His disciples, and us, by implication because we are His disciples too, a commandment to love each other. Such an act will make the world notice us, but, sadly, the strife that so publicly marks differences between Christians tells a different story. Bigotry rears its ugly head frequently in our societies, bringing disrepute to the Christian faith. Inter-denominational rivalries overflow into secular and sectarian environments, and, here in Scotland, even to football matches.

We pilgrims are founded on love. God so loved us that He sent Jesus, so that He could lavish His love on us in Heaven. A sobering yet joyous thought. One which we can only respond to on our knees as we thank Him for His merciful love.

Dear Father God. Please forgive us when we dwell on the differences between us rather than the parts of our faith that bind us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Showing Kindness

Posted on by korgrocker

“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Romans 12:6-8 NLT

The last of the seven motivational spiritual gifts is the “gift for showing kindness to others”. Other translations refer to this as the gift of mercy. Someone who shows mercy has detected in another person spiritual or emotional needs that others may overlook. We are all very good, most of the time, in covering up what we really feel. So as we walk through the church door on a Sunday morning, we might be asked the usual question – “How are you today?” To which we respond – “Fine”. The questioner doesn’t know that there may be turmoil within us. We may be worried about all sorts of things but to stop at that point and explain why we’re not “Fine” isn’t an option. It would just exacerbate the situation, at least for us. So we adopt a cheery demeanour and push back. The mask holds firm.

But someone with the Holy Spirit gift of mercy has been given a divine insight into the deep and hidden needs of the other person. So they won’t be put off by the “fine” response and will choose a moment when they can show the kindness and love the other person needs. A merciful person won’t be put off by a prickly response. Also, they will always be kind to the underdog, to someone who is different in some way. 

Jesus taught that we should show mercy to our enemies. Luke 6:35-36, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Now that is hard. Show mercy to someone who wants to harm you? But as Jesus said, we have a Heavenly Father who shows kindness to the “ungrateful and wicked”. But isn’t that what we were? Did He not show us kindness when we were far away from Him, living a life of sin? When we deserved punishment did He not mercifully forgive us through Jesus and His sacrifice at Calvary? A merciful person will have a different perspective when confronted by images of our enemies because they will see them as God sees them – with kindness and mercy.

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”. The implication is that as we are merciful to others, we too will somehow receive mercy, and blessings. James developed this theme, as recorded in James 2:12-13, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you”. It looks as though acts of mercy are not optional, if we wish to be shown mercy ourselves.

We pilgrims are followers of Jesus. And he was the kindest and most merciful man who has ever existed. We walk in His footsteps, praying for the right opportunities to be merciful to others, and praying for the Holy Spirit to work within us, enhancing and transforming our merciful thoughts and deeds. 

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You for all You have done, and still continue to do, for us. In these brutal and unloving days, please help us to reflect Your love and kindness to those around us. Amen.

Judging

Posted on by korgrocker

“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.”
Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT

How often in our lives have we called out to God, asking Him to do something about the wicked? We think, if only God would destroy these totalitarian rulers in places like China, Russia or Iran. Or closer to home, what about that drug dealer, who causes so much misery? We cry out to God, that He would help the Police catch the burglar who beat up an old lady gratuitously while robbing her home. The Bible too contains cries and pleas to God about the wicked. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 104:35a, “Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever…”. And Psalm 139:19, “O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!”

But there’s a problem. Paul wrote a few words in Romans 3:23 that go like this, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”. So if everyone is wicked anyway, why should God restrict His judgement and punishment for those people over there but not the ones over here? If the pass mark for an exam is 50%, and one person achieves 49% while another only gets 20%, there is no difference with the outcome – both people have failed the exam. As others have said, God has no favourites and the ground at the foot of the Cross is level ground. What is there about human beings, that faults, sins, and problems can all be seen in other people but we can’t see them in ourselves? Why should we pilgrims try and take the moral high ground when we are also under God’s judgement.

Jesus taught about judging others in His Sermon on the Mount. We read His words in Matthew 7:1-2, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged”. Paul also pointed out to his Roman friends that Christians are particularly at fault, because they know the difference between right and wrong. An unbeliever can have the, albeit weak, excuse that they didn’t know God and His requirements. But not a Christian.

However, knowing what we should do, and doing it are two different things. I was reminded the other day about a personal lapse. A friend was severely afflicted with the cold virus and I showed him little sympathy. A week later I was displaying the same symptoms and feeling quite sorry for myself. I didn’t get much sympathy either, but my wife reminded me of my attitude the week before. Perhaps, judging my friend’s response to his cold ended up with me being judged with the same criteria I used. Hmmm…

We pilgrims need to take into account seriously what Jesus said. Judging mankind is God’s prerogative, not ours. The Apostle James echoed Jesus’ words, as we read in James 2:12-13, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you”. Instead of judging others, we must show them mercy. In 1 Peter 4:17, Peter wrote, “For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?” Our mercy must displace any feelings of judgement we might hold. It’s a counter-cultural response. When the world shouts judgement, we shout mercy. When the world condemns, we see a person who has lost their way. When the world lashes out, we embrace and show the love of God. When the world rejects the unlovely, we accept and invite them to join us on our journey to Eternal Life. We have the Good News that far surpasses all the Bad News the world can produce.

Dear Father God. What can we say but “thank You”. Your love prevails. Please help us to win others for You, so that they too will escape the verdict that leads to an eternal death. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

‭‭