“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
TO PONDER
I think it's funny that we dedicate one day a year to both our father's and mothers in which we are supposed to express our gratitude and thanks for all that the have done for us. I recognise that this may be more in some cases than in others. Now being both a son and a father with some older and somewhat independent children, I have to be honest, I'm disappointed when they fail to thank me or their mother for the little things that we do every sing day. Things like provide and cook meals, earn an income and pay all the bills, drive them around to all their after school activities...I could go on but if you want the rest of the list, I'm sure you could ask my kids.
Then a bible passage like today's verse comes along and puts me back in my place. Because there are days when I simply want to complain at God and I fail to recognise or give thanks simply for the fact on my existence, because it is only by his good pleasure that I have breath in my lungs and am standing here as a living and breathing person who has been invited into a personal relationship with the God who creates and sustains all things. I feel like a hypocrite.
What I hope this verse remind you of, as it reminded me, are two things. First, Yes we call Jesus brother and friend, but he is also the Word of God made flesh through whom all creation was spoken into being. By all means approach Jesus wit confidence, but remember that you are not just approaching your next door neighbour, you are approaching the God of all creation...and Second, it is God who sustains us. When I find myself stressed out because I haven't managed to do the grocery shopping and Feel like everything depends on me, there's a good chance I've taken on more than God intended. Turn back to him, in praise and thanksgiving for all he does for you every day and see if you can put some of that load back in his hands where it belongs.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise that we can come to you when we are tired and overloaded and that you will give us rest. Please help me to trust more completely your abundant love and provision for me and to never stop thanking and praising you for all you have done for me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
TO PONDER
I have to confess, that this whole 'worship scene' is one of my favourite parts of the book of Revelation. It's passages like this, and the one we'll look at tomorrow, that remind me that I am not just a person out on my own trying to follow Jesus and give glory to God, but that I have been joined to all of God's people, together with strange heavenly creatures who together bring constant praise and worship to God.
For me this is a very comforting thought about worship for two reasons.
Firstly, it reminds me that even when I feel like the rest of the world around me has given up on listening to or acknowledging God and it seems that I'm basically the only one trying to do what is right, and when I feel that my little individual attempts to bear witness to Jesus and share him with the world couldn't possibly make a difference, that this is not actually true. I may not know who all the other Christians are and what they are doing for Jesus but this picture from Revelation reminds me that there are many people just like me struggling to figure out how to bring glory to God in this world and that through us together as God's people united in worship of the one who gave himself for us, there is nothing that our God can't do.
Second is that when I don't feel much like praising or worshipping God, I can be encouraged and lifted up by the worship of others. This is why regular gathering with other people of faith is so important. It might begin with church on Sunday but it is also meeting in LifeGroups for Bible study, catching up with a friend for coffee, encouragement and prayer. If you have ever been in a large arena sized worship event, I think you will understand what I mean; there is something powerful that draws you in when you are surrounded by hundreds or thousands of believers whose focus in that moment is bringing praise and glory to God. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.
So I guess my encouragement for us all as we think about worship today is to not limit our experience of worship to an individual devotional life of communion with God. You should absolutely pursue that as a thing, but why not also look for ways that you can gather together with others outside of Sunday morning and bring your praise and worship of God to him together.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you are the the lamb who was slain, the one who is, who was and who is to come. Thank you that you have given me the gift of fellowship not only with you but with your people across all time and space and that I have the joy and privilege of adding my voice to the eternal song of your praise and glory for all you have done for me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might
TO PONDER
For those of you who didn't hear the whole reading from 2 Samuel chapter six at church on Sunday, this is King David's reaction to bringing the ark of the covenant (the visible sign of God promise and presence with his people) into the city of Jerusalem.
Some of those watching King David and his entourage enter the city like this were upset at the 'undignified' way their King was behaving. They didn't think it was appropriate for the King to act so 'foolishly' in front of the people.
Part of David's response to that criticism, if you'll allow me to paraphrase, went something like this, "I wasn't dancing before the people, I was dancing before the Lord"
Sometimes, I think that we can fall into the trap of worrying about what others might think when it comes to expressing our joy at what God has done for us. Maybe you have kept quiet about your church attendance when the Monday morning office talk turns to what you all did on the weekend. Maybe you have seen some incredible act of divine intervention in someone's life, maybe even your own, and just wanted to exclaim, 'Praise the Lord!' but have notice those around you and decided that you had better not because you might upset them. Maybe you have wanted to raise your hands or clap along during a song in church but have decided against it because 'it's not something people really do at our church."
I get it, I know there are times in my life when I have not been bold in sharing my joy as a follower of Jesus because it felt awkward or I was afraid of what those around me might say. I hope that as I have grown and matured as a Christian though, that this happens less often than it used to. The joy we have in Christ is one of the greatest witnesses to a world which seems intent on looking for joy and contentment anywhere else it can think of apart from God. They might think us foolish or undignified, but what is that really? Wouldn't you rather live expressing your unrestrained joy and thanksgiving to the one who has saved you rather than stifling it all for the approval of others?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Thank you that you have done so much for me, that through your son I can live each day in your presence. May you grow in me the same kind of overwhelming joy of King David in response to all that you have done for me. Please give me the courage and the confidence to express that Joy at every opportunity regardless of who might be watching. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
TO PONDER
I don't know about you but this particular part of Psalm 96 made me realise something that I think I need to change.
I realised that so often, my thoughts only turn to God when things are not going well. When I'm frustrated I'll complain to God. When I'm overwhelmed I'll ask God for help. When life just doesn't make sense I'll ask him my questions and when I know I've stuffed up I'lll ask hm for forgiveness.
The problem here is that I realised I do not often stop to thank and praise God for the good things. And as I reflected on that for today's devotion, it occurred to me that even on a 'bad day' there are things to be thankful to God for. What hit me even more profoundly is that there are more things to be thankful for than I often realise, because so much o the good stuff God gives every day, I have just learned to take for granted.
Just think about it, the fact that there is food for me to eat means that God has provided good soil for plants to grow, he has provided the right amount of sun and rain to nourish and water the earth. I have clothes, I have shelter, I have friends and family. I live in a city where the wonder and beauty of God's creation is evident in the beaches and the surrounding bush land. I have breath in my lungs and relatively good health. I could go on and on but I think you get the point.
God is indeed our helper, our fortress and our strength - an ever present help in time of need. However, he is also much more than just a safety net to fall back on when life overwhelms us. He is our daily provider, creator and sustainer of all things. So worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness and ascribe to him all the glory due his name. Give thanks to him for all the little (or not so little) ways he blesses you each day. You might even find it makes the challenges look just a little smaller!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for all the ways you provide and care for me each day. I'm sorry that I so often overlook all that you have done for me not only through your son Jesus but also in providing my daily needs. Please help me to be more aware of the ways you show up in my life and help me to respond with increasing praise and gratitude. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
TO PONDER
I know I have been on about this all week, but there is one word in this verse which really sticks out to me as I read it and words like it have been standing out to me in the other readings all week. So I apologise if today feels a bit like a repeat, but I think it is perhaps the most important part for us to take away from the idea of 'salvation'. The word that hit me is a simple one and it's probably not what you would expect. It's the word 'has'.
God 'has' given us eternal life. Do you see the significant difference this one little word makes to the way we understand salvation? Eternal life is not something God will give us when we die, rather it is something that he has already given us through Jesus. Isn't that good news!
However, it also 'ups the ante' when it comes to our witness and testimony to Jesus, particularly in light of the second half of this verse. It means, that these people in our lives who do not yet know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, are not only missing out on life after death, but they are missing out on real life now.
Maybe what I have just said is a revolutionary new thought for you, maybe it's not, but before you go making your plans for Saturday, can I just encourage you to ponder that reality. You are not just 'killing time' in this life, waiting to be invited to begin your eternal life in Christ, you are already living it. And if that's true, how does your eternal life look different from your old life? How will it change or influence how you go about your day today?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that you have given me the gift of eternal life. Yet, in a finite world bound by time and space, it is not always easy to imagine the eternal life you offer as something that has already begun. Please help me to learn more each day, how to live my life in light of the eternal future you have already given me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
TO PONDER
As I met with the young people at LifeWay Newcastle last week for their Bible study, we found ourselves talking about the difference between 'conviction' and 'condemnation'.
It's an important distinction because sometimes the devil is in the detail, and I think he often uses the subtle difference between these two things to get us all confused about our standing with God and to question our salvation. And I think the best way to demonstrate this is with a courtroom analogy. (disclaimer: all of my understanding of courtroom proceedure comes from American television, I apologise in advance for any inaccuracies)
In a trial by jury, it is the task of the lawyers in the room to 'convince' the jury of either the defendants guilt or innocence. When the jury is suitably 'convinced' by both the evidence and the arguments, they reach a verdict. This verdict either 'convicts' the defendant of being guilty of the crime and worthy of judgement, or proclaims them innocent and free from any further prosecution. Conviction in this sense, is a proclamation of what is understood to be true. Now, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit does, at times, 'convict' us of our sin. In other words, he points out to us the truth about our heart and our actions and shows us how we have fallen short of living the way God's people are called to live.
Back to the courtroom. Condemnation, on the other hand is more like the judgement handed down by the judge after the verdict has been reached. This is where we often get mixed up. When the Holy Spirit confronts us and convicts us of our sin, he does so in order that we might recognise our need for God's mercy and grace and turn back to him. We get stuck sometimes when confronted or convicted of our sin, thinking that God could never love or forgive us for what we have done. We might find ourselves imagining all the punishments we deserve and even at times when we feel really guilty, take it upon ourselves to impose punishments on ourselves in a vain attempt to make ourselves feel better. This all only serves to make us question the validity of our salvation in Christ.
What a relief then, that here in John 3:17 we have these words of comfort and assurance - Jesus did not come to condemn us but to save us.
So, next time you find yourself replaying your guilt and wondering if God really does love you...think again. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that in your great love and mercy you came into the world not to condemn us for our brokenness but to save us through your life, death, and resurrection. Please help me to be aware when my own thoughts condemn me and cause me to question my salvation. Help me to see where you are convicting me and leading me into a deeper and closer walk with you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
TO PONDER
Rebirth and renewal, these are two words we don't usually go to immediately when we think of salvation. We more commonly think of words like, freedom, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Now there is nothing wrong with these words, they are all certainly a part of what salvation through faith in Christ Jesus brings. However, rebirth and renewal imply something profound that we often overlook... they mean something changes.
If something is reborn, or renewed, then it is somehow different than it was before. In fact, I'd say that if something is reborn then it has a fresh start and that if something is renewed it is being restored to a better state that it was found in. These are both parts of what salvation means for us, not only in the future but on a daily basis as we strive to live as followers of Jesus.
Being reborn, means that we can be free of the mistakes of our past. Every day we have the opportunity to rise to new life with Christ and leave the sins and mistakes of the previous day behind us. Now that's not to say that we might not need to make amends with someone we might have hurt or mistreated, but it means the guilt and shame of those things can be left behind and we can move forward towards restoration of relationships, mercy, forgiveness and love as we turn our eyes again to following Jesus.
Likewise, renewal is about becoming something different or better than before. This is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in us. In the church world, we call this the process of 'sanctification'. It's really just a long word to describe the process of becoming more like Jesus. Now denominational battle lines have been drawn throughout the history of the church concerning the role of sanctification in salvation. I would just remind us of the first part of this verse, "he saved us not because of righteous things we had done". Saving comes before righteousness or good works. However, I think it is fair to say that the longer we follow Jesus and the more the Holy Spirt does his renewing work in us, the deeper appreciation and understanding of our salvation we develop and it plays a role in our living more completely in this life, in light of our salvation.
So what would change if you saw today not as simply another day to wait for Jesus to come back and take you to heaven, but as another opportunity to be reborn and renewed?
PRAYER:Lord Jesus, Thank you that you have saved me and that every day I have another opportunity to be reborn and renewed as Holy Spirit continues to help me live in light of the salvation that you won for me on the cross. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
TO PONDER
For many people this is a Bible verse that sort of acts as a summary of Lutheran theology. In many ways they are right. Martin Luther was a big proponent of Justification by faith in Christ alone. However, others are somewhat critical of the Lutheran tradition for seeming to favour verses eight and nine like we have in today's reading but overlooking verse 10, which says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Now, to be fair, Martin Luther was quite strong in his teaching about the 'new obedience' which we offer to God in response to his grace, but over time, it is probably true tat in some cases, in wanting to preserve 'justification by grace' some Lutherans have avoided talking about 'good works' all together.
This brings us back to the problem of salvation which is this weeks focus. Have you ever really stopped to consider what God has saved you for? We said earlier this week, that he has saved us from sin, death and the devil - these are things he has saved us from and we should be eternally grateful about that. However, usually when we save something, it' for one of two reasons. Either it holds some kind of sentemental or perceived value to us or we have a purpose or use in mind for it.
I think when it comes to God saving us, it's a little of both. It's clear that God loves us and values us, otherwise why would he pay the price of his own life on the cross in our place. The love of God is certainly part of the answer to what we are saved for, we are saved for God because he loves us and wants us for himself. However, Paul is also suggesting in Ephesians, that God has also saved us for a purpose that he planned even before we were born.
But here's the important thing in all of that, before we have a purpose, we have a saviour. Jesus saves us first, so that, in him, we can be restored to the purpose god had for us since the beginning of time. I think that's a great way to think about your salvation today!
PRAYER: Lord God, it is sometimes easy to forget in the busyness of life, that you have a plan for me. That you created me with the purpose of living in relationship with you as my God and King. Please help me to be more aware each day of the things you have planned in advance for me to do. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
TO PONDER
One of the things that I have always enjoyed about being a pastor is the wonderful variety of conversations and opinions one gets introduced to while visiting.
What becomes evident very quickly is that it doesn't matter what the problem is; global warming, rising cost of living, inflation, education, gender issues, it could be anything, the thing that is almost universally true is that everyone has someone to blame and someone who they think should be fixing it.
You hear it articulated on almost any television or print news media. It doesn't matter what political agenda they might be pushing, you hear it all the time - poor HSC results means teachers have let down our students. The RBA raises official interest rates and the government isn't doing enough to fight inflation. Whatever the issue, there is always someone to blame and someone else who is supposed to get us out of the mess.
What you don't often hear is people crying out to God for help. One of the things that our modern rationalised society has convinced us of is that there is a human answer to every problem. It sounds good, it would be nice if it were true, and human endeavour has certainly gone a long way to addressing many problems throughout human history. The challenge though is the one problem which lies beneath all the others is sin, and only Jesus is able to deal with that effectively.
When Jesus told his followers that he had come so they could have life, and life in all its fulness (John10:10), part of the freedom and fulness of life he was talking about was being freed from the burden of having to provide a solution for every one of life's problems.
Now please don't get me wrong, there is still a place for effort and striving for a better way. the Freedom we have in Jesus is a freedom to be a part of his solution to the problems of the world and there are many ways we can get involved in that, we'll probably look at some others during the rest of the week. However, in the mist of our effort is always the promise, "all those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."
So before you go looking to the government for help, or expecting your teachers, parents, workmates or bosses to bail you out of the difficulties you may find yourself facing, wy not call out to Jesus first. His answer might just surprise you.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, than you that you have promised that those who call on your name will be saved. Help me to have confidence in that promise and to remember to turn first to you when things are hard. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle