(Jesus asked) "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."[Luke 10:36-37]
The time was 11 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. The place was San Antonio, Texas.
On that day and time a funeral procession was slowly wending its way from the church to the cemetery. Driving at that slow speed the people were able to see things they normally might have missed.
That is why Robert Garcia and the other members of that motorcade were able to see a 79-year-old lady who was at a bus stop.
What struck them as unusual was this 79-year-old lady was not just waiting for a bus. No, this lady seemed to be in a battle. Indeed, that is exactly what was happening. She was struggling with Joseph Carpenter, a 41-year-old man, who was trying to steal her purse.
The sight left the mourners with a decision: they could either help the lady and ruin the dignity of the funeral, or they could proceed on and leave the woman to her own devices. Over the years I have shared many times when people decided to mind their own business and, like the priest and Levite in Jesus' good Samaritan parable, pass by on the other side.
That's not what happened that Wednesday morning in San Antonio.
That morning no less than eight men immediately jumped from their cars and ran to the rescue of the lady. They surrounded Mr. Carpenter, captured him, and called for the police. The lady was taken to the hospital with some injures; the purse thief was taken into custody, and the good Samaritans got back in their vehicles and finished the funeral.
This really is a fine example of the proper priorities Jesus wants His people to have.
When Jesus entered this world, His priority was to save us. When the world's representatives challenged Him, when Satan tempted Him, Jesus held on to His Father's priorities. Nothing was able to move Him from His desire to save us from our sins. The empty tomb of Resurrection Sunday is God's sign and seal that Jesus was successful in His work of saving us.
And now the Lord wants us to have proper priorities.
He tells us, even as He told His original listeners, that we should "go, and do likewise." Jesus wants His people to give a witness to the world. He wants us to show that we love others because He first loved us. He wants us to let the "dead bury their dead" (see Luke 9:60), while we, through our words and our actions, bear witness to the forgiveness, grace and salvation we have received.
He wants us to show the world the Savior has changed our priorities -- and our hearts.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, Your ways are not ours, and the ways of the Christian should be different than the ways of the world. In every situation I find myself, may the Holy Spirit give me the proper priorities so my life may glorify the Redeemer. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
The time was 11 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. The place was San Antonio, Texas.
On that day and time a funeral procession was slowly wending its way from the church to the cemetery. Driving at that slow speed the people were able to see things they normally might have missed.
That is why Robert Garcia and the other members of that motorcade were able to see a 79-year-old lady who was at a bus stop.
What struck them as unusual was this 79-year-old lady was not just waiting for a bus. No, this lady seemed to be in a battle. Indeed, that is exactly what was happening. She was struggling with Joseph Carpenter, a 41-year-old man, who was trying to steal her purse.
The sight left the mourners with a decision: they could either help the lady and ruin the dignity of the funeral, or they could proceed on and leave the woman to her own devices. Over the years I have shared many times when people decided to mind their own business and, like the priest and Levite in Jesus' good Samaritan parable, pass by on the other side.
That's not what happened that Wednesday morning in San Antonio.
That morning no less than eight men immediately jumped from their cars and ran to the rescue of the lady. They surrounded Mr. Carpenter, captured him, and called for the police. The lady was taken to the hospital with some injures; the purse thief was taken into custody, and the good Samaritans got back in their vehicles and finished the funeral.
This really is a fine example of the proper priorities Jesus wants His people to have.
When Jesus entered this world, His priority was to save us. When the world's representatives challenged Him, when Satan tempted Him, Jesus held on to His Father's priorities. Nothing was able to move Him from His desire to save us from our sins. The empty tomb of Resurrection Sunday is God's sign and seal that Jesus was successful in His work of saving us.
And now the Lord wants us to have proper priorities.
He tells us, even as He told His original listeners, that we should "go, and do likewise." Jesus wants His people to give a witness to the world. He wants us to show that we love others because He first loved us. He wants us to let the "dead bury their dead" (see Luke 9:60), while we, through our words and our actions, bear witness to the forgiveness, grace and salvation we have received.
He wants us to show the world the Savior has changed our priorities -- and our hearts.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, Your ways are not ours, and the ways of the Christian should be different than the ways of the world. In every situation I find myself, may the Holy Spirit give me the proper priorities so my life may glorify the Redeemer. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
2 Samuel 13:1 Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her. 2 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her. 3 But Amnon had a friend named Yonadav the son of Shim‘ah David’s brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow. 4 He asked him, “Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon answered him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom’s sister.” 5 Yonadav said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I’ll eat what she serves me.” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes here where I can watch, and I’ll eat what she serves me.” 7 David sent this instruction home to Tamar: “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare him some food.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes. 9 Then she took the pan and turned them out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Have everyone leave me”; and everyone left him. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near, so that he could eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come to bed with me, my sister.” 12 “No, my brother,” she answered him, “don’t force me! Things like this aren’t done in Isra’el; don’t behave so disgracefully! 13 Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra’el’s vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won’t keep me from you.” 14 However, he wouldn’t listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he overpowered her and raped her. 15 But then he was filled with utter revulsion for her — his hatred of her was even greater than the love he had had for her before. Amnon said to her, “Get up, and get out of here!” 16 “No,” she objected, “because throwing me out like this is an even worse thing than what you’ve already done to me!” But he wouldn’t listen to her; 17 he called his personal servant and said, “Get rid of this woman for me! Throw her out, and lock the door after her!” 18 She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king’s daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
___________________________
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
2 Samuel 13:1 Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her. 2 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her. 3 But Amnon had a friend named Yonadav the son of Shim‘ah David’s brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow. 4 He asked him, “Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon answered him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom’s sister.” 5 Yonadav said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I’ll eat what she serves me.” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes here where I can watch, and I’ll eat what she serves me.” 7 David sent this instruction home to Tamar: “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare him some food.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes. 9 Then she took the pan and turned them out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Have everyone leave me”; and everyone left him. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near, so that he could eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come to bed with me, my sister.” 12 “No, my brother,” she answered him, “don’t force me! Things like this aren’t done in Isra’el; don’t behave so disgracefully! 13 Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra’el’s vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won’t keep me from you.” 14 However, he wouldn’t listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he overpowered her and raped her. 15 But then he was filled with utter revulsion for her — his hatred of her was even greater than the love he had had for her before. Amnon said to her, “Get up, and get out of here!” 16 “No,” she objected, “because throwing me out like this is an even worse thing than what you’ve already done to me!” But he wouldn’t listen to her; 17 he called his personal servant and said, “Get rid of this woman for me! Throw her out, and lock the door after her!” 18 She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king’s daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.
20 Avshalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he’s your brother. Don’t take the matter to heart.” But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom’s house.
21 When King David heard about all these things, he became very angry. 22 As for Avshalom, he refused to say a word to Amnon, either good or bad; for Avshalom hated Amnon for having raped his sister Tamar.
23 Two years later, when Avshalom had sheep-shearers in Ba‘al-Hatzor, near Efrayim, Avshalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Avshalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has sheep-shearers; please let the king and his servants come along with your servant.” 25 The king replied to Avshalom, “No, my son, let’s not all go — we don’t want to be a burden to you.” Avshalom pressed him, but he wouldn’t go; however he gave him his blessing. 26 Then Avshalom said, “If you won’t go, then please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Avshalom kept pressing him, so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 Avshalom ordered his servants, “Pay close attention: when Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine, and I say to you, ‘Kill Amnon,’ then strike him down. Don’t be afraid — I’m the one ordering you to do it — but take courage, and be bold.” 29 Avshalom’s servants did to Amnon as Avshalom had ordered. At this, all the king’s sons jumped up, mounted their mules and fled.
30 While they were on their way, the news came to David that Avshalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left alive. 31 The king got up, tore his clothes and lay on the ground, while all his servants stood by with their clothes torn too. 32 But then Yonadav, the son of Shim‘ah, David’s brother, spoke up; he said, “My lord shouldn’t think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar. 33 So my lord the king shouldn’t take it as seriously as if all the king’s sons are dead; only Amnon is dead.”
34 However, Avshalom took flight. The young man keeping watch looked up and saw many people coming along the road behind him on the hillside. 35 Yonadav said to the king, “Here, the king’s sons have come; it’s just as your servant said.” 36 The moment he finished speaking, the king’s sons came, cried out and wept; and the king too, with all his servants, cried out in great pain. 37 Avshalom fled and went to Talmai the son of ‘Ammihud, king of G’shur. David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Avshalom fled, went to G’shur and stayed there three years. 39 But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.
14:1 Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah perceived that the king missed Avshalom; 2 so Yo’av sent to T’koa, brought from there a clever woman and said to her, “Please, pretend you’re a mourner. Put on mourning clothes, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but appear to be a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time. 3 Go in to the king and speak to him in this fashion — ” and then Yo’av told her just what to say. 4 When the woman of T’koa spoke to the king, she fell down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself, and said, “King, help!” 5 The king said to her, “What’s the trouble?” She answered, “I’m a widow. After my husband died, 6 my two sons were out in the field; and they got into a fight with each other. There was no one to separate them, and one hit the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole family has come against me, your servant; they’re saying, ‘Hand over the one who hit his brother, so that we can put him to death for killing his brother.’ They want to destroy the heir as well and thus quench my one remaining coal; then my husband will have neither name nor survivor anywhere on earth.”
8 The king said to the woman, “Go back home; I myself will decide what to do about you.” 9 The woman of T’koa said to the king, “My lord, king, let the guilt be on me and my father’s family; the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10 The king answered, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me; and he won’t bother you any more.” 11 “Please,” she said, “let the king swear by Adonai your God that the blood avengers won’t do any more destroying, so they won’t destroy my son.” He said, “As Adonai lives, not one of your son’s hairs will fall to the ground.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please allow your servant to say something else to my lord the king.” “Go on,” he replied. 13 The woman said, “Why is it, then, that you have produced a situation exactly like this against God’s people? By saying what you have said, the king has virtually incriminated himself — in that the king does not bring home again the son he banished. 14 For we will all die someday; we’ll be like water spilled on the ground that can’t be gathered up again; and God makes no exception for anyone. The king should think of some way to keep the son he banished from being forever an outcast. 15 Now the reason I came to speak about this matter to my lord the king is that the people were intimidating me; so your servant said, ‘I will speak now to the king; maybe the king will do what his servant is asking. 16 For the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hands of those who would destroy me and my son together from our share of God’s inheritance.’ 17 Then your servant said, ‘Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad — and may Adonai your God be with you.’”
18 The king then answered the woman: “I’m going to ask you a question, and please don’t hide anything from me.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.” 19 The king asked, “Did Yo’av put you up to this?” The woman answered, “As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo’av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say. 20 Your servant Yo’av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land.”
21 The king said to Yo’av, “All right, I am granting this request. Go, and bring back young Avshalom.” 22 Yo’av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo’av said, “Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested.” 23 Then Yo’av got up, went to G’shur and brought Avshalom to Yerushalayim. 24 However, the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence.” So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.
25 Now in all Isra’el there was no one more praised for his beauty than Avshalom — there was no defect on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 26 He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds]. 27 To Avshalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
28 Avshalom lived two years in Yerushalayim without appearing before the king. 29 Then Avshalom summoned Yo’av, planning to send him to the king; but he refused to come to him. He summoned him a second time, but he still wouldn’t come. 30 So he said to his servants, “See, Yo’av’s field is close to mine, and he has barley there; go, and set it on fire.” Avshalom’s servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Yo’av got up, went to Avshalom at his house and asked him, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?” 32 Avshalom answered Yo’av, “Look, I sent a message to you to come here, so that I could send you to the king to ask, ‘Why did I come from G’shur? It would have been better for me if I had stayed there. So now, let me appear before the king; and if I’m guilty of anything, he can kill me.’”
33 Yo’av went to the king and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he went to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Avshalom.
John 4:1 When Yeshua learned that the P’rushim had heard he was making and immersing more talmidim than Yochanan 2 (although it was not Yeshua himself who immersed but his talmidim), 3 Yeshua left Y’hudah and set out again for the Galil. 4 This meant that he had to pass through Shomron.
5 He came to a town in Shomron called Sh’khem, near the field Ya‘akov had given to his son Yosef. 6 Ya‘akov’s Well was there; so Yeshua, exhausted from his travel, sat down by the well; it was about noon. 7 A woman from Shomron came to draw some water; and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” 8 (His talmidim had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman from Shomron said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for water from me, a woman of Shomron?” (For Jews don’t associate with people from Shomron.) 10 Yeshua answered her, “If you knew God’s gift, that is, who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink of water,’ then you would have asked him; and he would have given you living water.”
11 She said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket, and the well is deep; so where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Ya‘akov, are you? He gave us this well and drank from it, and so did his sons and his cattle.” 13 Yeshua answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty again! On the contrary, the water I give him will become a spring of water inside him, welling up into eternal life!”
15 “Sir, give me this water,” the woman said to him, “so that I won’t have to be thirsty and keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” 17 She answered, “I don’t have a husband.” Yeshua said to her, “You’re right, you don’t have a husband! 18 You’ve had five husbands in the past, and you’re not married to the man you’re living with now! You’ve spoken the truth!”
19 “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet,” the woman replied. 20 “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that the place where one has to worship is in Yerushalayim.” 21 Yeshua said, “Lady, believe me, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Yerushalayim. 22 You people don’t know what you are worshipping; we worship what we do know, because salvation comes from the Jews. 23 But the time is coming — indeed, it’s here now — when the true worshippers will worship the Father spiritually and truly, for these are the kind of people the Father wants worshipping him. 24 God is spirit; and worshippers must worship him spiritually and truly.”
25 The woman replied, “I know that Mashiach is coming” (that is, “the one who has been anointed”). “When he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26 Yeshua said to her, “I, the person speaking to you, am he.”
The Lutheran Hour660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
___________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment