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29 October 2011
When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him – Extracted from Luke, Chapter 12:
Jesus said to his disciples:
35 'See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit.
36 Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks.
37 Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them.
38 It may be in the second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those servants if he finds them ready.
39 ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house.
40 You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
41 Peter said, 'Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?'
42 The Lord replied, 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy steward whom the master will place over his household to give them at the proper time their allowance of food?
43 Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that.
44 I tell you truly, he will put him in charge of everything that he owns.
45 But if the servant says to himself, "My master is taking his time coming," and sets about beating the menservants and the servant-girls, and eating and drinking and getting drunk,
46 his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.
47 'The servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash.
48 The one who did not know, but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating, will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected.
John the Baptist (the cousin of Jesus Christ) was born of the Priest Zechariah (who belonged to Abijah section of the Priesthood) and Elizabeth (descendant of Aeron, brother of the great Prophet Moses) in their old age. Before Elizabeth’s conception, Zechariah became dumb; as he doubted God who promised to give him a son in his old age. However, the power of speech was given back to him when John was being circumcised on the 8th day after his birth – Extracted from Luke Chapter 1: { Below is one of my favourite passages 8-) }
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people, he has set them free,
69 and he has raised up for us a mighty saviour (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) in the House of his servant David,
70 just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times.
71 A saviour who would free us from our enemies and from the hands of all those who hate us,
72 So his love for our fathers is fulfilled and his holy covenant remembered.
73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
74 that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,
75 to serve him in holiness and uprightness in his presence, all our days.
76 And you, little child (hereinafter referred to “John the Baptist”), you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him,
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the faithful love of our God in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us,
79 to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. And he lived in the desert until the day he appeared openly to Israel.
After note:
John the Baptist grew up in the dessert because his parents had hid him there to save his life. After Jesus was born (he was around 6 months younger than John), there was a decree from king Herod to kill all male children of 2 years old or under in Bethlehem and its surrounding district (Matthew 2: 16-18), in order to have Jesus killed.
He was afraid that Jesus, who was then born would usurp his power and kingdom. Herod the king, with his insecurity complex, had resort to the murder so many innocent babies just to make himself feel safe in his power (Matthew 2: 13-18). However, he never knew that Jesus was born not to snatch away his power and position, as He the Son of God, King of kings is too powerful and mighty, to be interested in any worldly kingdom, he only wants bring peace, joy, love, strength ... to the human race, to help them to become worthy children of God and be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven. Herod died when Jesus was around 3-4 years old.
Our Reflections:
Poor Herod, in the past ages and also in many generations to come, he would always be remembered as the wicked murderer. In his life, he had no peace and joy; by doing so much evil, he was killing his own eternal life to be happy with God forever … This is how his own wickedness and malice had repaid him.
Our help is in the name of the Lord—Extracted from Psalm 124:
‘If the Lord had not been on our side,’ this is Israel song.
‘If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose against us, then would they have swallowed us alive when their anger was kindled.
‘Then would the waters have engulfed us, the torrent gone over us; over our head would have swept the raging waters.’
Blessed be the Lord who did not give us a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the fowler.
Indeed the snare has been broken and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
You shall not molest the stranger or oppress him… Extracted from Exodus 22: 20-26
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the sons of Israel this,
“You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the Land of Egypt.
You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan; if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure, I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans.
“If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him.
“If you take another’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity.”’
Repentance is the only way to avoid being perished like them – Extracted from Luke, Chapter 13:
1 It was just about this time that some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this Jesus said to them,
2 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have happened to them?
3 They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem?
5 They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.'
6 He told this parable, 'A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.
7 He said to his vinedresser, "For three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?"
8 "Sir," the man replied, "leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it:
9 it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down." '
Jesus had defied public opinion and cured the possessed woman on the Sabbath. Our Jesus is a strong & powerful Saviour, He loves us and would always come speedily to attend to our needs despite any oppositions – Extracted from Luke, Chapter 13:
10 One Sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
11 and there before him was a woman who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that crippled her; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.
12 When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, 'Woman, you are freed from your disability,'
13 and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.
14 But the president of the synagogue was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he addressed all those present saying, 'There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath.'
15 But the Lord answered him and said, 'Hypocrites! Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the Sabbath and take it out for watering?
16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years - was it not right to untie this bond on the Sabbath day?'
17 When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.
Such a man shall receive blessings from the Lord - Extracted from Psalm 24:
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples.
It is he who sets it in the seas; on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the man who seek him, seek the face of God of Jacob.
Gates, raise your arches, rise, you ancient doors, let the king of glory in!
Who is the king of glory? Yahweh the strong, the valiant, Yahweh valiant in battle!
Gates, raise your arches, rise, you ancient doors, let the king of glory in!
Who is the king of glory? He is Yahweh Sabaoth, King of glory, he!
This God of ours is a God who saves - Extracted from Psalm 68: 1, 3, 5-6, 9-10, 20-21:
Let God arise, let his foes be scattered. Let those who hate him flee before him
But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God, they shall exult and dance for joy.
Father of the orphan, defender of the widow, such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in; he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.
God, you rained a downpour of blessings, when your heritage was faint you gave it strength; your family found a home, where you in your goodness, God, provided for the needy.
May the Lord be blessed day after day. He bears our burdens, God our Saviour.
This God of ours is a God who saves. The Lord our God holds the key of death.
29 October 2011
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