Over next three weeks I would like to use the Sunday scriptures to say THREE THINGS we should pack in order to better listen.
Before beginning consider listening to the Message from this Lord's Day. and then reading the further reflections below. Each week will also offer a small follow up which you can consider doing - something short - about 15 minutes per day.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Familiarity breeds contempt”? It often seems like the better we know someone, the more critical we are of him or her. Who would have thought that when Jesus returned to His home town of Nazareth that His message would be rejected - much like a text message being refused or remaining unread.
People scoffed at Him wondering how the carpenter’s son could claim to be a prophet. They missed the message because of their preconceived notions of who He should be, not who He really was. This can happen even today in our lives when we replace Him, re define Him or re figure our need for Him in our lives. The people of Jesus' home town did that with the "Word Made Flesh", we do that sometimes with His word - scripture.
We do so, as they did, because we can perceive the message as difficult. In reality however what is difficult is making decisions without Gods’ word - then living with the repercussions for years to come. Spending time with His word is actually easy - about 15 minutes a day in God’s word will help us know Him better. The second reason that people did not accept Jesus in His hometown was because they were having trouble believing everything He said. Sometimes we don't read the Word because we don’t believe everything in bible. Guess I would ask this- do you instantly believe everything that you read-everything on the internet, in the newspaper, every report, - even every text?We read things all the time you don’t believe - yet we read - to decide if we can believe it! Yet God’s word has more truth, clarify and wisdom - then most of what we read each day.
All three readings today talk about preaching the Word of God but being rejected. From Ezekiel to Paul to Jesus himself, the people that knew them best rejected them and rejected God’s word. But all three stayed true to themselves and their mission. Isn’t that a lot like the lives we live? We’re trying to please everyone at the expense of giving up who we really are. We think others will accept us more if we become who they think we should be.
As disciples of Christ we may experience the same rejection but we shouldn’t change who we are because of what others may think or say. Jesus’ message to those who rejected Him was basically, you are not my family but those who hear the Word of God and believe it are my family. Jesus knew who He was. He didn’t need someone else to affirm Him. He didn’t need to become something He was not to please others. He didn’t need to say anything other than the truth and that is what He’s telling us today - the text He is sending you!
Jesus knew who He was because He spend time in the Word! He listened to the Father in the Word and that helped Him handle it all. The first thing we must "pack" into our travels in this journey is God's word (time with Scripture). It is like a text message received, read and acted upon. His message today is: WHO ARE YOU? Are you listening for the text? are you seeking to respond to it ? What you packing into your day?
Here is the text message.....are you listening? will you respond?
RYBT (Read Your
Bible Today)
Choose one of the passages
below for each day this coming week - what is His Message to you? Use the questions below daily and apply them to the scripture below.
- You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
- But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! Amos 5:24
- For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
- Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
- "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
- Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
- Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5
- The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
1. As you reflect on the words above, who are you? Where is your heart? (Everyone answer this)
2. Have you ever been afraid to really be yourself and why?
3. How do others see you? How is God's word (His text) calling you to listen more?