Max Lucado Daily: STEPHEN’S MESSAGE
Stephen was one of the seven men tasked to care for the Gentile widows. His ministry, however, provoked antagonism. A sect of jealous enemies falsely accused him of blasphemy. They marched him to the council of the Sanhedrin and demanded that he defend himself…and did he ever!
He caused a stir before he even opened his mouth. “Everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s” (Acts 6:15 NLT). Did heaven bathe him in a tunnel of brightness? I don’t know how to imagine the scene. But I know how to interpret it. That was God speaking.
The sermon emerges, not from Stephen’s mind, but from God’s heart. It was not a lightweight message. Fifty-two verses led the listeners from Abraham to Jesus. Two thousand years of Hebrew history resulted in one indictment– “You’re forgetting who holds you.”
2 Chronicles 1
Solomon son of David took a firm grip on the reins of his kingdom. God was with him and gave him much help. Solomon addressed all Israel—the commanders and captains, the judges, every leader, and all the heads of families. Then Solomon and the entire company went to the worship center at Gibeon—that’s where the Tent of Meeting of God was, the one that Moses the servant of God had made in the wilderness. The Chest of God, though, was in Jerusalem—David had brought it up from Kiriath Jearim, prepared a special place for it, and pitched a tent for it. But the Bronze Altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon, in its place before the Tabernacle of God; and that is where Solomon and the congregation gathered to pray. Solomon worshiped God at the Bronze Altar in front of the Tent of Meeting; he sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, “What do you want from me? Ask.”
8-10 Solomon answered, “You were extravagantly generous with David my father, and now you have made me king in his place. Establish, God, the words you spoke to my father, for you’ve given me a staggering task, ruling this mob of people. Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people—for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?”
11-12 God answered Solomon, “This is what has come out of your heart: You didn’t grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn’t even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I’ve made you king. Because of this, you get what you asked for—wisdom and knowledge. And I’m presenting you the rest as a bonus—money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have.”
13 Then Solomon left the worship center at Gibeon and the Tent of Meeting and went to Jerusalem. He set to work as king of Israel.
14-17 Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot-cities as well as in Jerusalem. The king made silver and gold as common as rocks, and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills. His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king’s agents. Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarters of a pound of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
John 10:7–15
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amn the gateo for the sheep. 8 All who have come before mep are thieves and robbers,q but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.a They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,r and have it to the full.s
11 “I amt the good shepherd.u The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.v 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.w Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd;x I know my sheepy and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Fatherz—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Insight
The seven “I am” statements recorded in the gospel of John are Christ’s own descriptions of Himself. They’re metaphors He uses to draw out imagery that describes the implications of His identity. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (6:35); “the light of the world” (8:12); “the gate” (10:9); “the good shepherd” (10:11); “the resurrection and the life” (11:25–26); “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6); and “the vine” (15:5).
By describing Himself as the gate (10:7), He declares that the sheep will only find safety and pasture when they enter through Him. Then, in related imagery, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd (v. 11). This is imagery of trust and intimacy. Jesus knows His sheep in a deep and personal way and lays down His life for them in the face of threat.
Life to the Full
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
The year was 1918, near the end of World War I, and photographer Eric Enstrom was putting together a portfolio of his work. He wanted to include one that communicated a sense of fullness in a time that felt quite empty to so many people. In his now much-loved photo, a bearded old man sits at a table with his head bowed and his hands clasped in prayer. On the surface before him there is only a book, spectacles, a bowl of gruel, a loaf of bread, and a knife. Nothing more, but also nothing less.
Some might say the photograph reveals scarcity. But Enstrom’s point was quite the opposite: Here is a full life, one lived in gratitude, one you and I can experience as well regardless of our circumstances. Jesus announces the good news in John 10: “life . . . to the full” (v. 10). We do a grave disservice to such good news when we equate full with many things. The fullness Jesus speaks of isn’t measured in worldly categories like riches or real estate, but rather a heart, mind, soul, and strength brimming in gratitude that the Good Shepherd gave “his life for the sheep” (v. 11), and cares for us and our daily needs. This is a full life—enjoying relationship with God—that’s possible for every one of us. By: John Blase
Reflect & Pray
Would you say that right now you’re living “life to the full”? Why or why not? Have you had a tendency to equate full with many things?
Good Shepherd, thank You for laying down Your life for me, one of the sheep. And thank You for Your promise to provide nothing less than the daily bread I need, both literally and figuratively.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!
Who are You, Lord? —Acts 26:15
“The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand…” (Isaiah 8:11). There is no escape when our Lord speaks. He always comes using His authority and taking hold of our understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you. God speaks in the language you know best— not through your ears, but through your circumstances.
God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, “I know that this is what I should do” — and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. “He…rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’ ” (Luke 9:55). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The Big Little People - #8623
I was in my office, trying to crawl out of an avalanche of papers on my desk. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door and in came one of our team members with his wife and their bright-eyed eight-month-old little boy, Zachary. My wife joined our little Zachary party back then and proceeded to plop this animated little bundle right in the middle of my desk, in the middle of a mountain of paperwork, right where I couldn't ignore him. Oh, great! And you know something, I didn't actually mind. Little Zachary and I had a great conversation, which means I did all the talking. We played, we laughed, and Zachary creatively reorganized (shall we say) the project I was working on. It was one of the best things that happened that day. It took me a while to reconstruct my project, but it was sure fun having that little guy right in the middle of everything!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Big Little People."
Jesus had a pretty radical view of who the VIPs in the world are. Our word for today from the Word of God, Matthew 19:13-14 - "Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them." Now, Jesus didn't have a desk, but this is sort of the equivalent of plopping the children right down in the middle of Jesus' work. Another account suggests that Jesus was meeting with some of the "big shots" from Jerusalem at this time. So, it's no wonder that "the disciples rebuked those who had brought them." Don't bother Jesus! He's with the important people.
Okay, then "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there." You see, Jesus drops everything for the children. We should too. Children don't have money, they don't have votes, they don't have influence to give you, but they are numero uno to Jesus.
That day in my office, little Zachary was right in the middle where I couldn't ignore him. Well, that's exactly where God intends for us to put the children in our world, right in the middle. It could be that a child in your world has been pushed to the edge by all your work. All your work should be pushed to the edge for that child.
Churches need to focus on the children and the young people. After all, three-fourths of the people who ever come to Christ do it by the age of 18. We don't have anything more important to do than to reach them. But too many churches allow the kids to be pushed to the back for the "important" people - the adults. Jesus would probably put the children right back in the middle of everything.
Maybe some child or some children in your world have become more of a nuisance to you, an interruption, a problem. Interestingly enough, if you don't put a child where he or she belongs - where they're not ignored - that child will do whatever it takes to not be ignored by you; even if it drives you crazy or breaks your heart. They shouldn't have to fight for your attention.
A Jesus-heart puts the children and the young people first. They're His little big people. Do you notice that whenever a child came to Jesus they were blessed by being in His presence? Whenever a child or a young person is in your presence, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, I hope you'll have that same impact. I hope they'll be blessed by being with you.
One grandmother summed it up in a prayer that she has on a plaque on her wall
. It really emphasizes why the children must be where we do not ignore them in our lives. Here's the prayer. I think you'll like it. "It is my greatest prayer that on that resurrection day, I may stand before my Savior and say, 'Here am I and the children You gave me.'"