Matthew 7 series: True Disciples
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: The holy love of God
Deliver us, O God,
from a lazy mind,
all lukewarmness of heart,
and all depression of spirit.
We know that these must deaden our love for you;
mercifully free our hearts from them all.
And give us such a lively, fervent and cheerful spirit
that we may vigorously perform whatever you command,
thankfully suffer whatever you choose for us,
and always be eager to obey your holy love
in all things;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
John Wesley, 1703-1791
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Matthew 7: 7:21-23. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’.
(Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
So few lines and so many surprising comments by Jesus.
Can you imagine a person who says they are a Christian and doing miracles in Jesus’ name being disinterested in Jesus and his teachings? Or are these people who think they are Christians because they do super religious stuff but neglect the Christlike life of love, the discipline of overcoming self-centredness, and the yearning to make the world a place of justice and peace?
They appear to be surprised by Jesus’ rejection which implied they either wilfully misunderstood his instructions for discipleship or couldn’t be bothered with that self-awareness focus we have seen repeated over the last 2 devotionals.
Of course, these are not real people but an imaginary situation designed to tell us how serious Jesus is about taking his teachings seriously and incorporating them into our lives.
Not surprising that this teaching should be at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 7 series: True Leadership
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: An instrument of God’s peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
for your mercy and truth’s sake.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
A 19th century prayer in the spirit
of St Francis of Assisi
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Matthew 7:15-20. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
(Matthew 7:15-20 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
Jesus uses the word “prophet” to refer to a spiritual leader in the community. As yet there were no Ministers, pastors, evangelists, apostles, popes or priests. But if he is referring to those tasked with spiritual leadership in a community in all its infinite cultural variety over the centuries, then we might include anyone we give our trust to including Sunday School leaders, parents, spouse, Life Group leaders, etc.
Jesus teaching is aimed at the one who trusts spiritual leadership in any of its forms. And he invites us to never to give blind trust to a leader. Instead, look at the whole of their lives (as much as you can see). Ask yourself whether their life is producing the good fruit that Christ is looking for in us; love, compassion for the marginalised, peace, the love of God, the rejection of the pursuit of wealth. Note that I am just listing some of the teachings from the Sermon on the Mount because this teaching is given right at the end of those teachings. I am sure Jesus and Matthew are linking them.
This appears to be a warning against charlatans but I believe it is relevant to the far more common situation where the spiritual leader is not self-aware enough of the contradiction between how they live and what they teach. Which brings us back full circle to yesterday’s devotional.
Do you check who you put your trust in? What good fruit do you look for?
Matthew 7 series: the Little Gate and Narrow Path
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: Bearers of reconciliation
Lord Christ,
at times we are like strangers on this earth,
disconcerted by all the violence and harsh oppositions.
Like a gentle breeze,
you breathe upon us the Spirit of peace.
Transfigure the deserts of our doubts
and so prepare us to be bearers of reconciliation
wherever you place us,
that the hope of peace may arise in our world. Amen.
Brother Roger of Taizé, 1915-2005
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Matthew 7:13-14. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
At first glance, this seems to contradict Jesus generous grace to all, but that is not what he is saying. He is talking about the likelihood of people choosing the less challenging path over the more challenging path. Although grace is offered to all it comes with a challenge; the challenge to change your ways, live the way of Christ and be transformed. It requires discipline but we are given the Spirit. It requires energy and focus but we are given the power of God. It requires you to deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus but we follow him into intimacy with God and love for a broken world.
It is no mistake that this teaching comes at the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount which is a description of the life of disciples. This defines what is the small gate and narrow path that leads to life. It is not a vague metaphor but has several chapters of teaching backing it up.
The path to life is God’s grace to us not because God likes to give us random challenges but because this is what it takes to live, really live. If you are on this path keep walking and don’t stop.
If you are not on this path yet, there is a little gate that is wide open just for you.
Hypocrisy
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: A prayer for unity
O God, Master of all, and loving God,
unworthy though we are,
make us worthy at this hour
that, cleansed of all deceit and hypocrisy,
we may be united with one another
in the bond of peace and love,
being established in the sanctification of your divine knowledge
through your only-begotten Son
with whom you are blessed,
together with you all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit,
now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer from the liturgy of St James
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Matthew 7:1-2. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
(Matthew 7:3-5 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
How is it that the church is so strongly associated with hypocrisy when Jesus so strongly warns us against it? He even tells us how to hip it in the bud so that it doesn’t take hold of you; honest self-examination. But maybe there lies our problem. We have ignored Jesus wisdom at our own peril. It is precisely taking time for reflection and self-reflection in the presence of God that we ditch in our over busy lives.
Even when we do devotions such as this, the time pressure often limits us to merely reading the devotion and not reflecting on what this means for my life. Without this we become the father who smacks his child for hitting his brother or the mother who yells aggressively at her children for fighting. We become the person who tells other about the gossip at work or the miserable uptight Christian who tells others that Jesus brings abundant life.
Honest self-examination (plank removal) is a major tool in the life of a disciple that helps us become more like Jesus. And it stops us being who hurt others while being totally unaware of it; a scary thought.
Have you go time for honest self-examination? Can you afford not to? Do it now.
Judge?
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: Lenten Prayer
O Lord and Master of my life,
take from me
the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk.
But give rather
the spirit of chastity, humility, patience,
and love to your servant.
Yes, O Lord and King, grant to me to see my own sins,
and not to judge my sisters and brothers,
for you are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
The Lenten prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian,
c. 306-373
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Matthew 7:1-2. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
(Matthew 7:1-2 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
What a wonderful thing. I no longer need worry about God condemning my actions. All I need do is stop judging other people. Easy, right? Ummmm…
What makes it so hard to strop condemning people for their action? Even people in far away countries who I have never met can be the subject of my scorn. But when I concentrate hard I can see how these people I judge are usually to be pitied because their life is so filled with hate and their hearts do not experience the wonder of God’s grace.
It is not judging that an action is right or wrong that Jesus is worried about. It is what you do next weith this information. Whether it makes you act out of love to bring change or whether it makes you act of self-righteous rage to condemn and wish ill upon that person. Discernment is literally a gift of the Spirit but condemnation and hatred is a gift of our sinful nature.
I believe these few words of Jesus are meant to short circuit endless negative spirals of revenge and self justification. There is a lot riding on these few words. Will you give up all judging and condemning of others for the sake of a better world?
River of the Spirit
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: Lyrics of “THE RIVER IS HERE”
ANDY PARK
1.Down the mountain
the river flows
And it brings refreshing
Wherever it goes,
Through the valleys
and over the fields,
The river is rushing
And the river is here.
CHORUS
The river of God
sets our feet a dancing
the river of God
fills our hearts with cheer.
The river of God
Fills our mouth with laughter
And we rejoice for the river is here!
2.The river of God
Is teeming with life,
And all who touch it
Can be revived
And those who linger
On the river’s shore
Will come back thirsting
For more of the Lord.
CHORUS
3. Up to the mountain
We love to go
To find the presence of the Lord.
Along the banks
of the river we run,
We dance with laughter
giving praise to the Son.
Copyright 1994 Mercy Publishing via Alpha and Omega Dist. P/L
Used by permission under CCLI license no. 113082 (Praise and Worship song 761)
Read:
John 8:37-39. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
(John 8:37-39 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
What do you like about rivers?
What qualities do rivers have?
Spend some time wondering what Jesus is trying to tell you by using this image.
Filled with the Holy Spirit?
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: Hymn of the Resurrection
I glorify the power of the Father,
I magnify the power of the Son,
and I sing a hymn of praise to the power of the Holy Spirit:
one Godhead,
Trinity indivisible, uncreated,
equal in essence and reigning forever. Amen.
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
“Filled” with the Spirit? What can this mean? It is obviously a wonderful experience in the Christian life. It is also involves the “heart” and the emotions. It is a positive experience because it helps the Christian focus on thankfulness. It is something enjoyed best together (verse 19). It apparently made Paul think of drunken parties where in the first stage alcohol loosens people up to have fun together but in the next stage reduces them to uncontrolled damaging behaviour and regrets. I suspect Paul saw a parallel to the first stage (otherwise why mention it at all?) but rather than damaging the community the Holy Spirit that fills each of us brings out the very best in us.
If you thought Paul was talking about a charismatic worship service, you would be wrong. This is the part of the letter where he talks about everyday life. It is also clear the being filled with he Spirit can happen repeatedly in your life.
Do you think you know what being filled with the Spirit is? Then invite God to fill you today. If you don’t know then there is a great surprise waiting (and available) to you. Seek and you shall find, ask and it will be given (Lk 11:9-13)
Holy Spirit: Spirit of Creativity
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer: The workshop of the Carpenter
O Christ, the Master Carpenter,
who at the last through wood and nails
purchased our whole salvation;
wield well your tools in the workshop of your world,
so that we, who come rough-hewn to your bench,
may here be fashioned to a truer beauty by your hand.
We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen.
A prayer of the Iona Community, Scotland
(Sourced from A Treasury of Prayers in Uniting in Worship, copyright 1988 Uniting Church in Australia)
Read:
Exodus 35:30-35, 36:1 NIV. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers. 36 1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”
(Exodus 35:30-35, 36:1 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
Christians have a love/hate relationship with beauty and art. The Puritan tradition stripped their churches of anything beautiful because the Catholic church at its worst was filled with expensive fine art and images. Furthermore, they didn’t want any attachments to the world to get in the way so they emptied homes and clothing of all jewellery, colour and art. All of this was seen as self-indulgence and following the way of the world. But our passage seems to be saying that they ‘threw the baby out with the bathwater’. God loves creativity and artistic flair and beauty. The Holy Spirit took Bezalel’s and Oholiab’s human skills to the next level by his power because the cause was worthy.
Beauty brings us to praise the greatest artist of all; God. Greed sullies beauty, because beauty cannot be possessed, it can only be received as a gift from above. Appreciate the beauty that artists have brought you today. Look at art, gardens, architecture, clothing, and the creation. Enjoy.
Holy Spirit: Spirit of Fellowship
(Devotion by Graeme Harrison)
Prayer:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezek 36:26
Into the warmth of your presence we come, Lord God
With the offerings of our praise, our worship, our prayers and our lives.
Into the warmth of your presence we come, Lord God
Freed from the distractions of the world, free to meditate on your word.
Into the warmth of your presence we come, Lord God
To be blessed by the depth of your love and the warmth of this fellowship.
It is good to be here, Lord; good to be in fellowship with each other; good to know the presence of your Spirit in this place; good to know that you are here with us, listening, prompting, touching lives, healing, renewing, making us whole. Amen
https://www.faithandworship.com/liturgy11.htm
Read:
2 Corinthians 13:11-14 NIV. Read this 3 times, each time asking God’s help and thinking about those words or phrases that leap out at you.
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
(2 Corinthians 13:11-14 NIV)
Thought for the Day:
When I started going to church as a teenager they kept using this strange word around the church; fellowship. It seemed to be something important but it was not a word in the teenage vocabulary. Seeing they had tea and fellowship after church I decided that it meant a very weak form of friendship that enjoyed each other’s company but never got past superficial things.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered much later on that the Bible used this word (koinonia in Greek) to mean the very deepest form of bond that a human being could have with another. The sort of bond forged after surviving great adventures or traumas together. A bond so deep that it reflected the love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit for one another. Deeper and more eternal than friendship. A bond forged between human beings with the Spirit’s help and the mark of a church. A bond forged with God himself with the Spirit’s help. A bond so precious that Paul uttered it as a blessing at the end of his letter to the church family in Corinth.
Explore what this might mean for you; the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.