Luke 12:49-59 ~ 2 Kings 2

 

U.K. in 2011 A.D.

Luke 12:49-59 ~ Division

⁴⁹ "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵²For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

⁵⁴He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens. ⁵⁵And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. ⁵⁶You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"

⁵⁷"And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 

⁵⁸ As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. ⁵⁹I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny."

Bible notes author: Susan Johnson, The Methodist Church in Britain

These verses are part of the teachings of Jesus to the disciples and to the crowds who have followed him. In Luke 10:1-12, 70 were sent out into the towns and villages to let people know that the kingdom of God had come near in the person of Jesus who would show them the way to live. Some of the 70 experienced peace and were welcomed, while others were rejected and had to leave. This leads Jesus to reflect on how his mission, his life and death will bring judgement and division as people are faced with a choice and a challenge about Jesus.

Today, 2,000 years later the question is still before us when we come face to face with Jesus and the influence of his teachings. Am I willing to try and follow his ways or will I follow someone or something else? And then there's the second question; what sort of kingdom, or community, will my actions bring out?

When we look around at communities in England, as we have done so much this summer, we can clearly see the division between those who seek peace and justice by showing love and compassion and those who are intent on destruction and damage. Although it did not receive much media coverage after the recent riots in London and other cities, communities came together, united, to move beyond the destruction and rebuild. Perhaps those people had had a glimpse of the kingdom of God being present in a small way. Many would not call themselves Christian or people of any faith but some would.

The simple fact is that when knowledge of Jesus is there, decisions have to be made every minute of the day as to how we will live. We always have a choice: to do good or to do harm.

To Ponder

When you need to make a decision about the way to behave, what guides you?

'It puzzles me that I am surrounded by people, who in their very humanity, show signs of living the Jesus way but do not know anything about him.' How do you think that can be?

Is division always something to be avoided? Why?

We will look at Unity 

2 Kings 2

Living Bible

2 1-2 Now the time came for the Lord to take Elijah to heaven—by means of a whirlwind! Elijah said to Elisha as they left Gilgal, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “I swear to God that I won’t leave you!”

So they went on together to Bethel. 3 There the young prophets of Bethel Seminary came out to meet them and asked Elisha, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take Elijah away from you today?”

“Quiet!” Elisha snapped. “Of course I know it.”

4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here in Bethel, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

But Elisha replied again, “I swear to God that I won’t leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.

5 Then the students at Jericho Seminary came to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take away your master today?”

“Will you please be quiet?” he commanded. “Of course I know it!”

6-7 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.”

But Elisha replied as before, “I swear to God that I won’t leave you.”

So they went on together and stood beside the Jordan River as fifty of the young prophets watched from a distance. 8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it; and the river divided and they went across on dry ground!

9 When they arrived on the other side Elijah said to Elisha, “What wish shall I grant you before I am taken away?”

And Elisha replied, “Please grant me twice as much prophetic power as you have had.”

10 “You have asked a hard thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”

11 As they were walking along, talking, suddenly a chariot of fire, drawn by horses of fire, appeared and drove between them, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and the charioteers!”

As they disappeared from sight he tore his robe. 13-14 Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak and returned to the bank of the Jordan River, and struck the water with it.

“Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he cried out. And the water parted and Elisha went across!

15 When the young prophets of Jericho saw what had happened, they exclaimed, “The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha!” And they went to meet him and greeted him respectfully.

16 “Sir,” they said, “just say the word and fifty of our best athletes will search the wilderness for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has left him on some mountain or in some ravine.”

“No,” Elisha said, “don’t bother.”

17 But they kept urging until he was embarrassed and finally said, “All right, go ahead.” Then fifty men searched for three days, but didn’t find him.

18 Elisha was still at Jericho when they returned. “Didn’t I tell you not to go?” he growled.

19 Now a delegation of the city officials of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem,” they told him. “This city is located in beautiful natural surroundings, as you can see; but the water is bad and causes our women to have miscarriages.”

20 “Well,” he said, “bring me a new bowl filled with salt.” So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went out to the city well and threw the salt in and declared, “The Lord has healed these waters. They shall no longer cause death or miscarriage.”

22 And sure enough! The water was purified, just as Elisha had said.

23 From Jericho he went to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a gang of young men from the city began mocking and making fun of him because of his bald head. 24 He turned around and cursed them in the name of the Lord; and two female bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of them. 25 Then he went to Mount Carmel and finally returned to Samaria.  

Let's list the concepts of Unity.

Differing Talents and Respect. Age differences and respect. Elijah has the greater gifts of God, but Elisha  is hopeful.  And honest in his expectations. Trust and admiration. A relationship flourishes in honest boundaries. They expect Peace from one another.

And Mercy. Elisha is asking mercy from his peers.

Elijah wants to spare Elisha. This is a common occurrence in Hospice.  Usually, someone passes on privately. The intense desire to spare loved ones' grief. Often seen today.

Diligence to know one is not abandoned. Loyalty.

Pompeii's Actual art of Alexander the Great recognized and probably a good likeness. One good Chariot likeness.

Today, the news wondered about the speed of Light. And our fastest travel is by fire. God is eager to spend time with Elijah. To give hope of Heaven.

When we wonder about Heaven and we consider all the age groups in Heaven, don't we imagine a beautiful Chariot would be longed for among many in Heaven? How would it keep up with all the new devices longed for in Heaven? In fact, God has upgraded Elijah from the more common wagon conveyance of the 9th Century BC. God of the Abundant Willingness and Feast of Heaven.

Unity in changes. Unity in innovation. Unity in vision.

Etruscan Chariot 6th Century BC

Elijah 9th Century BC

Inclusion of Animals in Heaven. Observation Unity, Hope Unity.

Elisha doesn't have to be supreme, he allows the others to search out and discover.  Unity in I'm me, you go and be yourself. Salt is good with flavor. 

Unity in community good. Unity in Hope and Prayer. Unity in allowing God's help.

Unity in the understanding only One is Good. Jesus Christ. Hopes in God Himself. Unity in honesty of human nature. Unity in trust of honesty.

Abba, Father God,

God of Encouragement, God of Love.

Help us to seek You first.

Elisha allowed time for His Brothers

to discover what is right.

Just as Jesus did.

Elisha attends to his life and has works of God to be interested in.

He isn't much overly involved with one another.

Elisha expects in God, all things will work together for God

and seeks God's Purpose.

We pray for those we Love

to be filled with the Steadfast Love of Jesus Christ

to dwell in us and open our eyes to more Life.

To find our Blessings and hold on and not forget.

To be polite and insist on Mercy.

For our Republic to have Expectation of Goodness,

Hope and Love.

For God's Good Creation.

For our mutual up building. 

God of Encouragement and Love.

We pray for Elliott to be healed.

All families with illnesses to have peace in times of stress.

And for Janet to have healing.

Let all of Creation sing with me now.

Love, Peace and Mercy.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, 

Amen.

To know the Hills and Highways of Heaven.

His High Ways.

Isaiah 49

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Ezekiel 34:23-31 ~ And I, God, will be their God.

 

Ezekiel 34:23-31

23-24 “‘I’ll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He’ll feed them. He’ll be their shepherd. And I, God, will be their God. My servant David will be their prince. I, God, have spoken.

25-27 “‘I’ll make a covenant of peace with them. I’ll banish fierce animals from the country so the sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. I’ll make them and everything around my hill a blessing. I’ll send down plenty of rain in season—showers of blessing! The trees in the orchards will bear fruit, the ground will produce, they’ll feel content and safe on their land, and they’ll realize that I am God when I break them out of their slavery and rescue them from their slave masters.

28-29 “‘No longer will they be exploited by outsiders and ravaged by fierce beasts. They’ll live safe and sound, fearless and free. I’ll give them rich gardens, lavish in vegetables—no more living half-starved, no longer taunted by outsiders.

30-31 “‘They’ll know, beyond doubting, that I, God, am their God, that I’m with them and that they, the people Israel, are my people. Decree of God, the Master:

You are my dear flock,
the flock of my pasture, my human flock,
And I am your God.
Decree of God, the Master.’”

God is concerned with our heart. Our earnest heart. 

Jesus grabs and holds our hearts because He weeps for us and with us.

When Tyre looted the ruined Jerusalem, glad for its destruction, 

God felt Tyre's hardness of heart. 2012, Baylor University and University of North Caroline uncovered a mosaic of Ezekiel 26 in a Synagogue near Capernaum. Alexander the Great visited the Temple to bow to the representative of God. Because Alexander the Great well knew when to recognize prophecy of God in His Word, after making Tyre into mainland in a tremendous military campaign to reach the Island of Tyre. 

Ezekiel was right Tyre ships were never to be seen again, and the island never recovered as Israel did again and again with the blessing and help of Father God. 

We learn about resiliency from the faith of Israel and more importantly, the Mercy of God - God is Love.

When the art world compares this famous (and undisputed) image of Alexander the Great with the newly discovered image from the Huqoq mosaic. The  “Alexander Mosaic of Pompeii” (above) was buried with the rest of Pompeii in 79 AD, and probably completed about 100 BC, within 250 years of Alexander’s death—and may have been based on a Greek painting completed within 50 years of Alexander the Great's death.

The Huqoq Synagogue mosaic was completed much later, in the 400s. How are the mosaic figures similar? How are they different? The art world is seeing tremendous comparisons.

The meeting of Alexander the Great and the Jewish priests of Jerusalem is an old story that would have been very familiar to 5th century AD Jews in Huqoq. (Josephus! You kind of can’t escape him in this part of the world.) The mosaic shows a procession of soldiers and elephants following a warrior in battle dress and a purple cape. “Battle elephants were associated with Greek armies beginning with Alexander the Great,” explains Dr. Magness.

Pompeii's Alexander the Great at the Battle of Darius III, owned by the House of the Faun in Pompeii

Now consider 

the familiar photo of the Huqoq Synagogue which is basic, 

a little crass looking, basically a very bad photo:

The two mosaics look completely different in artistic style.

Now Compare

The Comparison depends on the distance of the Photograph.

This is much, much closer art identification Alexander Pompeii Mosaic to Alexander Huqoq, Israel Mosaic, far closer than the portraits of Pierre-Auguste Renoir to the photos of the individual clients.

Wonder. 

We would wonder what the 5th Century knew of Art History and Art History of Alexander the Great. Eyes on Alexander the Great.

The times depicted in the ancient mosaics are deeply troubled and turbulent seasons. Great unrest occurred when Alexander ransacked and pillaged. What emotions do the Scriptures tell us about as Ezekiel made the prophecy.

Today, we all face aspects of emotions in all the news and times.

We will all have laments. Jesus knew about this and said:

Luke 8:52
Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep."

The times and seasons not to mourn. Ecclesiastes. We will have these  times and seasons move back and forth during the day.

Jesus grabs and holds our hearts because He weeps for us and with us. Even the temporary death of Lazarus and the grief God knows we suffer.


When Ezekiel's wife died:

Ezekiel 24
Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.

Jesus  weeps for us and with us. This is our Father God of Love.

He strengthens us to be real and not anything but earnest. Providing the hope of real recovery.

Abba, Father God,

We believe with You, Father God,  

You have told us in Thessalonians we are informed, about those who asleep, we will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. We believe Jesus died and rose again, even and You will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus to eternal life in You.

You are the Life Everlasting.

Help us always to seek You First.

We will have our souls and hearts

look to You. And find more Heaven on earth.

Bless our Republic. Bless Your Good Creation.

The days are filled with concerns and worries about us all.

We believe in Jesus Christ

if You ask Jesus to pray for us

this pray will go amazing places and be heard and answered.

Always pray with hope, Jesus said.

God is working and so is Jesus.

We pray for Janet

We pray for Elliott for God's Willing and Healing Word.

Speak Your Willing Word to comfort those who Suffer

and to give comfort this day.

Including those who Hope for Better Days and Plan 

for Your Blessings. And Willingness.

Thank You, Father God,

In the Highest Name of Jesus we ask, Amen.

Lord Jesus has the whole world in His Hands

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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1 Corinthians 5:1-8 ~ Celebrate the Festival. Sincerity and Truth.

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1 Corinthians 5:1-8

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Oh, the First Century.

Using the opportunity of New Laws to create new Trouble.

Consider with me, if you read Paul, Peter and Luke explaining the First Century they don't complain: About Politics. The Synagogues or the Rulers.  The Emperor.  About Sin. About anything but faithlessness.

And then, it's time to Complain.

The Greeks lived differently than the Romans, although they were under the Roman Empire. The First Century is filled with new marriage laws. We talk about this sometimes. But the Greeks leaned back on old ways.

Oikos!

The ancient Greek word Oikos refers to three related but distinct concepts: the family, the family's property, and the house. The Greeks were and were not Homebodies.  40 percent of Greece were slaves. The rest were farmers, self-employed people and slaveholders who spent most of their time doing the same things. Going to the public places to debate. And they travelled in the Rough Greek terrain for days on foot speaking to one another. If one wanted to see the Olympics, it was typical to walk 6 days across Greece. Ships were avoided to avoid kidnapping and shipwreck and sailing in poor weather to avoid shipwreck. This whole nation had communication as their idea of most days.

Greeks were always exceptionally religious and debated everything. 

You can bet they debated the new Laws. Because in Greece unlike Rome, women, Aristotle explained were inferiors working with their superior men to run the household with slaves. Even as the Roman Laws were changing, we see Greece was not. Why would a woman associate with her step-son. To test boundaries of marriage, perhaps. Or to become pregnant when her husband was aged.

The Church decides to intervene because the foundation of society is God and Oikos. 

They do not want to see society allow a woman to be degraded to breed cow or harem hack. They don't want a family to exist as a commune of free for all morality. We read so many times in the Book of Acts there was suddenly a riot around the Disciples of Jesus. This intervention does not cause even one upset. Society wants to be held to normal patterns of morality.

Rarely does the Bible point out someone and rattle their cage unless they are tearing apart the Structure of Society. This Upheld Morality is going to allow the slaves and the women to be free from being a sexual usefulness. And in doing this women in Greece were going to become landowners, employers and filling a happier position in the structure of Society. To be thought of as a human being.  And not just another excuse for sexual freedom.

And in this freedom is Peace. 

Women were being made to be free and contribute to Society. The family can continue to all live in the Villas and promote trade and safety. Being kidnapped to slavery was common. This unity promoted physical safety too. The levels of morality reach to trade, upward opinions of independence, peace, family units allowing more opportunities for each other.

The newly formed Church could have turned a blind eye or lumped it. Instead, the Saints of God want us all to do as Jesus did in Acts 1 and Rise to God. Without oppression.

Vineyards of Ancient Greece allowed room for the Family to grow Corn or other vegetables between the grape rows.  More fruitfulness in compact areas. This Section of Scripture does the same, exact thing. To be fruitful, Women are helped by God.

Romans were builders. Greeks lived in notoriously poorly built houses. Whether Paul is in Rome or Greece, like God, He wants the People of God to be truly and sincerely built up.

Abba, Father God,

Help us to seek and find You first, Father God.

And in setting our basic compass up to have the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart, be just and pleasing to You

Lord God,

Our Rock and Redeemer.

May the Word of God

Live in us

with Mercy and Justice

in Jesus healed them All.

Healing for Elliott

and Janet

and all those God draws to Himself

and pray for healing now in these

difficult but hopeful times.

May God's Willingness to Bless

Surround and uplift us ALL.

In Jesus Christ, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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