Lord

“David calls him ‘Lord’. How then can he be his son?”                        Luke 20.44

Jesus challenges the teachers of the law with this question. He quotes Psalm 110 where David says, “The Lord said to my Lord…” David is acknowledging his successor, the Messiah, as his Lord, his superior. Jesus’ question of His opponents would not be answered by them unless and until they could admit the Messiah as the divine Son of God.

I have no problem or difficulty in acknowledging Jesus, fully, as my Lord and my God. Yet I remember a time when He meant nothing to me. I had heard, indeed experienced first hand, the Christian story and I rejected it. It seemed like fairy stories and it wasn’t for me. Then, years later, God got hold of me and drew me to Him and, for the first time I believe, I experienced the reality of relationship with Him. This was His work. Certainly I responded in the affirmative, but my response was to His action.

His exercise of lordship was an overwhelming demonstration of His love. ‘Lord’ has a number of connotations, some of which we may look upon unfavourably. For me, the first reality of ‘Lord’ is ‘Love’, and it is full, secure and simply wonderful.

Jesus said David calls Him ‘Lord’. I call Him ‘Love’ and I am thrilled to be His son.

Dear Lord of Love,

I thank You for drawing me to You and claiming me as Your own. I acknowledge and receive You as Lord. I invite You to be Lord of my whole being.

I cone before You in humble and heartfelt worship. You are my God. You are omnipotent, supreme. Yet You love me. I don’t understand this, Lord, yet I receive it. I open my self wide to the love You have for me. Pour forth, please, in abundance. Let me share, willingly and freely, all that You give me for myself and for others. Lead me on. I want to share Your Lordship and Your Love with the whole world.

I’m Yours, my Lord. Take me now.                   Amen.

The Inheritance

“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ”                           Luke 20.14

The parable so clearly reflects the work of God’s Kingdom. The various servants the master sent to the tenants of the vineyard came to the Israelites in the prophets of the Old Testament. But their message went unheeded. Jesus Himself personifies the Son and it is amazing that He should be relating this story practically on the eve of His crucifixion.

The twist comes, however, with the death of the son. The vineyard tenants said, “Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” In reality, the Jews killed Jesus and, in so doing, released us to receive the inheritance. We can truly say, “the inheritance is ours!”

But even today many ignore the message, and the offer. The Lord’s servants continue to visit the vineyard, but so many of the workers are self-absorbed and consumed with other things.

The Son has come, and been horrendously killed. The message is there for all to hear and receive. May God strengthen the messengers and bring the people to hear, and respond.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the sacrifice You made for each one of us. I thank You that I have been able to respond.

I pray for those who remain out of relationship with You. I pray for them and the messengers that You send. Strengthen the messengers, Lord, and give them the right words to speak forth and the right deeds to enact. Work, if You will, on the hearers. Soften their hearts to receive the message of love. Draw them to You, for there is no other way they will come.

Lord, You said You would build Your church. May we see this happen as we go forward with You. Thank You for the cross. May its message reach all, and impact them positively.          Amen.

Authority

“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”                                                                                                                   Luke 20.2

Jesus had just driven out the sellers from the temple. In so doing He had defied the authority of the Jewish leaders, and also damaged their monetary profits.

In challenging Him, it is likely the leaders may also have been looking for a way to discredit Him in the eyes of the people, or raise suspicion of Him as a threat to the authority of Rome. The leaders of the day spoke out their challenge clearly and directly.

People today challenge Jesus, but it is often not as direct and, maybe, not as clear in their own minds. Yet, underneath is the challenge, “Who are you? Why should I forego my fun and pleasure in order to follow you? Who’s to say you’re right anyway?”

I think these questions will only be truly answered when the One with the authority exercises that authority in self-revelation to the questioner.

Furthermore, those who really know where the authority comes from – and who live in sweet relationship with the One – don’t need to ask such questions. We know! And we praise and thank God for His precious gift to us of revelation and salvation.

Hallelujah, Mighty God,

I know the authority that caused Jesus to live and act as Son of Almighty God. I thank You for this. I rejoice in the relationship I have with You.

I pray for those who don’t yet share this wonder. I pray for revelation for them, that they might see clearly that they do not lose anything but, rather, gain so much. And what they receive from You they will never obtain from this world.

The world is in a mess, and there is but one remedy. Jesus save us! We need You. I cry out on behalf of this lost and perishing humanity. Come, Lord Jesus, come!   

                                                                                                                           Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").

The Question

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?”  he asked.                                                                                                                                    Matt. 20.32

The scene is not an unusual one in the earthly life of Jesus. He and His disciples are leaving Jericho and a large crowd is following them. On the outskirts of the town, two blind men are sitting at the roadside. They shout out to Jesus over the hubbub of the crowd, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus clearly hears them. Does He respond to their acknowledgment of Him as Lord, and Son of David? Or does He, perhaps, see the state of their blindness and respond with the compassion that seems to be something of a trademark for Him? For whatever reason, He stops and calls to them with that most amazing and wonderful question, What do you want me to do for you?

I get excited just reading of this remarkable event. I hear Jesus call to me, and ask me that same question, What do you want me to do for you? Imagine the exquisite delight of being approached by the Lord of lords, and invited to respond to His generous invitation. The blind men wanted their sight restored. They answered thus, and so it was!

How might I answer if Jesus was to ask of me? I think my response would be something like:

My Most Precious Lord,

My relationship with You means more to me than anything else. What I would humbly ask of You is that You draw me closer. Take me further into sweet relationship with the Holy Trinity. Swamp me with Your love. Entangle me in Your Spirit such that we become truly entwined and inseparable. Never let go of me as we journey together through this life – and beyond.

I love You. Join me close to You, in love.           Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").