Jan 26th

Genesis 27     Esther 3     Matthew 26     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Genesis 27

Isaac is on his death bed and asks to see his elder son Esau. Esau and his younger brother Jacob have had a turbulent relationship since before birth (25 v 22). Whilst Isaac favours Esau, his wife Rebekah favours Jacob.

The Lord predicts to Rebekah that Jacob will serve Esau (25 v23) the reverse of the usual family order in OT times. This prophecy is partly fulfilled when Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.(25 v33) As Rebekah favours Jacob, she takes advantage of Isaac’s diminished sight, disguising Jacob as Esau. Isaac blesses Jacob before Esau (27v 29)  - a blessing that takes full legal weight.

Although this situation may seem unfair to us, as Jacob tricked Esau out of his inheritance, it happened to fulfil the Lord’s prophesy. God had chosen Jacob over Esau to continue the line of inheritance and he used Rebekah’s favouritism to enable this.

Response

Are there any situations in your life at the moment where you are struggling to understand God’s purpose? Pray God will reveal his will in these situations. Alternatively, do you believe that God has a particular mission for you but you are finding it hard to work out how it will be fulfilled? Pray that God will guide you there.

(Member of a homegroup)

Jan 25th

Genesis 26     Esther 2     Matthew 25     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Esther 2

‘.....and Esther won the favour of anyone who saw her’   v 15

Esther was a Jew in exile in Persia. The Jews were hated by some including a very powerful man, the second ranked man in the empire. He intended and was planning genocide of the Jews.

Nothing but divine intervention could prevent this. Esther was the agent chosen by God. Her inner beauty won the love and respect of all she met.

She has faith in God’s hand in her life.  This is shown by her not fighting a very difficult and worrying experience.   By her presence and who she is, she wins over the people, enabling God’s work to be done through her. They are changed from despised, subjugated people to triumphant people.

We do not read a detailed analysis of Esther’s character.  There are, however, clues or indications. She is told she can have anything and yet asks for nothing. This tells us she has no greed. Esther is chosen above all other women; possibly thousands who are all beautiful. There was something unique about her. We know she was of God’s people, the Jews.  There seemed a purity about her.

Pray

Lord we pray you would use us as you did with Esther, to be agents of your will.

(Member of a homegroup)

Jan 24th

Genesis 25     Esther 1     Matthew 24     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Matthew 24

Jesus is teaching prior to Gethsemane.

What does it teach us about God?

Omnipotence; He does what He says; the big picture; there is an end.

What does it teach us about Jesus?

He is God.

Our response?    v12-v13,  v44

The disciples are keen to know exactly when the end of the age will be and what it will look like.

Jesus’ response is to give some specifics but also to remind them that remaining faithful to God each day  is important.

We should draw encouragement that there is a bigger picture: God’s big picture:  He is in control, even in the bad times and promises these bad times will come to an end.

These times, we must remember, point to Jesus, and as his children, we are called to live each day in joyful expectation of his return.

Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold - what does this mean for us? What wickedness do we see around us? As we watch our nation gradually turn away from God, how do we stand firm and remain faithful. In what ways do we remain faithful?

v6 'See to it you are not alarmed.........'

Let’s not be surprised when, what God says does happen and takes place. Instead be strengthened in the knowledge that, as sure as persecution will come, so will our rescue come in Christ’s return.

(Member of a homegroup)

Esther

To find an outline to Esther please go to...

http://www.christchurchclifton.org.uk/docs/17esther.pdf

Jan 23rd

Genesis 24     Nehemiah 13     Matthew 23     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Matthew 23

Jesus is talking to the teachers of the law who are testing him.

What does it teach us about God?

It teaches us God can see into our hearts and He truly understands what it is that motivates our actions.

What does it teach us about Jesus?

Jesus is clearly moved and angered by the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and He clearly wants us / them to focus on justice, mercy and faithfulness (v23).

Response

The word ‘hypocrite’ comes from Ancient Greece meaning actor. The word describes actors in Greek plays who wore different masks for different roles. We need to drop the mask and be who God made us to be.

Our number one priority and motivation should come from loving God and seeking to glorify Him. If we lead humble lives God will exalt us; we don’t need to waste time worrying about anything else.

(Member of a homegroup)

Jan 22nd

Genesis 23     Nehemiah 12     Matthew 22     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Genesis 23

Themes throughout: respect by both parties throughout; doing the right thing and doing what is fair; common decency.

In a land due to Abraham, and which had been promised to him by the Lord, he acts with complete respect towards the Hittite people.  He had every right to assume, in light of God’s promise, that he could simply bury his wife where he wanted. Conversely, Ephraim reacts to Abraham with great respect and insists that Abraham buries his wife where he wants, to ensure the dignity of Abraham and his offspring is continued.

Notice how both parties try to treat each other fairly and with respect. Abraham says he is ‘an alien and stranger among you.’ whilst the Hittites call Abram a ‘great prince’.

How would you act if you were an ‘alien’ in a strange land? Or how would you treat an ‘alien’ in your land?

Your ‘land’ could be your church, your home, your work. How would you show your faith in God with the person you have the least in common with?

Prayer

Dear Lord, teach us to have the love, the grace and respect for the ‘alien’ they deserve as your child. - with particular consideration for those  who don’t know you.

(Reflections for this week are written by members of a homegroup)

Jan 21st

Genesis 22     Nehemiah 11     Matthew 21     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

First, this story shows us the character of the man of faith, Abraham. ‘God tested Abraham’, who showed his willingness to give up that which he had longed for, prayed for and treasured to the God he trusted. Knowing so much more of God how much more should we trust him?

Secondly, this story shows us the character of God.  Dallas Willard, a theologian I deeply respect and rarely understand, recently made a thought-provoking comment in a conversation on suffering; ‘God does not need to test you to find about you. He already knows you fully – what you will think, what you will say and what you will do.’

Yet God tests Abraham, why?

1. Abraham is shown his own character that God already knew. It is in times of testing and stress that who we really are is revealed to us and others. God tests you to show you you.

2. God reveals his character to Abraham. We know God more fully than Abraham did, we know that he is unrelentingly good and loving and that he despises human sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31) but Abraham was learning about God for the first time as he walked with him. God tests you to show you himself.

3. Through this story God reveals a glorious foreshadow of the lamb to come.

Thousands of years later a city called Jerusalem would be built in the region of Moriah, and another beloved son would approach, also travelling on a donkey (Gen 22:3). Like Isaac he too would climb a mountain with the wood for his sacrifice laid upon his shoulders and Abraham’s prophetic words would finally be fulfilled – ‘on the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

How unthinkable to Abraham that Genesis 22:16 would one day be said in praise of God.

(homegroup member)

Jan 20th

Genesis 21     Nehemiah 10     Matthew 20     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

The parable of the labourers:  Each one is hired at a different time of day but all receive a denarius which was a fair day’s pay.  When they complain the owner protests that he is doing no wrong. It is his privilege to extend generosity to all who have worked for him.  This is God’s generosity to each of us – the last will be first and the first will be last – all who love Jesus will receive the full blessings of heaven – this is the grace of God to us. There is no extra advantage we can gain by the things we do.

In the second part of the passage Jesus foretells his death and resurrection and following James and John’s request for greatness for themselves, Jesus teaches that for believers true greatness and leadership is different from that which is valued in the world.  Believers are to lead by being servants and giving themselves away for others, just as Jesus had come to serve and give his life for our sins.

In these passages we see how the kingdom values are the opposite of the world’s values. God reaches down to us and becomes our servant even to giving his life and he wants us to be generous, giving servants in response.

(homegroup member)