Read Luke 13:1–9
The practice of digging around a tree is common when it is not growing well and, in turn, not producing the fruit it was planted for. When the soil around the tree is disturbed, the roots are damaged in the digging, and then the tree has to grow new roots, which, in turn, strengthen the tree to bear fruit for the next season.
Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that doesn’t bear fruit. The owner says, ‘Well cut it down’, but the man taking care of it says, ‘Leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilise it’.
The tree doesn’t need to be destroyed but disturbed and fed instead.
We are like this tree. We were planted in the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus and given a purpose – to bear fruit. Yet it is easy to drift away from Jesus and begin to follow the way of the world and the way of ourselves. We find it easier to listen to the devil, tempting us with lies in the idea that ‘it is my life and my body; I can do what I like’.
But Jesus has chosen you as his own for his purpose. To bear fruit. The fruit of God’s love in action toward those around you. You are created to be a blessing to others. You are blessed to bless others with God’s love in action.
When the word of the Lord challenges you to live differently, it is like Jesus digging at your roots – the roots in self rather than in the word. You see, the word is the fertiliser of life, and the word of Jesus Christ will feed and sustain you in bearing the fruit of God’s love in action.
When Jesus digs at your roots, hear the word, and be ready for his word to guide, challenge, heal and restore you. Be prepared for his word to nourish your hungry soul, ready to go out into the world with new growth and fruit that blesses others.
Dear Jesus, dig into my roots of selfishness and worldly ways. Let me grow in you to bear fruit for others. Help me to be a blessing to everyone I meet today. Feed me, nourish me, and strengthen me daily in your holy word. Amen.
Pastor Mark lives with his two daughters aged 11 and 8 in Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane. He currently serves as a pastor in the LCANZ and is passionate about sharing Jesus’ love with those around him. Pastor Mark loves to travel with his family to see the wonders of God’s creation and meet people who share their stories of what God has done for them.
Restoration and comfort (outsiders welcome)
by Peter Bean
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
I will restore the crushed spirit of the humble … I will comfort those who mourn (Isaiah 57:15b,18b).
Read Isaiah 57:14–21
Interesting pictures in this passage. The Holy One lives in a high and holy place (verse 15). Separate, above, distant!
Yet, this Holy One is also very practical and down-to-earth, restoring roads and clearing rocks (verse 14). This Holy One also comforts the humble and revives repentant hearts (verse 15), comforts those who mourn and brings peace and healing (verses 18,19). So, God, from this high and holy place, is also willing to get down into the nitty-gritty parts of life.
This, of course, occurs in the person and presence of Jesus. Jesus comforts those who mourn; he heals many; he often talks to the humble and restores them to places of dignity; he tells people their sins are forgiven when he sees their faith (Matthew 9:2). And he often sends people away with a blessing of peace (Mark 5:34).
God incarnate! The high and holy one, come to earth. God with us, preaching, healing, praying, blessing, encouraging, comforting. Perhaps Isaiah knew something! He was a prophet. Challenging and yet reassuring the people, but also foretelling the One to come, the Christ – the divine One, Jesus – the human One, mixing and living with ordinary people, often those from outside normal circles!
The Holy Spirit is at work here: hovering over God’s people as they begin to return from exile; working in the hearts of those who gathered to hear from Jesus in the flesh; encouraging and inspiring us today. The Holy Spirit prepares people to hear the gospel, to live the gospel. And the Holy Spirit does this within and without the confines of official religion!
May you be restored and comforted, not from a distance, but within your heart as the Holy Spirit stirs you to new life. And may you extend that comfort and restoration to anyone ‘outside’ who does not yet know the grace and blessing of Christ’s peace in their lives.
Comforter, Restorer, move and inspire me that I may offer comfort and restoration. Amen.
Spring has sprung. Flowers are displaying their colours; fruit is forming on the trees. There is new growth everywhere. As you observe this wonderful new life, may you revel in the new beginnings God offers you each day. As Peter continues to meander his way through the Book of Psalms, he invites you to read them anew and apply them to your life. If you would like his paraphrase of any psalm (from 1 to 120), send your request to pbean087@gmail.com
All the world (outsiders welcome)
by Peter Bean
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Let all the world look to me for salvation (Isaiah 45:22a).
Read Isaiah 45:21–25
If you read this entire passage from Isaiah, you might be struck, as I was, by the allusions to other parts of the Bible.
Isaiah 45:21a reminds me of Isaiah 1:18a: ‘Come and let us reason together.’ Isaiah 45:21b reminds me of Job 38:4a (worth reading separately as we near the end of the Season of Creation): ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?’
Isaiah 45:22b echoes a recurring theme throughout Isaiah (e.g. 45:5,6) and the Bible: ‘I am the Lord; there is no other God.’ Isaiah 45:23b echoes the wonderful statement in Philippians 2:10,11 that every knee will bow and every tongue confess.
Perhaps these are all tied together in the thought expressed in Isaiah 45:22a: ‘Let all the world …!’ The God of the Old Testament, alongside the practices of Jesus, seems to have no favourites. Or, putting it more accurately: everyone is a favourite of God.
God, the Creator of all things and the giver of all gifts, looks on each one of us with favour. It’s a bit different to how I look at other people when I consider their actions. But God wants all to be saved. This is shown clearly through Jesus’ words and actions: he explains love in action through the good Samaritan, the woman at the well, the unclean leper(s) and so on. Jesus lets us know the kingdom is for all who accept God’s mercy and grace in their lives.
I wonder whether Isaiah, with the wide scope of his words, anticipated the natural human desire to narrow the scope of the gospel to those who believe in a certain way, or act according to particular laws (of morality?).
But Isaiah declares (remember he is writing to the people in exile here) that God is above all earthly powers, all religious rules, all pious morality, and welcomes all who respond to kindness and justice, mercy and grace.
Thank you, giver of all good gifts, for the gift of your love and acceptance of me. Help me to extend these gifts to others. In Jesus’ name and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Spring has sprung. Flowers are displaying their colours; fruit is forming on the trees. There is new growth everywhere. As you observe this wonderful new life, may you revel in the new beginnings God offers you each day. As Peter continues to meander his way through the Book of Psalms, he invites you to read them anew and apply them to your life. If you would like his paraphrase of any psalm (from 1 to 120), send your request to pbean087@gmail.com
By what authority (outsiders welcome)?
by Peter Bean
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Then I will tell you by what authority I do these things (Matthew 21:24b).
Read Matthew 21:23–32
There is an overall theme in our readings this week of ‘outsiders welcome’!
It begins in today’s reading, with Jesus and the religious leaders clashing over authority. Authority seems to be important. We like to know who is in charge. Political parties make hay out of law and order. We often like black-and-white answers and respond positively to them.
But Jesus is not like this. You want to know my authority? You can’t even answer my simple question. So, I’ll leave the mystery hanging in the air. He then tells a parable that seems to have a simple meaning. Except when Jesus explains it, it challenges all authority.
Who’s getting into the kingdom of God first? Not those who live upright lives, who obey the law. Rather, it is those we don’t want to associate with. The ones we are happy to speak about in bad terms. The ones we would condemn!
Oh, oh! Whose authority counts here? It seems to me that our rules can be dangerous. Those we consider insiders, worthy of respect and law-abiding, are not so highly regarded after all. Instead, the outsiders are welcome: the lowly, the sinners, those who don’t live as we expect, those who respond to unexpected grace.
God’s grace is not based on human authority. Human authority is not Jesus’ guide to life. Rather, it is the gift of grace; the welcome to the outsiders; the welcome to all and any who can put aside their own prejudices and notions of right and wrong, and instead respond to God’s mysterious and wonderful gift of forgiveness and life.
Lord Jesus, thank you for challenging human authority and showing a better way. Help me to respond to your love and mercy, and extend love and mercy to all I come across. Amen.
Spring has sprung. Flowers are displaying their colours; fruit is forming on the trees. There is new growth everywhere. As you observe this wonderful new life, may you revel in the new beginnings God offers you each day. As Peter continues to meander his way through the Book of Psalms, he invites you to read them anew and apply them to your life. If you would like his paraphrase of any psalm (from 1 to 120), send your request to pbean087@gmail.com