Monday, February 18, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Monday, February 18, 2013         The Greedy Man with Large Barns        

Page 199      Luke 12: 12-21

Currently there is a TV commercial featuring a man sitting at a table with four children. The man’s conversation with the children reinforces the theme that faster is better, bigger is better, more is better. That’s pretty much the prevailing sentiment of our culture. We are taught from a very early age to strive for more of everything. The affluent are not the only ones caught up in this way of thinking. Those living from paycheck to paycheck are just as susceptible to exchanging cultural icons such as smartphones and electronic gizmos for life’s actual necessities. This isn’t just a twenty-first century phenomenon. The appeal to Jesus to settle a land dispute illustrates this point.

The brother, as the rich fool in Jesus’ following parable, is typical of the prevailing attitude in Israel at that time. Ownership of the land was paramount to having a sense of security and a means to generate prosperity. In contrast to that attitude, Jesus was proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God, where the prevailing attitude is how to share the love and grace that God is showering upon his people. The Apostle Paul, when making his appeal for the followers of Jesus to seek the life in Christ, affirms Jesus’ teaching about the greedy man with large barns:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4 NRSV, Emphasis added).

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Tuesday, February 19, 2013        Learn from the Ravens and Lilies

Page 199      Luke 12: 22-32