Buy The Field – April 2, 2009

Buy The Field

Matthew 13:44

Jim Stephens

04-26-09

 

Scripture:

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field—and to get the treasure, too!  (Matthew 13:44 NLT)

 

If you want to own the treasure, you’ve got to buy the field!

 

The guy in this story was just taking a short-cut across his neighbor’s field on this way to town.  He didn’t care a thing about the field until he stumbled across the treasure hidden there.  He wanted the treasure more than anything, but to become the legitimate owner of the treasure, he had to buy the field and that would cost him everything!

 

Sometimes I get a glimpse of the hidden treasure of the Kingdom of God – God’s rule over me, me being part of God’s much bigger plan and purpose.  I want that.  I want that and wish I had it, but I struggle with wanting to keep all my other stuff as well. 

 

I can’t have the treasure unless I get it legitimately and the only way to do that is to buy the field.  I’ve got to take the dirt with the diamonds.  And I’ve got to pay the price of letting everything else I’ve got become part of the purchase price – nothing gets left out of the deal.

 

I will never accomplish meaningful and positive change until I move from I Wish through I Want to I Will.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I re-commit to being part of your kingdom – submitting to your leadership, your plan, your purpose.  I’m once again buying the field.  I surrender my dreams and desires again to the transaction.  I take the dirt with the diamonds.  Amen.

 

Far Behind – March 7, 2009

Far Behind

Mark 14:54

Jim Stephens

03-07-09

 

Scripture:

 

Meanwhile, Peter followed far behind and then slipped inside the gates of the high priest’s courtyard. For a while he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire. (Mark 14:54 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

Jesus changed Peter’s life one day on the shore of Lake Galilee with the words, “Follow me!”  As Peter followed Jesus he saw miracles of healing and provision and he lived with a sense of purpose he had never imagined he could have.  Now he was uncertain, full of doubt and fear, weary and feeling betrayed.  Now he was following far behind.

 

Following far behind, he lost sight of Jesus and began to warm himself by the fire.  Then as doubts and questions and fear filled his mind, he denied he even knew Jesus, his friend and hero.

 

Application:

 

You and I are “Christ-followers.”  When we follow closely, the path often gets narrow and steep and scary, but we know Jesus is near and we get to see and experience miracles, and joy, and purposefulness.  And he talks to us and encourages us.

 

I thought about you this morning and I wondered if you’re following Jesus closely or if weariness and disappointment and discouragement and betrayal has caused you to fall back a bit.  I wondered if, like Peter, you are following far behind.  Have you fallen into the “warming yourself by the fire” mode where your thoughts are about looking after yourself, protecting your interests, and trying to be comfortable?

 

Come on, dear friends, let’s pick up the pace.  Let’s move quickly to where Jesus is and not just hang around, warming ourselves by the fire, waiting for something to happen!

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I pray for my fellow pilgrims who are weary or disappointed or discouraged or doubtful or reeling from the pain of betrayal or loss.  Please fill my friends with hope and joy and purpose and peace.  Heal wounds and refresh weary souls.  Through your great love and by the power of your Spirit.  And call each one to follow closely once again.  Amen.

Far Behind

Far Behind

Mark 14:54

Jim Stephens

11-03-08

 

Scripture:

 

Meanwhile, Peter followed him far behind and then slipped inside the gates of the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire. (Mark 14:54 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

Three years earlier, on the shore of Lake Galilee, Jesus had said to Peter, “Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men.”  Later, Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”  Peter was a Christ-follower, a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth and he had left everything to follow Jesus.

 

Now it was all going wrong.  Peter was shocked, disappointed, afraid, and probably more than a little angry – angry at God, at Jesus, at the Jews, and at himself.  He was still following, but now he was following “far behind.”

 

Application:

 

I am a Christ-follower.  I have committed my life to following and serving Jesus Christ.  But sometimes, when I’m very tired, when I’m disappointed, when I have been let down by my fellow Christ-followers, when I’m anxious or afraid, I lag behind.

 

Every day, in every situation and circumstance of my life, I make the decision whether I will follow close or follow “far behind.”

 

Prayer:

 

Father, Please remind me to check to see if I’m following as close as I should.  Maybe I need a sign ahead of me that says, “If you can’t read this, you’re not following close enough!”  Amen.

 

The Tour – September 25, 2008

The Tour

Luke 8:1-3

Jim Stephens

09-25-08

 

Scripture:

 

1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:1-3 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

This was sort of the “Pied Piper” phase of Jesus’ ministry.  Everything he did was exciting and people were gathering to him in each community as his fame and popularity grew.  He traveled with his hand-picked disciples and with some women whose lives had been blessed by him and who were blessing him in turn with financial support.

 

Reading through Luke 8, by the time they reached Jesus’ adopted home town of Capernaum, the crowds were pressing in on him everywhere he went.  He was really on a roll.

 

I thought ahead to the week before his crucifixion when he entered Jerusalem to the acclaim of thousands of people and then a week later, he was deserted by even his closest followers and stood trial all alone.

 

Application:

 

I don’t want to be a “good times only” follower of Jesus.  I want to grow closer to him in relationship and not just tag along for the show and the blessings.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, thank you for the blessings and the experiences of my life as a Christ-follower.  I commit to being a good times and hard times believer.  Help me follow through on the commitment of my heart.  Amen.