‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house…’ (Exodus 20:17)

We come to the last of the Ten Commandments and possibly because it is the last one many think it to be the least important and yet it is possibly one of the most important of all ten. Why? If we look at this in the same way as we have looked at others, looking beyond the basic simple instruction, then this commandment could have far reaching implications.

At the heart of this is a desire to have something that doesn’t belong to you. This desire might be born out of jealousy, envy, lust, a thirst for power or status – the list is endless. The problem is that once you have such desires and once they get the better of you it can then lead to something else. Look at what happened in the story of King David and his lustful desires for Bathsheba. This might be a worst case scenario but the fact remains that once we allow our negative desires to get the better of us it leads us down the path of further sin.

Having looked at all Ten Commandments we see that the first four are concerned with our relationship with God and the final six our relationships with others. Jesus Himself took all of these Commandments and essentially grouped them in to two. Love God and Love Your Neighbour. If we can seek to do this with all our hearts, this is how we are able to uphold these Ten Commandments.

Lord, help me to love You as You deserve and to share that love with others. In Jesus name…Amen.

Question Of The Day: To whom did Jesus give the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven?

‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour…’ (Exodus 20:16)

Is there such a thing as a little white lie? Are there times when we should refrain from telling someone the truth for fear of causing them more pain? These, and many other questions like them, have been posed and considered by many over the years and no doubt will continue to be discussed for many more to come. Many arguments could be put forward from both sides of the debate and to a neutral listener they all might seem plausible in some degree or another,

Giving false testimony is more commonly known in today’s language as lying and the commandment here is quite clear – we don’t tell lies. There is no such thing as a ‘wee white lie’ and withholding part of a truth from someone for fear of hurting them, even with the best intentions, may well lead to even more pain and hurt once that truth is fully known. But all of this doesn’t just apply to our immediate neighbour but in all situations. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan when the lawyer, when trying to justify himself asked who his neighbour was? In God’s Kingdom we are all children of God and all neighbours of one another.

But there is also another aspect to this commandment we need to consider. Telling a blatant lie is one thing but also just as bad and hurtful is slander, gossip and even idle chit chat, the latter of which is perhaps something that we are all guilty of at some time and to some degree – surely all of these should come into this commandment as well.

Lord, help us to be mindful of the words we say to others at all times and to ensure that they are full of love, care and compassion but also truthful. In Jesus name…Amen.

Question Of The Day: What did Jesus say to the ten lepers who approached Him for healing?

‘You shall not steal…’ (Exodus 20:15)

Another commandment that leaves little room for anyone reading it to be uncertain as to what it means and how they should behave – and yet is there something else we should be considering here too. One of the definitions of the verb to steal is to take the property of another wrongfully with the intent of keeping it. In terms of doing such a thing in a shop or in the home of another this is something that the vast majority of us would never contemplate.

But what about ‘borrowing’ and using office supplies from the work place for our own personal business? What about ‘holiday souvenirs’ from hotels that we might stay in? What about pursuing our own interests in our work time? The immediate response to such questions might be to laugh them off and say something like, but that doesn’t really count and doesn’t hurt anyone, and maybe it doesn’t. However, isn’t it yet again another indication of how our thoughts and actions can lead us unwittingly to sin?

Lord, again we simply acknowledge how easily we wander from the path You have set before us. Help us we pray to walk in step with You each and every day. And all this we ask in Jesus name…Amen.

Question Of The Day: Whom did Jesus heal from a distance in Capernaum?

Read Luke 19:1-10

What does the story of Zacchaeus say to us?

• The Romans used local Jews to collect their taxes and they were among the most hated people in all of Israel – because they were seen to be helping the Romans.
• However, as long as they were getting their own money, the Romans were happy to turn a blind eye to the tax collectors lining their own pockets at the same time.
• We are told Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector which probably meant he had a little more status than others – but also probably meant that he was more ruthless in his collecting.
• It also probably meant that he was more crooked and as a consequence wealthier.
• Yet despite all this Jesus called on Zacchaeus and invited Himself to dinner at his house – to the anger and dismay of the crowd.
• Considered a sinner and an outcast by everyone else, still Jesus loved him as he did others.

Can we say that we love all people in the same way – is our love as unconditional as Jesus love was?

• The moment he met Jesus, Zacchaeus knew his life needed to be sorted out, he knew he had to change – and he did.
• At once he promised to give to the poor and make restitution for his wrong doing.
• He didn’t just say he would follow Jesus, by his actions and behavior Zacchaeus demonstrated that he wanted to do so.

Do we demonstrate our faith by our actions? Have we changed our ways since coming to know Jesus? Would that change be obvious to others?

Read Luke 19:11-27

What do we learn from this parable?

• The people still hoped for a Messiah who would overthrow the Romans but this parable shows that now was not the time for Jesus to establish His Kingdom once and for all,
• He would first have to leave them and in that time His disciples would have to be faithful and fruitful in their own discipleship.

God has given us all gifts for the building up of His Kingdom here and now, but how do we use them? Do we have enough faith to use them to try to help the Kingdom grow? Or are we too fearful to trust in God to enable us to do so? Which of the servants are we most like?

This concludes our study of Luke’s Gospel but just one final thought. Remember why Luke wrote this book in the first place. That his friend Theophilus might know the full truth about Jesus Christ – The World’s Only Hope!

‘You shall not commit adultery…’ (Exodus 20:14)

Again this commandment appears straightforward and leaves no room for discussion, but again in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus takes it to another level by saying that anyone who even looks at another woman in a lustful manner has already committed adultery in their heart. Suddenly the net is cast further afield!

Yet even at this point our Lord continues to expand on this commandment in a very graphic manner (Matt. 5:27-30) and whilst we might not be expected to literally and surgically do what Jesus is saying here, the meaning behind these words is clear. We are to root out anything which may lead us to impure thoughts and subsequently to sin. If we don’t we will not take our place in His kingdom!

Lord, help us to look to You at all times and to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We know we are not perfect and will make mistakes so help us to come to You when we do so, acknowledging them and seeking Your forgiveness. In Jesus name…Amen.

Question Of The Day: What was Jesus first recorded miracle and where did it take place?

‘You shall not murder…’ (Exodus 20:13)

Life is precious, not just to us as individuals, but also to our Lord – we are all special in His eyes. This commandment states quite clearly that we should never wilfully take the life of another human being. But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus seems to take it to another level.

Whilst confirming this commandment He adds that anyone who is angry towards a brother or sister will also be subject to judgement.

In this Jesus is taking things beyond the physical act of taking a life and looking into those emotions in our heart which may lead us down a path of hurting someone. This may seem somewhat extreme and the jump from one to the other a little much, however, how often have we lashed out at someone in anger – perhaps not physically but verbally – and if we allow such emotions to rule in our hearts we will never be at one with God as we should be.

Lord, help us to be ever mindful of our thoughts and emotions and to focus on You at all times. In Jesus name… Amen. 

Question Of The Day: Who was the son born to Hannah in answer to prayer?

Loving God in Heaven, as we come to You this morning we do so with hearts full of joy and adoration as we acknowledge You as our God and King. We thank You for each and every blessing You pour upon us and for the comfort and peace we have in simply knowing that You are always with us. And as we come to spend time with You now, help us to lay aside all the busyness and concerns of the week that is past and the week that lies ahead and just be at one with You. And all this we ask in Jesus name…Amen

Read Romans 5:1-8

I wonder, if you were asked this morning what you hope for today – I wonder how you might answer that question. And would it be the same as the answer you might have given 12 weeks ago.

Twelve weeks ago I was able to meet with you all in fellowship in both our churches, today I hope to be able to do that again soon. Twelve weeks ago I was able to speak to you and ask how you and your families were, today I hope and pray that they are all safe and well. Twelve weeks ago I was able to go and spend quality time with my family, today I hope to be able to do so again soon.

The 18th century English poet, Alexander Pope once said, ‘hope springs eternal…’ but does it. Where do we look to when we feel our hopes have been dashed or suddenly taken away. Is there any hope when the situation we are facing seems impossible and overwhelming. Faced with such thoughts, waiting for tomorrow, for a new day, a new week – for a better time sometime soon – is often the only approach we feel we can take, but surely there has to be something else.

Ancient philosophers used to debate the merits of hope and often thought of it as being a human virtue. But to many a consequence of this was that such a hope would make us wish for better things to happen instead of looking to make them happen ourselves. But is this indeed what hope is all about – and if so, what hope do we actually have. And what then does this mean to us in terms of our faith.

To us as Christians, hope is central to our faith and as such we live with a hope that is secured by no one less then God himself and his Son Jesus Christ. And as to what we hope for, we find that stated in Titus 1:2, ‘A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life…which God, who does not lie… promised before the beginning of time…’

When He ascended to heaven weeks after His resurrection, Jesus made a promise that He would physically and personally return to bring his children home. So we do not place our hope in a our own ideas and efforts, nor do we place them in some whimsical or mystical ideas. No, we place our hope, our sure and certain hope, in a real person – Jesus Christ – who has promised to make our hopes a reality, in person.

And God has promised that those who love Him will live with him for ever. Juts pause for a moment to think about that – to live forever in the presence of God. But more than that, the life we spend with Him will be free from all the things which cause us pain and suffering now.

But of course, as Christians we continue to live in hope here and now. Not just hoping for good things in the future, when God’s Kingdom becomes an eternal reality, but living with hope as an ever present reality in our everyday lives – and Paul tells us how this is possible.

As Christians, Paul tells us that we can, rejoice in the hope of the glory of God…for we have been made right with God, justified through faith.

Our hope in the glory of God, is knowing that God will be faithful to us and that no matter what may happen in the present, God will always be with us and our future is secure in Him. And this security leads us to the second mention of hope in this passage, at the end of verse four, at the end of a chain of events which begins with tribulation and ends in hope.

Indeed because of this hope Paul tells us that we can rejoice in our tribulations, which, to be honest, might be the last thing we would think of at such a time. But we can rejoice, says Paul, because we can trust that God will help us through them, whatever they happen to be.

Suffering doesn’t disappear from our lives when we make a step of faith toward Jesus and I’m sure we can all testify to that, perhaps especially so today. But through faith in God we are given the strength to persevere long after our own ability to endure has come and gone. And as we learn to persevere through this faith, our character is strengthened, and as our character – strengthened not by our own devices but by our faith in God – grows, we are then able to look to the future with more and more hope.

And this hope does not disappoint, says Paul, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us. Our hope is well grounded – because God has already shown us what he can do for us by giving us his Holy Spirit to help and guide us until our ultimate hope is realized. The Holy Spirit in our lives is like a deposit made by God – a guarantee if you like- that one day all He has promised and much, much more will happen.

As disciples of Jesus Christ we find our ultimate hope in Him and as his disciples we must live lives that show this hope to be alive and real, today. That if we are called to task by those who mock and criticise our faith…our hope will leave them not only silent, but wanting – wanting to know that hope for themselves.

So I hope and pray that for all of us this morning, we hold on to this faith and hope. And when we are hit by hard, difficult and painful circumstances, we might realize that no matter how severe they are, that there is nothing that can extinguish the hope that God gives, and that such hope can in turn, lead us even closer to God.

So may the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives lead us to live lives full of hope – hope that steadies our hearts in the present and prepares us for the future…Amen

Loving God, we thank You for that sure and certain hope You have given to us through Your Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and we ask that by Your Spirit You would help us to look to that hope each and every day of our lives. And we think especially today for those who may feel as if they have no hope – because of bereavement, because of illness, because of circumstance, because of situations in their lives that have left them feeling devastated and bereft of any and all hope and we ask that You be with them. We think also of those images we have seen all week on our televisions and we pray for a sense of unity between all Your children and an end to all discrimination. Loving God, with all we are facing at this time we know there may be many who might feel like this so we ask that You would draw each one close to You and hold each one in Your tender loving care, letting them know that You are with them and will remain with them in all they are going through, and that in You there is always hope. And be especially with those in our own families and our own communities, those known and closest to us, and let them know also that we too hold them in our hearts and are thinking of and praying for them at this time. And all these things we ask for in Jesus name…Amen.

‘Honour your Father and your Mother…’ (Exodus 20:12)

At its basic and simplest level this commandment is all about respecting your parents and giving them the honour that they are due and certainly this is a theme which is consistent throughout the Bible. However, there is more to it than this; there is also an element of respecting all your elders, not just your own parents but all parents, all those who have more wisdom and life experience than you do. And again we also see this kind of theme repeated throughout the Bible.

However, during His ministry Jesus appeared to take it to yet another level in Matthew 12:48-50. When He was told that His mother and brothers were outside Jesus pointed to all His disciples and said they were His mother and brother – indeed anyone who did the will of His Father in heaven could be called His mother, brother or sister. So maybe that’s how we should look at this commandment; yes, honour our parents by showing them the love and respect we are due them, but also show this same love and respect to all God’s children because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and all part of God’s one family.

Lord, help us to show love and respect to all whom we meet in our lives every day…in Jesus name. Amen.

Question Of The Day: Which Disciple replaced Judas?

‘You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God…’ (Exodus 20:7)

Blasphemy is an old fashioned word that many would scoff at today so it is perhaps not too surprising then to see the many ways in which the third commandment is violated in our modern day culture. At its simplest, this commandment is all about not taking the Lord’s name lightly and certainly not as some kind of thoughtless curse. Rather the Lord’s name should be treated with reverence and love, indeed the prayer Jesus Himself taught His Disciples He said that God’s name should be hallowed.

Yet how often do we hear the Lord’s name being used in exclamations of anger, frustration or joy and in expressions of hatred, contempt and disdain. Almost without any thought or consideration whatsoever the name of the Lord is inserted in to so many expressions like this that they are now part and parcel of our everyday language. Indeed so common are these kinds of expressions in our modern day society that many have their own acronyms and text message equivalents, the most common perhaps being OMG.

Have we ever in the heat of the moment – in anger or joy or whatever – have we ever taken the Lord’s name in vain this kind of way? God is our Sovereign Lord and through His Son and by His Spirit He has revealed Himself to us and is among us. His name should be uttered only in reverence as an expression of love and faith, giving thanks for all His grace and mercy to us and His continued provision for us. Praise be the Lord.

Lord, we know we live at a time when so many speak your name wrongly. Help us to begin to correct that by letting others hear how Your name should be spoken in love, that they too might come to do likewise.

Question Of The Day: Which of Jesus Disciple’s was initially a disciple of John the Baptist?

Read Luke 18:1-14

What are these two parables all about?

• Here Jesus pinpoints the two most important aspects of prayer.
• First and foremost, the need for us to practise constant contact and communication with God.
• God knows our needs but His wish is for us to speak with Him daily and acknowledge those needs in faithful expectation.
• It is important to note that he ere the judge does not ‘represent’ God – this parable is meant to show how much more infinitely superior God’s character is to that of human beings.
• The need for us to humble ourselves before God.
• A person’s attitude when he/she comes before God in prayer is all important. We need to acknowledge how far we are from God and how much we need His forgiveness.

Do we spend time in God in prayer as often as we should? Do we acknowledge how far we are from God and how much we need His forgiveness and provision in our lives?

Read Luke 18:15-31

What is the purpose of these two portions of Scripture? Why are they placed together in this way?

• For all that these two verses contain the simple most important lesson here is to contrast the difference in attitude between a child and a man who seems determined to hold on to his earthly possessions.
• In the child we have someone who is trusting and faithful and who gladly come to Jesus.
• In the rich man we have someone who, it would seem, is unable to let go of all he has in order to follow Jesus.

Which of these two parables resonant most with us – who are we more like?

Read Luke 18:35-43

What is most significant in this short story?

• Such was the man’s faith and belief in Jesus that he would not remain quiet when he was rebuked – he knew Jesus could help him.
• And when that help came he responded in faith, praising Jesus and following Him.

How persistent are we in our faith and how do we respond when Jesus comes to us?