Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher
I. New For This Week
Missionary Pioneer Hudson Taylor's Favorite Hymn was Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting - CLICK HERE to listen a meditate on lyrics.
Growing My Faith in the Face of Death by Tim Keller - Recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Tim Keller writes in The Atlantic Monthly: I spent a lifetime counseling others before my diagnosis. Will I be able to take my own advice? This a deep and thoughtful reflection by someone whom God has used to shape my own life and ministry. Read it thoughtfully, then tomorrow read it again. It is as well, a helpful model of how to speak and live out faith in a setting - this magazine - that is typically unwelcoming. CLICK HERE for the entire article. If it asks you to pay or subscribe in order to read it, contact Pastor Bill by email: Bill@Harderwyk.com
II. From The Commentaries
From Nancy Blakey in the “Feasting on the Word Commentary” - “Bearing fruit when it counts grows from union with Jesus. Finding that home in him and letting his word find a home in us through faithful devotion bring about great joy. As in nature, the pruning and the abiding are held together. When we remain that close to Jesus, we attuned to him and he to us, the remarkable result is that what we want will be what God wants, and it will surely come to pass. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (v. 7). All that is extraneous is carefully and lovingly removed. What remains is centered and focused in God’s word.
As Jesus counsels and prays with his disciples, he invites them to stay close to him by placing their trust in him. He warns them that they cannot go it alone, trusting in their own strength. On their own they would be cut off from their life source. They would bear no fruit. This is a word that followers need to heed today. The temptation to go it on our own is great. We live in a society that promotes independence and making something of yourself. Though a valid goal, self-worth often becomes equated with our own success and what we can produce. It becomes very easy to think that it is all up to us and our own resources as we try to solve problems and meet challenges.”
A unique couple of notes about the vine imagery...
From Craig Evans in “The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary” - “Josephus gives us an elaborate description of Herod’s 46-year refurbishing of the temple. At the entrance of the Holy Place (west of the altar) steps led to a linen curtain covered with purple, scarlet and blue flowers (Antiquities, 15.394; Wars, 5:207–214). Solid gold chains hung alongside the curtain from the door beam. Above the curtain (beneath the roof line) grew a gigantic grapevine of pure gold representing Israel (Antiquities 15.395). Wealthy citizens could bring gifts to add to the vine: gold tendrils, grapes, or leaves and these would be added by metal workers to the ever-growing vine (Mishnah, Middoth, 3:8). Josephus says that some of the grape clusters were the “height of a man.” He also reports that when the Romans sacked the temple in a.d. 70, the amount of gold taken from its precincts was so great that it depressed the value of gold in Syria by half (Wars, 6.316–318).
The vine and the vineyard were ancient and powerful images in Judaism (as in most Mediterranean societies). The vine represented the covenant people of God, planted and tended by him so that Israel would produce fruit (Hos. 10:1–2; Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 2:21; 12:10–11; Ezek. 15:1–5, 17:1–6; 19:10–14; Ps. 80:8–18). Generally, in the Old Testament when Israel is depicted as a vine or vineyard, the nation is being chastised for not bearing fruit as God expected. Ps. 80:7–9 and Isa. 5:3–5 are representative:
‘Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.’ (Ps. 80:7–9)
‘And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.’ (Isa. 5:3–5)”
III. Ongoing Resources
1) Scotty Smith’s Heavenward Daily Prayers - CLICK HERE to see the daily prayer blog of Scotty Smith. You will see an option to have them delivered to your email inbox each day as well.
2) Simple Lectio Divina Overview - CLICK HERE for a simple introduction of the spiritual practice of a more personal way of experience the Word through contemplation and reflection.
Comments
Post a Comment