Partakers Christian Podcasts

Encounters with Jesus - Bible Thought

Jesus’ Encounters

We know Jesus spoke to and interacted with large crowds. The Sermon on the Mount, the feeding of large crowds just a couple of examples. But we also have records of his encounters with individuals and their reaction to him. People who we talk to about Him, often have three reactions: rejection (either in sorrow or anger); more to think about it; and acceptance. We are going to look at two encounters that we find in the Gospels, what Jesus had to say to them and their subsequent reactions: his encounter with the rich young ruler and his meeting with Nicodemus. Next time we will look at two examples of those who accepted and believed in Him.

1. Rich young ruler Matthew 19:16-26 Mark 10v17-22 Luke 18:18-27

Mark 10v17: As Jesus started on his way; a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.'"

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

 

This story is in all three synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. Luke describes him as a wealthy ruler (Luke 18v18-27). Matthew describes him as a young man (Matthew 19v16-26). In Mark’s account, he is simply a man (Mark 10v17-22). Put altogether that makes him a rich young ruler. He runs up to Jesus and falls on his knees before Him. He wants eternal life, wants it now and so asks Jesus about it. When he calls Jesus a good teacher, Jesus responds “No one is good—except God alone.”

Now Jesus could have been correcting the young man, but more likely Jesus was asking: “Do you know what you are saying and how close to the truth about me you are?” This young man had fully kept the commandments listed by Jesus (Mark 10v19). However when Jesus said to the young ruler that in order to follow Him, he would have to give up all his wealth in order to have treasure in heaven and eternal life, the man left rejected.

That was a step too far for the rich young ruler. He wanted his riches and also eternal life but Jesus said he couldn’t have both. He remains the only man who left Jesus’ presence sorrowful, and that due to putting his trust in his riches & wealth alone. Now riches are not necessarily wrong but they do make trusting fully in God very difficult (Mark 10v23).

2. Nicodemus John 3v1-21

John 3v1-3: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.^[

Nicodemus wants to know more about Jesus and investigate Him personally, instead of following the majority of the other Jewish leaders. What do we know about Nicodemus?

• Member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin
• A leading teacher and learned scholar of the Scriptures
• From other sources we know he may well have been from a family of wealthy landowners
• Protested against Jesus’ condemnation without a trial (John 7v50-52)
• Took gifts to anoint Jesus’ body (John 19v39-40)

Nicodemus was probably one of the many looking for a kingdom of God based around a political Messiah; hence him admitting that due to his miraculous signs, Jesus must have been from God. They wanted a Messiah who was a political leader who would lead Israel to be a shining light for the whole world to come to Jerusalem and worship the one true living God. However, Jesus corrects Nicodemus and says that it is not through a new Israel that God’s kingdom will be seen, but by being “born again”.

Three times in this conversation, Jesus repeats about being “born again”. What does “born again” mean?

• It is not a physical rebirth and nor is it merely a turning over a new leaf.
• It is not baptism because Jesus has not instituted baptism yet!
• It is the new covenant, which Nicodemus should have known about it (Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36). It is being born with water and spirit – cleansed of sin and indwelt with the Holy Spirit
• It is being born from above, which is looking to the one who has come down from heaven. For the phrase “born again” can also be translated “born from above”.
• It is looking to Jesus and trusting in him just as the ancient Israelites were saved by looking at the bronze snake (Numbers 21v8)
• It is on an individual basis just as physical birth is. Nobody knows the date and time of their own birth unless they are told by somebody!

Jesus seemed astonished that the teacher didn’t already know that, being as Nicodemus was a highly educated and learned teacher!

 

So there we have 2 different reactions to Jesus: The rich young ruler who left full of sorrow; the Jewish leader who left with more to think about regarding this Jesus. In each encounter, Jesus is remarkably comfortable with all two people. He loved the rich young ruler (Mark 10v21)His love surrounded them, just as His love surrounds all people today. His message of salvation, through Him alone, is for everybody of all time.

 

For more to think about please do ask yourself the following questions, writing them down if you can, and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.

 

Q1. Please read Mark 10v17-22. What things may be hindering me from fully trusting in God for all things?

Q2. Read John 3v1-21. What does this Scripture tell me about God’s salvation?

Q3. How does Jesus’ approach to telling people about salvation inspire me to do likewise?

Psalm On Demand - Psalm 24

Psalm 24

1 The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness;
the world, and those who dwell therein.
2 For he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the floods.
3 Who may ascend to Yahweh’s hill?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart;
who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,
and has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh,
righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,
who seek your face—even Jacob.

Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, you gates!
Be lifted up, you everlasting doors,
and the King of glory will come in.
8 Who is the King of glory?
Yahweh strong and mighty,
Yahweh mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors,
and the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
Yahweh of Armies is the King of glory!
Selah.

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Psalm 72 - Psalm on Demand

Psalm 72

For the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm. By Solomon.

72:1 God, give the king your justice;
your righteousness to the royal son
72:2 He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice
72:3 The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people.
The hills bring the fruit of righteousness
72:4 He will judge the poor of the people.
He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.

72:5 They shall fear you while the sun endures;
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations
72:6 He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth
72:7 In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more
72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.

72:9 Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him.
His enemies shall lick the dust
72:10 The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts
72:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before him.
All nations shall serve him
72:12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries;
the poor, who has no helper.

72:13 He will have pity on the poor and needy.
He will save the souls of the needy
72:14 He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence.
Their blood will be precious in his sight
72:15 They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba.
Men shall pray for him continually.
They shall bless him all day long
72:16 Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land.
Its fruit sways like Lebanon.
Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.

72:17 His name endures forever.
His name continues as long as the sun.
Men shall be blessed by him.
All nations will call him blessed
72:18 Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds
72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen
72:20 This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

Psalm 91 - Psalm On Demand

Psalm 91

 

91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

91:2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust."

91:3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.

91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

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91:5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day;

91:6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

91:8 You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked.

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91:9 Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,

91:10 no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

91:11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

91:12 They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone.

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91:13 You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

91:14 "Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name.

91:15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him.

91:16 I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation."

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1 Chronicles 29 - King David’s Final Prayer - Bible Thought

David's Final Prayer

1 Chronicles 29:10-20

Introduction

Welcome as we look into this great, and perhaps last, public prayer of the great King David! It is a fabulous piece of Scripture, I am sure you agree, that tells us a lot about God we as Christians claim to know and love, as well as how we are to respond to Him. Originally 1 & 2 Chronicles were one book. It was the final book of the Jewish Canon, probably written by Ezra and was also known as the "the events of the days", "the things omitted" which would suggest that Chronicles were to be regarded as additional to the books of Kings and Samuel. It's a book which was written for those from the nation of Israel who are now in exile, to remind them of their spiritual heritage - the journey & history of Israel as a nation. For us though, not least I, it issues certain challenges to us all.

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Here is the great king David!

What has happened so far?

1. WOW factor of God! (v10-13)

2. David - its all God (v14-20)

3. So what?

Firstly, we saw the wow factor of God: a God who exudes greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty. Then we saw David's utter adoration and dependence upon the God that he knows intimately. So, finally, what does all this have to do with us? How often do we receive from our God, but not thank Him for it? We are to be thankful for every good gift that is given to us. We offer praises and thanks to Him, for who He is and for His generosity and grace towards us. Tonight's bible passage was a superb piece of thanksgiving.

When was the last time you thanked God for all the things He has given you? How can we put this thanks and praise into action? Lets see quickly! Firstly, I am convinced there are enough wealthy Christians sitting in churches in the West, who could make significant donations and virtually eradicate a lot of the poverty in the developing world and indeed their own countries. This would be active Christian giving on a radical scale. In biblical stories, such as this from 1 Chronicles 29, its always those who had the most, gave the most as an example to others of God's generosity. After all, God owns it all anyway and it's only given as a loan from God and not a transference of ownership.

As Christians, we are to desire to mature spiritually - growing in adoration, obedience and commitment to God. Perhaps the greatest indicator of today, concerns our giving. Giving is to be done whole-heartedly and cheerfully. It is also not so much about how much is given, but how much is left after giving and the attitude behind it. God looks beyond that which is given to the motive and attitude behind it. All our money and possessions belong to Him anyway, as we have seen, so giving is to be in response to this. Our money and possessions are a leasehold agreement not a freehold one. Giving done willingly is also not done to boost our own egos or for the feel-good factor, but rather to bring glory and honour to God as a thankful response to His giving all things to us.

Many prayers seemingly go unanswered because God is waiting on people to be obedient to Him, in order to answer the unanswered prayers of others. . We are to be generous with everything we have, not just in the area of money but with our very lives. We all have time, information, knowledge imagination, gifts and talents. All these too are to be given back to God . That may well take radical action to do, but radical giving is what we are called to do. God has given everything so that you and I may live and have life, so by caring and giving, we will reflect that. Let's be radical church together and encourage others to be likewise.

But, as we have seen, it's not only about giving money and resources. Giving is also to include skills, information, imagination and knowledge. Remember, the priests and craftsmen were waiting to give in the building of and service within the Temple. Churches, particularly these days, need to capture the imagination of those looking for a church home, and get them involved. Involvement in such a way that it builds up commitment to God and a growing adoration of Him. If people are involved, they will stay. It means training them up, to be fit for service within the church. If training for service doesn't occur, then commitment and dedication to God is likely to be diminished. If the same people do the same thing year after year, that local church will eventually die out. Each local church is only one generation away from closing its doors permanently. Giving, as we saw in tonight's passage, is also a community affair. This Church is to be a community, both within the church and outside of it, where the strongest members support the weakest members - including their time, possessions, money, knowledge and wisdom.

But, as we also saw tonight, it is not just for leaders to give! Giving is to be for everyone! Every church has a fantastic array of knowledge, wisdom, possessions and imagination. Let us share that with people outside the church. Who knows what our caring and giving will do for them as it reflects the glory of God! Too often, we are found turning a blind eye to the suffering of others where the necessities of life are in sparse existence. Too often we neglect to give up our personal space, time, imagination, information and money generously to help the poor and needy in our local, national and global communities. By doing this giving collectively, we will show our faith to be real and practical. There are people out there in our local community just waiting for somebody to give generously to them. We need to be seen to be radically giving to all - of our money, our possessions, and also our time, imagination, knowledge, practical help, care and love. Let us show our relevance to our local community, particularly at this time of Corona Virus Pandemic. So if I could summarise all this up in one sentence, it would be something like this

"Ask not only what your God can give to you,

but what great things you can do and give to your God."

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Poem - Jesus of the Scars

Jesus of the Scars

Edward Shillito (1872-1948),

Free Church minister in England during World War I:

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If we have never sought, we seek You now;

Your eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;

We must have sight of thorn-pricks on your brow,

We must have You, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;

In all the universe we have no place.

Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?

Lord Jesus, by Your Scars, we claim Your grace.

If, when the doors are shut, You draw near,

Only reveal those hands, that side of Yours;

We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear,

Show us Your Scars, we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong; but You were weak;

They rode, but You did stumble to a throne;

But to our wounds only God's wounds can speak,

And not a god has wounds, but You alone.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 2

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together,

against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,

3 “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh.

The Lord will have them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:

6 “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”

7 I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me,

“You are my son. Today I have become your father.

8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,

the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron.

You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10 Now therefore be wise, you kings.

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry,

and you perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled.

Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

 

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 41

Psalm 41

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1 Blessed is he who considers the poor.
Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.
2 Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive.
He shall be blessed on the earth,
and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.
3 Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed,
and restore him from his bed of illness.
4 I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me!
Heal me, for I have sinned against you."

5 My enemies speak evil against me:
"When will he die, and his name perish?"
6 If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood.
His heart gathers iniquity to itself.
When he goes abroad, he tells it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me.
They imagine the worst for me.
8 "An evil disease," they say, "has afflicted him.
Now that he lies he shall rise up no more."

9 Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,
who ate bread with me,
has lifted up his heel against me.
10 But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them.
11 By this I know that you delight in me,
because my enemy doesn't triumph over me.
12 As for me, you uphold me in my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.
13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
from everlasting and to everlasting!

Amen and amen.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 18

Psalm 18

For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,

18:1 I love you, Yahweh, my strength.

18:2 Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

18:3 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;

and I am saved from my enemies.

18:4 The cords of death surrounded me.

The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

18:5 The cords of Sheol were around me.

The snares of death came on me.

18:6 In my distress I called on Yahweh,

and cried to my God.

He heard my voice out of his temple.

My cry before him came into his ears.

18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled.

The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken,

because he was angry.

18:8 Smoke went out of his nostrils.

Consuming fire came out of his mouth.

Coals were kindled by it.

18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down.

Thick darkness was under his feet.

18:10 He rode on a cherub, and flew.

Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.

18:11 He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him,

darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

18:12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed,

hailstones and coals of fire.

18:13 Yahweh also thundered in the sky.

The Most High uttered his voice:

hailstones and coals of fire.

18:14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.

18:15 Then the channels of waters appeared.

The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

18:16 He sent from on high.

He took me.

He drew me out of many waters.

18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

18:18 They came on me in the day of my calamity,

but Yahweh was my support.

18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place.

He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

18:20 Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness.

According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.

18:21 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

18:22 For all his ordinances were before me.

I didn’t put away his statutes from me.

18:23 I was also blameless with him.

I kept myself from my iniquity.

18:24 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

18:25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.

With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.

18:26 With the pure, you will show yourself pure.

With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

18:27 For you will save the afflicted people,

but the haughty eyes you will bring down.

18:28 For you will light my lamp, Yahweh.

My God will light up my darkness.

18:29 For by you, I advance through a troop.

By my God, I leap over a wall.

18:30 As for God, his way is perfect.

The word of Yahweh is tried.

He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

18:31 For who is God, except Yahweh?

Who is a rock, besides our God,

18:32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?

18:33 He makes my feet like deer’s feet,

and sets me on my high places.

18:34 He teaches my hands to war,

so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

18:35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation.

Your right hand sustains me.

Your gentleness has made me great.

18:36 You have enlarged my steps under me,

My feet have not slipped.

18:37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them.

Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.

18:38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise.

They shall fall under my feet.

18:39 For you have armed me with strength to the battle.

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

18:40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

that I might cut off those who hate me.

 

18:41 They cried, but there was none to save;

even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.

18:42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind.

I cast them out as the mire of the streets.

18:43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people.

You have made me the head of the nations.

A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

18:44 As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me.

The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.

18:45 The foreigners shall fade away,

and shall come trembling out of their close places.

18:46 Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock.

Exalted be the God of my salvation,

18:47 even the God who executes vengeance for me,

and subdues peoples under me.

18:48 He rescues me from my enemies.

Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.

You deliver me from the violent man.

18:49 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,

and will sing praises to your name.

18:50 He gives great deliverance to his king,

and shows loving kindness to his anointed,

to David and to his seed, forevermore.

 

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 32

Psalm 32

32:1 Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
32:2 Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn't impute iniquity,
in whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:3 When I kept silence, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
32:4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me.
My strength was sapped in the heat of summer.

Selah.

32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn't hide my iniquity.
I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Selah.

32:6 For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you
in a time when you may be found.
Surely when the great waters overflow,
they shall not reach to him.

32:7 You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble.
You will surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah.

32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go.
I will counsel you with my eye on you.

32:9 Don't be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding,
who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you.

32:10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but God's loving kindness shall surrounds the man who trusts in Him.

2:11 Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous!
Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

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