Editor’s Note: Today’s AMI Quiet Time is provided by Kate Moon, who is currently serving in E. Asia.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 14:1-3:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you,  I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

On a recent visit home, I came out of my room one afternoon to hear my mom in conversation with someone at the door.  Overhearing the person give my mother the name and address of a church, I thought perhaps it was an over-zealous evangelist and wondered how they had gotten to this point in the conversation.  Perhaps my mother, shy and language ability still limited, hadn’t been able to convey that she was a believer and already had a church she regularly attended?  Mild concern brought me to the door to find out what was going on when my mother turned to me with a sad, surprised look on her face and said, “C—- passed away.”  C—- was our good neighbor of over 20 years, and the person at the door was a relative delivering the news of her prior week’s passing, giving my mother the address of the church where the funeral services would be held.

The thought crossed my mind that my aged parents might be deeply affected by the news, but it passed when they seemed to be OK, going about the tasks of daily life without seeming particularly wanting to talk about it.  So I also let my mind focus on other things, the agendas of my trip back, and the two weeks flew by.  After a busy last few days, in a quiet moment at the airport while waiting to board my flight, an offhand comment my mother had made came to mind, and I suddenly realized that it had all affected them much more than I had thought.  By then, however, I’d already lost the chance to comfort them in person.

Jesus, at the moment He was facing the most difficult test of His life, was also able to care about how His disciples were feeling, and He took time out to comfort them.  He tells them, “Don’t worry or be anxious,” and “I will come back for you.”  What a personal picture of the God of all comfort.  How can we avoid being too busy to comfort someone today?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me, I can be so self-centered at times.  Help me to pay a little more attention to others today.  Remind me of anyone needing comfort that I may have been overlooking.  Thank you for showing me the way.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 23

Lunch Break Study 

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Questions to Consider

1. How are we able to comfort those going through a hard time (v. 4)?
2. What do the phrases “all comfort,” “in all our affliction,” and “in any affliction” suggest about the comprehensiveness of God’s comfort?
3. Is there any current area of your life or past experience for which you feel you haven’t been able to receive God’s comfort? In light of today’s passage, what can you do?

Notes

1. When we ourselves are able to receive comfort from God when we go through hard times.
2. His comfort is available to us for any and every circumstance.
3. Comfort comes when we can see a situation in the light of God’s truth, but hurts, pride, lies of the enemy, etc. can blind and keep us in darkness. Ask God to remove all obstacles keeping you from receiving His comfort, which is surely available to you today.

Evening Reflection  

Did I see or think of anyone in need of comfort today?  Take a moment to pray that they would truly be able to receive (by being able to see in the light of His truth) God’s comfort that is available to them in any situation they may be in.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotional for September 10-11 are written by Pastor Ulysses Wang who are now serving at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 13:34-35

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’”

Since when did the command to love one another become a “new commandment”? I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this one before: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). In fact, Jesus, when responding to questioning from a lawyer, said, “You shall love the Lord your God with` all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). In His own response He acknowledged the important place that this more-than-thousand-year-old Law maintained. So what then was so new about what Jesus said?

Cutting to the chase, the scholar Sir Edwyn Clement Hoskyns said, “whereas the Old Testament demanded that men should love their neighbours as themselves, the New Law is that they should love the brethren better than themselves, and die for their friends.” In other words, as He usually did, Jesus was upped the ante. “Just as” Jesus laid down His life for His friends, we are to do so as well. This is radical, but more than possible because of the great power available to us through the indwelling Spirit.

During Old Testament times, even loving one’s neighbor as one’s self was impossible – the Law revealed our sin (Romans 7:7). Oftentimes, attempts at obeying the Law became legalistic, a prime example of which can be seen in the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Even though we have the Spirit now, how often do we love like we’re still living under the Old Covenant! Our love can be so legalistic, forced, done out of Christian obligation, but when we love this way we sell short the power of the Spirit. When you dream about a loving community within your church, what do you see? Let us not settle for anonymity in church, or never moving beyond just being acquaintances! Let us not settle for small groups where we don’t share what’s really going on in our lives or don’t care to carry the burdens of another! Let us not give up loving those who seem so difficult to love! We live in an age of extraordinary possibility when it comes to the kind of love that can be experienced because we live in the age of the Spirit. By this love all people will know that we belong to Jesus.

Prayer: God, help me to really love the people in my small group. Help me to feel compassion when someone around me is in pain. Help me to be willing to sacrifice for the needs of others. Fill me with the Spirit so that I can love as You do. Make our church a place of love so that all can see that You are real. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 22

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotional for September 10-11 are written by Pastor Ulysses Wang who are now serving at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 13:21-30

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.”

Of all people, Jesus knew what this meant: “With friends like you, who needs enemies.”  Maybe you can relate to it as well.  Allow me to explain.

This passage follows closely on the heels of v.18 – “But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me’” – where Jesus explicitly connects the betrayal that He was about to experience with the fulfillment of Psalm 41:9. What is less obvious is the understanding that the act of eating bread together implies friendship, which David, the author of this particular psalm, makes clear from the first half of v.9 (which Jesus left out): “Even my close friend in whom I have trusted…”

What this should remind us of is the fact that Judas was a close friend of Jesus. It’s tempting to view the entirety of Judas’ life through the lens of his final act of betrayal. He’s the one with the shifty eyes, slicked-back hair and bad cheek scar. The only reason Jesus put up with this most obvious of villains was because He knew the role Judas was to play in the Father’s plan. I don’t believe this version of events to be true at all.  Judas was Jesus’ friend; in fact, that’s what He called Judas – “Friend” (Matt. 26:50) – right after he kissed the Lord as a signal to those who came to arrest him.  He was right alongside Jesus and the other disciples when they ministered hour after hour to the masses, enduring tiredness and hunger. When Jesus had no place to lay His head, neither did He. He was responsible enough to be entrusted with the moneybag. He talked, walked and laughed with Jesus.

I say all this to make a point – Jesus was betrayed by a friend, not an arch-nemesis out to get Him from the beginning, and if you’ve ever experienced the deep pain that comes from this kind of betrayal, you are not alone.  In fact, He would experience betrayal several more times before His death: the rest of His disciples fled at His arrest; Peter denied knowing Him three times.  Jesus knows what it’s like to be burned and burned bad.

William Blake once said, “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” I think there’s a lot of truth in that statement. Are you holding on to unforgiveness in your heart because of past sins committed against you? Were you wounded by a friend? A family member? A brother or sister in the church? Let us find comfort in our Savior, who is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but has experienced firsthand our pain and suffering. Ask Him for the power to forgive as He forgave and to release those who have hurt you from the grip of personal judgment.

Prayer: Jesus, You didn’t go to the cross solely through the work of the devil, but through the actions of a friend. Help me to move towards the power of forgiveness that is offered to me, as I seek to forgive as you forgave. Thank you that you do not belittle my past hurts, but rather, that You empathize with the reality of my pain. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 20-21

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 13:1-11 (ESV)

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

We know historically, that the washing of feet was the most menial chore reserved for the lowest slave in the house.  In fact, it was almost considered a breach of human dignity to force someone to wash the feet of guests; and because of that fact, Jewish servants were exempt from this awful duty.  In a city like Jerusalem, it would have been a common thing to dump your refuse on the streets; and so you could just imagine the grime and filth that would have found its way under people’s feet.  It was so bad that some of the rabbinic teaching advocated that only Gentile slaves be used to wash feet.

It’s no wonder that Peter reacted the way that he did.  Due to the contrast between the exalted position of Jesus and the demeaning nature of foot washing, it makes complete sense that Peter reacted with the statement, “Lord you will never wash my feet.”  In all of the ancient literature, there is no other example of someone in such a high position of power taking such a low position of service.  It was unheard of and it was unfathomable to Peter that Jesus would take the place of a slave.  Peter obviously did not realize that the washing of his feet was a mere symbol of a far deeper spiritual cleansing to which Jesus alludes to when he says, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”

However, the washing of our sin goes beyond our personal relationship with Jesus— it impacts our relationships with other believers.   If you have no part with Jesus, then neither can you be a part of the authentic Christian community.  A person who has no experience of having their sins washed by the love of God can never fully take part in the depth of relationship that is available for those who have received the forgiveness of their sins.

The thing that keeps us separate from one another, the thing that ensures that there is always a distance between two people is the barrier of sin and the shame that it causes.  We see it from the very beginning of human relationships where Adam and Eve see their own nakedness, and then they go about covering themselves so that they no longer have to be transparent before each other.  This is the perfect picture of the human dilemma: we want to be known and accepted for who we are, but deep inside we know that who we are is not acceptable.  So we hide behind our masks, our facades, and we try to project our areas of strength and hide our weaknesses.  We cover ourselves with our degrees, our success, our social status, and our wealth; but all the while, we struggle with the growing sense of loneliness.   In washing us through His blood, Christ makes us acceptable before God; and if we are acceptable to God, then surely we are acceptable to one another.  In this way, Jesus not only provides a way to the Father, He is also the means by which we can fellowship with one another.

Prayer: Lord, gives us understanding of Your humility, and how You came not to be served but to serve.  We pray that Your example of love will be the foundation of our churches and lead to genuine fellowship among brothers and sister who bear Your Name.  As You have washed our sins with Your love, teach us how to love one another in a manner that covers a multitude of sin.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 19

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Corinthians 6: 5-11: I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Questions to Consider:

1. What is principally wrong in taking another Christian to court?
2. What is the true damage that is done when Christians air their disputes publically?
3. How does Paul address the state of the believers in Corinth?

Notes:

1. I don’t believe that Paul’s intent was to completely negate lawsuits between Christians, but the bigger issue was the utter lack of Christian wisdom in the Corinthian church, and their failure to understand their true purpose in God. Sometimes this verse has been used to hide crimes within the church, and that’s should never be the case.  However, the civil disputes that inevitably rise among us should be handled with love and mercy.
2. When Christians are unable to peaceably resolve their disagreements, our witness to unbelievers become far less credible. This is Paul’s great concern with the Corinthians, that their lifestyles and treatment of one another was tarnishing the reputation of Christ and the church.
3. Although Paul reminds the Corinthians of their sinful history, his emphasis is on the fact that they are no longer these things. They have been washed and sanctified by Christ and the Holy Spirit, and therefore they ought to live out this new life and stop acting like their former selves.

Evening Reflection  

Have you sensed Christ’s love for you today?  What does it mean for Jesus to serve you and minister to you?  Spend some time in prayer, reflecting on the ways God has demonstrated His love for you.  Take time to listen for His voice.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 12:37-50 (ESV) 

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the

Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from

God. 44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in

him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the

world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone

hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge

the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my

words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I

have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a

commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is

eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” 

Leighton Ford, the brother-in-law of Billy Graham, in his book Transforming Leadership states that the two words to best summarize the earthly ministry of Jesus are: authority and power. Stephen Neil, in his study on the life of Christ, concurs with this assessment and writes: “The Jesus who strides through the Gospels is a man of immense and terrifying power. He is the master of every situation. He speaks with authority and not as the scribes. He is never at a loss for an answer… He knows how to draw men and women to himself in a devotion which will prove stronger than persecution and death.”

Those who study the field of leadership have debated on what the difference is between authority and power, but the general consensus is that power is the ability to change unwanted circumstances so that they align with your own desires, while authority is the ability to command that change by the sheer force of your will and personhood.   In relation to people, authority then is the ability to get others to do what you want, because they recognize through your life that what you ask of them is legitimate and right.

And in Jesus, we find this perfect balance of power and authority in the miracles that He performs, the life that He lives, and the obedience that He demands. Because His authority comes directly from the Father, there is no earthly parallel to the sheer power and influence that Jesus commands at His will. Many of us would agree with this assessment of Jesus, but at times we fail to show Him the honor and the devotion that He is so worthy of. Too often, we settle for a lukewarm faith that Jesus simply did not allow for, and ultimately, this points to something that is lacking in our modern experience of Christianity. The unavoidable conclusion that was made by every person that met Jesus was that He was someone that demanded some level of reaction—either to follow Him or to reject Him. The authentic Jesus did not leave room for a middle ground.

Like the authorities who believed but could not confess their faith, we too can fall into the trap of loving the glory that comes from the world rather than the glory that comes from God.  This morning, let’s pray that the Spirit of God would lead us to a deeper understanding of Christ’s authority, so that we may be drawn to Him with complete devotion.

Prayer: Lord, may we receive Your word as the sole authority over our lives. Show us how to honor You with our devotion and to live in a manner that is worthy of the gospel. Help us to seek the glory that comes from God, over and against any glory that we can receive from man. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 18

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Corinthians 10: 23-33(ESV): “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Questions to Consider

1. How can Christians make decisions on non-essential matters of lifestyle?
2. What does Paul mean when he addresses the subject of Christian freedom on the ground of conscience?
3. How can we balance doing everything for the glory of God, and at the same time try to please everyone in everything?

Notes

1. In the gray areas of Christian behavior, the rule of the thumb that this passage points to is how our actions impact the good of our neighbors. Does the exercise of our liberties serve to build people up around us and benefit them, or are they solely about my own good?
2. Paul advocates that we make decisions on Christian liberties not just on personal conscience, but also based on how it affects the conscience of others. Even if your conscience gives you the freedom to act in a particular way, if you know that your behavior negatively impacts the conscience of a brother, then it is best to refrain.
3. From Paul’s point of view, the good of all is measured by how people can be brought to salvation. If the saving of souls is your primary motivation for life, then living for God’s glory and trying to please people are in perfect alignment. It is when you forget this directive of the gospel that pleasing people becomes dangerous.

Evening Reflection  

In what ways were you aware of Christ’s authority in your day-to-day activity? How did you adjust your actions based on doing all things for God’s glory? Have you been motivated to share your faith, both in words and deed? Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you boldness to truly live for the glory of God.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 12:20-36 (ESV):

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

We often don’t look for light until it is completely dark. In the book The Fellowship of the Rings, there is a powerful scene where the Queen of the Elves gives Frodo the power of the stars. As he is entering the greatest challenge of his life, she gives him the star of Earandil, the most beloved star of her people, and says to him, “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” JRR Tolkien, who was a devout Catholic, understood the significance of light in dark places, but more importantly, he understood the significance of the one true light when all other lights grow dim.

When Jesus refers to Himself as the “Light,” it has a narrow range of meaning. He isn’t simply saying, “I am the source of enlightenment that will guide you through life, like Buddha or a New Age guru.” He is literally saying, “I am the shekinah glory of God.” The shekinah glory is the dwelling of God’s presence in a specific location that makes it perceivable to the human senses. During the Feast of Tabernacles— which lasted eight days— each night as the people gathered, the priest would light these massive candelabras for two reasons: first, as a remembrance of how God’s glory led them through the darkness, and second, as an expression of longing that the visible presence of God would fill the temple again. Just imagine Jesus standing up in the middle of that ceremony, as the priests began to light the candelabra, and proclaiming, “I am the light of the world!” Jesus is actually saying, “I am the light that all your ceremonies are pointing to, the light that led your forefathers through the desert, the light of God’s glory come to fill this temple, and I am the light come to rescue a world in darkness!”

I think it bears repeating the quote by C.S. Lewis: “A man who was merely a man and said the things Jesus said cannot be a good moral teacher. Either this man was and is the Son of God or else a madman.” We have to understand that Jesus left very little room for misunderstanding—everyone knew exactly what He was saying. It’s just that no one knew how to react to these claims. There were some who believed, many who rejected, and then there were many more who thought they believed but weren’t quite sure. Each day, Jesus issues this challenge for us: to believe in the Light with such faith that we would be transformed into the very sons of Light.

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe that You are the very light of life. I pray that You would reveal every hidden sin that remains in darkness so that I might be changed from glory to glory.   As you transform me, may I become like more and more like You and shine your light in this dark world. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 17

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 John 1:5-10 (ESV): This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Questions to Consider:

1. What does it mean for God to be the light?
2. What does it mean for us to “walk in the light” as opposed to “walk in darkness”?
3. Why is walking in the light so important for fellowship with one another?

Notes:

1. Although some biblical scholars think that this is a reference to the ethical or moral purity of God, based on John’s use of the metaphor of light in the Gospel, it is better to understand this as a reference to God as the source of life. Since light is what leads to life, God is at the very center of our existence.
2. If you take this analogy further, “walking in the light” means to walk in the fullness of life, while “walking in darkness” means denying the source of life, the incarnate Son of God. In his letter, John is addressing the problem of those who have walked away from the faith by rejecting Christ. Walking in darkness is a life without Christ.
3. Those who deny Christ clearly have no fellowship with God, nor can they have true fellowship with other Christians. Belief in God in the general sense can never substitute for belief in God through Jesus Christ.

Evening Reflection  

How have you walked in the fullness of life today? Were you able to experience God’s love today and share it with others? Has God been present in all your thoughts and deeds? Write down what it means for you to live life in all of its abundance.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 12:9-19 (ESV):

When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

The Triumphal Entry is a fulfillment of a prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, which reads, “Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion.  Shout in triumph, o daughter of Jerusalem.  Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey.”  It is significant that Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.  It’s a declaration that He is king, but unlike the kings of this world, His robe of royalty is in humility.  In a strange paradox, the majesty of Christ is found in His humility, and it is this divine humility that makes Him so worthy of our worship.

As we think about the virtue of humility, it is admittedly something that is hard to define and something even harder to achieve.  Many have called it the first foundation of all virtues, and I would agree with that assessment.   Humility can be defined as a loss of one’s self, a disregard of our reputation, our dignity, and whatever respect we think we are deserving of.  This definition also gives us the barometer of how we can measure humility.  The distance between our true state and the lowest level that we are willing to genuinely identify ourselves with is the correct measure of humility.  For Christ, the measure of His humility is immeasurable because though He is God by nature, He didn’t consider equality with God something to be grasped, so He humbled himself to the point of death as a bondservant to the world.  There are simply no human categories that can help us to explain the humility of Christ.

In light of this fact, it’s amazing to me how much we as Christians struggle in the area of humility.    Sociologists tell us that people become like the gods they worship, but that leaves us with this unavoidable question: What god we are worshipping? Are we worshipping the humble king that we see here in this passage or a god of our own design?  There is a narcissistic spirit that pervades our world and which has even crept into the church.  We are too busy staring at our own reflection instead of the reflection of Christ.  You cannot be abandoned for the gospel if you are worried about your reputation, your dignity, and what you think life owes you.  The Cross is a testimony to the humility of Christ, and this humility is one of the attributes that make Him infinitely worthy of our worship and our imitation.

Prayer

Lord, teach me the way of humility, to die to myself and to pick up my cross daily.  Help me to see the pride that keeps me from experiencing Your blessing and becoming more and more like You.   Show me that I must decrease in order that You may increase.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 17

Lunch Break Study 

Read Philippians 2:1-11 (ESV): So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.^[1]

Questions to Consider:

1. What is the Holy Spirit’s role in Christian unity?
2. How is humility displayed in the context of the Christian community?
3. What is the connection between humility and obedience to God?

Notes:

1. Among many things, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to shed abroad God’s love in our hearts and to unite the believer to Christ, and in turn unite believers to one other. It is only through active participation in the ministry of the Holy Spirit that the church can experience the type of unity that Paul is calling for.
2. In the context of Christian community, humility is displayed by the freedom from selfish ambition and the consideration of the greater significance of others.   Gordon Fee reminds us that “selfish ambition” stands at the heart of human fallenness, where self-interest and self-aggrandizement at the expense of others primarily dictate values and behavior.^[2]  Humility frees us from this trap and brings us into real fellowship with one another.
3. Obedience to God is primarily a matter of humility. You cannot obey God unless you are first willing to humble yourself to His will just as Jesus submitted to the will of the Father.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Php 2:1–11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[2] Fee, G. D. (1995). Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (p. 186). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Evening Reflection  

In what ways did pride affect your day?  Were you quick to defend yourself or to react in anger towards criticism?  How can you grow in humility?  Take time to confess the areas of pride in your life and to ask for the grace of Christ to cover you.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 12:1-8 (ESV):

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” ^[1]

In contemporary Christianity, extravagant worship is often equated with the extent and quality of its production. We assume a stage of good musicians accompanied by floodlights and special effects playing in front of a filled auditorium constitutes worship that is acceptable and worthy of God. Many of us enjoy these times of corporate worship and I would certainly include myself as a fan of church services that are well put together. However, Christ seems to prefer something far more intimate and personal than just a good performance in his name.

The anointing of Jesus’ feet by Mary is a display of personal extravagance that is rare and uncommon to the modern Christian. The thought of pouring out expensive ointment that was valued at a year’s wages would seem excessive and a waste even if it was meant to cover the feet of our Savior. Perhaps, if we were there we would have said the same words as Judas, that the money could have been better used to serve the poor. There are times when our pragmatic and utilitarian view of the Gospel keeps us from lavishing Christ with our personal devotion and love.

Love is often expressed through extravagance that can be mistaken as a waste. This is the only way to explain why men use three months of their salary on average to buy a ring that will spend most of its time in a jewelry box. Whenever our anniversary comes around, I take my wife to restaurants that I would never consider for myself. I tend to be fairly cheap so I don’t really see the value in paying 30 or 40 dollars for a plate of food because there are so many other things I could do with that money. Yet when it comes to spending money for a special evening with Mira, my financial preferences take a back seat to the love that we have shared over the years.

In the same way, Mary is pouring out her love upon Jesus in a way that doesn’t make sense to those who have never experienced this love. By anointing his feet with the ointment and washing them with her hair, Mary fills the room with worship that is as sweet and fragrant as any costly perfume. Each morning, we have an opportunity to express our devotion to the Lord, to pour out our love, and to live lives of extravagant worship.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that we would become worshippers who understand what it means to worship in Spirit and in truth. Teach us how to offer up our lives as a living sacrifice and to hold nothing back regardless of cost. May we learn to give you the extravagant worship that you are so worthy of. Amen.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Jn 12:1–8). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 16

Lunch Break Study 

Luke 7:36-50 (NIV): One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

Questions to Consider:

1. Is this account the same as the one from this morning? How are they similar? How are they different?
2. Why did Simon really invite Jesus for dinner?
3. Who has the greater sin in this story?

Notes:

1. Although the two stories are similar in many ways, it is clear that these are two completely different events based on their setting and others who are involved. Therefore, we can assume that Jesus moved two individual women to pour out oil over his feet in an act of worship and love.
2. As the story unfolds, it is evident that the only intention that Simon the Pharisee had was to entrap Jesus. By withholding the common cultural courtesies, Simon revealed his open disdain for Jesus.
3. I really enjoy the way John Ortberg summarizes the end of Jesus’ dinner with Simon, the Pharisee. He writes:

There is great sin defiling this room. But it is not the sin that Simon thinks. It is the sin of

Lips that won’t kiss

Knees that won’t bend

Eyes that will not weep

Hands that will not serve

Perfume that will never leave the jar

It is a sin of a heart that will not break,

A life that will not change,

And a soul that will not love.

Evening Reflection  

Have you spent some time today in intimate communion with God? Are you listening for His voice? What if anything did He say? Take time to write down your thoughts and to respond to Him in worship.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for this week are provided by Pastor Jason Sato.  He and his family are currently serving in Cincinnati, OH.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 11:45-53 (ESV)

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, [46] but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. [47] So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. [48] If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” [49] But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. [50] Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” [51] He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, [52] and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. [53] So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

When I was a teenager, I would drive very fast, but when I was pulled over once for speeding, I immediately regretted breaking the law.  But why did I regret it?  I regretted getting caught.  I regretted the possibility of a fine and traffic school.  I regretted that I would be yelled at by my parents.  But to be honest, I didn’t really regret endangering other people.  I didn’t regret my “offense.”

The Pharisees were amazingly disciplined in their religion.  They fasted and prayed, they studied the Scriptures, and they established meticulous rules in order to obey the Law of Moses.   The Pharisees did this because they deeply regretted that Israel had been conquered by empire after empire.  They profoundly felt the shame of exile and the loss of the Promised Land.

But did they regret offending God?  Did they regret that their sin had separated them from their God?

In our passage, we find that the Pharisees love their status.  Jesus is threatening because He is drawing away many people to Himself.  The Pharisees also love the honor of men.  This is why they do not want to offend the people by openly rejecting John the Baptist or arresting Jesus in broad daylight.  The Pharisees also love their power.  They do not want to offend the Romans because they could take away their authority, their status, and their nation.

The Pharisees love many things other than God.  They do many religious things for reasons other than the love of God.  For clearly if they loved God, they would not violently reject His Son and shed innocent blood by killing their own Messiah.

According to verse 53, the Pharisees plan to put Jesus to death.  But their plan does not precede the plan of the Father.  We, like the Pharisees, rarely regret offending God.  We regret consequences of our sin, like guilt, shame, and judgment.  We, too, love many things more than God.  We are willing to sin as a means to an end.  Yet, the Father sends His Son to die for sinners like us, that His people from every tribe and nation would not perish.

May our regrets and our hopes no longer center on our punishments or rewards, but may we regret all that separates us from God and hope in Him who restores us to the Father.  The Son of God has paid the price that we might become children of God and live now and forever with and for Him.

Prayer: Father, I’m sorry that I can fear hell more than I long for heaven.  May all of my service and sacrifice be free from such unworthy motivation.  Give me your Holy Spirit that I might love You and worship You only.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 15

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for this week are provided by Pastor Jason Sato.  He and his family are currently serving in Cincinnati, OH.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 11:38-44

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. [39] Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” [40] Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” [41] So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” [43] When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” [44] The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

In the city, the strongest sensations may not be the sights but the smells.  An interesting mixture of something rotting and urine constantly reminds you of where you are.  Our preference is to avoid such unpleasant or ugly things, but life is not found in an artificially sterile environment—neither is glory.

Jesus asks that the stone to Lazarus’s tomb be taken away.  Being courteous, Martha desires to shield Jesus from the awful smell that must be within.  But Jesus intends for all to see the glory of God.

Glory shines brightest in the darkest, ugliest places.  God’s glory is revealed most clearly in the cross of Christ—the most awful spectacle in history.  So when we avoid the dark places of our world or deny that the darkness in our hearts exists, we prevent ourselves from seeing the Lord of Glory conquer that darkness and make things new.

There is no resurrection without death.  Lazarus had to die in order to be raised again.  And when Lazarus is raised from the dead, he is not raised so he can flee from a world of darkness to one that is light and easy.  We must not forget that later the Pharisees plot to kill Lazarus.  He very likely experiences persecution as a member of a sect banned from the synagogues and Jewish communities.  Lazarus does not live forever and eventually experiences death again

Lazarus is raised so that he and many others might see for themselves the weightiness and splendor of God.  And those who believe are then sent back into a world of darkness to honor this awesome God and call others to bow before His glory.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that You do not turn away from the ugliness of our world and of our hearts.  You shine, You redeem, You restore.  May we follow You and by Your Spirit may we shine Your light, and may we and those around us see for ourselves the light of the glory of God.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 13-14