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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We come to these closing verses in Luke Chapter 13. Jesus Christ has been teaching that the Kingdom of God is like seed and yeast - a seed which grows into a bush where people can come and rest and nest. That is what we are seeking to plant - this type of seed whereby people will come and find rest - where people can have safety and security in the Kingdom of God.
And Jesus says that the Kingdom is like yeast - and that yeast is to have an influence wherever His disciples go - in the dough - in the world - dough which has been hammered and sifted - the unseen influence of the Kingdom of God - the hidden work of God through obedient disciples. Let these pictures which Jesus uses inspire you as you serve and witness.
Because the numbers around Jesus Christ are small, some are wondering if only a few are going to be saved. Jesus does not answer that question directly. It is to Jesus an irrelevant question – the important issue is – "You just make sure you are among the number." You just make sure you are in the kingdom.
Make sure you are on the inside, and not on the outside looking in, because the day will come when people will say, “O Jesus we remember YOU - when you taught in our towns and villages”.
Jesus Christ is looking for commitment and dedication and faithfulness and loyalty. As soon as Jesus challenges their position - and their false security - with which they appeared to be satisfied - they say - "Leave this place - off you go - take your ministry elsewhere - Herod wants to kill you." - which was true - but in reality - it was not only Herod who wanted to kill Jesus.
They did not approve of what Jesus was saying. It was true, but it was far too near the truth to be comfortable, and Jesus has even stronger things to say.
"Go tell that fox." Doesn't Jesus Christ shock people at times?
A fox is a sly cunning animal, and that is what Jesus Christ thinks about Herod. Jesus wasn't all that tactful and courteous. He was not terribly interested in being ‘politically correct’ - not when the situation demanded a very different type of approach.
It is always better to be correct than merely ‘politically correct’!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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