Lessons from the Unjust Steward

Bible Reading: Luke 16:1-13

I have always been intrigued by the parable of the unjust Steward found in Luke chapter 16. Some consider this one of Jesus’ most difficult parables because Jesus used a dishonest man as an example for His disciples. Yet God sometimes uses evil things that are familiar to us to illustrate a particular point without praising the thing itself. The dishonest Steward was an excellent example in several ways. Only then did I realize I was asking the wrong question! I was asking why Jesus commended the unjust Steward. But what we should ask is, for what did Jesus commend him?  When the Steward knew his game was up, firstly, he acted.  Sec...

Zealous for God

A neat little incident is recorded in 1 Chronicles, chapter 13. David and all Israel went up to Kirjath Jearim, in Judah, to bring the Ark of God the LORD to Jerusalem. They carried the Ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab. Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah tried to steady the Ark, and the Lord, in His anger, struck Uzzah down. God had given specific instructions about handling the Ark of the Covenant (Num.1:47-52). God had instructed that no one should touch the Ark, the symbol of His Presence and Majesty. The Levites carried it on their shoulders using poles. God must have given this method considering the hilly terrain of the Judean Hills! Uzzah's action grew out of his ignorance of God's...

In His Steps!

In India, there is a story about a man who went on a Tiger hunt. He was following the tracks of a Tiger from a watering hole into the forest. Suddenly, there was a mix of tracks as the tracks of a Hyena crossed the Tiger's tracks. He got confused and started following the hyena's tracks, thinking they were the tigers! After some time, more tracks crossed his path, and he started following some bright and bold track, which led him to a rat hole! அதுதான், 'புலி பிடிக்க போய் எலி பிடித்த கதை'! New believers who come to know Christ through someone's ministry try to follow that person, thinking they are following Christ! That way, they fall away like the seeds that fell on rocky soil after a while. The question we have to answe...

The Model!

The modeling industry is changing fast, but the principle behind being a model has stayed the same. A model represents a product or service of a Company. Models do not have the freedom to express what they feel or like. Models cannot appear in their clothes. They must 'put on' specific garments made in a particular way as the Company recommends. Models can never draw attention to themselves but must project only the 'product' or the 'service' they are called to represent. When we think of a Christian's life on this earth, this analogy of 'modeling' thoroughly explains it. Somebody said we are the 5th Gospel of Christ. As long as we live on this earth, we must 'reflect' Christ and only 'Christ'. People around us have to see 'Christ' in us. What a...

The Problem of Plenty!

The thirtieth chapter of the Book of Proverbs has the words of wisdom of Agur, the son of Jakeh. Many read one chapter of the Book of Proverbs each day, and reading that way, we will read the thirtieth chapter on the 30th of each month! Proverbs 30:7-9 says, "Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches —Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the Name of my God." When we started our married life together, making both ends meet used to be difficult, and I used to marvel at the wisdom of God in placing this nugget of wisdom to be read at the en...

In the end, there is Hope!

The Book of Kings is a story of a rebellious people and  God's judgment.  God gave the people of Israel everything.   The Lord said, "I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant" (Joshua 24:13).  Moses had warned them earlier about the consequences of disobedience.  Moses said that when the LORD their God brings them into the land of promise when they have eaten and are full, they should not forget the LORD who brought them out of Egypt (Deut. 6:10-15).  The story could have been very different if they had only listened to Moses. &n...

Seeking God first …

It seems C.H. Spurgeon used the phrase 'What Would Jesus Do' in quotation marks several times in a sermon he gave on June 28, 1891, and attributed it to a book written in Latin by Thomas à Kempis, 'The Imitation of Christ'.  It was made famous in the nineties by a youth group leader from Michigan, USA, and it spread worldwide among Christian youth, who wore bracelets bearing the initials WWJD.  Our sons and their friends also used to wear these WWJD bands in the nineties!  I believe understanding the concept of 'WWJD' would help us know what it means to seek God first in our lives!

'Seek God first' is a cliché we hear often in the Christian circles.  Some leaders encourage the youth to neg...

Lessons from the life of Job

The world is full of Preachers and so-called Prophets who get answers from God on our behalf.  Typically, people ask such people questions like, 'Should I marry this person or not?' or 'Should I do this or not?' and so on.  They immediately pray and come back with an answer.  It appears like they ask God for a yes or no answer, and they get it as soon as they ask!  At best, it can be their advice and nothing more!  In my opinion, it is like treating God just like one of us or, even worse, as someone at our beck and call.  Do not get me wrong.  God does answer us when we call, but He answers in His time and His way!  Sometimes, we get answers to our prayers early, and somet...

Songs in the Night!

Sister Sarah Navaroji of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission wrote the song 'Ennai marava Yesu nadha' (Jesus, You will never forget me!).  She was once traveling alone to Colombo from Chennai.   In the sixties, one could catch an express train and ferry service from Madras to Colombo via Dhanushkodi.  She was sitting on the train waiting to see her mother.  It was an era before mobile phones, and we do not know why her mother could not come to see her.  As she sat waiting,  tears welled up in her eyes, and she clung to her Saviour, Lord Jesus, who had promised never to leave her.  She wrote the now immortal lines based on Isaiah 49:15, "Can a woman forget her nursing child,...

Living Sacrifice

During the Lenten days, it is customary for churches in India to give out small earthen pots with slits on top to collect the sacrificial offerings!   The Bible talks about a 'Living Sacrifice'!  'Living Sacrifice' is a paradox.  In the Old Testament, the sacrifices offered on the Altar were all dead!  The animals did not willingly present themselves—the one offering it brought them and laid them on the Altar.  Also, the animals offered as a sacrifice were all blameless (Leviticus 1:10)!  So what does Paul mean when he says, present your bodies as a living sacrifice?  Paul says in Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, … that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,...