Peter Misselbrook's Blog
Feb 6 2019 - Genesis 44:1-34 – Joseph tests his brothers

Joseph sent the brothers away with their sacks full of grain, their money in each of their sacks and one of his special silver cups in Benjamin's sack.

The men had not gone far before the steward came racing after them accusing them of stealing a silver cup from Joseph. They all protest their innocence saying that if the cup is found with any of them, that person should die and the rest of them will become servants to the Egyptian lord. A search soon discovers the cup in Benjamin's sack. The brothers are distraught and tear their clothes. All now return to plead with the Egyptian official.

Judah took it upon himself to be their spokesman. He was the one who had sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites and he is now convinced that all that is now happening is punishment from God because of what he and his brothers did to Joseph (see 44:16). He knows how the loss of Joseph affected father Jacob; the loss also of Benjamin would be more than he could bear. So Judah, who had failed to listen to the pleas of Joseph when he sold him into slavery, pleads that Benjamin should be spared from becoming a slave in Egypt. Judah offers himself in Benjamin's place.

There are times when circumstances remind us of wrongs we have done in the past of which we are ashamed. Such reminders are helpful if they humble us and bring us to fresh repentance before God, seeking his forgiveness.

Judah offered himself in place of Benjamin who, it seemed, had defrauded Joseph of his sacred cup. There is no doubt about our sins. We have defrauded God of the glory due to him and have stolen that glory for ourselves. Our sins, if they were listed, would be almost beyond counting. But Judah's offspring, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, offered himself in our place. He suffered the penalty that our sins deserved so that we might be set free. So every memory of our sins needs to drive us not only to repentance but also and supremely to our triumphant Saviour whose risen power frees us from slavery to sin and death. We need to run to him with our thanksgiving and praise.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me...

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the just, is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me...

One with himself, I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by his blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.

Gracious Father, thank you that when you remind me of the guilt of my sins, you also show me afresh the wonder of your salvation. Thank you that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is also the Lamb who was slain for us that all our guilt and shame might be washed away and that we might be brought rejoicing to our Father's house.

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Feb 6 2020 - Luke 19:1-27 – Lord and Christ

Luke's account of the parable of the Minas is similar to Matthew's parable of the Talents. But there is a second strand woven into Luke's parable. The lord who gives sums of money to three of his servants before going away on a journey is going to receive a kingdom. Many of the citizens do not want him to be made their king and send a delegation after him to ask that he might not be given the kingdom. But the master is appointed as king, and when he returns, he not only calls his servants to see how they have used the money entrusted to them, he also summons those citizens who had not wanted him to be appointed as their king and has them slaughtered before him.

This rather bloodthirsty second strand of the parable reflects what had actually happened in recent history. Jesus' hearers would have known how Archelaus, on the death of his father Herod, made his way to Rome in order to get confirmation of the kingship bestowed on him in his father's will. Archelaus was followed by a deputation of Jews who resisted his appointment and who succeeded in persuading Augustus to give him only half his father's kingdom and the status of an ethnarch rather than a king. But in the parable that Jesus tells, the master is appointed as king and returns to exact judgment on those who had rejected him.

What is the meaning of this element of the parable? Surely, Jesus is speaking of himself. He is the one whom God has appointed to be king over his people. But many of those to whom he came rejected him; they did not want Jesus to be king over them. This rejection would soon be played out to its ultimate conclusion as Jesus is hung upon a cross. Yet God will have this Jesus to be king over his people. He raised him from the dead and has given him the name which is above every other name, so that every knee might bow to the name of Jesus. Continued rejection of him will bring down judgment upon those who have set themselves against him (cf. Psalm 2).

It's easy for us to point the finger at others who have rejected the Lord Jesus. But we need also to examine our own lives. Are there any areas in our own lives that are not fully submitted to the lordship of Jesus? Are there areas in which we, like the third of the servants in this parable, are not giving him what is his due? Jesus has not been given a half-kingdom and we should not render him half-hearted obedience.

In the story of Zacchaeus which precedes this parable, we read of a man whose life was utterly transformed through his encounter with Jesus. He had been a money-grabbing tax collector but, unlike the rich young ruler we read of yesterday, he was glad to give away much of what he had as part of his devotion to the Lord. Salvation had come to his house and he no longer considered what he possessed to be his own.

Father God, we gladly welcome Jesus as your chosen king and as our Lord and we long for the day when he will return. Help us to live every aspect of our lives gladly under his benevolent rule. Help us not to hold back anything from him but to use all that we have and are as good stewards of your kingdom. Help us to live now in such a way that we may receive the commendation of our Lord at his return.

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Peter Misselbrook