14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists[a] cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

The Pharisees challenged Jesus authority, questioning how he was able to cast out demons accusing Jesus of being with or on Satan’s side.

He quickly put them in their place and gave a great teaching on unity and spiritual warfare.
But in this passage I have meditated on one verse, v23. I can’t help but reflect on the position of neutrality. In wars, some countries have declared themselves neutral. Which if they are geographically on the fringes fair enough but how about those in the middle and surrounded by battle? How can you stay neutral when your neighbour suffers? The problem for countries like Switzerland, they had the appearance of neutrality but if some reports are to be believed, being neutral helped the Nazis which by definition is not neutral.

It forces me to consider my own actions and at times inaction as a follower of Jesus Christ.

I can’t comfort myself by saying that I’m ok because I didn’t agree with evil, when I believe that God has positioned me to be a light for him. Not being against God is not the same as being for God. Whereas not being for God is the same as being against him.

As I a believer I can reflect on times when I haven’t stood up for God, I haven’t been the light that God has positioned me to be an have rationalised it by saying that I wasn’t working against God. As I reflect further, I recognise that God has positioned me to be his light, to be his voice in dark places.

There is no being neutral as a believer, just as there is no being neutral against God.

Lord, forgive me when I have chosen not to speak up for you, and help me to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit to seize the opportunities around me to be a light in a dark world.

Written by Andrew Martin

11 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

The Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps the most well known passage in the Bible and so often quoted that it can become rote words. But thinking past the familiarity, it is an insider lesson from Jesus on how to talk to God-so amazing!

Jesus starts with the invitation to address God as “Father”, and I just can’t go past that. If I were to attempt to front up and claim this level of familiarity with President Obama it would seem audacious and unacceptable. Yet we are invited here to address the Almighty God of the universe in such a warm and intimate way.

This is so beautiful, so privileged, so humbling. God has adopted me as His child and given me everything, every inheritance that goes along with being His daughter. Mind boggling. Deeply grateful.

Written by Shelley Witt

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

I think the moral of this interaction with Jesus should be “never try and test Jesus, He’ll give you a royal smack-down of challenging truth.”

Such a great parable of Jesus, with everyday application and implication.

A man who gets attacked and robbed finds himself in sudden, unforseen, and desperate need. And the Samaritan man – unlike the other two smugly sanitised and aloof religious figures – gets alongside him straight away to help him. On his way doing what was probably a normal travel route, he discovers someone in sudden, unforseen, and desperate need, and he moves straight into action to help.

This is love for ones neighbour. Costly, inconvenient, but wonderfully dignifying.

It is a tragic state of affairs when human beings intentionally avoid the desperate need that is right in front of them. But truth be told, I find myself, without the right kind of heart focus, quickly spiralling into an intentionally avoidant lifestyle.

Here, Jesus calls me to a life of love that dignifies. Love that costs, for certain. But love that dignifies, and heals. This is the right kind of heart focus for my day to day life.

As I go about my normal daily business, as the Samaritan man was, Jesus teaches me to keep my eyes out for opportunity to love my desperate neighbour in such a way that restores their dignity, and brings them healing.

I may not find a bloodied robbery victim. But I may find a desperate divorced mum. I may find a stretched and stressed work colleague. I may find a hurting and confused teenager. Maybe my “bandages, oil and wine” are instead a coffee, a listening ear, an offer of heartfelt and ongoing prayer and presence.

This is still love that dignifies the desperate. That heals the hapless. God, help me live each day with this as my heart focus.

Written by Ps. Rob Waugh

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus sends some of his disciples on a short term mission. It’s interesting that Luke says nothing about what happened on the mission, but focussed entirely on the lessons they learned and the joy that resulted.

This mission was partly about what these disciples would do in the towns they went to, but mostly about what God would do in these disciples. They didn’t do anything that Jesus hadn’t already been doing. But God did something special in these disciples’ lives.

This pattern seems to be repeated over and over. I grow and am blessed beyond what I deserve simply by walking with my God where He goes, and taking my part in the things He’s doing.

Not everyone was chosen for this mission. Not the 12. “Seventy two other disciples”. We don’t even know their names. Undoubtedly Jesus would have done it better. Perhaps the 12 would have done it better. But Jesus chose these disciples. His authority was enough to achieve great things. His purpose in sending them was to achieve great things in their lives.

We are all called to be witnesses but God calls some to be evangelists: some for one mission, some for another; some for a short period of time, others for longer. Some are chosen to go (the 72), others take part by providing a home and food for them (v7).

I’m called to do my part, not someone else’s. And whatever part He calls me to will be a source of Joy if I walk faithfully in it.

Written by David Cornell