Sunday's Text
Sunday Recap of the week... by Elaine Pierce
Thoughts on Luke 3 - 6
Have you ever met a famous person? Or stood in line to get someone's autograph? Maybe you've dreamed about fame and fortune for yourself - what would it be like to walk down the street and be recognized as a VIP?
Our youngest son was a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, and through my job, I got to know one of their star players. The day I brought home an autographed football card for10-year-old Alex was a red letter day for him. In fact, I think he still has that card more than 20 years later! The player has long since retired and, in many circles, he wouldn't be considered 'famous,' but to a youngster who watched him play football on TV, he was a rock star.
Jesus quickly developed a reputation as a 'rock star' teacher. Crowds followed him everywhere he went. When he returned to his hometown, Nazareth, he was welcomed with great fanfare - until he dared to question the established religious authorities. After he left Nazareth, he continued to draw crowds of people who were eager to hear him preach. He healed many. He called disciples to join him in his ministry. He infuriated the pharisees.
What did he always find time to do? At least twice in these three chapters, Jesus finds a quiet, lonely place to pray. (See Luke 4:42 and Luke 5:16). We know that Jesus was steeped in the scriptures; even as a young boy he amazed the rabbis with his understanding of God's word (Luke 2). He did not seek celebrity status, and instead of basking in the adulation of the crowds, he prioritized time with his Father.
Football stars will come and go. Movie stars will have their moment in the sun, but younger versions of themselves will replace them. Yes, high tech moguls will wow us with the latest social media platforms, but tomorrow there will be a new 'must have' electronic device.
I bet you've never heard of Charles Studd, have you? He faithfully served God on the mission field in China in the 1880s. His name is lost to history, but he wrote a poem with a very famous 2-line stanza:
Our country is in turmoil. We are bitterly divided politically, racially, and economically. It's so easy to get caught up in the crisis of the day. Instead, turn to Jesus. Only what we do for him matters in the end. Thank you, Lord, for mercy, forgiveness, and grace. We don't deserve it, but we gratefully accept the gift of eternal life and we pray that every day we will find time to spend with you.
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