Asbury Church

If you ever go to Israel, you’ll understand why Jesus preferred the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem. The “Holy Land” is far more than rocks and sand. While it is about the size of New Jersey, those who have been to Israel often say it reminds them of California—a coastal plain, a mountain ridge that creates a desert, and a northern area that is plush and fertile. The Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in the Middle East though it is not a large area, about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. In the northwestern part of the lake is where Jesus performed this amazing miracle. The Feeding of 5,000 was truly a mountaintop experience. Jesus put Philip on the spot. The disciple who got second billing, Andrew (Peter’s brother), always seemed to be bringing people to Jesus. This time it was a little boy. Some say this miracle is their favorite of all (other than the Resurrection, of course). Jesus wasn’t finished with the miraculous, either. Next, He walked on the water and calmed a storm.

However, John 6 tells the rest of the story. The great victory turned south the next day when many of “His disciples” left Him. His sayings were too difficult. Some just wanted the goodies but truly weren’t interested in following Him. They were fickle followers. Their departure is a classic case of, “Lower your expectations; raise your commitment.

esus encountered a woman with a checkered past. Jesus was “kind” but not “nice” as He spoke plainly and directly with her. He was not mean, judgmental, and bombastic—He just spoke to her. That was remarkable. A Jewish man talking to a Samaritan woman? Not only that, but she was “that woman” in her community. Decent people wouldn’t be caught dead with her. She was despised, rejected, cast-off, unwanted, and shunned because of her past. As Isaiah 53 prophesied, Jesus had to deal with the same rejection not because of unrighteousness but because of His righteousness. John 3:16 is followed in the next few verses with the statement that people love darkness rather than light. Jesus engaged her in conversation. She used a diversion tactic in verse 20 when she went into the old “Jew vs. Samaritan” routine. After a civil war, an alternative site for worship was set up locally in Samaria. The Jews and the Samaritans had hostility toward each other. Jesus responded and redirected the conversation.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had to redirect the conversation about reaching the lost. In his day, 1700s in England, the poor were marginalized and disregarded. They were considered disposable, too. When George Whitefield invited Wesley to preach outdoors to the coal miners early in the morning, Wesley thought the Lord would be offended. However, when he tried it, he realized that audience was more receptive than most who attended church. Early Methodists were overwhelmingly poor. Wesley cared for them, like Jesus cared for this woman.

Jesus’ conversation on Mount Gerizim in Samaria is the model of invitation. He broke down cultural barriers and invited someone considered to be trash in the community to talk to Him. He listened. He had compassion. He wanted everyone to belong. He invited anyone and everyone to the party in the kingdom of God. She, in turn, became an evangelist.

“Everyone has feet of clay.” The saying is an idiom. We don’t take the saying literally, but it means everyone has weaknesses. The “feet of clay” idiom comes from a dream of the king of the world at the time, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, in Daniel 2:32-33: “The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” That king’s “feet of clay” were exposed by his pride which resulted in foolish and ungodly decisions that finally led to a mental illness in Daniel 4.

“Everyone has feet of clay.” The saying is an idiom. We don’t take the saying literally, but it means everyone has weaknesses. The “feet of clay” idiom comes from a dream of the king of the world at the time, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, in Daniel 2:32-33: “The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” That king’s “feet of clay” were exposed by his pride which resulted in foolish and ungodly decisions that finally led to a mental illness in Daniel 4.

We’ve seen “feet of clay” in our Old Testament study as the three greatest figures of the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses, and David all had problems. Elijah, after one of the most spectacular victories in the Bible, folds like a cheap tent when threatened by the wicked Queen Cruella de Vil (a.k.a. Jezebel). After the victory on Mount Carmel, it seems inconceivable that this abrupt reversal could happen. He was on top of the mountain and fell into the valley of despair. Part of Elijah’s problem is identified in 1 Kings 19:3—because he was alone. The verse concludes with “…and he left his servant there.” He had nobody to help him. In contrast, Paul recognized his need for others while he was imprisoned. Elijah didn’t write Psalm 88, but it sounds like he could have. We can all end up as “cave” men or women in the pit of despair. Sometimes our depression is genetic—we come from families prone to it. Often our problem is circumstantial, and depression is a realistic conclusion that things can end in a bad place. Like walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we just don’t want to get stuck here. Wilderness, valleys and caves are part of life. Read all of 1 Kings 19, but also read chapter 21. Elijah recovers. In 2 Kings 1-2, his successor, Elisha, is named. He embodies hope.

We survey part of 1 Kings this week as we read about the greatest prophet of the Old Testament—Elijah. In Scripture, Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the wisdom of the Prophets. Elijah had a true mountaintop experience in 1 Kings 18. Next week, Elijah is in the valley of depression. How quickly we can go from high to low. But we can also regain lost ground.

1 Kings 17 introduces us to this strange character. He seems to be a maverick Lone Ranger type. The Lord often selects oddballs to do His greatest work. Like Elijah, John the Baptist was a non-conformist. John came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:5-17). His diet (locusts and honey) will never be made into a kid’s breakfast cereal.

The first commandment demands: not to have any other gods before the Lord. The second rejects graven images. Deuteronomy 4 repeated the warning. Deuteronomy 30:11-20 set up “The Choice.” The God or gods they serve will determine their outcome.

After Elijah taunts and ridicules Baal’s prophets, his biting sarcasm concludes by asking the Israelites: “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word” (1 Kings 18:21-22). The Israelites waited until the Super Bowl of the Old Testament was over before they placed their bets. Paul had the same strategy as Elijah when he stood before a king in the New Testament—Agrippa. He tried to force a choice, too.

While Psalm 23 mentions “the valley of the shadow of death,” death is not the focus of the text. David concentrates on the Lord who is his shepherd. Of course, being a shepherd was David’s occupation as a youth. Because of his skill with a sling, he prevailed over Goliath in the Valley of Elah in a thrilling laser tag match. Death is not just a physical event. We experience debits to our accounts with relationships, health, addiction, employment, and finance. We don’t “die” in these valleys, but they can be dark and shadowy places. When we flunk, get a divorce, receive unfavorable medical news, are fired, sued, incarcerated, or audited, we are welcomed into the valley of the shadow of death. We didn’t sign up for it and we don’t want it—we only want to survive it.

We read this week about our Good Shepherd. For us to be able to trust God, we must believe He is good. One of the most familiar responses in church today is: “God is good all the time—all the time, God is good.” As followers of the Good Shepherd, we believe He will be with us in the dark spaces of fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, and grief. Not only is He with us now, but He promises always to be with us wherever we are. The last clause of the Psalm, “…and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” is something Jesus mentioned, too: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Be sure to read the story of Absalom’s revolt in 2 Samuel 15. David left his palace and had to travel down through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives. Betrayed by his own son, David was devastated.

Mount Zion has always occupied a special place in Judaism. The term can refer to part of the City of Jerusalem or its whole, or to the entirety of the nation of Israel (Zionists). David founded Mount Zion when he defeated the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:6-7). The “Songs of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134) are sung by Jewish pilgrims as they ascend to Jerusalem for worship.

King Solomon pursued wisdom but his father, David, pursued worship. David REALLY loved God. He seemed unique among the kings of Israel in this regard. Wisdom is important for this life, but worship lasts forever.

Like all of us, David made mistakes, but make no mistake about it— despite his imperfections, this was a man who loved God. The Psalms give us a look at David’s heart and character. David is credited with writing about half the 150 Psalms. David constantly affirmed the beauty, goodness, and truth of God’s law. The Lord is magnificent and worthy of glory, honor, and praise. David praised God, not because of his circumstances, but because of the nature, goodness, and character of God. Even after the death of his son, whom he had fasted and prayed for, we see David’s abiding trust in God. This is the next line after he hears the news: “And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped” (2 Samuel 12:20). Through all the tumult of his life, David always worshiped. He praised God in his mountaintop experiences, while in the valley, and even in the cave.

We’ve examined two of the three great people in the Old Testament: Abraham and Moses. Now we discuss the third person—David. This week moves us into a brief survey of the first two kings of Israel: Saul and David.

Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses’ death. The Book of Judges, another book filled with violence and conquest, shows what happens when everyone does what is right in their own eyes.

This week we read the story of the selection of the kings of Israel. The prophet Samuel gave stern warnings not to demand a king (1 Samuel 8), but they wanted to be like all the other nations. Saul, the first king, looked the part. He was tall and handsome. However, looks can be deceiving. He was an ineffective leader on multiple levels. We read about his troubles this week.

The Valley of Elah began as a disaster for King Saul and the Israelites. Goliath was a Philistine menace taunting the Israelites and their God. 1 Samuel 16 introduces us to the second king of Israel, David, who became their greatest king. He was the opposite of Saul in many ways. David was overlooked and forgotten. He was so unlikely to be king that his own father hesitated to mention him to Samuel. Consider reading Malcolm Gladwell’s fascinating book, “David and Goliath.” He explains how Goliath was at a severe disadvantage. He didn’t stand a chance. This is one of the greatest stories in the Bible.

This week we survey the Book of Numbers, ending with the selection of Joshua as Moses’ successor. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, but they did not go immediately into the Promised Land. Instead, their lack of faith resulted in constant complaint and mistrust of the Lord and His leader. The people had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enter the Promised Land, but they sided with the negative report of the ten spies. They believed they were unable to overcome their adversaries. They entered a desolated area. The wilderness was not the destination; it was supposed to be a temporary place. They entered a “neutral zone” to determine their future.

The Lord gave His people all they needed to succeed, including the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai. Moses took the Israelites out of Egypt but had a hard time taking Egypt out of the Israelites. That entire generation, except Joshua and Caleb, had to die before they could enter their destination.

Numbers 20 tells us that Moses lost his trusted confidantes, his sister, Miriam, and his brother, Aaron, but also lost his temper. He struck the rock instead of speaking to it.

Moses looked over the Dead Sea from Mount Nebo to see the Promised Land, though he did not get to enter. On the one hand, he had a lifetime of memories and a glimpse of the future of the Israelites. On the other hand, he had to contemplate his personal loss and his own mortality. Moses experienced mountains, valleys and caves.

This week we survey the second half of Exodus. After escaping bondage in Egypt, the Israelites needed a time out corner. Chapters 16-19 tell how God provided for them in the wilderness. They had sweet water from bitter, bread from heaven, and water from a rock. They defeated an enemy as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ arms. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gave some great advice about delegation. Their exit from Egypt was better than their entrance into the Promised Land.

Despite all God’s provisions, the Israelites weren’t happy campers. They continually grumbled against Moses’ leadership. He grew frustrated and impatient with their complaints. Some tried to sabotage him. Some advocated for a return to the “good old days.” They had just left captivity in Egypt. How quickly we forget.

The Israelites needed rules of engagement for life, so the Lord gave them a map to help them live a healthy and holy life as individuals within their community. This map is called the “Mosaic Law.” Exodus 20 contains the moral law, the “Ten Commandments.” Civil and ceremonial laws follow. The Lord’s conversation was transmitted with thunder and lightning. This event must have been a spooky time and place. Moses brought them out of their camp to meet God—no wonder they were scared. God was not approachable by the common Israelite. The idea of one God was very different from what they had known in the Egyptian culture.

Read through Exodus (including their rebellion with the golden calf in chapter 32). Moses’ mountaintop experience crashed in the painful valley below. However, all is not lost. With all the highs and lows of this second book in the Bible, it is encouraging to see Exodus concludes like Genesis: on a high note. The final paragraph of Exodus ends with God’s glory filling the tabernacle (40:34-48). Twice, it says the Lord was with His people “throughout all their journeys.”