26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

28 “Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Yuan Vongsavanh

Yesterday, we ended with Jesus’s striking statement: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (v25). This leads those who are listening to ask the bewildered question in verse 26: “Who then can be saved?”

From Matthew 19:5, where the same event is recounted, we know that the disciples were among those who were asking that question. I can picture them puzzled, wondering— the rich and powerful have everything and can do anything. If not the rich, then who? Jesus answers in verse 27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Notice, He doesn’t point to any human trait as making salvation possible—rich or poor, powerful or weak—it’s only by God’s power that anyone enters His kingdom.

Jesus’ words in John 14:6 reinforce this truth: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Salvation is not about who we are and what we give up, but about what God has done through Jesus.

Yet, Peter still doesn’t quite grasp it. In verse 28, he insists, “We have left all we had to follow you!” He’s still thinking about the rich man who wouldn’t let go of his riches. Peter might be thinking: Surely we will get to enter God’s kingdom, because unlike the rich man, we’ve left everything behind? But Jesus, ever patient, reassures him in verse 29 that those who leave everything for Him will receive much more. And in verse 30, He promises something far greater—eternal life in the age to come.

Let’s reflect on this: Our salvation isn’t based on who we are or what we do, but on what God has done. Through Jesus, the impossible becomes possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yuan is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

18 Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’ ”

21 “All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.

22 On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

23 But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

24 Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alan Vongsavanh

Today we come to the well-known parable of the rich young ruler. On the surface we think that it is all about money and the fact that, for those who have money, it is very hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. As I reflected and read through the passage carefully, I started to notice a few things that made me think: Maybe it isn't only about money in the end. Maybe it’s about what we value – and also about how we think we can inherit eternal life.

The rich ruler starts off by getting something right, when he addresses Jesus as “good teacher”. Only God is good – which means Jesus is good (since he is God’s Son). But you get the sense that the rich young ruler also thought he was good, because he thought he was able to keep all God’s commandments. It only took one challenge from Jesus to show how wrong he was: “Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” But for this man, money had become an idol, and it was too much to give this up to follow Jesus.

It makes me think about what things in our lives could become idols. What might you find difficult to give up to follow Jesus? At the same time, do we feel that the good things we do are what will make us inherit the kingdom of God? That is impossible. And yet Jesus says, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” – because it is God who saves and not through our own works. Pray that God show us any idols in our lives that are preventing us from wholeheartedly following Jesus, and that as we do follow him, we would trust him as the one who give us the gift of eternal life, not because of our merit or good works.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

15 Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them.

16 But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

I love to read today’s passage with my children. They are keen listeners, keen to accept truths, and keen to believe. Their innocence and keenness to believe mean that I need to be really careful with what I tell them – so pointing them to run to Jesus is some of the best life-long advice that I can give them.  And being able to tell them that Jesus himself welcomes them, today and forever, is wonderful news.

The challenge to me today is: do I share with them in this keenness too?  Am I keen to listen, accept truths, and believe what Jesus says, and indeed the whole of God’s Word? Do I sit in church listening to a sermon being preached, and have the same longing to hear a message from my loving heavenly Father?  Because the kingdom of God is to be simply received – it can’t be earned or bought. And with all the helplessness and keenness of a little child, we enter into the most wonderful family that could ever be, by simply believing and running to Jesus himself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Sarah Armstrong

How do we view ourselves? We are often so quick to compare ourselves with others – to judge how well we are going. For example, we parents often judge our parenting by how well behaved our kids are compared to someone else’s. Or we congratulate ourselves on following society’s rules better than someone else. So many other examples popped into my mind!

In today’s passage, Jesus tells a parable to challenge and change the attitude of those who trust in their own righteousness and view others with contempt.

Jesus doesn’t just look at our outward actions. Jesus knows our hearts. Those who want to be forgiven and justified – which means to become “just as if I didn’t sin” – need to be like that tax collector rather than the Pharisee. Tax collectors were social outcasts, whereas the Pharisees had the best outward appearance of following all God’s laws. But actions aren’t what justifies us. God justifies those who come to him with a humble, contrite heart (v 14).

This is not a new idea. In the Old Testament, God said to Samuel, “the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). King David cried out to God, “Have mercy on me, O God … For I know my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1, 3).

The difference now is that, because of Jesus, we can be justified – and we know how: because of his death on the cross.

We need to keep humbling ourselves. This is a big challenge for me – no matter how long I have been a Christian I still need to keep repenting and working towards being like the tax collector. I was reminded today that I’m only justified because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and I am not saved by my actions, no matter how “good” they are. It Is truly a heart issue and not an action issue. I cannot bring anything to contribute to my salvation. So today, I will be still for a minute and ask God humbly to “have mercy on me, a sinner!” and thank him humbly for saving me. How great is our God! Stop and reflect too, and let’s all humbly repent and exalt Him each day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah is our Parish Administrator.

1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. 7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? 8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Amelia Lin

In this passage, Jesus tells his disciples another parable about an unjust judge who eventually grants justice to a widow, due to her persistence and perpetual requests. Jesus then compares the unjust judge to God who is just. Jesus reminds us that God will bring about justice for his people … and he will do so promptly and gladly, unlike the unjust judge!

Jesus then leaves his disciples with a question: When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

It can be hard to continually pray, both throughout the day and for specific things. We can so easily get caught up in our daily business, or forget about something we said we would commit to praying for. Sometimes we can even lose heart when the things we do pray for seemingly don’t change or improve as we want them to.

I am encouraged by the persistence of the widow, who continued to persevere despite the unjust judge. We should have no excuse in persevering in prayer to a loving, just God who cares for us!

I am also reminded that God is just, and that he will hear and answers our prayers according to his good plans. When we don’t think our prayers are being answered, we can remember that God quickly brings about true justice – which he has already demonstrated for us, in Jesus who took our place on the cross. We really have no excuse to persist in praying to our just God!

Let’s ask God to help us continually and faithfully rely on Him through prayer, to make an effort to pray for big and small things throughout the day and to persist in our long-term prayer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amelia is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man: 27 People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.”

37 “Where, Lord?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

One time at work, when I was talking to a group of Christians about the return of Jesus Christ, there was a short discussion about what that might look like. There were general remarks about how wonderful that moment will be.

In today’s passage, Jesus gives us a bit of a reality check on what that moment will actually look like. Jesus compares it to two episodes from the Old Testament: the days of Noah, when people were going about their normal lives before the flood came, and the days of Lot in the wicked city of Sodom, when people were similarly going about their business before fire and sulphur rained down. What stands out to me with those Old Testament references is that they both relate to cataclysmic events, events that result in mass destruction. But they were also events where a small group of people escaped that destruction – like in the Exodus, when God delivered Israel from the destruction he brought to Egypt.

The warning from Jesus here is clear: don’t long for or love the things that are marked for destruction. Rather, remember that Jesus has opened the way for a new and true exodus, and obey the word of the gospel that instructs and prepares you on how you can escape.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

22 Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24 For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Today in our devotions, we’re returning to Luke’s Gospel after quite a long break. We are jumping back in just after Jesus has been asked when the kingdom of God will come. Over the next few days, we will listen to Jesus teach us several things we need to know about his second coming – when he will return in glory, to bring this present evil age to an end and to unveil God’s everlasting kingdom.

Today Jesus makes something very clear: His second coming will be such a huge event that it will be obvious to everyone in the world. At first I was struggling to imagine verse 24, where Jesus compares his return to lightning. But then I realised it’s an analogy, not a description. When there’s a huge bolt of lightning, nobody can miss it – it lights up the whole sky. Jesus’ point was: When he comes back, it will be like that – nobody will possibly be able to miss it.

There’s a Wikipedia page called “List of people claimed to be Jesus”, which lists people in the last few centuries who either claimed to be Jesus, or other people believed they were Jesus Christ returned. It gives a few names from the 17th and 18th centuries, 8 from the 19th century … and 31 people from the 20th century. So far we’re up to 12 people this century who claim they are Jesus.

It’s makes me sad that so many people get taken in by those small, lame, fake returns-of-Jesus. But I’m also so glad that Jesus himself gave us such a clear word, to protect us from them. If a friend tells you they believe some amazing and powerful preacher or prophet or priest is Jesus Christ, you don’t need to be the slightest bit worried that maybe they’re right.

See, I still don’t know what the return of Jesus will look like – not exactly. But I know that when he returns, every single person on the planet will see and know without a shadow of a doubt. That’s when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

20 Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Xerxes, both near and far, 21 to establish among them an annual celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the custom they had started, as Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the Pur (that is, the lot) to crush and destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur.

Because of all the instructions in this letter, and because of all they had seen and experienced, 27 the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation. 28 These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes, 31 in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established them and had committed themselves and their descendants to the times of fasting and lamentation.

32 So Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, which were written into the record.

CHAPTER TEN

1 Now King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the land, even to its farthest shores.

2 And all of Mordecai’s powerful and magnificent accomplishments, together with the full account of the greatness to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

There is so much joy and celebration in this passage, and no wonder! God has used King Xerxes to save his people, and so they rejoice. As I think about how they celebrated, it’s helped me reflect on how we respond to what God has done for us through Christ Jesus.

Do the words “celebrate” and “joy” describe your response to what Christ has done for you? I hope that there are times when you do celebrate; perhaps when you see a new believer being baptised or you’re reminded of a deep truth from a sermon. But I’m sure there are also times when we need to remind ourselves to rejoice. Think about some of the things we do as believers; we come together for church on Sundays, as we sing together, as we meet in Growth Groups, as we pray to our Heavenly Father, as we serve in our teams, as we read our devotions. Let’s approach them all with celebration and hearts full of joy.

I’m sure we can get overwhelmed and distracted by lots of different things each week, but Philippians 4:4 urges us: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”. We know what God has done for us, and we know that he’ll finish what he started. That’s the greatest reason to rejoice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is an Assistant Minister with our Fairfield congregations.

1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them. 2 In each of the provinces of King Xerxes, the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who sought to harm them. No man could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.

3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them. 4 For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.

5 The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, 7 including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. 10 They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king, 12 who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

13 Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today’s edict, and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman. 15 On the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, the Jews in Susa came together again and put to death three hundred men there, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

16 The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces also assembled to defend themselves and rid themselves of their enemies. They killed 75,000 who hated them, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 17 This was done on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested, making it a day of feasting and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. So they rested on the fifteenth day, making it a day of feasting and joy. 19 This is why the rural Jews, who live in the villages, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting. It is a holiday for sending gifts to one another.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

I find the killing in this passage quite confronting, but I think that’s because I’ve never faced life threatening persecution. King Xerxes had promised the Jews safety, and he allowed them to do what needed to be done to secure their safety, he allowed them to kill those who had tried to kill them.

I can’t help thinking about the book of Revelation, which was written to Christians facing intense persecution, to reassure them that God hadn’t forgotten them. As they watched their friends being killed for following Jesus, Revelation reminded those early Christians that Christ Jesus would come to bring justice and eternal peace.

Revelation 20:15 says this: “15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.”. Those who refuse to repent and who continue to rebel against Christ, and who harm his people will not win. They will face the fury of God almighty.

Thank God that we don’t face that kind of persecution at the moment but also thank him that we don’t have to fight for eternal peace ourselves, Christ will return and secure it for us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is an Assistant Minister with our Fairfield congregations.

1 That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her. 2 The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

3 And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

4 The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

7 So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. 8 Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

9 At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush —writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. 12 The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.[C]

13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses, pressed on by the command of the king. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.

15 Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

16 For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor. 17 In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

I can only imagine the relief that the Jews must have felt when they heard about the promises that King Xerxes had made. The promise of safety, that their people would live, and the promise of protection, that they could defend themselves.

In our society we live with a promise of safety too as our government is pretty good at keeping us generally safe. But it’s nothing compared to the promise of safety we have in Christ Jesus.

In John 17 Jesus prays for his disciples. In verses 11 and 15 he prays “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” and “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”.

We don’t need to defend ourselves because we live under the protection of the Lord Almighty. We are, for the time being, still in this world and so we’ll still face hardships and challenges, but our Heavenly Father will answer Jesus’ prayer for us. He will make sure that we will be with him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is an Assistant Minister with our Fairfield congregations.