Absalom has a ‘bad hair day’ !! Stephen remembers Moses.

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO : 2 Samuel 16 v. 15 – 18 v. 18; Acts 7 v. 20 – 43; Psalm 72 v. 1 – 20

2 SAMUEL
The Advice of Hushai and Ahithophel – Absalom, Ahithophel and ‘all the men of Israel’ arrive in Jerusalem, and David’s friend Hushai goes to greet Absalom. Absalom wonders why Hushai hasn’t gone with his friend, David, but Hushai pledges allegiance to Absalom
‘Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.’
Ahithophel advises Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines, who had been left to care for the palace; the advice is that this will strengthen Israel’s view of Absalom and will strengthen their hand. Ahithophel’s advice had as much weight, in those days, as if it were God’s word to them.
He goes on to advise that 12,000 men be chosen  and that they set out in pursuit of David. They are to assassinate David and bring the people who are with him back home. On this occasion, Absalom seeks Hushai’s advice too, asking him whether Ahithophel’s plan was a good one.
Hushai tells Absalom that Ahithophel’s plan is not good, and lays out his own, encouraging Absalom, himself, to lead out an army of all Israel against David, being prepared to strike first, and ruthlessly killing them all.
Absalom (and all the men of Israel) prefer Hushai’s plan.
Hushai gives word to Zadok and Abiathar, for them to pass to David, urgently.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz get their cover blown and have to flee from Jerusalem with the message to pass to David. They end up hiding down a well, in a courtyard in Bahurim. When the search party have passed by, Jonathan  and Ahimaaz climb out of the well and go to David to inform him of Absalom’s plans.
David and his men cross the Jordan, fleeing further from Absalom.
Ahithophel takes it very badly that Absalom chose Hushai’s advice over his, so he goes to his own town, puts his house in order and kills himself.
So David stops at Mahanaim, where some of the Ammonites and Gileadites bring them provisions (wheat, flour, grain, beans, lentils, honey, cheese etc to eat). Absalom sets up camp (with a new army commander, Amasa), in Gilead.
 
Absalom’s Death – David strategically places commanders over thousands and over hundreds, and sends the troops out under the command of Joab, of Abishai, and of Ittai (the Gittite).
Though David is keen to go out and be with them in battle, they urge him to stay in the city, which he does. (‘You are worth ten thousand of us…‘).
David urges them to‘be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake’, and everyone heard this command.
The forest of Ephraim became the battle ground, where Israel was defeated by David’s men – 20,000 men died on that day, the battle spreading out far and wide.
Absalom, also, falls into the hands of David’s men; his hair got caught in the branches of a large oak, as he rode past on his mule…
David’s men come across him, hanging by his hair in the tree. Joab orders one of the men to kill him, but he reminds Joab of David’s order not to harm Absalom. Joab, however, takes things into his own hands and plunges three javelins into Absalom, his armour-bearers also laying into him.
Absalom’s body is taken down and thrown into a pit in the forest.
The Israelites all flee.
There is a monument mentioned, which Absalom had had made for himself, really. As he had no sons to carry on his name, he set up this memorial in the King’s Valley.

ACTS
Stephen’s Address to the Sanhedrin (continued) – Stephen continues his statement before the ruling council. He reminds them of the role of Moses, raised up to bring God’s people to freedom, ‘educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action’.
He tells of Moses’ murder of the Egyptian who mistreated a Hebrew slave, and of his flight to Midian, settling as a foreigner.
Forty years on, and Moses meets an angel in the burning bush, and hears God’s voice call him.
‘I am the God of your fathers….take off your sandals, this is holy ground….I have heard my people groan and have come down to set them free…I will send you back to Egypt…’
Stephen goes on to show how, time and again, the Israelites turned against Moses, though he was clearly God’s chosen leader for that time. Moses also talked of a time when God would send ‘a prophet like me from your own people’.
‘Our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.’
He reminds them of the golden calf, and their turning away.
The result of their turning away, was ultimately exile in Babylon.

PSALM – a song dedicated to Solomon:
‘Endow the king with Your justice, O God…he will judge Your people in righteousness…
He will defend the afflicted…save the needy children…crush the oppressor.
He will endure as long as the sun…
like rain falling on a mown field…
the righteous will flourish.
He will rule…to the ends of the earth.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy…
LONG MAY HE LIVE!
May gold of Sheba be given to him…
may his name endure forever.
PRAISE be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds.
May the whole earth be filled with His glory.
AMEN and AMEN.’

David flees from Jerusalem…..Stephen before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE : 2 Samuel 15 v. 13 – 16 v. 14; Acts 6 v. 1 – 7 v. 19; Psalm 71 v. 19 – 24

2 SAMUEL
David Flees – David receives the message that Absalom has gained favour from the men of Israel, and he senses he must flee, must escape
‘We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword.’
The kings officials pledge allegiance to him, and they set off (leaving ten concubines to care for the palace).
There are many people with the king, including Kerethites, Pelethites and the Gittites. David encourages the Gittites to stay with King Absalom, making the most of their new life within Israel, but Ittai, representing the Gittites pledges
‘wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be’.
David is impressed and allows the Gittites to march with them. They cross the Kidron Valley and head for the desert, everyone weeping as they passed by.
Zadok and the priests were with them, although David told them to return the Ark of God to the city, rather than take it with them –
‘If I find favour in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling-place again…’
The king also sends Zadok and his son, Ahimaaz, and Abiathar and his son, Jonathan back to the city, to keep an eye on things, and send word to David. David and the people continue up the Mount of Olives, head covered and weeping, and David prays that God will ‘turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness’, aware that Ahithophel has played a key part in helping Absalom rise to this position.
At the top of the mount, at a place of worship, Hushai the Arkite meets David and the people – he is dressed for mourning, his robe torn and dust on his head. David also sends him into the city, to act as a messenger between the priests (Zadok etc.) and David, informing him about what is happening in the city. David’s friend Hushai arrives in Jerusalem just as Absalom is entering it too.

How sad that David finds himself fleeing for his life again, having spent all those years running from Saul. This time it’s his own son who is his greatest threat.

David and Ziba – David then meets Ziba on the way beyond the summit. Ziba is the man charged with looking after / helping Mephibosheth who is Saul’s grandson, Jonathan’s son, who was crippled in childhood.
Ziba has amassed a string of donkeys, two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes and fig cakes and a skin of wine, all to sustain them on their journey. Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth has been taken to Jerusalem, for he believes that he may now get back the kingdom his grandfather, Saul, had ruled over. David gives all that Mephibosheth has left to Ziba, who thanks him.

Mephibosheth has been waiting for a time like this, but it’s unlikely that Absalom will have much to do with honouring Saul’s kingdom. 
 
Shimei Curses David – approaching another area, Bahurim, David and his people are attacked verbally and with stones by Shimei, from the clan of Saul’s family. He accuses David of being a ‘man of blood….the Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul….the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom…’
Although Abishai suggests killing Shimei (chopping off his head), David commands the people to let him live (maybe God has sent Shimei to curse David), and they continue on their way to their destination, where they arrive exhausted, and keen to rest and be refreshed.

ACTS
The Choosing of the Seven – as the number of disciples increases, there is a tension growing between the Greek Jews and the Hebrew Jews about whose widows were being best looked after. The Twelve recognise their calling to teach and preach – ‘the ministry of the word of God’ – and decide to raise up others to oversee the distribution of food to the widows.
‘Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.’
So they raise up Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas (an Antiochan convert), and they lay hands on them, praying over them, and giving them their responsibilities (whilst the apostles continued to give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word).
‘So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.’

Stephen Seized – Stephen is clearly a man full of God’s grace and power, with many wonders and miracles accompanying him. Members of the Synagogue of the Freedman (Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Asia, Cilicia) rise up in opposition to the disciples, and argue with Stephen, although Stephen spoke with greater Spirit-wisdom and ‘outspoke’ them !
They spread the word that Stephen has been blaspheming against Moses and against God.
The Sanhedrin call Stephen to appear before them, and bring false witness against him – tales that Stephen has been speaking against ‘this holy place and against the law’, and saying that Jesus will destroy the temple and change all the customs and traditions.
Stephen, however, remained calm, and people noticed ‘that his face was like the face of an angel’.

Jesus had warned that His followers would experience some of the same treatment He’d received – false witness, mockery of a trial, persecution and worse….Stephen seems to be picked out from a very early stage…but then, he had been identified as one ‘full of grace, power, the Spirit….’

Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin – when it becomes time for Stephen to speak, he addresses the Sanhedrin as ‘Brothers and fathers’. Stephen shows his faithfulness to the story of Abraham, leaving his hometown and journeying to Haran, and onward to receive the promise that his descendants would become the great nation of Israel. Stephen continues through the patriarchs to the story of Joseph, and his brothers’ jealousy, and the family’s move eventually to Egypt because of the famine in the land.
He tells of the plight of the Hebrew people in Egypt under a different king, who knew nothing about Joseph.

Stephen is clearly identifying himself with his brother / father Jewish leaders, and with the pillars and background stories of the faith.

PSALM
‘Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like You?
Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again….
I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God….
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You….’

BEWARE…jealousy is dangerous

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY : 2 Samuel 14 v. 1 – 15 v. 12; Acts 5 v. 12 – 42; Proverbs 14 v. 15 – 24

2 SAMUEL
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem – Joab hatches a cunning plan to get Absalom and his father David reunited. It’s a little like the Nathan chapter earlier, where a story was told which drew David in, and then it was revealed that this story was actually all about the king David.
This time, Joab fixes it for a woman to dress and act like a poor widow, and to talk of her two sons getting into a fight and one killing the other. The family (clan) of the killed son want the other son to be brought to justice, and pressure the widow to ‘hand him over’. The widow states that this son is her only remaining relative.
The king offers to help, firstly by issuing orders, and then by offering protection against anyone wanting to avenge the death.
Then the woman reveals that the king, himself, is the main character in her story.
‘When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?’
David asks the woman directly if Joab has been behind her coming to him. She says ‘Yes’, that Joab had done this to bring a change to the stalemate situation.
Joab is instructed to go and bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, which he does, but David rules that Absalom must live in his own house (i.e. not the royal palace), and must not see the king face to face.
There’s a little snapshot of Absalom – he was amongst the most handsome of men in all Israel, spotless, with stunning hair (which sounds heavy when it’s cut and weighed). He has three sons and a daughter, who he named Tamar (after his own sister, who had suffered so greatly at the hands of Amnon).
After two years of being in Jerusalem and not being able to ‘see’ his father, Absalom tries to get Joab to help orchestrate a meeting between them.
Joab declines two invitations to go and see Absalom, so then he sets fire to Joab’s barley field.
At this Joab goes to see Absalom, who tells him that it is even worse being in Jerusalem unable to see his father, than being far away. It was easier being so far away.
Joab arranges for Absalom to come to see the king.
Absalom bows before the king, and they exchange an embrace.

again, interesting to see the power of a story to reveal truth and motivate a change in David’s outlook and life choices
Joab is a key figure in this chapter, involved in the twists and turns around the king’s life

Absalom’s Conspiracy – I don’t think Absalom is enjoying the anonymity and is wanting to play a greater role in the destiny of his people, being the king’s son, but not having an important role. So his disenchantment grows, and he begins to plan a greater purpose for his life. He draws people to his side, by intercepting them on their way to see the king for help, telling them that there is no-one from the king’s representatives available to help:
‘If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he receives justice.‘
Absalom clearly buttered people up (reaching out his hand and kissing people, like a king), ‘and he stole the hearts of the men of Israel’.
Finally, when Absalom asks permission to honour a vow he’d made to go and worship the Lord at Hebron, he goes with the blessing of David (‘Go in peace’), he is in fact planning to make himself king of Hebron….
When Absalom goes to Hebron he has 200 soldiers with him, who are blissfully unaware of Absalom’s plans.
Absalom also gets David’s advisor / counsellor (Ahithophel) over to where he is, his conspiracy gaining strength.

Bit by bit, David is losing another of his sons, who has his sights set on greater power and influence

ACTS
The Apostles Heal Many – ‘the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people’, all the believers meeting under Solomon’s colonnade. Although people were fearful of being seen to join then, the number of believers in Jesus increased continually. People brought the sick to them and ‘all of them were healed’.
Even Peter’s shadow was believed to have healing power in it, if you were caught in its path.

The Apostles Persecuted – the high priest and the Sadducees are filled with jealousy, arresting the apostles and putting them in jail. During the night an angel opens the doors and lets them out.
‘Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.’
They follow the angel’s instruction and go into the courts and begin teaching (a new offensive push from the apostles).
The high priest and Sanhedrin (full assembly of the elders of Israel) gather, unaware that the apostles are not still in jail. When they are told, they send the guards to bring them in and question them.
‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name….yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’
‘We must obey God rather than men!‘ comes Peter’s reply.
The Sanhedrin are ready to put these apostles to death, but Pharisee Gamaliel speaks out, pointing out that previous uprisings have fizzled out (Theudas and Judas are two recent examples of men with grand claims, but it all come to nothing); he suggests that these men are ‘put outside for a little while….if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourself fighting against God.’

what words of wisdom from Gamaliel

The apostles, once again, are severely flogged and told not to speak of Jesus!
The apostles rejoice, not that they have been freed, but that they have been counted worthy to suffer for faith in Jesus.
‘Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.’

PROVERBS
‘A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps…
a crafty man is hated…the prudent are crowned with knowledge….
Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness….’

No room for evil, lying and deceit…….

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE : 2 Samuel 13 v. 1 – 39; Acts 4 v. 23 – 5 v. 11; Psalm 71 v. 9 – 18

2 SAMUEL
Amnon and Tamar – David’s son Amnon falls in love with his half-sister, Tamar (beautiful sister of Absalom). Amnon became ill through frustration, his desire for his sister growing daily. Amnon’s friend Jonadab gets drawn into a sordid plan suggesting Amnon feins illness and gets his father to send his sister Tamar to feed him. So, Amnon deceives King David, pretending to be ill, and asking him to send Tamar to feed him. David tells Tamar to go to her brother and prepare him food. Tamar goes to Amnon, bakes some bread and takes it in to him.
Amnon refuses to eat it and asks her to send everyone else there away, and summons her to his bedroom where he takes her by force and rapes her. Tamar pleads with him to stop:
‘Don’t do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel.’
After Amnon raped her, his lust for her turned to spite and hatred, and he throws her out (again, Tamar protests that throwing her out was a further, and worse sin).
Tamar puts ash on her forehead and tears her beautifully ornate robe, and she weeps and weeps.
Her brother Absalom takes her in and looks after her, a growing hatred for Amnon because of what he has done to their sister Tamar.
King David, also, is furious when he gets told.

David’s family appears to be falling apart, soon after his evil deed in taking Bathsheba as his wife.

Absalom Kills Amnon – It’s a full two years later that Absalom gets revenge on his sister’s rapist. He invites the king (his father, David) and all his brothers to his place. Although David turns down the invitation, he gives his blessing, and urges Ammon and the other brothers to go.
When the brothers are merry with drink, Absalom orders his servants to kill Amnon, which they do, and all the other brothers leave and head home.
David receives the false report that ALL of his sons have been killed by Absalom, and he immediately goes into mourning.
When David hears that only Amnon has been killed, and sees his other sons return home safely, he greets them home and they all weep bitterly.
Absalom runs away to Talmai, king of Geshur, but David mourns for his son everyday.
Three years Absalom stays there, and all the while the king desires to see him.

David had been warned of devastating consequences ‘close to home’ for his family because of all he had done in the episode with Bathsheba. Here, it is all working its way out! 

ACTS
The Believers’ Prayer – Peter and John finally arrive back with the believers, and tell them everything that has happened. The whole company pray out to God:
‘Sovereign Lord, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them….’
the pray about the conspiracy against ‘Your holy servant Jesus’,
‘Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness’.
they ask for miraculous signs to accompany their words, through Jesus.
‘After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.’

We note how, having once been filled with the Spirit at Pentecost, they needed a daily in-filling of God’s Spirit to be equipped and enabled to God’s calling. I always love it when the Word says that ‘they were all filled’. There’s such power and strength in their togetherness in Him.

The Believers Share Their Possessions – ‘All the believers were one in heart and mind’.
The Spirit pulled the believers together in radical ways, so that here, no-one claimed their possessions were their own, but shared everything.
The apostles continued to preach boldly. No-one was in need. Plots of land and homes would be sold to supply others’ needs.
Joseph (a Cypriot Levite) (the apostles called him Barnabas – son of encouragement) sold a field and brought the money to the apostles.

Ananias and Sapphira – and to show the holy integrity required in all matters, we have the story of Ananias and Sapphira. They sell some property but keep some of the money back for themselves, before giving the rest to the apostles.
Peter knows something is wrong and asks Ananias how ‘Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourselves some of the money’.
‘You have not lied to men, but to God’.
At hearing this, Ananias drops down dead, and he is taken away and buried.
When Sapphira shows up, three hours later, she also lies to Peter, claiming they’ve given the full amount over.
Sapphira is also exposed as a liar, and when she hears of Ananias’ death, she, too drops down dead. She is buried alongside her husband.
There is a holy hear which grips the church.

A little like the ruthless holiness of the early days in the wilderness around the tabernacle / Ark of the Covenant, so Ananias and Sapphira are examples of the need for honesty and integrity within the holy community.

PSALM
‘Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O God, to help me.
As for me, I shall always have hope; I will praise You more and more.’

David and Bathsheba…

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-EIGHT : 2 Samuel 11 v. 1 – 12 v. 31; Acts 4 v. 1 – 22; Psalm 71 v. 1 – 8

2 SAMUEL
David and Bathsheba – Okay, here we go – David’s BIG downfall!
It’s springtime (the time when kings go to war….really?) and David’s men are out fighting the Ammonites (‘How much better if David had gone with his army into the field…Idleness opens the door to temptation’).
One night, David is up on his rooftop and sees Bathsheba taking a bath. David notices how beautiful she is, and sends for someone to find out more about her.
Although David is told that she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite, he still sends messengers over to bring her to him, and he sleeps with her.
Bathsheba becomes pregnant, and gets the message back to David.
David arranges for Uriah to be brought back from the army, to get him to sleep with Bathsheba and make it look like the baby who is to be born will be his. Uriah returns but doesn’t actually go to sleep in his house, explaining that he can’t bring himself to ‘go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife’ whilst Israel (and the ark of the covenant) are out there engaged in battle. David even keeps him a second night, and gets him drunk, but still he won’t lie with his wife. Uriah is showing integrity and thought for his fellow-men, whilst David is seen to be deceitful and manipulative.
When Uriah returns to the fight, David sends the message to Joab that Uriah should be put frontline where the fighting is the fiercest, and that the troops should withdraw, leaving Uriah exposed.
Joab follows David’s instructions and Uriah is abandoned and killed.
When David hears the news he sends word back to Joab telling him not to be upset, but to press on in battle against the city to destroy it.
Bathsheba hears of her husband’s death and mourns his tragic death. Then, she is taken into David’s palace, making her his wife (another one), and she bears him a son
‘But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.’

Nathan Rebukes David – and oh, the art of storytelling to get a great point across !
Nathan, God’s prophet is sent to David by the Lord.
Nathan tells David a story about a rich man and a poor man.
The rich man owns loads of cattle and sheep, the poor man owns just one small ewe lamb, which he cared for as if it were a member of his family (feeding it, letting it sleep in his arms).
When the rich man receives a guest travelling through, he doesn’t want to kill and eat one of his own animals, but rather he takes the ewe lamb from the  poor person, kills and prepares it for the banquet.
David sees the injustice in this story, and feels anger towards the rich man – ‘the man who did this deserves to die’.
Nathan delivers the killer punchline
‘You are the man!‘, and goes on to do the work of the prophet, bringing God’s word to bear on the situation –
God anointed David king; God delivered David from Saul; God gave David a great place to live, great wives and the ‘house of Israel and Judah’; God would have given more, more, more.
‘Why do you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in His eyes?’

Notice how doing wrong implies a disrespect for, mistrust in, despising of God’s Word.

God spells out exactly what David has done wrong (hard for David to hear this from the prophet, Nathan), and the punishment which will result – ‘I am going to bring calamity upon you’. David’s wives will leave him for other men.
David, at last, confesses his sin to Nathan.
Nathan reassures David that the Lord has taken away his sin (amazing grace), but there are consequences for that sin, and his son will die.
The boy Bathsheba had given birth to became ill and died, even though David fasted and prayed for him for seven days.
(David’s servants were too afraid to tell him when his son died, but David guessed because of their strange behaviour).
David stops his fast and comforts his wife, Bathsheba.
Some time later, Bathsheba gives birth to her second child, named Solomon – ‘the Lord loved him’ – and Nathan suggest the name Jedediah (‘Beloved of the Lord’).
Joab continues to fight against the Ammonites, capturing their royal citadel and David sends the entire army out to capture Rabbah, and placing their king’s crown on David’s head. The inhabitants of the city were put to labour, brickmaking, and David and his men return to Jerusalem.

ACTS
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin – Peter and John are still speaking to the people, when they are interrupted by the priests, Sadducees and the temple guard, unhappy with their teaching about Jesus’ resurrection.
Peter and John are placed in jail, but not before many had turned to faith in Jesus, believing their message (the number of believers now up to around 5,000).
There’s a big council of Jewish leaders the next day, under Annas, the High Priest, and other members of the High Priest’s family.
Peter and John were brought out to them from behind bars, and asked where their authority to do these things had come from.
Peter, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, tells them boldly that Jesus of Nazareth is the name by which the crippled man had been given his mobility back (‘this act of kindness’).
Peter proclaims the Jesus they had crucified but God had raised as
‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone’. (Ps. 118 / Is. 28)
‘Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’
Peter and John are noted for their courage, as ‘unschooled, ordinary men’, who the Jewish leaders are astonished to hear talk like this. The difference identified by those listening was that ‘these men had been with Jesus’.
They confer amongst themselves about their next step with these men, and they decide to warn them to no longer speak of Jesus.
Of course, Peter and John can agree to no such thing :
‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.’
They hear many other threats before being dismissed, for the leaders fear that too many people are praising God for this miraculous healing, for the man…wait for it…was more than forty years old !!!

Is that meant to sound quite old ?
I was 43 this week….how is that meant to make me feel ?
Even at ‘over 40’, we are not too old to experience a miracle from God.

PSALM
‘In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge…be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go…
for You are my rock and my fortress…
You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth…
my mouth is filled with your praise…’

David shows kindness, compassion, and good leadership; Simon Peter does the same.

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN : 2 Samuel 9 v. 1 – 10 v. 19; Acts 3 v. 1 – 26; Psalm 70 v. 1 – 5

2 SAMUEL
David and Mephibosheth – David wants to know if there are any remaining relatives of Saul’s he should be showing God’s kindness to. One of Saul’s servants, Ziba, is found and he tells David about Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son; David arranges for Mephibosheth to brought to him from Makir’s house in Lo Debar.
Mephibosheth bows down in honour of David, who calls his name.
‘Don’t be afraid…for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan.‘ David offers to restore all the land belonging to Saul, and pledges that Mephibosheth can always eat at David’s table.
Mephibosheth can’t understand why the king is showing such kindness to ‘a dead dog like me’ (Mephibosheth has a very, very low view of his own self / worth).
David fixes everything so that Ziba and his family can farm the land for Mephibosheth, who is looked after, along with his son, Mica, in Jerusalem.

David had pledged his care and support for Jonathan’s family, and here he fulfils his pledge by caring for Mephibosheth and son.

David Defeats the Ammonites – There’s a change of leader for the Ammonites – king Nahash died and his son, Hanun takes over. David sends a delegation to Hanun to express his sympathy and pledge of kindness.
Some of Hanun’s noblemen, though, suspect that this delegation is spying for an attack. Hanun humiliates David’s men by shaving off half of their beards and cutting off their clothes at the buttocks, then sending them back to David.
David suggests the men stay in Jericho until their beards have grown back (and that they put on some new clothes!!!).
The Ammonites realise that they have offended David (‘they had become an offence to David’s nostrils’), and they hire 20,000 Aramean soldiers, along with the king of Maacah (with 1,000 men) and 12,000 men from Tob.
They draw up battle lines, with the Ammonites at the front of their city gate, and the Arameans were positioned in open country.
Joab takes the entire army out to fight, aware that they will be fought on two fronts (Ammonites in front and Arameans behind).
Joab puts the best troops under the his own command against the Arameans, whilst he delegated the rest to Abishai, fighting against the Ammonites – with both keeping an eye on the other.
‘Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in His sight.’
Joab fights the Arameans, and they flee. The Ammonites also, then flee, back into their city.
‘So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.’
The Arameans regroup, however; Hadadezer brings other Arameans in to bolster the troops. They draw battle lines at Helam, under the command of Shobach.
David calls all Israel’s army, crosses the Jordan towards Helam.
In battle, the Israelites kill 700 charioteers and 40,000 soldiers, before the remaining Arameans flee. Shobach also loses his life.
From then on, the Aramean kings made peace with Israel, subjecting themselves to the Israelites, and the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites again !

ACTS
Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar – fresh from the events of Pentecost, Peter and John are on their way to 3.00p.m. prayer at the temple when a crippled man was brought to the temple gate (called Beautiful). The crippled man would beg there every day, catching people going into the temple.
He asks Peter and John for money, and Peter has to tell him to look at them (he is so used to looking down, I guess, and simply begging without looking people in the eye – ashamed, or just so used to doing it, day after day?).
‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’
They help him to his feet, and the man’s feet and ankles immediately strengthen, and he jumps, and walks, leaping and praising God, all around the temple courts. The people who saw him, and knew him from the Beautiful Gate, were
‘filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him’.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers – a crowd gather around Peter, John and the healed man, in Solomon’s Colonnade. Peter addresses them (he’s getting used to this preaching thing, now).
‘Men of Israel, why does this surprise you?’
Peter explains how the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob has glorified Jesus. Although the Jewish leaders had handed Him over to be killed, disowning the Holy and Righteous One…
‘You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead….by faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him.’
Peter tells them that, though they acted out of ignorance, God brought His purposes to fulfilment.
‘Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord’.
Peter tells them, also, that Jesus will return, when all is ready for God to restore, and that everything they are now seeing and hearing, even the eyewitness accounts of Jesus, are a fulfilment of prophecy.

PSALM
‘Hasten, O God, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me.’
‘May those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’ turn back because of their shame.’
‘But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; ‘Let God be exalted’.’
‘You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord, do not delay.’

‘O Sovereign Lord….’ (David acknowledges God’s hand) and the early Spirit-filled church

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX : 2 Samuel 7 v. 1 – 8 v. 18; Acts 2 v. 22 – 47; Proverbs 14 v. 5 – 14

image from Sevenoaks Alliance Church website

2 SAMUEL
God’s Promise to David – David settles into his palace, and the Lord provides a time when Israel’s enemies give them a rest. In a conversation with Nathan, the prophet, David realises that the Ark of the Covenant should be housed more magnificently than in a tent (whilst he rests in his palace). Nathan encourages David to do whatever he has in mind, ‘for the Lord is with you’.
That night, Nathan hears God speak to him, with a message for David.
God has never yet been put in a ‘house’, but has been happy to move from place to place in a tent.
He has never asked for ‘a house of cedar’.
God reminds David that it is He who has taken him ‘from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel…Now I will make your name great…and I will provide a place for my people Israel…a home of their own.’
Then God says it will be David’s offspring who will build a ‘house for my Name’, and that David’s kingdom will ‘endure for ever before me; your throne will be established for ever’.
Nathan delights to tell David all that has been revealed to him.

David’s Prayer – David goes to pray, acknowledging all that God has done for him – ‘Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, that you have brought me this far?
‘How great You are, O Sovereign Lord. There is no-one like You.’
There is also acknowledgement of all that God has done for Israel
‘You have established Your people Israel as Your very own for ever, and You, O Lord, have become their God.’
David asks God to keep His promise, so that as David’s house is established, so ‘Your (God’s) name will be great forever.’
David proclaims that God’s words are trustworthy, and asks for God’s blessing upon his ‘house’ for ever.

David’s Victories – In time, David defeats the Philistines and captures Metheg Ammah;
David defeats the Moabites (every two thirds of them killed, one third allowed to live);
David fights the king of Zobah, Hadadezer, close to the Euphrates River, capturing 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers and 20,000 soldiers.
David struck down 22,000 Arameans from Damascus when they came to help Hadadezer, and David put garrisons up in Damascus.
‘The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.’
David took gold and bronze from the defeat of Hadadezer, bringing it all to Jerusalem.
David received more silver, gold and bronze from Tou, king of Hamath, when he got the news of David’s victory over Hadadezer.
David dedicated all these articles to the Lord.
David conquered the Edomites in Salt Valley, putting garrisons throughout Edom.

David’s kingdom is extending in every direction – God giving him victory wherever he goes. This is a good time for David.

David’s Officials – ‘David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.’
Joab continued over the army; Zadok and Ahimelech were priests; Seraiah was secretary; Benaiah was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; David’s sons were royal advisers.

ACTS
Peter Addresses the Crowd (continued) – Peter continues his first sermon! He reminds the ‘men of Israel’ how they had credited Jesus of Nazareth with His miracles and signs, but how they had taken Him and put Him to death ‘by nailing Him to the cross’.
God raised Jesus from death, ‘freeing Him from the agony of death’.
Peter quotes David’s words from Psalm 16, showing how they speak of Jesus
‘You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay’.
David died, and his grave is there to be seen – Peter reminds them of God’s promise (see the passage from 2 Samuel today) that David’s descendant will be placed on the throne.
‘God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.’
It is Jesus, now exalted to God’s right hand, who has poured out the ‘promised Holy Spirit’.
‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this : God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ’.

The listeners are ‘cut to the heart’ and ask what they should do next.
Peter instructs them to ‘repent and be baptised, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Peter sees that this outpouring, and this turning to Christ is a pattern for all to come ‘for you and for your children and for all who are far off – all whom the Lord our God will call’.
Peter used many other words of warning and challenge, and on that day about 3,000 became disciples / followers of Jesus.

Stunning effect of the outpoured Spirit, thousands turning to Christ.
‘We need another Pentecost…send the fire today’.

The Fellowship of the Believers – this snapshot of the early church practising its devotion, is a key text for any wishing to build a Christian community.
‘They devoted themselves…’ – they were committed out of love, showed reverence and devotion
‘to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship’ – learning through reading and understanding the teaching passed down through the apostles, and committed to building one another up in love, continuing to meet together
‘to the breaking of bread and to prayer’ – times of worship which included from the very beginning, breaking bread and prayer, sacrament (the new covenant remembered, the new Passover celebrated) and openness to God
‘Everyone was filled with awe, and many miraculous signs were done by the apostles’ – the apostles teaching was accompanied by signs and wonders, just as Jesus’ had. People were gripped with awe and wonder – it was an exciting, exhilarating time
‘All the believers were together and had everything in common.’ – a radical commitment to one another meant richer members sold possessions to enable the poorer to live well – an outbreak of sharing
‘Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts’ – they couldn’t abide the thought of not seeing each other from one week until the next, so they would meet up daily, in the temple and in one anothers’ homes
‘They ate (broke bread) in their homes with glad and sincere hearts’ – hospitality was a hallmark of the outpoured Spirit, and an honesty in sharing, with a heart inclined towards gratitude and thankfulness to God 
‘praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people’ – God is glorified, and people notice the difference and like what’s happening around (bit of a honeymoon period perhaps ?)
‘And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ – a season of real fruitfulness, without necessarily ‘reaching out’, but living the Spirit-filled life bore fruit naturally, in those being attracted to, and caught up in Jesus’ saving grace.

‘the life-style and fellowship of these early believers was as great a miracle as the phenomena at Pentecost’ (H.B.Swete)

PROVERBS
‘The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.’
‘The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.’
‘Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no-one else can share its joy.’
‘The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish’ (note here that it is the wicked that have a house, and the upright that have a tent….)
‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.’

Undignified, drunken behaviour ? No. It’s worship !

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE : 2 Samuel 5 v. 6 – 6 v. 23; Acts 1 v. 23 – 2 v. 21; Psalm 69 v. 29 – 36

2 SAMUEL
David Conquers Jerusalem – David attacks the Jebusites who are occupying Jerusalem, and renames it the City of David (‘the fortress of Zion’). He builds up the city, taking residence in the fortress.‘And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.’
The king of Tyre sent messengers and cedar wood, and his craftsmen built David a temple. This was another sign to David that he’d really made it as king over all Israel.
David moves to Jerusalem, and increases the number of concubines and wives he has, and raises many children in Jerusalem (including Solomon, who’s born there).

David Defeats the Philistines – the Philistines prepare to wage war against David, and position themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. David enquires of the Lord whether he should go and attack them, and the Lord tells him that He will hand the Philistines over to him.
At Baal Perazim (meaning ‘as water poured out’), David and his men defeat the Philistines.
The Lord tells David to circle round behind the remaining Philistines in the valley, and to attack in front of the balsam trees. The Lord sent the sound of marching in the tops of the trees as a sign for them to attack.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem – David sends an army of 30,000 men to collect the ark of God from Baalah of Judah. The ark is transported on a new cart, with Abinadab’s sons Uzzah and Ahio guiding and guarding it.
‘David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.’
They made quite a noise as they went along, celebrating the homecoming of the ark.
When the oxen stumbled and it looked like the ark might fall, Uzzah reaches out to steady it, and touches the ark. He instantly dies.
David is freaked out by this and decides not to have the ark so close to him in Jerusalem, so it resides is Obed-Edom’s house. After three months, Obed-Edom and his family have known only great blessings from having had the ark with them, so David then takes it to Jerusalem. 
There is great rejoicing, with sacrifices along the way.
‘David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all of his might….’
David’s wife, Michal (Saul’s daughter) watched this from a nearby window and ‘when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.’
David pitched a tent for the ark, and it is placed within it. Then David blessed all the people, sharing out loaves of bread and cakes of dates with all the people. Then people returned home.
As David returns home, Michal meets him with her complaint that David has acted like a ‘vulgar fellow’, distinguishing himself by his disrobing and dancing before slave girls.
David famously replies
‘I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes, but by these slave girls I will be held in honour’.
Michal bears no children from that day onwards.

ACTS
Matthias Chosen – two suitable men are proposed, Matthias and Joseph (who was also known as Barsabbas or Justus), and prayed over. Then they cast lots and Matthias won the place, added to the eleven apostles.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost – okay, another very familiar passage :
‘they were all together in one place’ – the significance of the gathered church, God blessing their togetherness!
‘suddenly’ – unexpectedly, and without warning, strange things started happening
‘a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house’ – I am reminded that the Spirit is also the Breath, or Wind of God (Ruach / Pneuma), and this was a loud gust of God’s Spirit-Breath filling the place
‘they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire…that came to rest on each of them’ – I am reminded that God is often portrayed as, or accompanied with fire, a flame of God’s burning, holy presence resting on them all    
‘all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit’ – I love the fact that no-one is left out, that this is a shared experience of the outpouring of the Spirit. How this needed all the more today.
‘and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them’ – unlearnt languages which people will hear in their own native tongue in a few verses time – Spirit-utterances.
There is a snapshot of all the nationalities represented in Jerusalem at the time of the Pentecost Celebration. Everyone hears their own language being spoken, and all this from a group of northern Galileans ! The list of places people have come from give a glimpse of the ‘witness in Jerusalem, in Judea and to the ends of the earth.’

I was touched by the fact that Libya and Egypt are amongst those places mentioned, and those places have been major news items in recent days.

The wonders of God are proclaimed in many tongues, understood by all (the undoing of ‘Babel’), and many are amazed. Yet others poke fun at the disciples and say they are drunk !!
                                                                                                                                         
Peter Addresses the Crowd – So then, here’s Peter taking the reins, no longer sulking in the shadows, but rising from that whole denial thing. He boldly proclaims to the crowd, preaching his first sermon.
Point One – the disciples aren’t drunk (it’s only nine in the morning), this is the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy about the outpoured Holy Spirit (a big chunk of Joel is quoted)
‘Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy…
and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
to be continued…..

PSALM
‘I am in pain and distress; may Your salvation, O God, protect me.’
‘I will praise God’s name in song, and glorify Him with thanksgiving.’
‘You who seek God, may your hearts live!’
‘Let heaven and earth praise Him….’

Coronation (David) and Ascension (Jesus)

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR : 2 Samuel 3 v. 22 – 5 v. 5; Acts 1 v. 1 – 22; Psalm 69 v. 13 – 28;

2 SAMUEL
Joab Murders Abner – a couple of murders now clear the way for the kingdom of all Israel. Firstly, Abner, who has come across to David from his rival Ish-Bosheth. David’s commander, Joab, however, wants to avenge the blood of his own brother, Asahel, and suspects Abner of treachery (spying on David and his men). Joab meets up with Abner at the well of Sirah, unknown to David. Taking him to one side, away from everyone, Joab stabs  Abner in the stomach and he dies.
David is distraught when he hears this; he curses Joab’s family, denying that he, himself, had anything to do with this murder; he commands a day of mourning before Abner; he buries Abner in Hebron, where the king and the people weep together for him; David sings a lament for Abner, which speaks of the injustice Abner suffered.
David fasts for the day, and his actions please the people:
‘Indeed, everything the king did pleased them.’
David says, ‘Do you not realise that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?’; David feels weaker after this shameful event, and asks God to repay the evildoer.

Ish-Bosheth Murdered – Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth hears of this murder, and loses courage. Two of Ish-Bosheth’s men, Baanah and Recab (sons of Rimmon the Benjaminite) were leaders of raiding bands. They went to Ish-Bosheth’s house in the middle of the day, and found Ish-Bosheth fast asleep. They stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach, and he died.
They take his head to king David in Hebron, presenting it as the Lord avenging the constant pursuit of Saul and his offspring. David recalled how he had felt when the news of Saul and Jonathan had reached him, and he can’t celebrate the death of ‘an innocent man in his own home’. He has Baanah and Recab killed (their hands and feet are cut off and their bodies hung up by the pool in Hebron – yeuch!!). Ish-Bosheth’s head is given a proper burial in Hebron.

There’s an interesting little aside about Jonathan having had a son, Mephibosheth, who was only five when his father died. As his nurse picked him up to flee with him, she dropped him and he became paralysed in both legs.

David Becomes King Over Israel – so with rivals out of the way, all Israel descends on Hebron and pledge themselves to David.
‘The Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall become their ruler’.’
David makes a compact with them, and they anoint him king over Israel.
David rules for forty years (33 over all Israel, a further seven over Judah).

Chapel of the Ascension, on the Mount of Olives

ACTS
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven – Luke refers to his first book (the gospel) as his introduction to Jesus – His deeds and His teaching – to the point where Jesus is taken up to heaven. He had shown himself to be alive after His resurrection (‘convincing proofs’), appearing over a period of forty days. Jesus had told them:
‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’
Luke recounts a time when the disciples asked about the restored kingdom of Israel; Jesus responds saying that the timing of things will remain a mystery to them, it is the Father who sets the timings by His authority.
‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
With this promise, Jesus ascends to heaven, a cloud hiding Him from their sight.
As they stand, gazing heavenwards, two men in white stood beside them (angels ?), and gave them the message that ‘this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go…’

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas – when the disciples have returned to Jerusalem (to wait), they went to their upper room, all eleven of them (Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, Simon and Judas (son of James)) continued in prayer constantly, ‘along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.’
Peter suggests to the group (about 120 of them) that Judas (Iscariot) had done what Scripture foretold (there is mention of the field Judas had bought with the betrayal-money, and there he ended his life; the field is called ‘Akeldama – Field of Blood’), and uses Scripture (Psalms 69 and 109) to lead to the appointing of another ‘leader’.
They chose one who had been with them the whole time, from John’s baptism to Jesus’ ascension…..(to be continued)

PSALM
‘Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.’

‘Do you love me?…….’

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE : 2 Samuel 2 v. 8 – 3 v. 21; John 21 v. 1 – 25; Psalm 69 v. 1 – 12

2 SAMUEL
War Between the Houses of David and Saul – with David firmly rooted as king in Judah, Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth (from the age of forty) is encouraged to become king over Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel (Abner, commander of Saul’s army arranges all that). Ish-Bosheth reigns for two years, however David was king over Judah for seven and a half years.
Ish-Bosheth’s men and David’s men meet around the pool of Gibeon, and a conquest between some of the young men from either side proves inconclusive – all of them end up dead. So then a fierce battle ensues and David’s men take the upper hand.
Abner (commander of Ish-Bosheth’s army) is chased by ‘fleet-footed’ Asahel. Abner keeps telling Asahel to go off this way or that way, or to attack this person or that person, as a distraction. Asahel, however, remains focussed and keeps up the pursuit.
Abner again tries to warn Asahel to keep away, but he doesn’t. He catches him up, but Abner kills him there and then, with his spear.
Asahel’s brothers, Joab and Abishai, then take up their brother’s cause, and pursue Abner. At the hill of Ammah, the men of Benjamin come out to support Abner.
Abner encourages his opponents not to enter into a fight
‘Must the sword devour forever?…How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?’
Joab calls his men to retreat, with a blast of the trumpet, and they head back to Hebron, marching through the night to arrive by daybreak (having lost twenty of their men, including Abner, but having finished off 360 Benjaminites). Asahel is buried in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem.
This war between David’s men and Saul’s men continued a long time, with David getting stronger and the house of Saul getting weaker.
David also produces sons to various wives – from his firstborn, Ammon (to Ahinoam) to his sixth, Ithream (to Eglah), all born in Hebron.

The desire for all Israel to have a king produces rival kingdoms within such a short space of time…when will we learn.

Abner Goes Over to David – Ish-Bosheth accuses Abner of sleeping with his father’s (king Saul’s) concubine. Abner is appalled at this accusation – ‘Am I a dog’s head….I am loyal to your father Saul and to his family and friends.’
Abner pledges to hand over Ish-Bosheth’s land to David, establishing David’s throne over all Israel and Judah.
Abner begins communicating with David, seeking an arrangement to make him king over all the land.
As part of the agreement, David asks to be restored to Michal, Saul’s daughter, who had been his wife, and whom Saul had taken and given in marriage to Paltiel.
‘Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins’ (ahh yes, I remember that gruesome story!).
It is interesting that it is still Ish-Bosheth who arranges for Michal to be returned to David, whilst it is clearly Abner who holds the power.
Abner confers with the other Israelite leaders and to the Benjaminites (in person), and then he goes to David in Hebron (David provides a feast for Abner and his group of twenty men), and arranges the handover.

JOHN
Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish – sometime later, the disciples are back up on Lake Tiberias (Galilee), back doing what they knew best – fishing for….fish !
All night long they caught nothing (maybe they’d lost their knack, or maybe the Lord was just stirring things up again).
When they approached the shore, early next morning, Jesus was there, cooking breakfast. Jesus shouts to them and tells them to throw their net over to the other side of the boat.
They caught a great number of fish – someone counted them all, and there were 153 large fish in all !! And the nets did not break.

I am always reminded at this point, of my sense that there is such a message for these disciples, about the promise of their call, to be ‘fishers of people’. If they go where the Lord instructs them (sometimes, the other side of the boat), there will be a great catch, and they will be able to sustain ministry amongst them (however many large fish, the nets won’t break).

The beloved disciple is the first to recognise Jesus (of course he is), and Simon Peter jumps into the water to run to Him. Jesus invites them for breakfast. Jesus did his thing with the sharing of the bread and the fish (masterful touches), and they all know without a doubt that it is Him.

Jesus Reinstates Peter – then the one-to-one Peter must have been desiring and dreading in equal measure. How would Jesus respond to him, fully aware of the fulfilment of His prophetic word about Peter’s denials before the dawn cock crow on Good Friday morning?
Jesus asks Him the same question three times, ‘Do you love me, more than these (more than anything / anyone)?‘ – each time, giving Peter an opportunity to cancel out the impact of one of his denials.

Peter’s response each time is‘You know that I love You’

Different words are used for ‘love’ in this conversation.
Jesus uses the word ‘agape’, rich in meaning self-giving, ‘love divine, all loves excelling’.
Peter responds with the word ‘philo’, which is a strong affinity / love for someone.
My study bible suggests Peter cannot bring himself to pledge the highest love, since he is still reeling from his recent denials.
Only in the third time of asking, does Jesus use the same ‘philo’ word, and they seem to speak the same language

Jesus commissions Peter to – ‘Feed my lambs…take care of my sheep…feed my sheep’, giving Peter a role of tending the flock, shepherd those Jesus is calling to Himself.

Genuine love for Jesus is lived out in loving care for His people.

Peter is reinstated, forgiven, freed, and re-commissioned. A GREAT DAY FOR PETER !!

Jesus speaks further into Peter’s future, indicating that he will have his hands stretched out, led where he doesn’t want to go – Peter suffers a form of crucifixion in Rome.
Jesus’ final call to Peter (and to us) is the same as His first – ‘Follow me’. (Keep close to me, walk in step with me, learn from me….)

When Peter is distracted by the beloved disciple and asks about his future; Jesus says, in effect, that it is no concern of Peter’s. Peter’s only concern should be to follow Jesus (‘seek first my kingdom, and all else will be added….‘).
Even so, a rumour spreads about the beloved disciple, a twisting of Jesus’s words…oh dear.

In conclusion, Jesus did many things not written in the book of John – the whole world wouldn’t have enough room to store all the books that could be written.

The end of the gospels. Written to communicate the good news for all people. Written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our Redeemer, our Deliverer, our Saviour, Eternal Brother and Friend.
AMEN and AMEN. 

PSALM
‘Save me, O God’ (that ‘help’ prayer is the most common and most heartfelt of all prayers)
‘I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.’
‘My eyes fail, looking for my God’
‘many are my enemies without cause, who seek to destroy me’
‘may those who hope in You not be disgraced…those who seek You not be put to shame
 zeal for Your house consumes me…’