A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Psalm 2. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

Dive In!

1. Why do people take selfies? Have you heard the expression, "My truth?" What do you think it means? Why do people use it?
2. Psalm 1 & 2 both use the Hebrew word for meditation. What does meditation mean? What two very different things are being meditated on in these Psalms?
3. The nations are gathering against God's anointed. What New Testament event illustrates this? (see Acts 4 à this psalm is quoted in verse 25-26).
4. Why did Pastor Michael mention the commandment to "obey our parents"? Do you agree with him?
5. God responds to the conspiracy of the nations in two ways. What are they?
6. What should we do to nurture our faith in God's rule?
7. What is verse 7 about?
8. What must the church do while we wait for Christ's rule to be complete?
9. Pastor Michael suggested four ways in which we might respond to this psalm. What were they? Can you think of others?

Then [Jesus] said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot" (Luke 12:15).

John Calvin wrote, "The human heart is a perpetual idol factory". Long before that, humans recognized that we have a built in need to worship something or someone. The 10 commandments are arranged around this need.

The first three commandments challenge us to worship God well. That is no easy feat, for even our worship of God can become a matter of idolatry. When churches divide over the songs sung in worship, the instruments used to accompany singing, the colour of the carpet in the narthex—these divisions are often matters of idolatry, summed up in the simple phrase, "I want."

The last six commandments direct us in loving our neighbour well. What keeps us from loving our neighbour well? Isn't it idolatry again? When money or sex or personal protection or pleasure become more important than our neighbour, we steal and lie and commit adultery and covet. "I want" becomes more important than either God or neighbour.

This is what Jesus is addressing in his simple statement in our text, "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed". The greedy man in Jesus' parable is a huge success in his own eyes; but contrary to his own estimate, he is destined for death in his self-deceiving foolishness. Shortly, Jesus will tell his disciples, "Do not be anxious" (22). Do not worry about goods. The implication is that a lifestyle of gathering and than hoarding possessions leaves us anxious because we simply do not have enough; we always need more. We worship what we want.

A non gathering, non anxious lifestyle is rooted in confidence that God provides what is needed as we redeploy our energy towards striving for his kingdom (31). Jesus invites us into a different, an alternative lifestyle from the Jones' around us.

Jesus recognizes that we do not get out of bed one morning and think to ourselves, "Today, I will be greedy." Greed has a way of entering stealthily through the backroom window when we are not paying attention. We go about our daily routines, buying and selling, discipling our children, volunteering at schools, churches and mission agencies. As we go about doing all these good activities, we notice things we would like to possess. And desire grows.

The antidote to greed lies right smack in between these two parts of the 10 commandments. It is that strange one about Sabbath. God invites us into a regular rhythm in which we cease from accumulating. It's a time to give our heads a shake, to clear the fog, so that we can see the idols that have crept in through that back window. These idols are drawing our energy away from loving God and neighbour.

Jesus said, "Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." So, what defines your life?

As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation into this rest:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

The whole company numbered 42,360… (Ezra 2:64).

Does that pique your curiosity? Do you want more information? This does not seem like much of a text for a devotional, "The whole company numbered 42, 360..." Stay with me for a moment.

The book of Ezra is concerned with telling how the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple of God. The story recounts the challenges this community faced in the return and the rebuilding project.

One of the first challenges was to ensure that those returning were descendants of Abraham and Sarah. Ezra 2 is a list of names of those who could trace their ancestry back. The list includes only men and totals 28,529. Add some women and children and the total Israelite returnees are 42,630.

But why highlight this? Well, for two reasons.

First, it tells us that God is true to his word. God had warned Israel that if they walked away from him, he would return the favour. If his people insisted on rejecting him, he would reject them. Moses warns, "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you" (Deuteronomy 4:27).

God fulfilled this warning. Israel insisted on worshipping other gods. And so, the Lord scattered them, only, 42 630 people returned. How decimated was Israel? When they entered the land under Joshua, the number of men was 601 730 (Numbers 26:44). From 600 000 men to 28, 500. That's a huge reduction.

This brings us to the second reason for paying attention to this abysmally small number of returnees. Humanly speaking, Israel doesn't have a chance. The task before her is too large, the obstacles too insurmountable.

But that is the point. It reminds us of something that keeps happening in the biblical story. Folks like Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth were barren when they became pregnant with important people. The apostles had had no formal education, and yet they had the courage, wits and intellect to go head-to-head with the best of the Jewish establishment. You see, God can take nothing and make something wonderful out of it.

This is something the church always needs to remember. God does not need large numbers or highly skilled people. Israel returned from Babylon greatly deduced in every way. Yet, she was still God's people. God still used her to accomplish his purposes. Jesus said to his disciples that he will build his church. And he has.

You may not have much to offer God. But that doesn't matter. He can still use you for his kingdom. Trust him.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.