MAC KIRK

Matthew 5:23    " The sin of anger.."    God is "slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" Psalm 103:8; Micah 7:18 reminds us as well that " He retaineth not His anger forever, but delighteth in mercy.."  We too are commanded to be " slow to anger, slow to wrath.." James 1:19 .  We also are to " let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger.... and evil speaking be put away ..and be ye kind one to another,... forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32     In today's Gospel we are reminded that we should " first be reconciled to our brother/sister then come and offer our gift at the altar."  Matthew 5:24  Dr. Tasker, an anglican Greek teacher said it this way in his thoughts on this passage, " Conduct is more important than formal worship."     General McArthur said ,    a peace is more than a truce. " A truce just says you don't shoot for awhile. Peace comes w

Luke 5:1-11     In our studies on Friday mornings we have been talking about evangelism.  What does the word mean?  It means good news.  ...the word of an angel to those who are walking in their own way and in darkness.  Here is what G. Campbell Morgan said " What shall I say to the men to whom I preach the evangel?  One thing only, Submit to the Lord Christ.  And if a man do what then?  Then the Lord Christ by the Holy Spirit will make over to him the virtue of His living, will pour into him the victory of the indwelling Spirit.  These three things are the necessary consequence of the submission of life to His Lordship.  Men will not be saved by understanding the atonement.  Men will not be saved by explaining the mystery of resurrection.  Men will not be saved by explanation of the mystery of how the Spirit comes.  They will be saved by yielding to the Lord Christ.  In the moment of yielding, He makes over to them all the virtues and values."   Evangelism.      This is w

Luke 6:36 " By the quality of our inner lives I do not mean something characterized by ferocious intensity and strain. I mean rather such a humble and genial devotedness as we find in the most loving of the saints. I mean the quality which makes contagious Christians, makes people catch the love of God from you."  Evelyn Underhill , 1875-1941, " Concerning the Inner Life".    Underhill wrote 39 books on the spiritual life and 350 articles. " Be therefore compassionate, as also your Father is." One commentator says of this passage, " A man ( person) who is unkind in his criticisms and unconscious of his own faults cannot help his fellow man; he is like a blind man trying to lead the blind." Luke , Charles Erdman The greek word here for compassionate is " to have a feeling of distress of others "   Some times we do not know when or why we should be compassionate.  We should be compassionate with our own needs as well. Nouwen said it

Giving God our Cares   I Peter 5 :7      When Peter writes his letter it was illegal to be a Christian, and therefore much persecution was prevalent.  1:6 " you are in heaviness through manifold temptations....the trial of your faith"  What are we to do with the cares we have ?        Peter lays out what we are to do ...." Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."    The word casting is the same word used when the disciples " cast their garments upon the colt" in the triumphal entry. Luke 19:35         I cannot help but note the verses around this command to cast our cares upon God.  Note the vs around it .  They talk about being subject to one another with humility.  " God sets Himself against the proud but to the humble He gives grace."  vs. 5  Are not all of God's gifts to us grace?  " Allow yourselves to be humbled" Selwyn translates it.  The example is given of the patient and the surgeon.  The patient submits