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Advent Challenge Day 17

Luke 17

This is a very challenging passage, containing teaching that should affect every single breath we take and action we make.  The conversation regarding faith, forgiveness, and service teaches us that to lead anyone astray would bring hell and damnation to us immediately.  While it is easy to say that we forgive someone for harming us once, maybe even twice – but could we do it continuously, yet that is what Jesus demands of us.

Our call to service is often considered as serving God, but Jesus clearly shows us that we are called to serve each other, not considering it beneath us, but rather as a call directly from God.  Could we do this, often without recognition or reward?  Could we put others needs first, and not complain when we do?  I think that this is one of the most challenging parts of being a Christian – but it isn’t an optional extra, it’s the very core of our call.

The grateful leper, a Samaritan, had returned to Jesus to thank him for his healing grace, recognising the source of the miracle.  The other nine had vanished back to their lives, without comment or note of thanks.  How often do we receive miracles or blessings from God – but accept it without thought of thanks?

The final coming, the end of days, the Apocalypse, the return of the Lord — call it what you will, but the end of life as we know it has fascinated philosophers, religious and political leaders, and even ordinary folk with next to no religious beliefs since the beginning of time, before even Jesus preached about it!  When asked about the last days, Jesus described the different aspects of civilisation that would signal the end.

He compared the end of the world with the days before Noah and the Flood.  Just as that people had turned their back on God, and lived to please themselves, so it would be again at the last days.  Although this sounds familiar, the end days could come at any time – today, tomorrow, this week, next week, next month, next year, whenever!  We need to live our Christian life as if it could be today, looking to bring others into God’s love NOW!  We don’t have any time to waste.

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