PPic: Oberon Golf Course - Links Pro Am 2006

PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

Study 29: August 4th to 10th 2008.
Reading – John Chapter Ch18: verses 28 to Chapter 19:16.

“To Whom Do You Belong?”

“Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my Kingdom is from another place. ‘You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying, I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
 John Chapter 20: verses 36 to 37. (New International Version).

It is not a surprise to us to know that to join a golf club you have to meet certain requirements. This has very little to do with our morals and beliefs and more to do with a payment of money and following the rules and etiquette of golf.  We can choose to either belong or not, but you cannot enjoy the benefits of both at the same time.
Over the last few studies we have been looking at the various ways different people responded to the arrest and trial of Jesus. We began with Peter, then Pilate and the Jewish leaders. Today we conclude this passage looking at Jesus and how he responded to the charges against him and in particular his conversation with Pilate.

Both Jesus and Pilate were leaders and representatives of a cause. For Pilate his Kingdom was the power of Rome, the rulers of the world at the time of Jesus. For Jesus, his Kingdom had to do with God and the truth he claimed to bring. In a strange way, yet clearly planned by God, the arrest and death of Jesus at the hands of the Jewish authorities and Rome was the means of bringing this new Kingdom into reality.

Jesus makes it plain that if his Kingdom was about power on earth, he would have gathered an army. But the power of Jesus lies in the “truth” of his life being found in those willing to listen.

According to Jesus, there are only 2 ways we can live. We can live as a friend of this world or of God, but not of both. Jesus makes it clear above that his way of life is different to the world. I know that many of us think this is a bit extreme and false, but when we talk about the world, we are talking about a way of life contrary to the way God wishes us to live.

It is easy to ascertain which world we live in, it is the world that occupies our heart, time, money and resources.

To love God is to put God at the centre of our thoughts and actions. It’s to follow Jesus, to believe in him as the Son of God, our rescuer from sin and death. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about appreciating God, worshipping and praising God. It’s about trying to live a life that pleases God.
The other way to live is made up of many different paths. We can ignore God completely, create an alternative god, make out that we don’t need God or use excuses about ourselves or others that prevent us from ever getting involved. It’s about what makes our heart tick!

Jesus asks us to listen to him in order to find out about his way of life. Can we give him the time by reading his life in the New Testament?   

Prayer
Lord God, help me to choose your way of life and to follow you. Amen.

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Wyong Trainee Pro-Am.

Venue: Wyong Golf Cub
Date: Monday 17th November.
Cost: $50
Tee Time: 7:30am and
12 noon shotgun start.
Contact: Graham on 02 9740 9069
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