Proverbs 23:19

Commentary

A wise life

What does a wise lifestyle look like? How do you ‘become wise’ and point your life ‘in the right direction’ (v.19, MSG)? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2, Ephesians 1:17). Living according to the Spirit of wisdom and understanding means taking care over:

1. What you eat and drink

   ‘Don’t drink too much wine and get drunk; don’t eat too much food’ (Proverbs 23:20, MSG). We are to be neither ‘drunks’ nor ‘gluttons’ (v.21, MSG).

2. Whom you listen to

   ‘Listen with respect to the father who raised you, and when your mother grows old, don’t neglect her’ (v.22, MSG). Respect for parents is the mark of wisdom. Wise children should make their parents proud of them (vv.24–25, MSG).

3. How you learn

   An inquisitive mind is the mark of the Spirit of wisdom: ‘Buy truth... buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight’ (vv.23, MSG). The Spirit of wisdom gives you a hunger for truth and knowledge.

4. What you think about

   What you think in your heart you become. ‘My child, give me your heart’ (v.26a) – this is where everything starts. Guard your heart and your mind.

5. What you look at

   ‘Let your eyes keep to my ways’ (v.26b). Being careful about what you look at is one of the ways to guard against promiscuity and immorality (vv.27–28).

Prayer

Ephesians 4:1–16

Commentary

A ‘healthy’ life

What are the characteristics of a healthy church? Paul tells us how the church can grow up ‘healthy in God’ (v.16, MSG).

1. Unity

   Unity is not simply the work of the Holy Spirit but the very instrument through which the Holy Spirit works.

   The Holy Spirit unites the church (v.16). The church is one: ‘There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all’ (vv.4–6).

   Unity is relational. All Christians are sons and daughters of the ‘one God and Father of all’. Therefore, we are brothers and sisters. We all love ‘one Lord’ Jesus. We all have the Holy Spirit living within us. Ultimately, it is our relationship to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit that unites us.

   And yet, unity is so hard in practice. It is easy to argue. It’s easy to split. It’s easy to start our own group with people who agree with us. Unity requires great effort. Paul urges us to ‘make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’ (v.3). We need to spare no effort to make the invisible unity of the one church visible at every level, within local churches, between churches and among all denominations.

   Before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed that the church would be one in order that the world might believe (John 17:21–23). This unity is founded in God’s unity, so it can never be at the expense of truth (vv.17,23). We must continue to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). As John Stott writes, ‘Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.’

   The visible unity of the church should always be our aim. Paul describes characteristics that help this unity: ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love’ (v.2).

2. Diversity

   Unity does not mean uniformity. The Holy Spirit brings both unity and diversity. Paul goes on to say, ‘But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it’ (v.7).

   Jesus has ‘ascended higher than all the heavens’ (v.10). But he has also returned to the earth in the person of the Holy Spirit, through whom different gifts are now given to each of us in the church (vv.10–12).

   Every single person in the church is a minister (vv.11–12). You are a minister. The word for service means ‘ministry’. We are all given different gifts.

3. Maturity

   The purpose of these gifts is that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, becoming mature as we attain the complete measure of the fullness of Christ.

   It is not enough to get older; we need to grow in spiritual maturity.

4. Growth

   Healthy children grow. Healthy churches grow in depth and in number. Church growth should be natural. This is a beautiful picture of how we can play our own part in the growth of the body of Christ: ‘Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work’ (vv.15–16). You have to play your ‘part’, and we grow as we all work at it ‘together’.

Prayer

Isaiah 61:1–8

Commentary

An anointed life

Jesus announced his manifesto for his ministry and kingdom by reading from Isaiah 61. It is an audacious and revolutionary manifesto – and you have a part to play in bringing it about.

Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling it, he found the place in today’s passage where it is written, ‘The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour’ (Isaiah 61:1–2; Luke 4:18–19).

He said to those there, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’ (v.21). What does Jesus’ manifesto involve?

1. Transforming lives
   When you encounter Jesus, a great exchange takes place in your life. He takes your sin and gives you his righteousness. He gives freedom to the prisoners, sight to the blind and release for the oppressed (Isaiah 61:1–3). He bestows on you ‘a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair’ (v.3).

2. Transforming relationships
   Jesus uses the analogy of marriage: ‘As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you’ (62:5b). Marriage is meant to point people to the close, intimate and loving relationship God desires to have with us. A strong society is built on strong families. Strong families are built on strong marriages.

3. Transforming culture
   Cities tend to be the source of culture. Isaiah declares, ‘They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations’ (61:4). The manifesto of Jesus involves the transformation of the mountains of influence: the market-place, government, education, media, arts and entertainment.

4. Transforming society
   A transformed society will involve dealing with issues of poverty. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor (v.1b). It will also involve issues of justice. So much of the world’s suffering is caused by injustice. ‘For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity’ (v.8a).

5. Transforming leadership
   Leadership is key in any society: ‘You’ll have the title “Priests of God,” honoured as ministers of our God’ (v.6, MSG).

Prayer