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Wednesday,
February
24,
2021
This snow blanketed farm is on Grandview Road
north of Mount Joy. Many preserved farms dot our landscape
and we are sure grateful for that, including this one.
Located here on Google map
Click on photo to enlarge
"Go
And
Tell That Fox!"
Message summary: We
need to recognize those who oppose God's truth
such as Herod. Jesus did not practice a "get along
at all costs" outlook but rather demonstrates here
the bold speaking of truth. And that's a good
model for us all!
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
Listen
to this message on your audio player."At
that very hour some Pharisees came and said to
Him [Jesus], 'Get away from here, for Herod
wants to kill you.' And He said to them, 'Go and
tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and
perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third
day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go
on my way today and tomorrow and the day
following, for it cannot be that a prophet
should perish away from Jerusalem’" (Luke
13:31-33).
One of the most elusive
animals in our neighborhood is the fox. They live
along the old hedge row across the road from our
house and along the trail leading to Donegal
Creek. But the other day we
saw one right outside our office window, likely in search of food. He looked
right at me and then Ester saw him dart across our
front yard. I have also seen their tracks in the
snow right up to our front porch. But so far we
have not managed to get a photo since they get
spooked so easily. (That's a stock photo to the
left). A concern we have is according to an online
search there is a slim chance the fox could see a
very small dog as prey and attack it.
Whether Sadie would be classified as "very small"
is uncertain, since she maintains a heavier weight
than other dogs of her breed due to her enormous
appetite.*During
the spring we have seen the fox cubs (also called
pups or kits) playing in the field across from our
home although they are very skittish. They have a
very distinctive bark (listen here for a 10 second
video) and at times can be heard all the way
across the other side of the large field from our
house. It's just one of the many interesting
sounds of the country!
Foxes
are mentioned several times in the Bible, the
first being an incredible display of prowess by
Samson (Judges 15:3-5). Another time
it's used in Nehemiah 4:2-4 as mockery to
the Jews rebuilding the wall. In Song of Solomon
they are used in a love letter! (2:14-16).
Foxes
are mentioned in two different senses in the
Gospels. Once in the passage where Jesus says, "foxes
have holes" (Matthew 8:20). We've shared
about this in a previous Daily Encouragement
message, "Foxes Have Holes".
The
other is the text I want to tackle today. I've
never written about this and I don't believe I
ever preached on this passage. That's because it
has an element in it that I have a hard time
understanding. Pro tip: I don't think I'm
the only preacher who tends to avoid passages that
are harder to understand or explain. In fact I've
noticed fellow preachers who tend to gloss over a
harder part and I want to say, "please explain
that!"
So
what's hard about this passage? My Mom told me
when I was a youngster, "Don't call people names".
It sure seems that Jesus is calling a Herod a name
when he says, "Go
and tell that fox".
Bible
teacher Leon Morris points out that this is not a compliment but a phrase
expressing "utter contempt". John MacArthur
writes, "For Jesus to make such a derogatory
statement was highly unusual; Herod is the only
individual in the New Testament for whom the Lord
expressed such contempt. Rabbinical writings often
used 'the fox' to signify someone who was both
crafty and worthless. The Pharisees, who trembled
at Herod's power, must have been astonished at
Christ's boldness."
Jesus
was here expressing an intense emotion and disdain
for what Herod represented and what he had done.
This was after Herod had killed Jesus' cousin,
John. Later during His trial He would say nothing
to Herod at all, again showing contempt for him.
As Leon Morris has remarked, "When Jesus has
nothing to say to a man that man's position is
hopeless. Herod was a dead man in every way."
(Preaching the Word – Luke, Volume II: That You
May Know the Truth)
The
lesson for us is that we need to recognize those
who oppose God's truth such as Herod. Jesus did
not practice a "get along at all costs" outlook
but rather demonstrates here the bold speaking of
truth. And that's a good model for us all!
Be
encouraged today!
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, in the post modern era in
which we live and work, raise our families
and conduct our affairs, we have seen an all out
attack on truth by those who have their own
revised and enlightened version of truth. But,
as believers, we know that this raging battle
can be traced back to the garden of Eden. Those
who sell their souls to the devil by repeatedly
abusing their free will to speak truth, and
rather choose to promote falsehoods are
sometimes beyond our reach. Thus we commit their
souls to You since only You can melt a heart of
stone and turn it into a piece of pliable clay
such as You did with the Apostle Paul. We choose
to follow Your truth, not the opinions of man.
Amen.Can
you think of another time Jesus called someone a
"name"? See Matthew 23:33
*
The Aggressor - Just this morning Brooksyne
had to separate Sadie and Mollie ever so carefully
as they were only about three inches from each
other's faces as Sadie was moving in on Mollie's
food; their body language declared their intentions
when they both had a narrow stare, their bodies grew
tense, the hair on their neck raised up, their teeth
bared in a snarl, and their low growling grew into a
raging growl.
Typically
Sadie sits quietly behind Mollie while she eats her
food, then moves in afterwards to lick the empty
bowl. This time Sadie had crouched right next to the
bowl while Mollie was still eating so Mollie became
rather perturbed and rightly so. Who wants to be
stared at the whole time you're eating breakfast!
You'd think Mollie, the 45# dog would be the
aggressor but Sadie, almost from the beginning, is
the aggressor with food. Brooksyne has moved
Mollie's dish into another room but to no avail,
Sadie woofs hers down and heads to Molllie's dish.
It isn't the age or size of the dog, it's the
appetite that seems to guide one's aggression in the
canine world, or could that also be present in the
human world when people get hangry?
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"What
A Faithful God Have I" Video
So much good music that we never hear it
all, it seems! Sunday we sang this song I
had never heard before in the small country
church I attended Sunday in southern
Lancaster County. If you listen just once
you'll find yourself repeating the chorus
all day, since the tune is catchy and the
lyrics are simple.
Some winter scenes from snowy Lancaster County
Today it's supposed to be in the
mid-fifties with lots of sun but we still have
a few snow day photos to share after our
recent snows.
Shenck's Mill Covered Bridge. The
large headbanger was installed since we lived
in this area due to oversized trucks trying to
go through the covered bridge!
Click on photo to enlarge
Another view Shenck's Mill Covered
Bridge and Chickies Creek
Click on photo to enlarge
This Amish boy was having quite a
time with this stubborn heifer on Valley View
Road.
These horses seemed to be having fun
frolicking in the snow on Valley View Road.
Yesterday we had breakfast with Phil
Huber, who is the general manager at Audrey's,
where we serve as chaplains. Phil is a
lifelong Lancaster Countian apart from several
years that he was the general manager at the
Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, Missouri.
That's an interesting connection
since Branson was where we honeymooned and not
far from Springfield, MO where we met in
college. At that time (1976) Branson had not
developed into the major tourist area it is
today.
Finally today:
Anthracite
coal
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& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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