Jonathan's Space

It has been a day at home with the family.  Bridget did not have to work today, so we did chores around the house.  Raking the leaves, house tiding-up, etc.  Bridget has done her usual in taking care of us.  We had just settled down to a lovely home-cooked dinner, when we lit the candles and turned out the lights that we noticed it was SNOWING!!! 

 

Well then I turned on the Christmas music and we ate dinner.  After we were done with the food the boys went outside to catch some snowflakes on their tongue.  Well I just had to keep up my winter ritual of throwing the first snowball at my wife.  After that my boys and I threw some snowballs at each other.  It has been a good day and I can't believe that I am sitting here with the candles lit, listening to Christmas music, and it is snowing outside.  The boys want to call this their "Christmas Dinner".  They had a great time.  I had to call them in before they froze to death outside.

 

What a winter wonderland in London, England.

I have been studying the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  This is the most famous parable of all the parables Jesus used.   I find so many different lessons in this one parable.  I will try and go through them with you. 

 

1st Lesson - Never try and tempt God, even though you think you are obeying God's Word, I am sure is some way you are not living up to the standard.  Luke 10:25  God really knows if you truly a Christian.

 

2nd Lesson - We need the ministry.  The lawyer asked Jesus what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  This man read and understood God's Word and understood the underlying statement behind the law which was the two greatest commandments, and yet he still need someone to "lead" him to life. 

 

3rd Lesson - stating the obvious here, the message of the law as well as grace is love.  Luke 10:27  God is love and requires and has always required us to love Him and one another.  The lawyer had a proper understanding of not only the "letter" of the law but also the "spirit" of the law.  Jesus commends him for this. Luke 10:26-28

 

4th Lesson - Justifying yourself is not a viable option.  Own up to it.  This goes back to lesson number 1.  You are guilty!  We are sinners, God is just, holy, pure, righteous, and high and lifted up!  Don't try and bring Him down to your level. 

 

5th Lesson - This certain man fell among thieves.  Luke 10:30  No one sets out to head to thieves, the scripture said he FELL AMONG thieves.  We have many friends and loved ones that have fell among thieves.  Jesus once quoted that the devil is a thief, coming to rob us.  These have fallen and may not even be spiritually coherent.  If someone is half dead they may not even know what is going on.  No one in their right mind would intentionally head out for this condition.  So the lesson is they fell into, not intended to go into this condition.

 

6th Lesson - The thief takes it all!  Luke 10:30  He was left for dead, stripped, wounded, and forsaken.  Remember of the story of the Prodigal son?  What did he have left?  Nothing!  You know that God is going to bring to the church or even bring back to the church those that have fallen into thieves, stripped of clothing (clothing could be their self pride, or their covering, protection, etc), wounded (hurt, scared, afraid to trust, etc), and dying (spiritually and maybe even physically).  We must as the Good Samaritan look past the faults and see the need.

 

7th Lesson - Its not always the preachers job.  A certain Priest and a Levite passed by and ignored him.  Luke 10:31 & 32  I am putting these two together because they were the "preachers or ministers" of the day.  Don't expect the ministry to do it all, maybe they don't know or maybe God has revealed it to you what to do.  We are all to be ministers of God.  He hath made us to be Kings and Priest. 

 

8th Lesson - God can use anybody.  Of course this was the main point Christ was making here, the man who help was an "outsider", a "half-breed", God surely wouldn't use him to heal someone - careful. 

 

9th Lesson - Compassion not accusation.  You know there is a time for everything.  The Samaritan did not take the time to accuse the man, ask him why he took that route, why he chose to travel alone, etc.  It was time to rescue and save.  There is a time for questions and counsel, but first nurse back to health and then work on prevention.

 

10th Lesson - We must use the Spirit and the Word.  Luke 10:34 The Samaritan poured in the oil and wine.  The worst you can do to a person that is dehydrated is give them solid food.  Yes we must have the Word of God, Paul called it strong meat, but a person that has just fallen among thieves cannot handle strong meat they will be doing good just to get down a good liquid.  We must have wisdom - he that winneth souls is wise.  Nurse them back to health and then try feeding them solids, but remember it may be awhile. 

 

11th Lesson - we need substance.  Luke 10:34  We can't always be a cut-back Christian/Church.  This Samaritan had oil, wine, an animal and some money to pay the inn keeper.  We must have things in abundance, not saying how much in abundance, but at least enough to help someone else.  God may be blessing you, but consider if He is blessing you for your own benefit or is He blessing you so you can bless others? 

 

12th Lesson - You can't do it by yourself.  Luke 10:34  With all the Samaritan had, he knew he need to get the man somewhere where the healing process could continue and even be better for the man.  The Samaritan took the man to the inn.  God may lead someone across your path that has fallen among thieves, and you can begin the healing process for them, but at some time you are going to need to get them into the Church for the process to be finalized. 

 

13th Lesson - Have good credit.  Luke 10:35  Paul said to "have a good report of those without as well as those within".  The Samaritan was in good standing with the inn keeper, the inn keeper knew that he would come back and pay.  What had he done previously to warrant such a good reputation.  What kind of a reputation do you have?

 

14th Lesson - Go, and do thou likewise.  Luke 10:37  We must be as the Samaritan!  Consider with me for a minute that possible the reason why the Samaritan had compassion was because he knew what is was like to be an "out-cast", considered a "dog", not looked upon with much worth.  Maybe the priest and Levite never knew what it meant to be a reject.  But the Samaritan knew, and maybe God has put you through enough so that you know what it feels like so that you can show compassion.

Today I was invited by my neighbour to visit the De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre.  This is the location where the Mosquito was secretly developed back during WWII.  It was a farm at Salisbury House and the very first Mosquito was carted by truck to an airfield, the second was flown out of the farm field.  It was a secret project and not done at De Havilland's base in Hatfield.  They are currently restoring a D. H. 89 Dragon Rapide.  The Dragon was a small airliner pre-WWII.  The one they are restoring came from service in the middle east, once belonging to Iraqi Airways.

 

I even have a picture with one piece of wood from the fuselage that has a bullet hole in it.  Would like to know the story behind it!  It's funny but the wood needed to restore this aircraft comes from America.  The project started in 1993 and they are only about 60% complete.  The funding is limited and the work is all volunteer.  They only work on Wednesdays from about March til October.  The museums rules does not allow for the museum to actually own a flying aircraft.  The Dragon they are restoring is to be restored to flyable condition.  So the rules must be changed or the aircraft will be sold after it is restored.

 

Most aircraft there has been restored or is being restored to original condition, although maybe not to flyable condition.  One major problem is that parts for the aircraft are no longer being produced, big surprise, since the aircraft was made back in the 1920's.  They are having to get special parts made, one example of the cost of this is that they needed four special nuts which cost 37.00GBP each (thats about $70.00).  It is a labour of love for these guys.

 

The museum also has a number of other airplanes.  My first look at a real, albeit, dismantled Comet Airliner.  The Comet was the world's first jet-powered commerical airliner.  Also they had the front section of the De Havilland Trident, I guess the back section landed somewhere else.  The Trident came out about 4 or 5 years before the Boeing 727 and it is reported that Boeing stole the 727 design from De Havilland.  Also I saw the D. H. 125 also known as the Hawker business jet.  The D. H. 125 was originally intended to sell for 150,000.00GBP back in the 60's.  I wish I could get one for that now.  Today it cost over 13,000,000.00GBP for one of those things. 

 

Of course they have a couple of the Mosquitos there.  Since it was the site of the concept of the aircraft, I guess it only makes sense.  The Mosquito is a lot bigger than I thought, and mostly made out of Balsa wood.  They layered balsa wood between 2 layers of 1 ply wood.  Metal was scarse in England during the war, and most men skilled in metal work were making tanks, cars, etc.  This left the furniture makers to make airplanes.  In fact a large part of the aircafts being made were made in converted furniture plants. 

 

One thing I like about England is that around every corner is some sort of aircraft museum like the one I visited today.  I don't really speak from experience here, just in what I have been told and what I have seen in the brochures.  It was a neat experince today and I was invited back whenever I get the chance to go.