Yesterday, we talked about some of the signs of the end (a pretty scary topic, but not so for those who have the Hope of Jesus).
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. I love that Jesus uses a common example from the Old Testament to explain the suddenness of the day when Christ returns for us. It will be just like any other day -- people are eating, drinking, getting married, and all those other "normal" things. It could be today! No one, not even Jesus himself knows the day -- only the Father does. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. It's good that we don't know the exact date when Christ will come, otherwise, I think we'd all just be lazy -- waiting until the day of to get our act together. Remember that Heaven is not our only goal! We have very important work to do here, and we must continue to do it. But when Christ does come, it will be swift and sudden. No last minute changes of mind can be made. We must decide before that time, and if we haven't decided YES to Christ intentionally, the automatic, humanly choice is NO.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the meantime, we are to faithfully and responsibly take care of people in Jesus' name! And that is no light task -- there is a reward promised! Likewise, if we are selfish and unloving, the consequences are severe. It is our choice, and a choice we need to make daily. How can you care for someone today?
Tomorrow, we will look at Matthew 25, which has three parables Jesus uses to describe further what it means for us to be ready for His return and how to live as we wait. Obviously, if Jesus spoke two whole chapters worth on this topic alone, it is very important. Oh, how I pray that Lord will open our eyes and our minds to this topic so that we may be able to live accordingly as we wait for Him! I don't claim to be a Biblical scholar and have all the answers on this very theologically divided subject, but even if we aren't exactly sure what everything means, let us not ignore it completely! God gave us the gift of a brain, and let's honor Him by using it! Even in the "harder" passages of Scripture! Nothing is too hard for us when we have the Holy Spirit who gives wisdom and understanding. Read, pray, and re-read, and see what He might have just for you this morning!
Coffee with Jesus
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Matthew 24:1-14 (Jesus Talks about the End)
1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. As Christians, we know that the end will come. Christ is returning! Here, Jesus is warning the disciples to be careful when "looking for signs" because quite often when we look for signs, we are easily deceived. The only sure way to keep from being decieved is to focus on Christ and His words. Don't spend too much time looking for signs and listening to others words. Instead, look at Christ.
Yet, Christ wants to make sure we know the truth, and can recognize truth when we see it. So, He does tell us what the beginning of birth pains look like as the end of this world approaches. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains." If there is anything to take away from this as we look at our world, and the destruction and evil all around us, I think it's clear to see that the birth pains have begun. Below is a table of the major earhquakes at a 7.0 or higher in the past according to a research group in the UK.
I don't show you this date to scare you, but rather, so that we might know that Jesus isn't playing around. It sure seems to me that wars, famines, and earthquakes are certainly not at a low. May this be a reminder to us that we don't have forever. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies so far -- may we not doubt Him now.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. I don't know what it is truly like to be persecuted, but I know my brothers and sisters around the world do. But even here in the U.S., have you noticed lately that Tim Tebow has received a lot of slack for giving credit to His Lord for his success? The name of Jesus Christ angers people! And He told us it would. Yet, if someone wants to do a dance in the end zone for themselves, that's okay! That shocks me, and yet it shouldn't. This is the world we live in today. This shouldn't shock me because Jesus told us it will only get worse before it gets better.
Let us press on, my friends! Times of trial often sift the Christians from the non-Christians. Stand firm to the end -- the one who stands firm to the end will be saved! We need not be surprised by the condition of our world, but in the Hope and Knowledge of Jesus Christ, may we continue to live and love as He has called us. We are the light to this dark world when we serve in Jesus' name, and we do not live as those who have no hope! As we see the darkness and evil all around us, may we remember that Christ is coming soon. The time is now to do the work He has called us to do, and may we be firm to the end, rooted in Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, we know where we will be when this is done. Press on, brothers and sisters!
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. As Christians, we know that the end will come. Christ is returning! Here, Jesus is warning the disciples to be careful when "looking for signs" because quite often when we look for signs, we are easily deceived. The only sure way to keep from being decieved is to focus on Christ and His words. Don't spend too much time looking for signs and listening to others words. Instead, look at Christ.
Yet, Christ wants to make sure we know the truth, and can recognize truth when we see it. So, He does tell us what the beginning of birth pains look like as the end of this world approaches. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains." If there is anything to take away from this as we look at our world, and the destruction and evil all around us, I think it's clear to see that the birth pains have begun. Below is a table of the major earhquakes at a 7.0 or higher in the past according to a research group in the UK.
DATES FROM & TO PERIOD NO. EARTHQUAKES (Mag. > 6.99)
--------------------------- ----------- ------------------------------
1863 to 1900 incl 38 yrs 12
1901 to 1938 incl 38 yrs 53
1939 to 1976 incl 38 yrs 71
1977 to 2014 incl * 38 yrs 164 (to Mar. 2011) I don't show you this date to scare you, but rather, so that we might know that Jesus isn't playing around. It sure seems to me that wars, famines, and earthquakes are certainly not at a low. May this be a reminder to us that we don't have forever. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies so far -- may we not doubt Him now.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. I don't know what it is truly like to be persecuted, but I know my brothers and sisters around the world do. But even here in the U.S., have you noticed lately that Tim Tebow has received a lot of slack for giving credit to His Lord for his success? The name of Jesus Christ angers people! And He told us it would. Yet, if someone wants to do a dance in the end zone for themselves, that's okay! That shocks me, and yet it shouldn't. This is the world we live in today. This shouldn't shock me because Jesus told us it will only get worse before it gets better.
Let us press on, my friends! Times of trial often sift the Christians from the non-Christians. Stand firm to the end -- the one who stands firm to the end will be saved! We need not be surprised by the condition of our world, but in the Hope and Knowledge of Jesus Christ, may we continue to live and love as He has called us. We are the light to this dark world when we serve in Jesus' name, and we do not live as those who have no hope! As we see the darkness and evil all around us, may we remember that Christ is coming soon. The time is now to do the work He has called us to do, and may we be firm to the end, rooted in Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, we know where we will be when this is done. Press on, brothers and sisters!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Matthew 23:25-37 (Watch Out! part 2)
Yesterday, we started reading through all the "Woes" that Jesus says to the Pharisees. These are warnings to them about the terrible things that will happen to them because of their actions -- seven ways to guarantee God's anger. I'm sure these statements were all said with a mixture of anger and sorrow, for they are strong and unforgettable. They are great reminders to us anytime we become so wrapped up in the practice of "religion" that we forget that God is more concerned about real love, mercy, and forgiveness. If you haven't read yesterday's, you may want to start there to catch up.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing upright and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. In other words, they were keeping up appearances while their private world was corrupt. Yet, we can't keep the show going for long. Imagine drinking from a cup that is clean on the outside but has been sitting on the counter for weeks with the remains of your hot chocolate. The mold begins to grow; the smell begins to creep into the entire kitchen. Though it is clean on the outside, the truth of that cup would be obvious once we looked inside, and to drink out of it would be foolish, but very shocking if you did! What parts of your private world are less than clean? What secrets do people not know because you are trying to keep looking good from a distance? And isn't that true -- you can only look good from a distance when you're dirty on the inside -- so people cannot possibly get close to you. And, oh boy, we are not good in isolation. We need people to know the truth about us!
So what is it for you? Perhaps you have enormous amounts of debt, but you're living as if you're debt free, and everyone and everything looks so put together. Perhaps there is a lie you have told that is continually brought to mind, and you continue to quench the Spirit by saying, "I don't really need to deal with that. It was just a little lie." Perhaps there is someone with whom you're speaking, who is not your spouse, and the sight of an e-mail from them or a quick conversation is thrilling on the outside, but on the inside, you know it's not right. Come clean! Ask Jesus to wash you on the inside, and then YOU take the steps to begin walking in the other direction.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Similarly here, Jesus is referring to the people acting spiritual to cover up sin. Do we ever know we've done something wrong, so we think we'll pay Jesus back by volunteering more or giving more money to charity? But good deeds to cover up and keep doing what we're doing is not helpful at all! In using the "pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside" analogy twice here, we know how serious a condition this must be to Jesus! And it is! Hypocrisy rots away your insides until you "are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean." The truth will set you free! Jesus will make you clean, and He desires for you to be clean, no matter what kind of ugliness you need to bring Him.
I had to call a friend last night and offer a very humbling apology. I had been an absolute hypocrite to her, and for four days, the Lord kept bringing this to mind. I kept trying to justify why I didn't need to call and admit what I had done. Finally, I heard the Lord say to me, "Molly, will you choose to honor Me or yourself in this?" Ouch. So, I had to call and confess. Now I am free from the weight of that guilt! Hallelujah! He wants to do the same in your life, my friend, whatever it is. And can I tell you, it feels so good to be clean on the outside and the inside again.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! 33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation." The people of Jesus' day said they would not act as their fathers did in killing the prophets whom God had sent to them, but they were about to kill the Messiah himself and then many of His faithful followers! Wow! Then, they too, would become guilty of all the righteous blood shed through the centuries. Jesus is very passionate about martyrs, or people who have died for His name. Revelation tells us there will be a special honor for those who died for the sake of His name. He doesn't take the sacrifice of a life lightly! That's why He is calling them snakes and vipers and condemns them to hell.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’" What a difference are these words from the proceeding verses. Jesus has just burned with a righteous anger toward the hypocritical people who are leading His people away, but then here we hear His heart on all of this. He wants to gather his people, to protect them, to love them, and to care for them, but they wouldn't let Him. Can you hear the love He has for them, even for the Pharisees? He knows they will soon be destroyed...and they were, about 70 years later in the year 70AD.
May this be our reminder to turn to Jesus! Many times we hurt and we don't know where to turn. We reject Christ's help because we don't think He can give us what we need. But who knows our needs better than our Creator? Turn to Him, my friend. Tell Him your need, seek His wisdom, and allow Him to care for you. Those who turn to Jesus will find that He helps and comforts as no one else can.
And continue to be on the lookout for ways that you are falling into these traps. Rather than religion, may we be focused on relationship: with God and with others. That is what it's all about! Continually ask yourself, "How can I please and honor God in this situation?" I can promise you, you will not be disappointed if you choose Him!
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing upright and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. In other words, they were keeping up appearances while their private world was corrupt. Yet, we can't keep the show going for long. Imagine drinking from a cup that is clean on the outside but has been sitting on the counter for weeks with the remains of your hot chocolate. The mold begins to grow; the smell begins to creep into the entire kitchen. Though it is clean on the outside, the truth of that cup would be obvious once we looked inside, and to drink out of it would be foolish, but very shocking if you did! What parts of your private world are less than clean? What secrets do people not know because you are trying to keep looking good from a distance? And isn't that true -- you can only look good from a distance when you're dirty on the inside -- so people cannot possibly get close to you. And, oh boy, we are not good in isolation. We need people to know the truth about us!
So what is it for you? Perhaps you have enormous amounts of debt, but you're living as if you're debt free, and everyone and everything looks so put together. Perhaps there is a lie you have told that is continually brought to mind, and you continue to quench the Spirit by saying, "I don't really need to deal with that. It was just a little lie." Perhaps there is someone with whom you're speaking, who is not your spouse, and the sight of an e-mail from them or a quick conversation is thrilling on the outside, but on the inside, you know it's not right. Come clean! Ask Jesus to wash you on the inside, and then YOU take the steps to begin walking in the other direction.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Similarly here, Jesus is referring to the people acting spiritual to cover up sin. Do we ever know we've done something wrong, so we think we'll pay Jesus back by volunteering more or giving more money to charity? But good deeds to cover up and keep doing what we're doing is not helpful at all! In using the "pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside" analogy twice here, we know how serious a condition this must be to Jesus! And it is! Hypocrisy rots away your insides until you "are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean." The truth will set you free! Jesus will make you clean, and He desires for you to be clean, no matter what kind of ugliness you need to bring Him.
I had to call a friend last night and offer a very humbling apology. I had been an absolute hypocrite to her, and for four days, the Lord kept bringing this to mind. I kept trying to justify why I didn't need to call and admit what I had done. Finally, I heard the Lord say to me, "Molly, will you choose to honor Me or yourself in this?" Ouch. So, I had to call and confess. Now I am free from the weight of that guilt! Hallelujah! He wants to do the same in your life, my friend, whatever it is. And can I tell you, it feels so good to be clean on the outside and the inside again.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! 33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation." The people of Jesus' day said they would not act as their fathers did in killing the prophets whom God had sent to them, but they were about to kill the Messiah himself and then many of His faithful followers! Wow! Then, they too, would become guilty of all the righteous blood shed through the centuries. Jesus is very passionate about martyrs, or people who have died for His name. Revelation tells us there will be a special honor for those who died for the sake of His name. He doesn't take the sacrifice of a life lightly! That's why He is calling them snakes and vipers and condemns them to hell.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’" What a difference are these words from the proceeding verses. Jesus has just burned with a righteous anger toward the hypocritical people who are leading His people away, but then here we hear His heart on all of this. He wants to gather his people, to protect them, to love them, and to care for them, but they wouldn't let Him. Can you hear the love He has for them, even for the Pharisees? He knows they will soon be destroyed...and they were, about 70 years later in the year 70AD.
May this be our reminder to turn to Jesus! Many times we hurt and we don't know where to turn. We reject Christ's help because we don't think He can give us what we need. But who knows our needs better than our Creator? Turn to Him, my friend. Tell Him your need, seek His wisdom, and allow Him to care for you. Those who turn to Jesus will find that He helps and comforts as no one else can.
And continue to be on the lookout for ways that you are falling into these traps. Rather than religion, may we be focused on relationship: with God and with others. That is what it's all about! Continually ask yourself, "How can I please and honor God in this situation?" I can promise you, you will not be disappointed if you choose Him!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Matthew 23: 13-24 (Watch out!)
Woe! It's not a word we use in daily language, but in today's passage, Jesus uses it seven times as a warning to these hypocritical teachers of the law. He's warning them with the word "woe" that great and terrible distress will be the consequence of these things He has seen in them. Let's see to it that we are working on these areas in our own lives...
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." How have we shut the door of the kingdom in people's faces? Perhaps our own hypocritical actions make it difficult for people to want to come to Jesus. We say that we love people, yet we never give of our time or money. We say that we love Jesus, but we don't speak about Him. People are watching us. How I pray that it is never because of me that someone says no to Jesus.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are." This is why the Bible warns so strongly about the responsibility of people who call themselves leaders and teachers. We need leaders and teachers, but they, especially when it come to teaching The Word, have a greater weight upon them. People become like their teachers! People often become an even greater version of whatever their teacher is and does. In the Pharisees case, they were winning converts all over the world, but the converts would become more of a hypocrite than even their teachers! If we are teachers, leaders, mentors, parents, or in any place of authority, we must make sure that we are not just saying the Word but living it out for those who are watching and imitating us.
“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it." I think studying this part might take a little more time than I have this morning in order to look up all the historical truths about swearing by things like the temple or the gold of the temple. But the verse that seems to stick out to me most is "Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?" If there is any quarrel among whose gift is greater, that is so petty compared to He who is greater than any gift, and who even allows us to give any gift. It seems like the Pharisees were giving rankings on how people could "swear by" things, and obviously, that is a man-made law. Instead, may we lead people to follow God's laws, for those are the ones that really matter.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." Here is a matter of focus. Since God says to give a tenth of all we have, we take that sum out of our paychecks, joyfully give it to the Lord, and that's that. But the Pharisees were giving their tithe, then going through their whole houses, including the spice cabinet, and measuring out a tenth of those, too! But that's just silly! If you have tithed from your paycheck, you need not go through the house and be so meticulous about giving a tenth of all your spices, lawn fertilizer, or hair products. So, the Pharisees were so concerned about all of those things, yet they failed to do the most important things, Jesus says, like acting justly, giving mercy, and walking faithfully with God. If we weren't sure before, we know now: these are what God desires most from us. If we aren't focused on that, we are missing the boat completely! And what about that gnat? In those days, to accidentally swallow a gnat would have been unclean. So, they strained all their water, so that they wouldn't possibly swallow a gnat. But again, Jesus says they are focusing on the wrong things. Swallow a stinkin' gnat for cryin' out loud -- but don't swallow this huge camel of unforgiveness or self-righteousness or hypocrisy!
Where are we focused on the wrong things? Are we involved in every last detail of everything in our lives, yet we are ignoring what is really important? It is so easy to get wrapped up in making sure our home is spotless, our bodies are buff, and our kids are perfect, yet we have failed to spend time on what really matters. Today, may we have three goals: acting justly, giving mercy, and walking faithfully with God (as it says in verse 23). Don't worry about the stuff. Worry about the condition of your heart, give attention to it -- focus on that. If we are not careful, we will miss the most important things. Watch out!
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." How have we shut the door of the kingdom in people's faces? Perhaps our own hypocritical actions make it difficult for people to want to come to Jesus. We say that we love people, yet we never give of our time or money. We say that we love Jesus, but we don't speak about Him. People are watching us. How I pray that it is never because of me that someone says no to Jesus.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are." This is why the Bible warns so strongly about the responsibility of people who call themselves leaders and teachers. We need leaders and teachers, but they, especially when it come to teaching The Word, have a greater weight upon them. People become like their teachers! People often become an even greater version of whatever their teacher is and does. In the Pharisees case, they were winning converts all over the world, but the converts would become more of a hypocrite than even their teachers! If we are teachers, leaders, mentors, parents, or in any place of authority, we must make sure that we are not just saying the Word but living it out for those who are watching and imitating us.
“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it." I think studying this part might take a little more time than I have this morning in order to look up all the historical truths about swearing by things like the temple or the gold of the temple. But the verse that seems to stick out to me most is "Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?" If there is any quarrel among whose gift is greater, that is so petty compared to He who is greater than any gift, and who even allows us to give any gift. It seems like the Pharisees were giving rankings on how people could "swear by" things, and obviously, that is a man-made law. Instead, may we lead people to follow God's laws, for those are the ones that really matter.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." Here is a matter of focus. Since God says to give a tenth of all we have, we take that sum out of our paychecks, joyfully give it to the Lord, and that's that. But the Pharisees were giving their tithe, then going through their whole houses, including the spice cabinet, and measuring out a tenth of those, too! But that's just silly! If you have tithed from your paycheck, you need not go through the house and be so meticulous about giving a tenth of all your spices, lawn fertilizer, or hair products. So, the Pharisees were so concerned about all of those things, yet they failed to do the most important things, Jesus says, like acting justly, giving mercy, and walking faithfully with God. If we weren't sure before, we know now: these are what God desires most from us. If we aren't focused on that, we are missing the boat completely! And what about that gnat? In those days, to accidentally swallow a gnat would have been unclean. So, they strained all their water, so that they wouldn't possibly swallow a gnat. But again, Jesus says they are focusing on the wrong things. Swallow a stinkin' gnat for cryin' out loud -- but don't swallow this huge camel of unforgiveness or self-righteousness or hypocrisy!
Where are we focused on the wrong things? Are we involved in every last detail of everything in our lives, yet we are ignoring what is really important? It is so easy to get wrapped up in making sure our home is spotless, our bodies are buff, and our kids are perfect, yet we have failed to spend time on what really matters. Today, may we have three goals: acting justly, giving mercy, and walking faithfully with God (as it says in verse 23). Don't worry about the stuff. Worry about the condition of your heart, give attention to it -- focus on that. If we are not careful, we will miss the most important things. Watch out!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Matthew 23 (Hypocrisy)
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Few things are worse, in my opinion, than a hypocrite. Dictionary.com defines a hypocrite as "a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs." The root of all hypocrisy is self -- I want myself to be seen as better; I want myself to be honored above others; I want myself to feel okay. We are all hypocrites, and I wonder if we think that we are not, if perhaps we are the biggest ones of all.
Matthew 23 is a tough chapter. All throughout our Matthew study, we have heard the questions, plots, and evil schemes of the Pharisees. And now Jesus has had enough! This entire chapter is in red: Jesus' words. And many of the sentences end in exclamation points -- so He was really speaking with some gusto on this one. He is addressing the spiritual and religious leaders of His day, but I think we can glean some truth from this for ourselves as well, since we know that all Scripture is living and active in our lives, right?
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." The teachers of the Law were still in leadership, and the Bible says it is God to establishes and destroys kings, so Jesus was telling the people that what the teachers were saying was true. The people were to obey what was read from Scripture, but not to do what they did. Their own traditions and interpretations had begun creeping in and being seen as equal to God's laws. What do we do today like this? What religious ceremonies and practices do we say people MUST do, but can really be found no where in Scripture? Or perhaps its what we don't do. Confession doesn't feel nice, so maybe it's not that important. I'm not saying we need to go to a priest, but just "confess your sins to one another" the Bible says. Our man-made laws these days may be more what we don't really need to do anymore.
"They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." Do we ever expect people to behave in a way that we, ourselves, our not behaving? This is what the teachers were doing. I urge you to check yourself on this -- are you adding weight to someone's shoulders by expecting them to do something that you are not as a Christian or just in daily life? This is not good.
“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;" The teachers were not concerned about being holy -- just looking holy. The phylacteries were boxes containing scripture verses that they wore on their foreheads and arms in order to literally obey Deut. 6:8 and Ex. 13:9, 16. But rather than just keeping these scripture close to their hearts and minds, they made a show out of it by making the boxes bigger and bigger as a status symbol. How about you -- do you carry a certain Bible for a particular reason? Do you find pleasure in the amount of underlined parts you have? (My hand needs to go up on that one.) Are you more concerned with your Sunday outfit looking nice than the condition of your heart before you attend worship?
"they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others." Jesus clearly commands us to be great by our service to others -- not our positions of power and honor on earth. Serving others allows us to keep the focus off of ourselves. Just as Jesus came as a servant, so we are to live to serve rather than to be served. Clearly, the Pharisees were saying this but were not practicing it.
Which of these four stirs you most? I hope we are always seeking to be better followers of Christ, and that always starts with looking inwardly rather than pointing fingers outwardly. It is so painful for me to admit my hypocrisies, and yet, I know in order to become more like Jesus, I have to allow Him to help me work on those areas. I want my life to be lived in truth, not in deception. When I allow my own faults and imperfections to be exposed, I allow others to live truthfully with and work diligently on theirs. A humble transparency is the opposite of hypocrisy. That's my goal.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Few things are worse, in my opinion, than a hypocrite. Dictionary.com defines a hypocrite as "a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs." The root of all hypocrisy is self -- I want myself to be seen as better; I want myself to be honored above others; I want myself to feel okay. We are all hypocrites, and I wonder if we think that we are not, if perhaps we are the biggest ones of all.
Matthew 23 is a tough chapter. All throughout our Matthew study, we have heard the questions, plots, and evil schemes of the Pharisees. And now Jesus has had enough! This entire chapter is in red: Jesus' words. And many of the sentences end in exclamation points -- so He was really speaking with some gusto on this one. He is addressing the spiritual and religious leaders of His day, but I think we can glean some truth from this for ourselves as well, since we know that all Scripture is living and active in our lives, right?
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." The teachers of the Law were still in leadership, and the Bible says it is God to establishes and destroys kings, so Jesus was telling the people that what the teachers were saying was true. The people were to obey what was read from Scripture, but not to do what they did. Their own traditions and interpretations had begun creeping in and being seen as equal to God's laws. What do we do today like this? What religious ceremonies and practices do we say people MUST do, but can really be found no where in Scripture? Or perhaps its what we don't do. Confession doesn't feel nice, so maybe it's not that important. I'm not saying we need to go to a priest, but just "confess your sins to one another" the Bible says. Our man-made laws these days may be more what we don't really need to do anymore.
"They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." Do we ever expect people to behave in a way that we, ourselves, our not behaving? This is what the teachers were doing. I urge you to check yourself on this -- are you adding weight to someone's shoulders by expecting them to do something that you are not as a Christian or just in daily life? This is not good.
“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;" The teachers were not concerned about being holy -- just looking holy. The phylacteries were boxes containing scripture verses that they wore on their foreheads and arms in order to literally obey Deut. 6:8 and Ex. 13:9, 16. But rather than just keeping these scripture close to their hearts and minds, they made a show out of it by making the boxes bigger and bigger as a status symbol. How about you -- do you carry a certain Bible for a particular reason? Do you find pleasure in the amount of underlined parts you have? (My hand needs to go up on that one.) Are you more concerned with your Sunday outfit looking nice than the condition of your heart before you attend worship?
"they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others." Jesus clearly commands us to be great by our service to others -- not our positions of power and honor on earth. Serving others allows us to keep the focus off of ourselves. Just as Jesus came as a servant, so we are to live to serve rather than to be served. Clearly, the Pharisees were saying this but were not practicing it.
Which of these four stirs you most? I hope we are always seeking to be better followers of Christ, and that always starts with looking inwardly rather than pointing fingers outwardly. It is so painful for me to admit my hypocrisies, and yet, I know in order to become more like Jesus, I have to allow Him to help me work on those areas. I want my life to be lived in truth, not in deception. When I allow my own faults and imperfections to be exposed, I allow others to live truthfully with and work diligently on theirs. A humble transparency is the opposite of hypocrisy. That's my goal.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Matthew 22:15-45 (Questions)
Questions are powerful. A deep, and well-worded question can often cut us like a knife, revealing our true motives and our heart's conditions. Jesus used questions a lot to expose people's motives and to hold up Scripture so that everyone could interpret it better. In a world where everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else, I think we should follow Jesus lead by asking more questions. I want to ask my students more questions, and someday, I want to ask my own children questions to reveal their motives or to discover their character, both the good and the bad. Josh is a master at this -- he often answers my questions with a question -- and when he does, I know I'm about to learn something. And if I'm honest with myself, that's a good thing.
Man, I wish I could see the four different scenes that play out today! Four different questions are asked, and most of them are with evil motives. Yet, they are four wins for "our side" for sure. I am quite hopeful that since I love movies and am dying to be a fly on the wall in Jesus' day, that I might be able to re-watch all of history on the biggest screen with the best surround sound in Heaven. (And I suppose if that's not part of the plan up there, I will be more than excited to do whatever is planned.) Here, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians (a political party that followed Herod), are putting their hate for one another aside for the common cause of getting Jesus arrested...and they're doing it with questions.
The first scene the groups are asking Him about paying taxes. If He says they should pay their taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees would say He was opposed to God. If He said to pay only to God, then the Herodians would have Him arrested for rebellion. But Jesus exposes their evil motives and embarrasses them both by saying, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Jesus: one; People: zero.
The second scene, they question Him about resurrection. The Saduccees ask the next one because they only read the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) in which no direct teaching about the resurrection exists. They pose this story about if a woman's husbands keep dying and she ends up marrying seven different people before she dies, then ask whose wife would she be in Heaven. Yet Jesus, knowing they will only believe Scripture from the Pentateuch, quotes Exodus 3:6, when God says, "I am the God of your ancestors -- the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob." If these people are technically dead, then why would God use the present verb of I am meaning currently? Wow! Jesus: two; People: zero.
In the third scene, the Pharisees are giving it another swing again. Scripture says, "One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap Him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"' Jesus reply will be familiar to you: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Jesus: three; People: zero.)
Now, we may know this because we've heard that verse many times, but imagine hearing that for the first time. I remember when I realized that those two included ALL His commands. That is quite impressive! And as a quick aside, I heard a great quote this week about all the "don't" in the Bible. I know these don'ts are abrasive to some ears, especially teenagers, or people who just want to do what they want to do. But remember this: When God says "don't," He means don't hurt yourself. So true in my life! The boundaries are there for our protection and our good. I know this to be true.
Finally, Jesus asks THEM a question, playing their game: "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?" They reply that he is the son of David. Jesus responds, "Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, call Him Lord? For David said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feat.' Since David called Him Lord, how can he be his sun at the same time?" And the Bible says, "No one could answer him, and from that day on no one dared to ask Him any more questions." (Jesus: four; People: zero.) Notice also, that he responded to ALL of these questions with Scripture. May that be a reminder to us to keep memorizing! The Word is our arsenal, friends!
Questions are powerful. If I'm wanting to live in truth, I don't want to shy away when a question is asked of me, and I hope I can wisely and tactfully learn to pose questions of others out of my love for them. I will be having a truthful conversation soon with a young woman whom I love dearly, and I think I need to be praying how I may ask her questions regarding some of the choices she's making. Perhaps you can use this idea of questions, too -- it's much better than pointing fingers -- and we can watch and learn how to do it from the Master himself!
Man, I wish I could see the four different scenes that play out today! Four different questions are asked, and most of them are with evil motives. Yet, they are four wins for "our side" for sure. I am quite hopeful that since I love movies and am dying to be a fly on the wall in Jesus' day, that I might be able to re-watch all of history on the biggest screen with the best surround sound in Heaven. (And I suppose if that's not part of the plan up there, I will be more than excited to do whatever is planned.) Here, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians (a political party that followed Herod), are putting their hate for one another aside for the common cause of getting Jesus arrested...and they're doing it with questions.
The first scene the groups are asking Him about paying taxes. If He says they should pay their taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees would say He was opposed to God. If He said to pay only to God, then the Herodians would have Him arrested for rebellion. But Jesus exposes their evil motives and embarrasses them both by saying, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Jesus: one; People: zero.
The second scene, they question Him about resurrection. The Saduccees ask the next one because they only read the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) in which no direct teaching about the resurrection exists. They pose this story about if a woman's husbands keep dying and she ends up marrying seven different people before she dies, then ask whose wife would she be in Heaven. Yet Jesus, knowing they will only believe Scripture from the Pentateuch, quotes Exodus 3:6, when God says, "I am the God of your ancestors -- the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob." If these people are technically dead, then why would God use the present verb of I am meaning currently? Wow! Jesus: two; People: zero.
In the third scene, the Pharisees are giving it another swing again. Scripture says, "One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap Him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"' Jesus reply will be familiar to you: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Jesus: three; People: zero.)
Now, we may know this because we've heard that verse many times, but imagine hearing that for the first time. I remember when I realized that those two included ALL His commands. That is quite impressive! And as a quick aside, I heard a great quote this week about all the "don't" in the Bible. I know these don'ts are abrasive to some ears, especially teenagers, or people who just want to do what they want to do. But remember this: When God says "don't," He means don't hurt yourself. So true in my life! The boundaries are there for our protection and our good. I know this to be true.
Finally, Jesus asks THEM a question, playing their game: "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?" They reply that he is the son of David. Jesus responds, "Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, call Him Lord? For David said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feat.' Since David called Him Lord, how can he be his sun at the same time?" And the Bible says, "No one could answer him, and from that day on no one dared to ask Him any more questions." (Jesus: four; People: zero.) Notice also, that he responded to ALL of these questions with Scripture. May that be a reminder to us to keep memorizing! The Word is our arsenal, friends!
Questions are powerful. If I'm wanting to live in truth, I don't want to shy away when a question is asked of me, and I hope I can wisely and tactfully learn to pose questions of others out of my love for them. I will be having a truthful conversation soon with a young woman whom I love dearly, and I think I need to be praying how I may ask her questions regarding some of the choices she's making. Perhaps you can use this idea of questions, too -- it's much better than pointing fingers -- and we can watch and learn how to do it from the Master himself!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Matthew 22:1-14 (Wedding Clothes)
1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
In Jesus' time, two invitations were sent for banquets and feasts. The first told the guest that they were invited. The second told the guest when everything was ready and they could come. The guests at the beginning of this parable represent the people who the Lord is trying to reach, but they refuse to accept His invitation. Look at what they are doing instead in verse 5, "But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business." They were too busy managing their investments, working their jobs, and being busy! What culture does that sound like? My guess is that the Lord would say that describes all cultures, but it certainly rings true with Americans. We are so busy! We focus on all the wrong things, and our culture, is missing the invitation to the Celebration of the Centuries for eternity in Heaven! In fact, look what it says they are doing upon receiving the invitation: they abuse and kill the king's servants. Remember this: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10). God will get justice for the wrong done to His people (verse 7).
So, the servants are told to go out into the streets and get anyone and everyone they can -- the good and the bad. The banquet hall was filled! (There aren't going to be just four of us sitting around, twiddling our thumbs -- there will be multitudes, remember?)
Then the king comes and sees someone who is not wearing the wedding clothes. I loved learning about this this morning! Get this: a king would often provide wedding clothes to the guests to wear to the banquet, as was the custom. If the provided clothes were not worn, it was an insult, and could be assumed that the guest was being arrogant. The wedding clothes in this parable represent our righteousness and salvation from Jesus. It is our choice to put on this righteousness, these wedding clothes, but what when we do, we are official guests at the banquet.
Then, the king noticed that someone was invited, but did not put on the clothes, and that person was thrown, as it says, "outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The Lord does not make us do anything -- He invites us -- but it is our choice to accept this invitation. In fact, look at the wording! When the king (Jesus) finds the man who is not wearing the wedding clothes, look at how He talks to him! He says, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ He calls him FRIEND! Even though this man never accepted the gift, Jesus still loves him and calls him a friend. He's not angry at him; He doesn't ignore the man smugly; He doesn't send someone else to tell the man to leave. Jesus addresses the man Himself because He cares for him. Wow.
Perhaps, if you're reading this blog, you have already accepted the invitation and now follow Jesus Christ. If that is so, then you are someone else in this parable: you are the kings servant. So, what is our job as His servant? The Lord says to us, "So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good...
We are to invite.
We don't have to win them over, persuade them, correct their wrong doing, or act higher-than-thou. We simply invite.
Now, I must say, that the way we live our lives and the way we invite people may have an impact on their decision, so it is absolutely critical that we are living for Christ in everything we say and do. We are His representatives! Sometimes I question how He could ever want me to represent Him; yet, this is the way He planned it. So, I want to do my best. I don't have to put on any big performances. I don't have to have a big speech planned out for when I have an opportunity to share this invitation.
"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:2). What does that say? We no longer live shamefully, but righteously; we don't try to deceive people in the Kingdom or make the Bible say something it doesn't. Instead, we set forth the truth plainly. We don't shove the truth down their throats -- we set it. We set it in front of them plainly. Just say it. We don't need to make excuses for God as to why He's not "inclusive" of everyone in His kingdom, or why doing good things can't get us to Heaven. I love this: set forth the truth plainly. Isn't that true in ALL of our interactions, not just the conversations about salvation?
That's our job, friends. Lord, may You help me to take a step of faith to do this FOR the people in my life because I love them. Help me to know how and when to set it in front of them, trusting that it's not my job to make them believe You. I know this is what You desire of me, Lord. Help me to do it.
Daniel 12:3: "Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever."
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
In Jesus' time, two invitations were sent for banquets and feasts. The first told the guest that they were invited. The second told the guest when everything was ready and they could come. The guests at the beginning of this parable represent the people who the Lord is trying to reach, but they refuse to accept His invitation. Look at what they are doing instead in verse 5, "But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business." They were too busy managing their investments, working their jobs, and being busy! What culture does that sound like? My guess is that the Lord would say that describes all cultures, but it certainly rings true with Americans. We are so busy! We focus on all the wrong things, and our culture, is missing the invitation to the Celebration of the Centuries for eternity in Heaven! In fact, look what it says they are doing upon receiving the invitation: they abuse and kill the king's servants. Remember this: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10). God will get justice for the wrong done to His people (verse 7).
So, the servants are told to go out into the streets and get anyone and everyone they can -- the good and the bad. The banquet hall was filled! (There aren't going to be just four of us sitting around, twiddling our thumbs -- there will be multitudes, remember?)
Then the king comes and sees someone who is not wearing the wedding clothes. I loved learning about this this morning! Get this: a king would often provide wedding clothes to the guests to wear to the banquet, as was the custom. If the provided clothes were not worn, it was an insult, and could be assumed that the guest was being arrogant. The wedding clothes in this parable represent our righteousness and salvation from Jesus. It is our choice to put on this righteousness, these wedding clothes, but what when we do, we are official guests at the banquet.
Then, the king noticed that someone was invited, but did not put on the clothes, and that person was thrown, as it says, "outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The Lord does not make us do anything -- He invites us -- but it is our choice to accept this invitation. In fact, look at the wording! When the king (Jesus) finds the man who is not wearing the wedding clothes, look at how He talks to him! He says, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ He calls him FRIEND! Even though this man never accepted the gift, Jesus still loves him and calls him a friend. He's not angry at him; He doesn't ignore the man smugly; He doesn't send someone else to tell the man to leave. Jesus addresses the man Himself because He cares for him. Wow.
Perhaps, if you're reading this blog, you have already accepted the invitation and now follow Jesus Christ. If that is so, then you are someone else in this parable: you are the kings servant. So, what is our job as His servant? The Lord says to us, "So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good...
We are to invite.
We don't have to win them over, persuade them, correct their wrong doing, or act higher-than-thou. We simply invite.
Now, I must say, that the way we live our lives and the way we invite people may have an impact on their decision, so it is absolutely critical that we are living for Christ in everything we say and do. We are His representatives! Sometimes I question how He could ever want me to represent Him; yet, this is the way He planned it. So, I want to do my best. I don't have to put on any big performances. I don't have to have a big speech planned out for when I have an opportunity to share this invitation.
"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:2). What does that say? We no longer live shamefully, but righteously; we don't try to deceive people in the Kingdom or make the Bible say something it doesn't. Instead, we set forth the truth plainly. We don't shove the truth down their throats -- we set it. We set it in front of them plainly. Just say it. We don't need to make excuses for God as to why He's not "inclusive" of everyone in His kingdom, or why doing good things can't get us to Heaven. I love this: set forth the truth plainly. Isn't that true in ALL of our interactions, not just the conversations about salvation?
That's our job, friends. Lord, may You help me to take a step of faith to do this FOR the people in my life because I love them. Help me to know how and when to set it in front of them, trusting that it's not my job to make them believe You. I know this is what You desire of me, Lord. Help me to do it.
Daniel 12:3: "Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever."
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