And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
- Jesus (Matthew 6:5-8)
God wants us to pray! That is an important thing to understand before we proceed. He wants you to talk to Him! To Him! Jesus said, "And when you pray"; not "if you pray". He has the full expectation that His disciples will pray. That being said (that His people will be a praying people), He gives very specific direction about our prayer lives; direction that we must understand and practice if we are to be pleasing to Him.
Jesus uses a term here that He will repeat over and over throughout the remainder of the Sermon. Hypocrite. The word translated hypocrite is "hupokrites". This was a theatrical term that meant a play actor. Someone who pretended to be someone else on stage. Jesus uses this term to describe those that were doing the right things for all the wrong reasons or someone that says do as I say, not as I do. (check out Matthew 23:2,3) So, that is His direction, pray, but not like the hypocrites.
He gives us a clear picture of what He means... "they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others." Their prayers were all about themselves. Their posture, their words, their location was all about being seen by others. They wanted the attention and the praise as being holy people. Jesus tells us not to be like them. I am sure that caused a ruckus as He is specifically dealing with the Jewish leaders of His day. Their regularly scheduled prayers had become a time for them to demonstrate their religiousness. They would stand with their hands raised (1 Kings 8:22; Psalm 28:2; Luke 18:11-13) and lift their voices loudly to be heard by others. (I am not saying it is wrong to lift your hands when you pray, that seems to be a practice of God's people, both Old and New Testament, 1 Timothy 2:8)
Jesus is telling us that the problem comes when it is all a show. The way we stand, the way we speak, the words we say... if it is our intention to bring honor to ourselves, we are hypocrites. Pure and simple. He calls on His people to pray with the pure purpose of talking to their Father in Heaven. Our hearts are to be oriented towards Him. Our words are directed to Him. Our focus is on Him. He is not dealing with public prayer in our assemblies here, not specifically, but we can learn about that also. When we lead a public prayer, it should not be with different words than we use in our daily speech. There is no "holy language"; all of our speech is to "seasoned with salt" (Col 4:6). We are not to use repetition of words... "guide, guard and direct us". We are to speak from our hearts! God already knows what we need and what we are thinking, so just say it.
Jesus is calling on us to engage our hearts when we talk to God. Genuine words always mean more to the hearer and that is also true of our Father. Just say what you mean. Give Him honor and glory in your prayers. He tells us that there is a reward for that kind of prayer. I don't know what that reward is, but I know that if it comes from Him... I want it! Take a moment and pray... right now. Talk to your Father like a father wants to be talked to by His children. That will honor Him and He will honor you.
Wise or foolish?
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
The Heart of Giving
"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." - Jesus (Matthew 6: 2-4)
The question is "Why?". It isn't what or when or even where, it's why. Jesus, once again is talking about the "heart" of the matter. There is a "why" behind every action. I go to work, why? I want me family to eat. I spend time with my wife, why? I love her and I want her to know it. I attend church every opportunity, why? I love God and His people and I want to be with them every chance I get. I sing songs to God and His people, why? It expressed my feelings and uplifts my spirit. I pray, why? It is the only way that I have to speak directly to my Father. I give an offering, why? That is the question Jesus asks of us today? Why do we give our offerings? What is our motive?
Let's take a look at a story that Mark includes in his gospel... And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
The poor widow's offering was different than the others. They had plenty and giving a little was no sacrifice to them. They still had their fine chariots and lavish homes. They still had their refrigerators full of food and their closets filled with the latest fashions. She made the decision to give everything she had to live on. How do you do that? How do you decide that eating today is optional when you have the opportunity to give to others? Certainly, we see the difference. We understand that one is given out of excess and the other is given from the heart.
When Jesus encountered the rich young ruler, who undoubtedly gave at the Temple as commanded, He called on him to give everything. (Matthew 19:16-30) The young man was very sad because he had great possessions (or better yet, many things possessed him).
Jesus calls on His disciples to give. The New Testament doesn't say how much. (that may surprise some of you) The tithe was an Old Testament command and just as with other commands, had been distorted and abused. So, the heart was to be engaged when the amount to give was being considered. Paul tells the church in Corinth, Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7) No longer was the giving out of compulsion. Now, each of us is called on to give "as he has decided in his heart". The widow decided to give everything, from her heart. The rich had decided to give out of their excess. Jesus saw the heart of both and praised the widow for her heartfelt decision.
He tells us that our giving should be between us and God. It is not for show. It is not to get praise from others. It is a private matter and is to be a heart decision. I can imagine the rich of His day, parading their gift down the street with a band announcing their arrival. All eyes on them and what they were giving. The attention was theirs. Meanwhile, the widow arrives without notice and slips here coins into the plate without any notice. But He noticed! The One that counts... noticed. And He says, "She will get her reward from the Father". The rich, with their band playing got their reward from the people. There is a clear difference.
What about you? This Sunday when you bring your offering to the LORD, where is your heart going to be? Will you quietly give as you have been prospered? Will you give only from your excess funds? Or, will you bring the offering that your heart is telling you to bring? When you place your gift in the basket, will you be filled with joy or will you be thinking about what you could have done with those funds? New pair of shoes? Pocketbook? New motorcycle? New___? You fill in the blank. Jesus sees the heart. He knows our intentions. God doesn't need our money. It is for our benefit that we can give. Think about that for a moment.
Wise or foolish?
The question is "Why?". It isn't what or when or even where, it's why. Jesus, once again is talking about the "heart" of the matter. There is a "why" behind every action. I go to work, why? I want me family to eat. I spend time with my wife, why? I love her and I want her to know it. I attend church every opportunity, why? I love God and His people and I want to be with them every chance I get. I sing songs to God and His people, why? It expressed my feelings and uplifts my spirit. I pray, why? It is the only way that I have to speak directly to my Father. I give an offering, why? That is the question Jesus asks of us today? Why do we give our offerings? What is our motive?
Let's take a look at a story that Mark includes in his gospel... And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
The poor widow's offering was different than the others. They had plenty and giving a little was no sacrifice to them. They still had their fine chariots and lavish homes. They still had their refrigerators full of food and their closets filled with the latest fashions. She made the decision to give everything she had to live on. How do you do that? How do you decide that eating today is optional when you have the opportunity to give to others? Certainly, we see the difference. We understand that one is given out of excess and the other is given from the heart.
When Jesus encountered the rich young ruler, who undoubtedly gave at the Temple as commanded, He called on him to give everything. (Matthew 19:16-30) The young man was very sad because he had great possessions (or better yet, many things possessed him).
Jesus calls on His disciples to give. The New Testament doesn't say how much. (that may surprise some of you) The tithe was an Old Testament command and just as with other commands, had been distorted and abused. So, the heart was to be engaged when the amount to give was being considered. Paul tells the church in Corinth, Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7) No longer was the giving out of compulsion. Now, each of us is called on to give "as he has decided in his heart". The widow decided to give everything, from her heart. The rich had decided to give out of their excess. Jesus saw the heart of both and praised the widow for her heartfelt decision.
He tells us that our giving should be between us and God. It is not for show. It is not to get praise from others. It is a private matter and is to be a heart decision. I can imagine the rich of His day, parading their gift down the street with a band announcing their arrival. All eyes on them and what they were giving. The attention was theirs. Meanwhile, the widow arrives without notice and slips here coins into the plate without any notice. But He noticed! The One that counts... noticed. And He says, "She will get her reward from the Father". The rich, with their band playing got their reward from the people. There is a clear difference.
What about you? This Sunday when you bring your offering to the LORD, where is your heart going to be? Will you quietly give as you have been prospered? Will you give only from your excess funds? Or, will you bring the offering that your heart is telling you to bring? When you place your gift in the basket, will you be filled with joy or will you be thinking about what you could have done with those funds? New pair of shoes? Pocketbook? New motorcycle? New___? You fill in the blank. Jesus sees the heart. He knows our intentions. God doesn't need our money. It is for our benefit that we can give. Think about that for a moment.
Wise or foolish?
Monday, August 26, 2013
Practicing Your Righteousness
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." - Jesus (Matthew 6:1)
In Chapter 5, Jesus tells His disciples that they are the light of the world; they are a city on a hill, a lamp on a stand to be seen by others to bring glory to God. Then He pivots and says, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." Now, I know you see the difference. One is pointing to God and the other is pointing to ourselves. Jesus wants His followers to know the difference and practice the kind of righteous acts that give Him the glory.
He has already warned us back in 5:20 that if our righteousness doesn't exceed that of the Pharisees, we won't see heaven. The Pharisees were righteous, but they were righteous for there own glorification. They wanted the best seat in the Temple, they wanted to be noticed while praying and they wanted everyone to see them give their offerings. Jesus is holding them up and saying, "Don't be like them, don't act righteous... be righteous... all the time!" Not external... internal!
This short section is an introduction to the sections to follow on giving, praying and fasting. Jesus is calling on His followers to have their hearts right as they consider these acts of worship. Just as He called them (and us) to heart obedience in Chapter 5, He wants us to be less concerned with outward appearance and more concerned with inward righteousness. If our hearts are right, then right actions will follow. Our righteousness must flow from a heart filled with love for God, His Son and the Spirit.
His warning is one that should stop us in our tracks. The result of that kind of righteousness, the kind that is for show is the forfeiture of our reward. That is serious business. We can spend our lives acting righteous and be seen by everyone around us as a dedicated Christian, yet God sees our hearts and says... no reward! He isn't saying this to the wicked. He isn't saying this to those that have never heard of Him. He is saying this to His followers. He is saying this to those that know God, those that have made the decision to be His disciples. He says "Beware" and "no reward" with the intent of waking us up and calling us to religious activities that are from a sincere heart.
I will examine "giving" in my next blog entry. What does it look like to give from a sincere heart? Think about that and tune in tomorrow for some scriptures that deal with that topic. Peace.
Wise or Foolish?
In Chapter 5, Jesus tells His disciples that they are the light of the world; they are a city on a hill, a lamp on a stand to be seen by others to bring glory to God. Then He pivots and says, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." Now, I know you see the difference. One is pointing to God and the other is pointing to ourselves. Jesus wants His followers to know the difference and practice the kind of righteous acts that give Him the glory.
He has already warned us back in 5:20 that if our righteousness doesn't exceed that of the Pharisees, we won't see heaven. The Pharisees were righteous, but they were righteous for there own glorification. They wanted the best seat in the Temple, they wanted to be noticed while praying and they wanted everyone to see them give their offerings. Jesus is holding them up and saying, "Don't be like them, don't act righteous... be righteous... all the time!" Not external... internal!
This short section is an introduction to the sections to follow on giving, praying and fasting. Jesus is calling on His followers to have their hearts right as they consider these acts of worship. Just as He called them (and us) to heart obedience in Chapter 5, He wants us to be less concerned with outward appearance and more concerned with inward righteousness. If our hearts are right, then right actions will follow. Our righteousness must flow from a heart filled with love for God, His Son and the Spirit.
His warning is one that should stop us in our tracks. The result of that kind of righteousness, the kind that is for show is the forfeiture of our reward. That is serious business. We can spend our lives acting righteous and be seen by everyone around us as a dedicated Christian, yet God sees our hearts and says... no reward! He isn't saying this to the wicked. He isn't saying this to those that have never heard of Him. He is saying this to His followers. He is saying this to those that know God, those that have made the decision to be His disciples. He says "Beware" and "no reward" with the intent of waking us up and calling us to religious activities that are from a sincere heart.
I will examine "giving" in my next blog entry. What does it look like to give from a sincere heart? Think about that and tune in tomorrow for some scriptures that deal with that topic. Peace.
Wise or Foolish?
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Love Your Enemies!
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Jesus (Matthew 5:43-48)
Those listening to Jesus on the side of the hill were Jews. They viewed everyone else as "gentile". They were God's chosen (see my blog on that here - http://dalesdailybible.blogspot.com/2013/07/unity-among-gods-people.html) and everyone else was not. That could set up some pretty bad attitudes among God's people. Jesus confronts this attitude head on in this section of His sermon.
The teaching of His day was "love your neighbor, hate your enemy". That is what His audience had been taught and that is how they conducted their lives. I imagine that there were some raised eyebrows at this point in His lesson. I have experienced some of that myself when preaching. :-) Jesus looks them in the eye (or in their hearts) and says, "yep, you are to love your neighbor as yourself, for sure, but I say you are to love your enemies also, those that treat you badly, love them too." What? Love my enemy? Love someone that calls me names? Love someone that seeks to harm me? That's right!
He tells us that God provides for those that we "hate" the same as He provides for those we love. God does not withhold His blessings from those that we have bad feelings towards. The evil person gets the same sunshine as the good; the bad people get the benefit of His rain just the same as everyone else. We may not like that. We might wish that the sun would only shine on His followers. But the example is that God loves everyone and so should we. (John 3:16) That doesn't mean that God is happy with everyone, for sure He isn't. But His love is universal. He hates sin, but loves the sinner. He sent His Son to die for everyone, but not everyone will choose to accept His gift... but He still loves them.
His example is what Jesus is calling us to follow. The word "love" needs to be understood here. There are numerous Greek words translated love in English. Unfortunately, the English language is woefully inadequate in the translation of these words. The word here is "agape" and means that we choose to love that person. We seek their best interest. We want good things for them. It doesn't require that we have fond feelings towards them, but it does require that we choose to seek their benefit.
For the Jew that decided to follow Jesus, it meant that those that they had called "dogs" had to be loved. It meant that they would care enough about them to tell them about Jesus. Fortunately for you and me, they listened and obeyed. How else do you explain your faith. They wrote it down. They told their neighbors. They traveled and told everyone they met. They sent missionaries to other nations and along with them, sent the love bathed message of the Savior. We must follow their example, just as they followed the Father's example.
He tells us that loving only those that love us is human nature. That kind of love has it's reward here and now, but the kind of love He calls us to has an eternal reward attached. He says that perfection follows when we have that kind of love. We will be like our Father! Complete. Mature. Perfect. His call is not always an easy one, but His call is for our benefit... always!
You have an enemy? Love them. Someone treating you badly? Pray for them. In the doing of it, you will be perfected. You will be like your Father. That my friends is an amazing promise. Claim it.
Wise or foolish?
Those listening to Jesus on the side of the hill were Jews. They viewed everyone else as "gentile". They were God's chosen (see my blog on that here - http://dalesdailybible.blogspot.com/2013/07/unity-among-gods-people.html) and everyone else was not. That could set up some pretty bad attitudes among God's people. Jesus confronts this attitude head on in this section of His sermon.
The teaching of His day was "love your neighbor, hate your enemy". That is what His audience had been taught and that is how they conducted their lives. I imagine that there were some raised eyebrows at this point in His lesson. I have experienced some of that myself when preaching. :-) Jesus looks them in the eye (or in their hearts) and says, "yep, you are to love your neighbor as yourself, for sure, but I say you are to love your enemies also, those that treat you badly, love them too." What? Love my enemy? Love someone that calls me names? Love someone that seeks to harm me? That's right!
He tells us that God provides for those that we "hate" the same as He provides for those we love. God does not withhold His blessings from those that we have bad feelings towards. The evil person gets the same sunshine as the good; the bad people get the benefit of His rain just the same as everyone else. We may not like that. We might wish that the sun would only shine on His followers. But the example is that God loves everyone and so should we. (John 3:16) That doesn't mean that God is happy with everyone, for sure He isn't. But His love is universal. He hates sin, but loves the sinner. He sent His Son to die for everyone, but not everyone will choose to accept His gift... but He still loves them.
His example is what Jesus is calling us to follow. The word "love" needs to be understood here. There are numerous Greek words translated love in English. Unfortunately, the English language is woefully inadequate in the translation of these words. The word here is "agape" and means that we choose to love that person. We seek their best interest. We want good things for them. It doesn't require that we have fond feelings towards them, but it does require that we choose to seek their benefit.
For the Jew that decided to follow Jesus, it meant that those that they had called "dogs" had to be loved. It meant that they would care enough about them to tell them about Jesus. Fortunately for you and me, they listened and obeyed. How else do you explain your faith. They wrote it down. They told their neighbors. They traveled and told everyone they met. They sent missionaries to other nations and along with them, sent the love bathed message of the Savior. We must follow their example, just as they followed the Father's example.
He tells us that loving only those that love us is human nature. That kind of love has it's reward here and now, but the kind of love He calls us to has an eternal reward attached. He says that perfection follows when we have that kind of love. We will be like our Father! Complete. Mature. Perfect. His call is not always an easy one, but His call is for our benefit... always!
You have an enemy? Love them. Someone treating you badly? Pray for them. In the doing of it, you will be perfected. You will be like your Father. That my friends is an amazing promise. Claim it.
Wise or foolish?
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Turn The Other Cheek
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." - Jesus (Matthew 5:38-42)
What's this all about? I grew up quoting the "eye for an eye" verse thinking that God had given me permission to extract a little revenge. In the Old Testament, the punishment was to be equal to the damage that a person had experienced. The human tendency is to extract a pound of flesh for an eight ounce wound. Even our modern day legal system still utilizes this concept. The "damages" rewarded to the harmed party is to be based on the actual value of the lose. (supposedly)
Jesus, as with the other sections we have discussed is trying to clarify what God teachs on the subject. Teachers had distorted the truth of God's law and had applied it from a selfish point of view, just as they had anger, divorce, lust and oaths. Instead of the Law protecting, the teachers had perverted into a justification for retaliation. It was used to satisfy man's natural desire for revenge. Jesus would have none of it.
He called on His followers to be different (as always). They were to handle matters of personal injury with consideration of the other person. (Phil 2:3-4) Of course they were to speak out against evil and injustice, just as He did. But the disciple's speech is to benefit the offender as well as those that are harmed. If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn the other cheek. This would demonstrate a generous attitude. Of course we can defend ourselves, that is not the point here. The backhanded slap was a great insult during Jesus' day. This isn't a life threatening assault, rather this is an injury to pride and He calls for a response in love, not vengeance.
Someone wants your shirt, go the next step and offer you coat. Someone compels you to walk a mile with them, walk the second one also. The idea here is that Jesus' disciples were and are to have a generous spirit that responds to personal attacks with kindness. (check out Romans 12:20) Someone has a personal need that they need help with; (need!) the Christian is to help. This is not a license to steal, rather it is a call to generosity. Your brother needs a loan to help him meet a pressing need, if you have the funds.... as they say... help a brother out. (interest free!)
Many say that Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount cannot be lived out in today's world. I strongly disagree! His teaching is just as applicable toady as it was 2000 years ago. Nothing in this sermon is un-doable when the teaching is understood in the context of His day. Knowing what He said and what the people who heard it understood it to mean is very important. If we approach the teaching without any understanding of its' context, His followers would be either dead or naked without any money. That is not the point here, He is calling on His disciples to respond to everything with an attitude of generosity and love; always keeping the other person in mind when we respond.
Can you imagine a world where people lived out the Sermon? It is not unimaginable and in fact that is what He calls on us to do. Live it out, teach others to do the same. Like a virus, this kind of heart change is to spread throughout the entire world, bringing restoration to mankind; bringing humanity back into compliance with the Creator's plan. Try it for a day, then try it for two, then try it for a week. Approach everything with this attitude and see how it goes. Let me know.
Wise or foolish?
What's this all about? I grew up quoting the "eye for an eye" verse thinking that God had given me permission to extract a little revenge. In the Old Testament, the punishment was to be equal to the damage that a person had experienced. The human tendency is to extract a pound of flesh for an eight ounce wound. Even our modern day legal system still utilizes this concept. The "damages" rewarded to the harmed party is to be based on the actual value of the lose. (supposedly)
Jesus, as with the other sections we have discussed is trying to clarify what God teachs on the subject. Teachers had distorted the truth of God's law and had applied it from a selfish point of view, just as they had anger, divorce, lust and oaths. Instead of the Law protecting, the teachers had perverted into a justification for retaliation. It was used to satisfy man's natural desire for revenge. Jesus would have none of it.
He called on His followers to be different (as always). They were to handle matters of personal injury with consideration of the other person. (Phil 2:3-4) Of course they were to speak out against evil and injustice, just as He did. But the disciple's speech is to benefit the offender as well as those that are harmed. If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn the other cheek. This would demonstrate a generous attitude. Of course we can defend ourselves, that is not the point here. The backhanded slap was a great insult during Jesus' day. This isn't a life threatening assault, rather this is an injury to pride and He calls for a response in love, not vengeance.
Someone wants your shirt, go the next step and offer you coat. Someone compels you to walk a mile with them, walk the second one also. The idea here is that Jesus' disciples were and are to have a generous spirit that responds to personal attacks with kindness. (check out Romans 12:20) Someone has a personal need that they need help with; (need!) the Christian is to help. This is not a license to steal, rather it is a call to generosity. Your brother needs a loan to help him meet a pressing need, if you have the funds.... as they say... help a brother out. (interest free!)
Many say that Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount cannot be lived out in today's world. I strongly disagree! His teaching is just as applicable toady as it was 2000 years ago. Nothing in this sermon is un-doable when the teaching is understood in the context of His day. Knowing what He said and what the people who heard it understood it to mean is very important. If we approach the teaching without any understanding of its' context, His followers would be either dead or naked without any money. That is not the point here, He is calling on His disciples to respond to everything with an attitude of generosity and love; always keeping the other person in mind when we respond.
Can you imagine a world where people lived out the Sermon? It is not unimaginable and in fact that is what He calls on us to do. Live it out, teach others to do the same. Like a virus, this kind of heart change is to spread throughout the entire world, bringing restoration to mankind; bringing humanity back into compliance with the Creator's plan. Try it for a day, then try it for two, then try it for a week. Approach everything with this attitude and see how it goes. Let me know.
Wise or foolish?
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Oaths and the Christian
"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No; anything more than this comes from evil." - Jesus (Matthew 5: 33-37)
In the Old Testament, oaths were not condemned and in some cases even required. (Ex 22:10-13, Num 5:16-22) The problem came when the Jew began to think that some oaths were binding and others were not. Depending on what they pointed to in their oaths, some were to be kept in all circumstances, while others might be overlooked if need be. They would swear by heaven if it was something that they were intending to keep and as they intended less and less to keep the vow, they would reduce the value of the item mentioned... heaven, earth, Jerusalem and their own heads.
Jesus reminds them that heaven is His throne, the earth is His footstool, Jerusalem is the city of His King and even their heads are under His control so that everything that they might swear by is intimately connected with God. When they didn't keep a vow, they brought shame on their Father in heaven. Jesus tells us that while they had been taught not to "swear falsely", His teaching is that we are not to swear at all.
Why? His disciples were and are to have the distinction of being honest... always. His people had no need to swear to anything because everything that came our of their mouths was to be truth. If Christians tell the truth and are known for that, then those that hear them say something will know that they can rely on it. We are to answer plainly and truthfully in every circumstance. (2 Cor 1:17-24; James 5:12)If an individual always tells the truth, then oaths are unnecessary. Further, Jesus says that to take an oath with the intention of deceiving others is evil. Deception is from the devil, the father of lies. Jesus, on the other hand is called the "truth" and His followers were to imitate Him.
Is taking an oath always wrong? No. Jesus was using exaggeration to make a point to His listeners. We know that Jesus Himself answered under oath before the high priest in Matthew 26:63,64 and truthful oaths are found in the letters of Paul. (Rom 1:9; 1 Cor 15:31; 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20) His point is that we should not need to offer assurances to others that what we say is true. I hear many people today say "Let me honest with you" or "If I am to be totally truthful with you" and it makes me wonder what to believe when they don't say those things. But, His disciples are to let their yes be yes and their no, no.
When a Christian is called upon to take an oath in a court room, they should raise their hands and do so. When a Christian is called upon to have someone witness a legal transaction, they should do so. Obeying the laws of the land is called for until that law conflicts with the teaching of God. In this case, it does not. The problem comes when we begin to use oaths as a way to convince someone that a lie is the truth. Speak clearly, speak plainly, mean what you say and say what you mean. That is what Jesus is calling on us to do. Truth? Truth.
Wise or Foolish?
In the Old Testament, oaths were not condemned and in some cases even required. (Ex 22:10-13, Num 5:16-22) The problem came when the Jew began to think that some oaths were binding and others were not. Depending on what they pointed to in their oaths, some were to be kept in all circumstances, while others might be overlooked if need be. They would swear by heaven if it was something that they were intending to keep and as they intended less and less to keep the vow, they would reduce the value of the item mentioned... heaven, earth, Jerusalem and their own heads.
Jesus reminds them that heaven is His throne, the earth is His footstool, Jerusalem is the city of His King and even their heads are under His control so that everything that they might swear by is intimately connected with God. When they didn't keep a vow, they brought shame on their Father in heaven. Jesus tells us that while they had been taught not to "swear falsely", His teaching is that we are not to swear at all.
Why? His disciples were and are to have the distinction of being honest... always. His people had no need to swear to anything because everything that came our of their mouths was to be truth. If Christians tell the truth and are known for that, then those that hear them say something will know that they can rely on it. We are to answer plainly and truthfully in every circumstance. (2 Cor 1:17-24; James 5:12)If an individual always tells the truth, then oaths are unnecessary. Further, Jesus says that to take an oath with the intention of deceiving others is evil. Deception is from the devil, the father of lies. Jesus, on the other hand is called the "truth" and His followers were to imitate Him.
Is taking an oath always wrong? No. Jesus was using exaggeration to make a point to His listeners. We know that Jesus Himself answered under oath before the high priest in Matthew 26:63,64 and truthful oaths are found in the letters of Paul. (Rom 1:9; 1 Cor 15:31; 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20) His point is that we should not need to offer assurances to others that what we say is true. I hear many people today say "Let me honest with you" or "If I am to be totally truthful with you" and it makes me wonder what to believe when they don't say those things. But, His disciples are to let their yes be yes and their no, no.
When a Christian is called upon to take an oath in a court room, they should raise their hands and do so. When a Christian is called upon to have someone witness a legal transaction, they should do so. Obeying the laws of the land is called for until that law conflicts with the teaching of God. In this case, it does not. The problem comes when we begin to use oaths as a way to convince someone that a lie is the truth. Speak clearly, speak plainly, mean what you say and say what you mean. That is what Jesus is calling on us to do. Truth? Truth.
Wise or Foolish?
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Divorce
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." - Jesus (Matthew 5: 31,32)
When I began the effort to blog through the Sermon on the Mount, I dreaded the day that these two verses would arrive... and here they are. The church has struggled for decades, maybe centuries with divorce and what to do with those that have gone through it. Bible scholars have debated the meaning of words and phrases and they still don't agree, so don't look to me for a definitive thought. Rather, pick up your Bibles and dig into it; allow His word to have the final say on the subject. First, divorce is a reality. The church is not likely to ever teach enough, love enough or condemn enough for it to disappear. The pews of our churches are filled with those that have experienced the pain of divorce and continue to live with the consequences of a broken family. Jesus' teaching on the subject must be the final answer and the foundation that Christian marriages are built upon.
So, what does our Savior have to say about this controversial subject? Without a doubt, He means something. Certainly, these two verses are not intended to be a complete discussion on the matter. Rather, just like in the previous verses we have looked at, Jesus is correcting a teaching and bringing it back into alignment with what God's commands had to say on the subject. So, with the understanding that this is not intended to be the end-all on the matter; but rather a correction of bad teaching, let's dig into it.
When Jesus lived, divorce was a man's privilege. A woman was his wife as long as he wanted her; she had no rights in the matter. It had become the norm for a man to divorce his wife over anything. Bad dinner... divorce. Laundry not done... divorce. Bad hair day... divorce. You get the idea, God had given the Jews an exception to His plan for marriage and they took the ball and ran with it. (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4) God's directive on divorce dealt with a cheating wife and the teachers of the Law had moved the standard to be for almost anything. Additionally, the main teaching in Deuteronomy 24 deals with the giving of a certificate of divorce and the giving up of the right to remarry. God intended for marriage to be for life, but when the marriage was destroyed by infidelity, He gave them a way out.
Jesus' words in these verses were intended to bring His disciples back to the "garden of Eden" concept of marriage. He calls on His followers to return marriage to it's intended state. One man, one woman for life. He limits the right to divorce to those who have an unfaithful spouse. In His kingdom, marriage is to look very different than those outside of His rule. His people, Christians would work through problems and seek to keep the marriage union. He tells us that if we divorce for any reason other than sexual immorality and that person remarries, we cause them to commit adultery and the person that marries them. He is holding the "injured party", the one seeking a divorce to a very high standard. He says to us, you send them away for any reason other than unfaithfulness, you are responsible for their sin.
That shines a whole different light on the subject. In His day, a woman had no other option than to marry to survive, so the power rested with the man and Jesus says to the man, "Treat her with respect! She is not disposable when you are tired of her." He places marriage back where God had intended it to be. In these two verses, Jesus is certainly teaching against divorce; but this is not the entirety on the subject. He is not trying to answer every question related to the subject in these few words, but He is aiming to restore the sanctity and permanence of institution.
God hates divorce and with good reason. The destruction of a family unit brings nothing but pain and sorrow to everyone involved. His kingdom is injured every time a Christian couple divorces. He calls on His disciples to live differently, by a different standard... His Standard. He was counter-culture then and He is counter-culture now, but that doesn't change His message. Take responsibility for your heart, whether it is anger or lust or the desire to change spouses; Jesus says we are to live differently and keep our hearts pure. We are called on to live in a way that puts the interests of others on the same level as our own and that is true in marriage as well.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:3-5)
If we lived looking out for the interests of our mate, divorce would end. What does he/she need from me? What can I do to help her/him live a life that pleases God? Jesus says the same thing to husbands and wives... think about the other person, live in such a way that you are a blessing to them. Challenging? Sure. Doable? You bet. Married person, you want to honor God... stay married, love your mate, place their needs above your own. That brings Him glory.
Wise or foolish?
When I began the effort to blog through the Sermon on the Mount, I dreaded the day that these two verses would arrive... and here they are. The church has struggled for decades, maybe centuries with divorce and what to do with those that have gone through it. Bible scholars have debated the meaning of words and phrases and they still don't agree, so don't look to me for a definitive thought. Rather, pick up your Bibles and dig into it; allow His word to have the final say on the subject. First, divorce is a reality. The church is not likely to ever teach enough, love enough or condemn enough for it to disappear. The pews of our churches are filled with those that have experienced the pain of divorce and continue to live with the consequences of a broken family. Jesus' teaching on the subject must be the final answer and the foundation that Christian marriages are built upon.
So, what does our Savior have to say about this controversial subject? Without a doubt, He means something. Certainly, these two verses are not intended to be a complete discussion on the matter. Rather, just like in the previous verses we have looked at, Jesus is correcting a teaching and bringing it back into alignment with what God's commands had to say on the subject. So, with the understanding that this is not intended to be the end-all on the matter; but rather a correction of bad teaching, let's dig into it.
When Jesus lived, divorce was a man's privilege. A woman was his wife as long as he wanted her; she had no rights in the matter. It had become the norm for a man to divorce his wife over anything. Bad dinner... divorce. Laundry not done... divorce. Bad hair day... divorce. You get the idea, God had given the Jews an exception to His plan for marriage and they took the ball and ran with it. (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4) God's directive on divorce dealt with a cheating wife and the teachers of the Law had moved the standard to be for almost anything. Additionally, the main teaching in Deuteronomy 24 deals with the giving of a certificate of divorce and the giving up of the right to remarry. God intended for marriage to be for life, but when the marriage was destroyed by infidelity, He gave them a way out.
Jesus' words in these verses were intended to bring His disciples back to the "garden of Eden" concept of marriage. He calls on His followers to return marriage to it's intended state. One man, one woman for life. He limits the right to divorce to those who have an unfaithful spouse. In His kingdom, marriage is to look very different than those outside of His rule. His people, Christians would work through problems and seek to keep the marriage union. He tells us that if we divorce for any reason other than sexual immorality and that person remarries, we cause them to commit adultery and the person that marries them. He is holding the "injured party", the one seeking a divorce to a very high standard. He says to us, you send them away for any reason other than unfaithfulness, you are responsible for their sin.
That shines a whole different light on the subject. In His day, a woman had no other option than to marry to survive, so the power rested with the man and Jesus says to the man, "Treat her with respect! She is not disposable when you are tired of her." He places marriage back where God had intended it to be. In these two verses, Jesus is certainly teaching against divorce; but this is not the entirety on the subject. He is not trying to answer every question related to the subject in these few words, but He is aiming to restore the sanctity and permanence of institution.
God hates divorce and with good reason. The destruction of a family unit brings nothing but pain and sorrow to everyone involved. His kingdom is injured every time a Christian couple divorces. He calls on His disciples to live differently, by a different standard... His Standard. He was counter-culture then and He is counter-culture now, but that doesn't change His message. Take responsibility for your heart, whether it is anger or lust or the desire to change spouses; Jesus says we are to live differently and keep our hearts pure. We are called on to live in a way that puts the interests of others on the same level as our own and that is true in marriage as well.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:3-5)
If we lived looking out for the interests of our mate, divorce would end. What does he/she need from me? What can I do to help her/him live a life that pleases God? Jesus says the same thing to husbands and wives... think about the other person, live in such a way that you are a blessing to them. Challenging? Sure. Doable? You bet. Married person, you want to honor God... stay married, love your mate, place their needs above your own. That brings Him glory.
Wise or foolish?
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Do You Take Sin Seriously?
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." - Jesus (Matthew 5: 27-30)
Just as with murder and anger, Jesus raises the bar, no that is not right... he puts the bar where it was intended to be from the beginning on the subject of adultery. Again we read, "You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery". Adultery had become an act and Jesus says, "nope, it is about the heart". Just like with anger and murder, Jesus tells us that adultery begins in the heart. It is not only possible, but it is a reality that people have hearts filled with lust, yet most will not commit adultery today.
God's plan has always been to reconcile people to Himself. From Adam's fall, to the Old Law and through Jesus, God has been and still is working to restore things to a pre-fall condition. I understand that it will not be complete until Jesus returns and brings with Him a new heaven and earth (whatever that means). But for God, it was never about changing the actions of His greatest creation. Actions can change and the heart remain the same. God wants changed hearts! He wants everyone to live sin-less lives. He wants everyone to be like His Son. That is His plan.
So, Jesus looks into our hearts and says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." Is He advocating the mutilation of our bodies to eliminate the source of sin? Of course not! What He is calling on us to do is to take sin as seriously as He does. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:21-23) He calls on us to police our eyes. We are responsible for what we allow to enter into our hearts. He says, "if you can't control your eye, better to live this life without it than to allow the eye to send a person to Hell." Of course He is using figurative language to make a point.
Then He says the same thing about the hand. His point isn't that we should start doing away with body parts;His point is that we should view sin with that kind of seriousness. Imagine cutting off your own arm. I watched the movie "127 Hours" and saw the lengths a person will go to in order to save their physical life. Jesus says... what about your spiritual lives? Like the rock that trapped that young man in that canyon, sin has many of us caught between the Rock and a hard place. He condemns our sins and He provides an escape to those who will follow Him. In the movie, the young man tried everything he could think of to escape his situation, but in the end he had no other choice than to remove the thing that held him captive. We must do the same!
The Hebrew writer puts it this way... Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12: 1-2) The solution to our problem is found in Jesus. He both pioneered and perfected faith and fixing our eyes on Him and following Him will move us away from sin and into the life that He calls us to, the restored life.
Sin is serious business. Too often, we take it lightly; we toy with it and walk along the edge of the cliff. Other times we just run headlong into sin without any regard to its' consequences. But Jesus calls on His followers to confront their sinfulness, deal with it and "cut it off" at its' source. He says start with the heart and the actions will take care of themselves... no lust in the heart means no adultery.
What about you? Do you take sin that seriously? Do I? It was sin that separated man from God in the Garden and it is sin that separates us from Him today. (Isaiah 59:2) Thankfully that is not the end of the story... God wants reconciliation, He is pursuing that with you! How will you respond to His appeal?
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
Just as with murder and anger, Jesus raises the bar, no that is not right... he puts the bar where it was intended to be from the beginning on the subject of adultery. Again we read, "You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery". Adultery had become an act and Jesus says, "nope, it is about the heart". Just like with anger and murder, Jesus tells us that adultery begins in the heart. It is not only possible, but it is a reality that people have hearts filled with lust, yet most will not commit adultery today.
God's plan has always been to reconcile people to Himself. From Adam's fall, to the Old Law and through Jesus, God has been and still is working to restore things to a pre-fall condition. I understand that it will not be complete until Jesus returns and brings with Him a new heaven and earth (whatever that means). But for God, it was never about changing the actions of His greatest creation. Actions can change and the heart remain the same. God wants changed hearts! He wants everyone to live sin-less lives. He wants everyone to be like His Son. That is His plan.
So, Jesus looks into our hearts and says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." Is He advocating the mutilation of our bodies to eliminate the source of sin? Of course not! What He is calling on us to do is to take sin as seriously as He does. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:21-23) He calls on us to police our eyes. We are responsible for what we allow to enter into our hearts. He says, "if you can't control your eye, better to live this life without it than to allow the eye to send a person to Hell." Of course He is using figurative language to make a point.
Then He says the same thing about the hand. His point isn't that we should start doing away with body parts;His point is that we should view sin with that kind of seriousness. Imagine cutting off your own arm. I watched the movie "127 Hours" and saw the lengths a person will go to in order to save their physical life. Jesus says... what about your spiritual lives? Like the rock that trapped that young man in that canyon, sin has many of us caught between the Rock and a hard place. He condemns our sins and He provides an escape to those who will follow Him. In the movie, the young man tried everything he could think of to escape his situation, but in the end he had no other choice than to remove the thing that held him captive. We must do the same!
The Hebrew writer puts it this way... Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12: 1-2) The solution to our problem is found in Jesus. He both pioneered and perfected faith and fixing our eyes on Him and following Him will move us away from sin and into the life that He calls us to, the restored life.
Sin is serious business. Too often, we take it lightly; we toy with it and walk along the edge of the cliff. Other times we just run headlong into sin without any regard to its' consequences. But Jesus calls on His followers to confront their sinfulness, deal with it and "cut it off" at its' source. He says start with the heart and the actions will take care of themselves... no lust in the heart means no adultery.
What about you? Do you take sin that seriously? Do I? It was sin that separated man from God in the Garden and it is sin that separates us from Him today. (Isaiah 59:2) Thankfully that is not the end of the story... God wants reconciliation, He is pursuing that with you! How will you respond to His appeal?
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Are You A Murderer?
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny." _ Jesus (Matthew 5: 21-26)
It is impossible for me to do an adequate job in a short blog on this group of verses, so I am going to give a few thoughts and let you explore it deeper in your own mind. First, this is the first of several contrasting sections where Jesus compares what has been verbally taught by the scribes and Pharisees and the true intent of God's words. So, as you read He will say... "You have heard that it was said" and then give a "But I say" as a means to contrast truth and untruth. When Jesus is pointing to scripture, He will say... "It is written"; but when he is referring to oral teaching he uses "you have heard it was said".
So, for sure He is talking about a teaching that had taken hold and continued to be taught by religious leaders. The command that is referenced here is found in Exodus 20:13, "Thou shall not murder" and the penalty was death. The second part of the teaching is the tradition, "whoever murders will be liable to judgment". The teaching held that it was the act only and not the intent that mattered. A self-righteous legalist could be satisfied that he had not committee the act, yet harbor murderous thoughts towards his brother. With murder in his heart, he could say, "I have kept the Law".
Jesus moves the ball down the field and relates the keeping of the Law to the intent of the heart. No longer was it the act that determined the obedience, now it is about our intentions. He says, hate your brother, call him names, say he is good for nothing, tell others that he is a fool... face judgment. For you see, the act of "murder" is more than the taking of a life. Long before the trigger is pulled or the knife is wielded, the heart has determined an action. For out of the heart come evil thoughts--murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)
Jesus then calls on us to be reconciled with our brother or sister. He tells us that our worship is to be interrupted by this. Let's pause for a moment and let that settle in... our relationship with our family is to have priority over our worship of the Father. Problem with a brother, put down the song book and fix it! Dispute with a sister, stop talking to God and go talk to her! First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Our relationship with the Father is not what it should be when we harbor animosity towards our family members, so He calls on us to take action to fix our broken relationships and come back to worship when unity is restored.
How's your heart? What are your motives? How are your relationships? Jesus deals with difficult issues because He wants you and me to have the best life possible, here and hereafter. Take a moment and think about what your heart is filled with. He calls on His disciples to clean house, allow God to move in and change you from the inside out. Think about it.
Wise or Foolish?
It is impossible for me to do an adequate job in a short blog on this group of verses, so I am going to give a few thoughts and let you explore it deeper in your own mind. First, this is the first of several contrasting sections where Jesus compares what has been verbally taught by the scribes and Pharisees and the true intent of God's words. So, as you read He will say... "You have heard that it was said" and then give a "But I say" as a means to contrast truth and untruth. When Jesus is pointing to scripture, He will say... "It is written"; but when he is referring to oral teaching he uses "you have heard it was said".
So, for sure He is talking about a teaching that had taken hold and continued to be taught by religious leaders. The command that is referenced here is found in Exodus 20:13, "Thou shall not murder" and the penalty was death. The second part of the teaching is the tradition, "whoever murders will be liable to judgment". The teaching held that it was the act only and not the intent that mattered. A self-righteous legalist could be satisfied that he had not committee the act, yet harbor murderous thoughts towards his brother. With murder in his heart, he could say, "I have kept the Law".
Jesus moves the ball down the field and relates the keeping of the Law to the intent of the heart. No longer was it the act that determined the obedience, now it is about our intentions. He says, hate your brother, call him names, say he is good for nothing, tell others that he is a fool... face judgment. For you see, the act of "murder" is more than the taking of a life. Long before the trigger is pulled or the knife is wielded, the heart has determined an action. For out of the heart come evil thoughts--murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)
Jesus then calls on us to be reconciled with our brother or sister. He tells us that our worship is to be interrupted by this. Let's pause for a moment and let that settle in... our relationship with our family is to have priority over our worship of the Father. Problem with a brother, put down the song book and fix it! Dispute with a sister, stop talking to God and go talk to her! First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Our relationship with the Father is not what it should be when we harbor animosity towards our family members, so He calls on us to take action to fix our broken relationships and come back to worship when unity is restored.
How's your heart? What are your motives? How are your relationships? Jesus deals with difficult issues because He wants you and me to have the best life possible, here and hereafter. Take a moment and think about what your heart is filled with. He calls on His disciples to clean house, allow God to move in and change you from the inside out. Think about it.
Wise or Foolish?
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Are You Teaching The Truth?
"Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Jesus (Matthew 5: 19-20)
Teachers beware. That is Jesus' message in these two sentences and He makes the point razor sharp. The teachers of His day were not teaching "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" and He was not happy about it. I am not sure about the "great" and "least" thing and what that means exactly, but undoubtedly His point is this a teacher is to live out His commands and teach others to do the same. (see Matthew 28:18ff) Anything less than that was unacceptable and His warning is unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
So, we're dealing with serious stuff here... stuff that will keep someone out of the kingdom of heaven. This is not the only place that teachers are warned about the importance of teaching truth... But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! (Galatians 1:8) and Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). Teaching someone the truth found in God's word is a great responsibility and the teacher must use great care and diligence.
I don't want to put the entire responsibility on the teacher. Certainly it is the hearer's responsibility to make sure that what they are taught and accept as truth is just that...truth. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) So, there is shared responsibility, the teacher must teach truth and the hearer must verify it. Then, Jesus tells us that when truth is given and understood, it must change us... make us righteous. (the whole wise and foolish person thing found at the end of chapter 7 of Matthew)
It is important for us to understand that Jesus expects us to learn His will and submit to it. The idea that every good person is going to heaven is just not Biblical. To see the kingdom of heaven our righteousness must exceed that of those that Jesus saw as hypocrites, those that talked a good game but didn't live it out.
I'll give you an example of teaching that is not found in scripture, but is almost universally accepted. This is taught in churches around the world every Sunday, yet not a single scripture can be quoted to establish it as a valid Biblical teaching. When the invitation is given, when the preaching is finished and people are encouraged to respond to the gospel call of Jesus... they are told to "pray Jesus into their hearts". That is not Biblical. There is not a single instance of that being the response to the gospel, yet this Sunday millions of people will be instructed to do just that. I don't know where it started or why it continues, but I know it is not Biblical. (if you know a single verse that would teach that, please give it in the comment section) The Biblical response can be found in numerous places in scripture, but turn to Acts 2 and find a great presentation of the invitation to become a Christian. (and then do it)
So, what's His point in all this? Jesus expects us to learn His commandments and teach them in their entirety and He expects us to live them out. Doing so will open the doors to the kingdom of heaven, both to each of us and to those we teach. Doing less than that makes us like the scribes and Pharisees; and we know how He felt about them... "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." (Matthew 23:15) Teach truth!! Live it out!! Enter the kingdom!!
Wise or Foolish?
Teachers beware. That is Jesus' message in these two sentences and He makes the point razor sharp. The teachers of His day were not teaching "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" and He was not happy about it. I am not sure about the "great" and "least" thing and what that means exactly, but undoubtedly His point is this a teacher is to live out His commands and teach others to do the same. (see Matthew 28:18ff) Anything less than that was unacceptable and His warning is unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
So, we're dealing with serious stuff here... stuff that will keep someone out of the kingdom of heaven. This is not the only place that teachers are warned about the importance of teaching truth... But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! (Galatians 1:8) and Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). Teaching someone the truth found in God's word is a great responsibility and the teacher must use great care and diligence.
I don't want to put the entire responsibility on the teacher. Certainly it is the hearer's responsibility to make sure that what they are taught and accept as truth is just that...truth. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) So, there is shared responsibility, the teacher must teach truth and the hearer must verify it. Then, Jesus tells us that when truth is given and understood, it must change us... make us righteous. (the whole wise and foolish person thing found at the end of chapter 7 of Matthew)
It is important for us to understand that Jesus expects us to learn His will and submit to it. The idea that every good person is going to heaven is just not Biblical. To see the kingdom of heaven our righteousness must exceed that of those that Jesus saw as hypocrites, those that talked a good game but didn't live it out.
I'll give you an example of teaching that is not found in scripture, but is almost universally accepted. This is taught in churches around the world every Sunday, yet not a single scripture can be quoted to establish it as a valid Biblical teaching. When the invitation is given, when the preaching is finished and people are encouraged to respond to the gospel call of Jesus... they are told to "pray Jesus into their hearts". That is not Biblical. There is not a single instance of that being the response to the gospel, yet this Sunday millions of people will be instructed to do just that. I don't know where it started or why it continues, but I know it is not Biblical. (if you know a single verse that would teach that, please give it in the comment section) The Biblical response can be found in numerous places in scripture, but turn to Acts 2 and find a great presentation of the invitation to become a Christian. (and then do it)
So, what's His point in all this? Jesus expects us to learn His commandments and teach them in their entirety and He expects us to live them out. Doing so will open the doors to the kingdom of heaven, both to each of us and to those we teach. Doing less than that makes us like the scribes and Pharisees; and we know how He felt about them... "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." (Matthew 23:15) Teach truth!! Live it out!! Enter the kingdom!!
Wise or Foolish?
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
The Fulfillment Of The Law
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." - Jesus (Matthew 5: 17-18)
He was expected. Israel had looked for Him for hundreds of years. What He would be like and what He would accomplish was completely misunderstood. So, as He begins His very straight forward teaching (that some would think contradicted the Law), he wanted to correct their thinking. He didn't come to abolish the Law, that is the Law of Moses and the teaching of the Prophets. Rather, He came to fulfill it. I know, just like me, you are wondering what that means and we will get to that.
First a few words about the Law. It is understood to be the commandments and ordinances that were given to the descendants of Abraham. The Law was given to His chosen people, the children of Israel and not to the Gentile nations. They were to be a nation of priests demonstrating to the rest of the world what it looked like to live under God's rule. (kinda like the church today!) Being a descendant of Abraham, Jesus lived under the Law. He is the only person to ever keep the Law perfectly and we never hear Him denigrate the Law, only correct misunderstandings. Keeping the Law did not justify the Israelites, they were to honor the Law by keeping it. The Law was part of God's divine purpose and we are told that it was a tutor that would lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24).
Had people been able (or willing) to keep the Law perfectly, they could have been saved by it. But God knew that they would break it. (Romans 7:14-25) Therefore, God sent His Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves - live out the Law perfectly. By doing so, He was able to offer Himself as the only perfect sacrifice for sin. (Heb 10:5-10)
The two key words here are "abolish" and "fulfill". If we get a right understanding of those two words, then we walk away with a right understanding of His teaching. The Greek word for abolish is kataluo and it means to "destroy", "nullify" or "invalidate". The Greek word for fulfill is pleroo and means "make full", "bring to completion" or "bring to an end". So, Jesus didn't come to abolish or destroy the Law, rather He came to bring to completion its' purpose and then He took it out of the way when He died on the cross. (Romans 10:4; Eph 2:15) At that time the Law died, so the obligation to keep it no longer exists. In Luke 24:44, Jesus told His apostles (after His resurrection) that He had "fulfilled" all of it.
All was accomplished! So, the Law was taken out of the way and we now live under a new law, "the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). Certainly we keep any parts of the old Law that have been brought over in to the new, but we do so because they are in the law of Christ, not because they are in the Law of Moses. Anyone today that insists that the Law or any part of it must be kept is holding on to a system that is no longer part of God's plan. Can we learn for the Old Testament... absolutely! Will it help us to understand the New Testament... absolutely! But our law is found in Jesus and His words will judge us on the last day (John 12:48).
Wise or Foolish?
He was expected. Israel had looked for Him for hundreds of years. What He would be like and what He would accomplish was completely misunderstood. So, as He begins His very straight forward teaching (that some would think contradicted the Law), he wanted to correct their thinking. He didn't come to abolish the Law, that is the Law of Moses and the teaching of the Prophets. Rather, He came to fulfill it. I know, just like me, you are wondering what that means and we will get to that.
First a few words about the Law. It is understood to be the commandments and ordinances that were given to the descendants of Abraham. The Law was given to His chosen people, the children of Israel and not to the Gentile nations. They were to be a nation of priests demonstrating to the rest of the world what it looked like to live under God's rule. (kinda like the church today!) Being a descendant of Abraham, Jesus lived under the Law. He is the only person to ever keep the Law perfectly and we never hear Him denigrate the Law, only correct misunderstandings. Keeping the Law did not justify the Israelites, they were to honor the Law by keeping it. The Law was part of God's divine purpose and we are told that it was a tutor that would lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24).
Had people been able (or willing) to keep the Law perfectly, they could have been saved by it. But God knew that they would break it. (Romans 7:14-25) Therefore, God sent His Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves - live out the Law perfectly. By doing so, He was able to offer Himself as the only perfect sacrifice for sin. (Heb 10:5-10)
The two key words here are "abolish" and "fulfill". If we get a right understanding of those two words, then we walk away with a right understanding of His teaching. The Greek word for abolish is kataluo and it means to "destroy", "nullify" or "invalidate". The Greek word for fulfill is pleroo and means "make full", "bring to completion" or "bring to an end". So, Jesus didn't come to abolish or destroy the Law, rather He came to bring to completion its' purpose and then He took it out of the way when He died on the cross. (Romans 10:4; Eph 2:15) At that time the Law died, so the obligation to keep it no longer exists. In Luke 24:44, Jesus told His apostles (after His resurrection) that He had "fulfilled" all of it.
All was accomplished! So, the Law was taken out of the way and we now live under a new law, "the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). Certainly we keep any parts of the old Law that have been brought over in to the new, but we do so because they are in the law of Christ, not because they are in the Law of Moses. Anyone today that insists that the Law or any part of it must be kept is holding on to a system that is no longer part of God's plan. Can we learn for the Old Testament... absolutely! Will it help us to understand the New Testament... absolutely! But our law is found in Jesus and His words will judge us on the last day (John 12:48).
Wise or Foolish?
Monday, August 5, 2013
Salt and Light (Part 2)
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Jesus (Matthew 5:13-16)
The Light of the World - wow, that is a big deal. Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that He is the light of the world and tells us that if we follow Him we will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. In the first half of these verses in Matthew, Jesus says that we will be salt. (see Part 1 of my blog) We will add flavor, bring preservation and administer healing. In the second half, He tells us that while we are doing those things, we will bring light to an otherwise dark world. Of course it is not our light that we bring! Rather as the moon reflects the light of the sun, in our doing good, being salt... we reflect the light of the Son.
There is a sense in which the follower of Christ is to be show-off. I know, I know... that made you uncomfortable. (me too) But take a moment and reread the verses... (do it now). Waiting, waiting. Ok, Jesus calls His disciples cities on a hill that cannot be hidden. He tells us that we are lamps to be put on a stand to light the entire house. I know, most folks are cautious to keep their good works to themselves and we even have scripture that cautions us about doing our works "to be seen". So, what do we do with this? How do we keep His command to "let our light shine before others" and not do it in a way "to be seen by others"?
His closing remarks should give us some insight into what He wants from us. He tells us to... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. When we do good, we need to check our motives. Am I doing this to receive the praise of others or am I doing it to point to God? Who gets the glory? In our showing-off, it must be done such that Jesus gets the praise. The beatitudes gave us insight into the character that Jesus expects of those that follow Him. Go back and reread the first 12 verses. Is it even possible for someone that is living out the beatitudes to seek personal glory?
What I am trying to say, however poorly I am saying it is this - when we live as He calls us to live, people are going to see a difference. And when they see a difference, we must tell them about God. As lights of the world, it is our job to tell others the source of the light that they see. I like what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5, God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. (The Message) That's our job! Tell everyone why we glow :). Glory to God! Glory to God! That is what we are doing... when we shine it brings glory to God. Shine on!
The Light of the World - wow, that is a big deal. Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that He is the light of the world and tells us that if we follow Him we will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. In the first half of these verses in Matthew, Jesus says that we will be salt. (see Part 1 of my blog) We will add flavor, bring preservation and administer healing. In the second half, He tells us that while we are doing those things, we will bring light to an otherwise dark world. Of course it is not our light that we bring! Rather as the moon reflects the light of the sun, in our doing good, being salt... we reflect the light of the Son.
There is a sense in which the follower of Christ is to be show-off. I know, I know... that made you uncomfortable. (me too) But take a moment and reread the verses... (do it now). Waiting, waiting. Ok, Jesus calls His disciples cities on a hill that cannot be hidden. He tells us that we are lamps to be put on a stand to light the entire house. I know, most folks are cautious to keep their good works to themselves and we even have scripture that cautions us about doing our works "to be seen". So, what do we do with this? How do we keep His command to "let our light shine before others" and not do it in a way "to be seen by others"?
His closing remarks should give us some insight into what He wants from us. He tells us to... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. When we do good, we need to check our motives. Am I doing this to receive the praise of others or am I doing it to point to God? Who gets the glory? In our showing-off, it must be done such that Jesus gets the praise. The beatitudes gave us insight into the character that Jesus expects of those that follow Him. Go back and reread the first 12 verses. Is it even possible for someone that is living out the beatitudes to seek personal glory?
What I am trying to say, however poorly I am saying it is this - when we live as He calls us to live, people are going to see a difference. And when they see a difference, we must tell them about God. As lights of the world, it is our job to tell others the source of the light that they see. I like what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5, God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. (The Message) That's our job! Tell everyone why we glow :). Glory to God! Glory to God! That is what we are doing... when we shine it brings glory to God. Shine on!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Salt and Light (Part 1)
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Jesus (Matthew 5:13-16)
After Jesus completes His thoughts on the character of the disciple in the beatitudes, He turns His focus to what His disciples (with this character) will accomplish in this world. Just by possessing the traits that Jesus calls His followers to have, something is going to happen. He calls us Salt and Light. "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world". What does He mean by those terms? What does He want us to understand about our role, our responsibility to the world?
Salt. Flavor. Preservative. Medicinal. The background meaning for this word is varied. During Jesus life it was of such value that Roman soldiers were paid with it..."he's worth his salt". Without modern ways to keep things fresh, salt was used as a preservative. (and still is, think country ham) Rubbing salt in a wound was a good thing I guess. Salt was used to treat bee stings, snake bites, tooth decay and as a salve for the eyes. And of course, we all like to sprinkle salt on almost everything food. It enhances the flavor of almost everything that comes out of the kitchen. (try a day without any salt and you will see how much you miss it)
With that as a backdrop, Jesus tells us that His followers (with those traits found in the beatitudes) will bring those qualities to the world. The world will taste better because of His people. It will be a better place to live. The right things will be done... justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matt 23: 23) People will be preserved (saved) through the influence of His disciples. Truth will be taught, love will be given and lost souls will turn to Him because of their actions. Healing will happen. The broken will be restored. The sin-sick world will find a cure... all because of this Salt.
Are you getting His message?
Unfortunately, there is a second part to His words... but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. He tells His people that it is possible for them to loose their saltiness. We were salt, now we are not. We can conduct our lives in such a way that our influence is lessened or even completely destroyed. If we quit living with the character of the beatitudes, if we start living like the world... we loose our saltiness. He tells us when that happens, we are useless to Him. The only thing to be done with useless salt is dispose of it. Throw it into the street and let it be trampled on.
I know... we don't want to consider that a Christian can turn his back on Jesus and become useless to Him. We don't want to think that a disciple can become a undisciple (sorry for a made up word). Once the person was salt, now they are rubbish under the feet of humanity. You sort that out for yourselves. His point? Be salt! Change the world through Him! Add flavor, add preservation, add healing... be His representative to mankind.
Wise or foolish?
More on Light next time.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Jesus (Matthew 5:13-16)
After Jesus completes His thoughts on the character of the disciple in the beatitudes, He turns His focus to what His disciples (with this character) will accomplish in this world. Just by possessing the traits that Jesus calls His followers to have, something is going to happen. He calls us Salt and Light. "You are the salt of the earth" and "You are the light of the world". What does He mean by those terms? What does He want us to understand about our role, our responsibility to the world?
Salt. Flavor. Preservative. Medicinal. The background meaning for this word is varied. During Jesus life it was of such value that Roman soldiers were paid with it..."he's worth his salt". Without modern ways to keep things fresh, salt was used as a preservative. (and still is, think country ham) Rubbing salt in a wound was a good thing I guess. Salt was used to treat bee stings, snake bites, tooth decay and as a salve for the eyes. And of course, we all like to sprinkle salt on almost everything food. It enhances the flavor of almost everything that comes out of the kitchen. (try a day without any salt and you will see how much you miss it)
With that as a backdrop, Jesus tells us that His followers (with those traits found in the beatitudes) will bring those qualities to the world. The world will taste better because of His people. It will be a better place to live. The right things will be done... justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matt 23: 23) People will be preserved (saved) through the influence of His disciples. Truth will be taught, love will be given and lost souls will turn to Him because of their actions. Healing will happen. The broken will be restored. The sin-sick world will find a cure... all because of this Salt.
Are you getting His message?
Unfortunately, there is a second part to His words... but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. He tells His people that it is possible for them to loose their saltiness. We were salt, now we are not. We can conduct our lives in such a way that our influence is lessened or even completely destroyed. If we quit living with the character of the beatitudes, if we start living like the world... we loose our saltiness. He tells us when that happens, we are useless to Him. The only thing to be done with useless salt is dispose of it. Throw it into the street and let it be trampled on.
I know... we don't want to consider that a Christian can turn his back on Jesus and become useless to Him. We don't want to think that a disciple can become a undisciple (sorry for a made up word). Once the person was salt, now they are rubbish under the feet of humanity. You sort that out for yourselves. His point? Be salt! Change the world through Him! Add flavor, add preservation, add healing... be His representative to mankind.
Wise or foolish?
More on Light next time.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Persecution and Blessings
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Jesus (Matt 5: 10-12)
You might want to take a moment and reread those verses... Divine happiness comes to those that are treated badly by other people for following Jesus. Yep, that is what it says. How can that be? That is the big question behind the passage and needs to be understood by us if we are to truly walk in His steps and live victoriously.
Suffering is not what we strive for. I have never met anyone who really wanted to suffer. Having people say bad things about us is not something we enjoy. Being defamed is surely an unpleasant experience. But, that is what Jesus says will come our way if we follow Him. And He says that we are to find joy in it. So, let's dig in here and see if we can unpack some truths that will help us in our walk.
First things first, it is not that Christians want persecution or seek to provoke it. This persecution comes as a result of living a life filled with righteousness (not self-righteousness!). Our goodness bothers others badness to the point that they want our goodness to be messed up. So, they talk bad about you and me. They try to entice us into dishonoring ourselves by participating in bad conduct. As Jesus said in John 3, And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. Darkness hates light and followers of Jesus are bringers of light, so darkness seeks to put out the light. It is an outcome, not an intent.
Secondly, if this is persecution that is to bring blessings, it must be based on truth. When someone says bad things about us, it must be false. I must not go looking for persecution. Provoking someone to treat you badly (with that as the intent) is not what Jesus is speaking of. He is telling us that by nature, it we don't live like the world, then the world is going to bad-mouth us. But what they say must not be true! Peter puts in this way in 1 Peter 4, For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you. Get it... you used to live like them, but you changed and now they are not happy that you will not join them in the pig pen, so they talk bad about you. If the bad things that are said are true, that is not persecution!
Also, Jesus tells us that when persecution comes our way, we are to be happy. Why - because people have always treated His people poorly. The prophets were stoned and the apostles were crucified and beheaded. In other words, we are in great company! People that have taken a stand and lived for God have always faced a world that abused them. That is the reality of it. If we are living rightly and the world shuns us or mistreats us, we are to remember that the world has always treated His people that way.
And then their is the promise. If this happens to us, if people say evil things about us, if we face persecution... our reward is great in heaven. I have no idea what that means. I think of Heaven as a great reward, but Jesus takes it another step further and promises something even greater. What? I don't know, but if the reward is great and it is in heaven, then we should want it!
The story of Stephen in Acts 7 is one that should give us great encouragement and hope. Stephen's persecution ends in his death. Just before he jumps from this world to the next, he sees the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. The Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords gives Stephen a standing ovation. (roll that around for a minute) It makes my chest hurt to think that I have dishonored Him by my actions. I want Him to stand for me! I want Him to stand for you! Only a life lived rightly, confronting evil and enduring the abuse of the world is promised a great reward in heaven. You want it? Start living radically righteously and see what happens.
Wise or foolish?
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Jesus (Matt 5: 10-12)
You might want to take a moment and reread those verses... Divine happiness comes to those that are treated badly by other people for following Jesus. Yep, that is what it says. How can that be? That is the big question behind the passage and needs to be understood by us if we are to truly walk in His steps and live victoriously.
Suffering is not what we strive for. I have never met anyone who really wanted to suffer. Having people say bad things about us is not something we enjoy. Being defamed is surely an unpleasant experience. But, that is what Jesus says will come our way if we follow Him. And He says that we are to find joy in it. So, let's dig in here and see if we can unpack some truths that will help us in our walk.
First things first, it is not that Christians want persecution or seek to provoke it. This persecution comes as a result of living a life filled with righteousness (not self-righteousness!). Our goodness bothers others badness to the point that they want our goodness to be messed up. So, they talk bad about you and me. They try to entice us into dishonoring ourselves by participating in bad conduct. As Jesus said in John 3, And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. Darkness hates light and followers of Jesus are bringers of light, so darkness seeks to put out the light. It is an outcome, not an intent.
Secondly, if this is persecution that is to bring blessings, it must be based on truth. When someone says bad things about us, it must be false. I must not go looking for persecution. Provoking someone to treat you badly (with that as the intent) is not what Jesus is speaking of. He is telling us that by nature, it we don't live like the world, then the world is going to bad-mouth us. But what they say must not be true! Peter puts in this way in 1 Peter 4, For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you. Get it... you used to live like them, but you changed and now they are not happy that you will not join them in the pig pen, so they talk bad about you. If the bad things that are said are true, that is not persecution!
Also, Jesus tells us that when persecution comes our way, we are to be happy. Why - because people have always treated His people poorly. The prophets were stoned and the apostles were crucified and beheaded. In other words, we are in great company! People that have taken a stand and lived for God have always faced a world that abused them. That is the reality of it. If we are living rightly and the world shuns us or mistreats us, we are to remember that the world has always treated His people that way.
And then their is the promise. If this happens to us, if people say evil things about us, if we face persecution... our reward is great in heaven. I have no idea what that means. I think of Heaven as a great reward, but Jesus takes it another step further and promises something even greater. What? I don't know, but if the reward is great and it is in heaven, then we should want it!
The story of Stephen in Acts 7 is one that should give us great encouragement and hope. Stephen's persecution ends in his death. Just before he jumps from this world to the next, he sees the heavens opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. The Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords gives Stephen a standing ovation. (roll that around for a minute) It makes my chest hurt to think that I have dishonored Him by my actions. I want Him to stand for me! I want Him to stand for you! Only a life lived rightly, confronting evil and enduring the abuse of the world is promised a great reward in heaven. You want it? Start living radically righteously and see what happens.
Wise or foolish?
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