Read Matthew 28 online here.
Matthew 28 is undoubtedly the most astonishing and exciting chapter of this short book which has been filled with almost unbelievable events, beginning with the appearance of angels to Joseph announcing the birth of Jesus. Then there is the coming of the Magi, and the appearance of the star, and a flight to Egypt at the behest of an angel in a night time appearance. Following this is an account of a most unusual man, with his teachings which draw huge crowds and a life of helping others including miracles of healing and of power over the forces of nature. His popularity and teachings are more than the authorities can tolerate, so they accuse him of treason and get the Roman authorities to put him to death. His close followers had come to hope that he was the one who had been promised from ancient times to come and deliver Israel from her enemies and oppressors. They had come to believe that he had a special relationship and powers from God—one had even declared that he was the Son of God.
Now he was dead, buried with a forbidden seal over the tomb and a guard of Roman soldiers protecting it. Words such as downcast, depressed, distressed, devastated do not begin to plumb the depths of their despondency. They had had such high hopes, seen such fantastic miracles, witnessed such self giving love, heard him talk about the kingdom of God. Now all was destroyed! Grieving—they truly loved him; hiding—the authorities would likely come after them also; futureless—their plans for the future were with Him and the coming kingdom; emptiness...
Then the great reversal. So great that some were still having a hard time believing it at the time of the great commission. Jesus was alive—risen from the dead. No one ever rises from the dead. The women must be delusional! But the reports kept coming—he was alive!
And as the days passed and they truly believed they received the final touches of their preparation: their belief became conviction; their fear became excitement in proclamation of the fantastic news; their disillusionment became understanding; their despair became purpose. And the world was changed one person at a time. The spread of the kingdom was greater in that first century than any time since.
Now notice some challenging details. First, note the great love of some of the women. They were up before daylight. I’m guessing they had already eaten their breakfast—I don’t think embalming was some ten minute chore. Second, note the appearance of one angel. The guards trembled and became like dead men even though failure to protect was punishable by death and they outnumbered the one angel. Third, the angel reminded the women that Jesus had predicted that he would rise from the dead. Fourth, note the refusal of the chief priests and elders to believe. They had remembered the prediction of Jesus that he would rise from the dead. That was why the guard was placed—to prevent theft of the body and a false claim of a resurrection. But now it had actually happened and the guards had seen it. Did the leaders consider the truth of this? No! They just sought to work around it and excuse it. Can we expect less from the agents of Satan today?
Fifth, we are given the great commission. As you may already know the main verb in the commission is not the word “go” but “make disciples”. “Go” in the original is a participle. As we go, wherever we go, whenever we go, we are to make disciples. “Baptizing” and “teaching” are also participles. So it would appear that the making of disciples has two parts. First is the bringing of a person to an acceptance of Christ culminating in baptism. Second is the teaching to them all that Jesus commanded.
Finally there is the promise from Jesus, Himself, that He will be with us always—throughout the age. And I believe that means until He comes again.
Today's article written by Harold Smith.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Culmination and Continuation. Matthew 28.
Linen. Matthew 27.
Read Matthew 27 online here.
As Christians, we live our lives in the shadow of the cross. The baby whose birth we just celebrated, was wrapped a final time in linen and laid in a cave.
“Place of the Skull”) and offered Jesus wine mixed with
gall to drink. But after tasting it, he would not drink it.
When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by
throwing dice. Then they sat down and kept guard over
him there. Above his head they put the charge against him,
which read: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
I invite you to spend an extra portion of time today, reading through and reflecting on this account of Jesus' condemnation, execution, death, and burial.
Read more...Diem Mirabilis. Matthew 26.
Read Matthew 26 online here.
Annus Horribilis – “A Horrible Year!” Queen Elizabeth II declared in her Christmas address of 1992 after the divorces of her 2 sons and the fire at Windsor Castle. Since her usage of this Latin phrase to describe that year for the Royals this has been a term adopted into the English language to describe the worst of times.
As we look at this chapter it could possibly be described as Diem Horribilis — “A Horrible Day” as we see what appears from our worldly perspective a terrible unraveling of the life of Jesus of Nazareth — the Plot to kill Jesus, the Anointing for burial, Judas’ bargain for betrayal, a Passover meal with ominous symbolism, Jesus’ predictions of desertion and denial, an agonizing Gethsemane, the Arrest, the Trial, and Peter’s Denial. Now, I don’t know about you, but that would rank right up there as the worst day ever if it happened to me.
In all of these things that are going on in this passage you may see the greed of Judas, the grasping for power by the Jewish leaders, and the other selfish and cowardly acts as horrible things, but in the grace of God they are about to be turned into good.
I believe that the jewel of this passage is the Passover meal that Jesus shares with his disciples. This meal had great meaning for the Jews who were delivered in the Exodus and it was about to take on new meaning as Jesus was instituting God’s new covenant. The Passover meal reminds the Jews of all the great things — the miracles of the plagues, the intervention on their behalf, and even the provision in the wilderness later. God is about to do another miracle on behalf of all mankind and thus transform all of the horrible things done to Jesus into a very good thing — salvation for mankind. God is now the divine catalyst who will transform what is a horrible day and horrible things into the greatest miracle of all times.
John Dryden published an epic poem in 1667 called "Annus Mirabilis" (Year of Miracles) in which he praised God for the miracles of deliverance for England with the sparing of much of London from the great fire and the English defeat of the Dutch Navy. As I look at this passage and this time in Jesus’ life and ministry I am reminded of Romans 8:28 where Paul says, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Instead of being a Diem Horribilis this is truly a Diem Mirabilis — it is our day of miracles, a day of deliverance, a new covenant with a new Passover Lamb. Praise God for His Grace and transforming power.
A discipleship point to ponder: If we are truly going to follow in the dust of the Rabbi and be Jesus’ disciples, isn’t there something we can learn about how to handle such a terrible day? Jesus was able to make it through this day perfectly by maintaining his focus on the Father and His will and not just on himself. So, how will you handle your next horrible day?
Today's article written by Steve Isom.
For Display Only; a Pretty Lamp. Matthew 25.
Read Matthew 25 online here.
and Foolish Virgins
William Blake, ca. 1803-5
Watercolor, brush and gray wash,
pen and black ink over graphite
I’m not a virgin. But really you don’t have to be to understand what Jesus is telling us in the Parable of the Ten Virgins; in fact what He is telling us in the entire Matthew 25 chapter. Simply put, be prepared and don’t be foolish with what He has given you.
I wondered, as I read the first parable, why did the 5 foolish virgins only take their lamps and not the oil (because they were foolish you say…work with me here?) Lamps need oil to work, so why not just leave the lamp at home too? It’s, after all, an added burden to carry around a lamp with no oil. It’s like carrying around a flashlight without batteries. Better yet it’s like carrying around a box of tire chains that you know won’t fit your tires. Because, really, what are the chances I’ll need them anyway?
Perception management — the art of influencing others to think you’re a more responsible person than you really are. The 5 wise virgins probably perceived that the 5 foolish virgins were completely ready. It never came up in conversation because, by all outward appearances, they seemed to be prepared. Which means of course that the 5 foolish virgins never had to deal with the issue of their unpreparedness. I can’t help but think that their lamps were probably even better looking than the others. Yet still, no oil, no light. It was simply for show.
Do you have oil or just a pretty lamp?
Is your Bible strategically placed in your home so that your visitors will see it and be impressed at how spiritual you are…yet you don’t read it? Do you raise your hands in church because it looks like you’re a better worshiper…yet your heart is far from God? Do you say “I’ll pray for you” only as words of comfort…and then never pray?
Do you always respond “pretty good” when asked how things are going?
Maybe you’ve worked really hard to polish your lamp to impress those around you. You’ve convinced yourself that you’ll have plenty of time to get your heart right before your time here is over. In the end, you may have earned a nice eulogy about how godly of a person you were, but what happens next is of more importance.
The 5 foolish virgins knew that their lamps had no oil, and don’t we also know what in our lives is not genuine? Yet we may have convinced ourselves that we’re prepared. We may find comfort when we look in the trunk and see the box of tire chains and yet we know, eventually, the truth will come out that they don’t actually fit.
Today's article written by Bill Johnson. Read more...
Be ready. Matthew 24.
Read Matthew 24 online here.
While the first part of this chapter is difficult to fully understand because Jesus seems to be talking about events both near in time and distant in time, intermingling them together, his instruction on what we are to do is very clear.**
Since we don't know the time of his return, we are to live in anticipation of that return. Be ready!
1. Be watchful.
2. Don't live as if you have time to waste.
3. Do the tasks set before you. Faithful service will be rewarded, unfaithful service punished.
And as with the rest of Jesus' teaching, he lays out these principles, not laws to follow, and leaves it to us to put these principles into practice.
How do you live in anticipation of his return?
** You can discuss it further in the comments, or come Sunday to room B-319 at 11am at BCC to discuss in person.
What I Don't Want for Christmas. Matthew 23.
Read Matthew 23 online here.
For days we have seen presents sitting under the Christmas tree, all wrapped up in festive paper. Some of the gifts may even have fancy ribbons and bows, which only add to the anticipation. The more elegant the wrapping, the more we hope for a wonderful present. How disappointing it would be to untie the ribbon, tear off the paper and open the box only to find a handful of packing peanuts and no gift at all. It would be even worse to admiringly remove the shiny, decorative paper and discover the remains of someone’s fried chicken dinner. You would remember that gift for a long time, but not in a good way.
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were a group of well-wrapped Christmas presents. It’s easy for us to see them as the bad guys in the Gospels because Jesus frequently called them out. However, most people in Jesus’ day saw them as the spiritual superstars. When it came to obeying God’s law, they were the varsity team. They looked really spiritual and holy, even down to their accessorizing1, but Jesus saw their hearts. They were like beautiful wrapping paper covering up nasty chicken bones. Six times in this chapter, Jesus calls the Pharisees “hypocrites.” In Jesus’ words, a hypocrite is someone who does not practice what they preach (v. 23:3). They are quick to tell other people what to do, but are not willing to give them any help (v. 23:4). They do good things only to get noticed (v. 23:5). Basically, a hypocrite is someone who thinks the answer to sin is more rules and learning how to keep them. A hypocrite is someone who thinks that they can change their heart by changing stuff on the outside.
Trying to save yourself by following the rules will only turn you into a hypocrite. It doesn’t even matter what your rules are. The only real cure for hypocrisy is the Gospel. Jesus is very harsh in his words to the Pharisees, but he ends his words to them with an invitation to come to him. Jesus doesn’t deny that the people had sinned. In fact he said that they had murdered God’s truth-tellers — the prophets. But this did not mean that there was no hope for them. He said that he wanted to gather these sinful people of Jerusalem to himself like a mother hen protecting her baby chicks. The problem was not that they were too awful for Jesus to forgive or that they weren’t working hard enough to please God. The only thing that kept the people of Jerusalem from knowing God’s love and forgiveness was their own unwillingness to receive it on Jesus’ terms.
The Pharisees had their lists of rules and said, “Do these.” In his death on the cross, Jesus said, “It is done.” What are you counting on to make you “a good Christian”? Are you depending on rules or on Jesus?
1For an interesting education on “phylacteries” (called “tefillin” by Jews today) check out http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/102436/jewish/Tefillin.htm
Today's article written by Scott Gassoway.
Is your heart ready for Christ's return? Matthew 22.
Read Matthew 22 online here.
My father, who recently became a Christian, said to me, “So, it’s all about the heart right? And faith in Jesus, what He taught, and how He lived?” My dad, whom some might refer to as a “baby in the faith” gets it! But for all of us, no matter where we are at in our growth in the Lord, how quick are we to forget the simplicity of it all? Sometimes, when I find myself wrapped up in serving the Lord, I neglect to focus on the heart of the matter... Jesus! The same can be said about this Christmas season. Too often we allow ourselves to literally get wrapped up in the exchanging of presents instead of focusing on heart of the season which is Emmanuel, God with us! Matthew 22 reminds us again that true life is found in Christ and loving Him with all of our being, no matter what the season!
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."(Matthew 22:37–40 NIV)
Most Christians are quick to quote the two greatest commandments, which Jesus shares in Matthew 22; however, do we really understand the depth and true meaning of such simple yet life altering words? Verses 37⁷38 should be today’s life “ring tones” for every person who has repented of their sins and placed their faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Yet, often we find that the tones our lives ringing out to the world clash with the tone Jesus set. We are devoted to loving ourselves and everything this world has to offer instead of being consumed with the One who gives true life and hope. We sing out songs exalting ourselves instead of praising the One who made us! The God of heaven and earth desires something different from us…
Leading up to this passage, as we’ve been reading, Jesus continued to reveal two different hearts: the heart of man and the heart of His Father. One is dark, stinks, has no life and is centered on the kingdom of man, while the other is centered on a heavenly Kingdom that shines with the Light of men offering hope, life, peace and a sweet aroma. Which type of heart would you rather have? The amazing truth is that when we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, our cold hearts of stone are turned into loving hearts of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26) It is the power of Christ that helps us to love as He desires, as He exemplified. His Holy Spirit, which dwells in our hearts, enables us to fulfill ALL of God’s commandments, especially the two in Matthew 22.
Jesus is coming soon to take away His Bride. How will He find the state of Her heart? Our hearts, as we collectively make up His Bride? Are we allowing God’s Holy Spirit to transform our minds and prepare our hearts for His return? Or are we ignoring and disobeying God’s greatest commandments to love Him with all of our being and others as Christ loves them? When Jesus returns how will He find us? Will we be ready to enter and attend the Great Wedding Banquet of the Lamb? (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:7-9) Or will we be thrown out because the stinky clothes we’re wearing are not the clothes of Christ?
Is it all about the heart? Yes! Is your heart ready for Christ’s return? Only you and Jesus know the answer!
"Above all else, he was a man with a good heart."
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for that day when I’ll be ushered into God’s holy presence and join Him in the wedding feast of the Lamb! What a glorious day that will be! What a celebration of human hearts united with their Creator!
Today's article written by Kathrin Hitchcock. Read more...
A City Shaken. Matthew 21.
Read Matthew 21 online here.
“Hosanna!” They cried out as they followed the Messiah into Jerusalem.
— Gustave Dore
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
At long last, four hundred years since the prophets of old had proclaimed His coming… at long last…
The Messiah…
“Save us we pray, Son of David!”
“Save us we pray to the highest heaven!”
“Blessed is He who come in the name of the Lord… save us, we pray!”
Imagine the multitude that followed the man riding on the robes of His disciples flung over the back of the colt. So many that the whole city of Jerusalem was shaken by their cries…
“Hosanna!” The cried out “Save us we pray!”
Witness the throng following Jesus into Jerusalem! See the tears as they remembered the Lord’s promises that they had heard from their youth from the great Hallel:
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile in order to seat them with nobles… (Psalm 113:7-8a HCSB**)
He gives the childless woman a household, the joyful mother of children…(Psalm 113:9)
I was helpless, and He saved me… (Psalm 116:6b)
I will take the cup of salvation and worship the Lord…(Psalm 116:13)
I called to the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me…)Psalm 118:5)
With the Lord for me as my helper, I will look in triumph on those who hate me…(Psalm 118:7)
Lord save us! (Psalm 118:25a)
How many times had those in the crowd called out those words as they were crushed beneath the heel of conquerors, and oppressed by the wealthy or powerful? Seven times? Seventy-seven times?
“Save us we pray!”
“The Messiah has come! We are saved! We are saved!”
How many times have we read this account and pictured a cheering crowd lifting palm fronds and throwing cloaks beneath the colt which bore the Messiah as though it were a choreographed wave of fans at football game lifting foam hands with the forefinger raised?
“We’re number one! We’re number one!”
But no…the people in the crowd following Jesus, that literally shook the city, were not crying out “VICTORY!”.
They were crying out… “HE IS HERE! Save us, we pray!”
“Hosanna!”
At long last, the Messiah had arrived in triumph! He entered the gates of Jerusalem, and rode through the streets of the shaking city to His destination…
As He approached the Temple, those that followed Him quieted… they watched as the joy and triumph drained from His face, replaced by surprise… and then sorrow…and then rage. He slid purposefully from the back of the colt and looked back at the sullen faces of the crowd that only moments before had been crying out, “Save us we pray!”
He turned again to the Temple complex, His shoulders shaking with fury, and began his approach to the tables and merchant stands which littered, and obscured, the very Temple of the one, true God.
The passage reminds me that each and every day I need to evaluate “Where am I?” in my relationship with the Messiah?
Am I following Him daily, tearfully crying out for deliverance? Am I shaking a city with my cry, “Save me Lord, I pray! Save me!”? Am I straining to stretch out my hand, as I crawl through the dust, to just touch the hem of His robe?
Or am I awaiting His return as I ply my trade and enrich my life; knowing that when He returns again, He will furiously overturn all the worldly things that I hold dear, as He clears the way to my heart?
“Hosanna!” They cried out as they followed the Messiah into Jerusalem.
“Save us we pray!”
**All quotes from the Holman Christian Standard Bible
Today's article written by Aaron Morrow.
Reflection. Week 3.
Take the Christmas Movie poll over on the right sidebar, and then add your comments to this article. Here are three discussion starters:
- Why did you pick the movie(s) you picked?
- What movie wasn't on the list that you would have voted for, and why?
- What do you think this standard list of favorite Christmas movies says about the celebration of Christmas in America?
Gimme. Matthew 20.
Read Matthew 20 online here.
Man of Sorrows! What a name
For the Son of God, who came
Born with a death sentence, every minute of Jesus’ life he knew his destiny and yet he kept doing the next thing. Always proceeding and forging on with preparing the people to understand the events that were going to take place in their lifetime.
They didn’t get it.
Three times in Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples, “I’m going to have to die.” The first time in Matthew 16:21, Peter vehemently denies that anything like that could ever happen. The second time in v.17:23, Matthew states simply that the disciples are "greatly distressed". And this third time in Matthew 20:18-19, Jesus gathers his core group and says, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"(NIV). This time the proclamation is seemingly of no consequence since Zebedee’s wife can only think to ask for a place of honor for her sons.
We, like the people in Matthew 20, become so focused on the physical—what others have received, or what we “need” or deserve. We have a good case of the gimmes.
Gimme, gimme, gimme.
Gimme #1 – I deserve more; I worked longer and harder.
Gimme #2 – I’d like special recognition please.
Gimme #3 – I’d like a miraculous healing.
In the midst of the gimmes Jesus quietly reminds his closest followers, “Hey, I’m gonna die.”
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
In the light of what you know about Jesus from scripture, can you hear that gentle voice in the midst of your prayers, deepest desires, and ... ?
The voice Jesus saying, “I gave it all; you’ve got everything you need.”
Get a case of the "you gots":
You Got #1 – completely forgiven/debt free
You Got #2 – adopted into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you who through faith a shielded by God’s power until the coming of the Salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last times.
You Got #3 – a new life with a purpose.
Just as Jesus walked the earth always aware of what his earthly life would require of him; we too have a destiny and know what is required of us.
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.
Today's article written by Cary Nodine. Read more...
Let the little children come to me ... Matthew 19.
Read Matthew 19 online here.
As we continue to watch, Jesus goes about revealing God, our Heavenly Father to mankind on earth. We see him with the multitudes, large crowds, as they seek answers for life from him. The same answers we are looking for in our everyday situations. The Pharisees (spiritual leaders) press him on theology issues, such as the discussion of divorce.
We see the disciples continue to ask him questions about marriage. They are eager to learn more at the feet of Jesus. How very important was this teaching. Then, they get interrupted by the presence of children. How dare the parents of these children interrupt this important time of teaching? How rude to bother Jesus when he had more important things to do. Parents were urging Him to give these children a blessing. “The gift and approval of God."
Jesus realized the importance of the moment. He not only took the time to stop what he was doing but he actually took the children in His arms and laid his hands on them to give them a blessing. Jesus demonstrated to us the importance of children, for of such is the kingdom of God.
Do we stop to take time for children or are they an interruption to the important things we are doing for God? Are children the disruption to our worship of God or are they pure and simple worship in itself? Those wiggly children in big church, is it really necessary to have them there? Those children slowly walking and noticing the creation of the Almighty are they teaching us the deeper theological issues?
My favorite theological song is:
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes Jesus loves me.
Yes Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Let’s learn from children and experience the blessing of Jesus, the Christ child.
Today's article written by Janell Struckmeier. Read more...
Oh What Love. Matthew 18.
Read Matthew 18 online here.
In just a couple of days we’ll be celebrating the birth of our Savior. The One who came to reconcile man to God. What a celebration it should be!
Yet, for some of us, Christmas is bitter-sweet—and I’m not talking about the candy or yams that were cooked too long. For some, this is the one time of year where we endure with the people whom we have successfully avoided for an entire year. Maybe it’s the family member who is always saying the wrong things at the wrong times. Maybe it’s the one who seems to enjoy inflicting pain on others. Whatever the reason is, there are hurts and troubles that bubble to the surface on Christmas.
In our celebration of the One who came for reconciliation, it’s important for us to remember how important reconciliation and forgiveness is in our own lives. Matthew 18 reminds us that, as the children of a just Father, we have the responsibility to forgive and reconcile. For the Christian, forgiveness is a non-negotiable. Sometimes it’s painful to do, isn’t it?
Forgiveness is about the elimination of a debt owed. For nearly 5 years I had successfully avoided a family member. He had said some extremely hurtful things about our family and there was an overwhelming sense of mistrust toward him. He would always call around the holidays and, in a failed attempt to fix things, would heap even more unfounded accusations on top of the existing ones. I was well aware of the parable of the unmerciful servant that we find in Matthew 18:23–35, so I knew that, as a Christian, there was no option other than forgiveness. I had concluded that since, after all, forgiveness has to do with debt, he did not owe me a thing. I didn’t want anything from him. Not an apology, not an admission of guilt, nothing; just stay away from my family and we’ll all be good. I had forgiven him! Well, sort of…
While it was true that I had forgiven him in the very literal sense of the word, I was not as familiar with the preceding passage in Matthew 18—the reconciliation part (A Brother Who Sins Against You in verses 15–22). See, for me, forgiveness seems easy. Reconciliation, however, not so much.
Jesus came so we could have forgiveness of sins, but what was the purpose of that forgiveness? You guessed it; reconciliation. Giving forgiveness is meant to lead to reconciliation just as asking for forgiveness is meant to lead to repentance.
To make a long story short, one year ago in 2007, I had some difficult conversations with this family member. He asked for forgiveness and so did I—because there were some things which I could have handled better along the way as well. I didn’t feel like he owed me anything, but hearing “I need your forgiveness” brought me to tears. We had reconciliation, which feels as though you’ve just peered into the heart of God and understood, for a moment, the complex architecture of love.
So, this Christmas, experience reconciliation. As you gather together with family and friends, reminding each other of the birth of our Savior, let us not forget why He came. Say the words, offer the hand, shed the tears, but touch the heart. Oh what love!
Today's article written by Bill Johnson.
Catching a Glimpse. Matthew 17.
Read Matthew 17 online here.
If someone walked up to you and asked, “What did Jesus look like,” how would you respond?
“Let’s see, he had shoulder length brown hair and a nicely trimmed beard. He wore a full-length off-white tunic and robe along with leather sandals, all of which got somewhat dirty from as much walking around as he did. That’s about it.”
I think that pretty well sums up what most of us, including me, would say.
Here’s how one of Jesus’ followers, Matthew described Him:
“His face shown like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:2)
A different Gospel author, Luke described Jesus in a similar way, saying,
“...the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.” (Luke 9:29)
The third of the synoptic writers, Mark, echoed and even elaborated a bit, with his description:
“And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiantly white, more so than any launderer in the world could bleach them.” (Mark:9:2b-3)
Each of these men, of course, was describing the appearance of Jesus during His “transfiguration” up on the mountain where some of His glory shown through as He met with both Moses and Elijah.
While in our day, the word “transfigured” might bring on thoughts of comic book adventures or science fiction movies, the word in Biblical Greek is where we get our English word “metamorphous.” Here is how one well-respected Bible commentator described this transfiguration or metamorphous of Jesus:
The substance of his body remained the same, but the appearance of it was greatly altered; he was not turned into a spirit, but his body, which had appeared in weakness and dishonor, now appeared in power and glory. (Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, 241.)
The power and light came from within Jesus, transforming his facial features and radiating through His clothing. As one of the disciples who accompanied Jesus to that “heavenly” meeting later put it,
“We were eyewitnesses to His majesty.” (2 Peter 2:16, NIV)
A fellow eyewitness, John was in all likelihood speaking of this experience when he wrote in his Gospel,
“and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty)” (John 1:14, AMP)
Think about each of these words (say them out loud if it helps): “Brilliant.” “Majestic.” “Radiant.” “Powerful.” “Glorious.”
This is Jesus as He existed before the earth was created and the Jesus that will someday return.
This is the Jesus that the three privileged disciples experienced a “sneak peek” of that incredible day as recorded in the Bible.
And this is the Jesus we have access to now.
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” (Heb 1:3 NIV)
That’s the Jesus we need to experience.
Take a moment and close your eyes, calm your heart and open your mind.
See Jesus!
See His power, His majesty and His glory.
See Him as He is and not as He once was.
And have a “mountain top” experience of your own.
Today's article written by Steve Robinson. Read more...
The Sign of Discipleship. Matthew 16.
Read Matthew 16 online here.
In Matthew 16, two different groups of people come to Jesus with questions. The first group of people look good, smell good, but are spiritually bankrupt. These Pharisees and the Sadducees come to Jesus to “test” him, asking Him to show them a sign. They come with a hidden agenda. Jesus takes their question, but refuses to answer them. He refuses to fall into their trap. He calls them a “wicked and adulterous generation.” He leaves them and goes away.
The second group of people maybe doesn’t look so good or smell as good. But they are spiritually rich. They are called disciples. They hang out with Jesus day and night. They walk with him, eat with him and spend their time getting to know him. Getting to know what he likes, doesn’t like, and what he thinks and feels about the seen and unseen world. They, too, had questions for Jesus and Jesus revealed himself to his disciples then and he reveals himself to his disciples now.
Jesus tells his disciples to deny self, take up (your) cross, and follow me. What does that look like for you and me?
Paul W. Powell, in The Complete Disciple, described this condition:
"Many churches today remind me of a laboring crew trying to gather in a harvest while they sit in the tool shed. They go to the tool shed every Sunday and they study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and then get up and go home. Then they come back that night, study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and go home again. They comeback Wednesday night, and again study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and get up and go home. They do this week in and week out, year in and year out, and nobody ever goes out into the fields to gather in the harvest. copyright © 2005-2008 bible.org
As we read through the book of Matthew we see Jesus as King. He is not a King who “Lords it over” his kingdom or who doesn’t get in the trenches with the masses. But he is a king who serves God, his Father. And he is a king who serves the masses, the people.
It’s perhaps easiest to live our lives like the disciple described by Paul W. Powell. To never step out of our comfort zone. But for today let’s deny self and take up our cross. Let’s spend time with him. Serve Him. Help a child come to know him better. Give a hand to a shut-in or a single mom even though it’s out of your way. Talk to the person in the next cubicle about the Christ in Christmas. Ring a bell for the Salvation Army. Will you and will I become not only hearers of the word, but also doers of the word? For today let’s think, act and be a disciple of Jesus.
Today's article written by Julie. Read more...
The Clean Hand and the Crumb on the Floor: A Lesson in True Holiness. Matthew 15.
Read Matthew 15 online here.
Jesus was sure strange. He never quite fit in, never did what was expected. And he built up quite a reputation.
So here come the big shots, traipsing all the way from Jerusalem to the north country to confront Jesus. And what was their concern?
“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.” (Matt 15:2)
Big deal! How many of us would take a two-day trip just to personally inform someone that we would appreciate it if they would wash their hands before they ate? How picayune could you be? That’s the Pharisees for you: a strange lot, I’d say.
Funny thing, in that day the Pharisees were considered the norm. What they said was golden. It might be a little difficult for the average person to follow it all, but you sure knew they had the goods — the keys to living a godly life.
Jesus didn’t fit that world; he didn’t always do or say the “religiously correct” thing. It was almost as if he came from a different planet.
Well, he did come from another place. And that’s the story of Christmas, from the unconventional birth, to the makeshift motel room, and so on. This world was not his home, he was “just a passing through”. And the world did not know what to do with him.
Would we know what to do with him were he to show up in our midst today? Are we willing to give up our comfortable American (and even “religious”) life, for the sake of his radical teachings? And might it even be that we, good Orthodox Christians, have our own set of “hand washings” — practices and beliefs just as silly as anything the Pharisees did in the first century, when viewed from God’s perspective?
“This world is not our home” — at least that’s the way it’s supposed to be. As we see later on in the book of Hebrews, when speaking of the heroes of the faith, the writer says they “acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth.” (Heb 11:13) Are we going to follow their example?
Being a stranger himself, Jesus understood the foreigner. As we see in Matt 15:22–28, Jesus had a far easier time conversing with the Canaanite woman than he had earlier with the Pharisees. She was of a different nationality, and a different religion. Why should Jesus have anything to do with her? He even as much said so himself: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Jean-Germain Drouais -- 1784
And yet Jesus saw into her soul. And she responded in humility, recognizing her foreign status, yet sensing the infinite mercy of God . “…. but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (Matt 15:27)
Would the Pharisees respond like that? Would we?
As we reflect on this chapter, let’s contrast the teachings of Jesus with what came before: the Pharisees’ focus on the externals versus Jesus’ teaching of the heart; the Jewish nationalistic and cultural pride versus Jesus’ acceptance of the foreigner.
Which is the better way? Which way will you follow today?
Today's article written by Robb Starr. Read more...
Solitude. Matthew 14.
Read Matthew 14 online here.
Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given.
So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.(Matthew 14:9-12)
The name Herod is the English transliteration of the Greek word Herodes, which means "heroic". How much farther could one man be from that description? In chapter 14, the Herod is Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, who was the king the magi met -- the one who had the young male children of Bethlehem killed, out of fear of the prophesied king of the Jews. Antipas' wife was Herodias, and as John pointed out, she was the former wife of Herod's brother, Herod Philip. To make matters worse, she was the niece of these two brothers.
In this brief scene, we catch a glimpse of the level of decadence of this "royal" family. Herod wanted John dead, but was too weak to just do it. His wife, however, nursed her desire for revenge, and seized the opportunity when it arose. And it arose when she used her daughter as a dancer at Herod's birthday banquet. It wasn't a tap dance. Using her daughter in this fashion was as cold and cruel an action as she could take, unseemly for the wife of the tetrarch, and unloving as a mother. And Herod's refusal to backtrack on his oath, was as cowardly as Herodias' cruelty, and as unloving towards their daughter as hers.*
I was struck by the word oath in verse 9. Jesus had taught about oaths in his talk on the hill in chapter 5. "Don't make oaths," he said. "Let your 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.'" What else had he said about righteousness? Murderous thoughts were to be considered equivalent to murder. Lusting after another woman equivalent to adultery. Marriage not to be idly cast aside. And oaths. Wow, it's all there in this one family, in these 12 brief verses.
And John, who pointed it out regularly, paid with his life.
There's value in those teachings of Jesus. If there was any doubt as to their truth, this very real, very ugly incident erased that doubt.
But I really want to move on to what happened next. In verse 12 Matthew says that John's disciples came and took the body and buried it, and then went to tell Jesus. John's disciples remained loyal to the prophet, while recognizing that Jesus was the one to turn to at John's death. That's a poignant, moving expression of the power of God in John. And if you aren't moved to tears in reading that, take the next verse.
"Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place." (v.14:13)
What a profound moment.
Stay there a while.
Jesus couldn't. The crowds found him out. And he had compassion on them. And after the miraculous feeding ...
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone." (v.14:22-23)
He needed that time to think, to grieve, to talk with his Father, to be alone and quiet.
Stay there a while.
Jesus was able to spend most of that night praying. Until it was time to rescue his followers.
c. 1485
*It's possible that the daughter was already corrupted by the household and a willing participant, but the text treats her neutrally. Read more...
Reflection. Week 2.
Illumination on parchment
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
This illumination is from the opening page of St Matthew's Gospel in the Dover Bible. (The manuscript was made in Canterbury and its name was given because in the fourteenth century it was recorded in the library catalogue of the Dover Priory.) It shows the evangelist holding his manuscript carefully in the fold of his robe and apparently undoing the clasp to open up the text.
Click on the picture to see a larger version.
You're welcome to add any thoughts for the week in the comments of this post.
Soil. Matthew 13.
Read Matthew 13 online here.
While Jesus was a carpenter by trade, he knew a thing or two about gardening as well. For one thing, He knew that it’s really all about the soil. If you don’t prepare and tend to the soil properly, your plants won’t grow, let alone thrive. And fruit? Well you can forget about that.
As I was reading Jesus’ Parable of the Soils in Matthew 13, (verses 3–9 and 18–23), I kept thinking about my backyard.
While our ground doesn’t have limestone hiding below the surface, as some of the land around Israel did, we do have clay. Lots and lots of clay. So much so that we find ourselves spending many hours each Spring breaking it up with a tiller and then mixing in good soil, sand and other nutrients.
I wonder what Jesus might have said about that.
Maybe that we as Believers should not just be salt and light in this world, (Matthew 5:13-16), but also compost. By our good deeds and our living out the many other aspects of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount we in essence help break apart that layer in people’s hearts which might not necessarily be “rock hard,” but consistently resistant to the truth being firmly planted, similar to a thick barrier of clay.
Our yard also, unfortunately, has weeds. Many ugly, stubborn weeds. This time of year -- Oregon ’s cold and rainy season, not to be confused with Oregon ’s warm and rainy season -- the weeds almost outnumber the various intentionally-planted trees and shrubs which they flank. When Jesus talks about weeds in this parable, I get weeds.
Fortunately, I have two things that the farmers of Jesus’ day didn’t have: Preen and Roundup. For those of you who don’t wander down Home Depot’s garden aisle very often, the first is a pre-emergent weed killer and the second is a quick-acting spot treatment weed killer for any obnoxious, unwanted growth that makes it past the Preen.
I wonder what Jesus might have said about that, as well.
Maybe that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and strive to constantly walk in His power, it’s like laying down a protective barrier of Preen against the seeds of sin. (After all, weeds come from weed seeds.) Temptation may germinate in the depths of our hearts, but when it tries to surface up into our thoughts and eventually our actions, God’s Spirit helps us eradicate it.
And what about those times when the weeds of compromise and intentional sin do break through? That’s where Jesus might tell us to “round up” some close friends, Christian brothers or sisters who know us and care about us enough to speak the truth in love and hold us accountable. As a result, these weeds are the ones that are “choked out” while they are still relatively small, before they can spread and take root in our life.
He might have said stuff like that.
Of course, at the end of the day, or more accurately the end of the harvest season, it’s still all about the soil, which is the point of Jesus’ parable. His message to those with “ears to hear” was, and still is simply that if you want to have a productive life full of joy, significance and blessings, your heart has to be high-quality soil throughout the spiritual growth process. Only soil that is fertile, well watered and kept weed-free up, until, and even after the fruit is mature and ready to be collected and shared, is the kind that is guaranteed to yield a greater, more abundant crop year after year after year.
Jesus, the Master Gardener, is still asking the question today, “how good is your soil?”
Today's article written by Steve Robinson. Read more...
Getting the picture. Matthew 12.
Read Matthew 12 online here
As I read chapter 12, I tried to pay attention to Jesus and what he did and said. Not looking for a lesson for me, or a devotional thought for you, but remembering that we're tracing the life of Jesus this month as recorded by Matthew. Who is this man that all the fuss is about this month?
In some ways it's not that easy to get a clear picture of him. For one thing, we have no pictures of him. But also, the place and time of his life are so distant. And who were these Pharisees he keeps running into? They're definitely a foil for Jesus' teaching. (Here's an extended article about them.) In part, this is probably because the outward resemblance of their teaching and Jesus' teaching is similar. They pursued righteousness, awaited deliverance, were devoted to the law.
So Jesus taught about righteousness in chapters 5-7. True righteousness was a matter of heart and attitude. Apparently these Pharisees were hung up on the outward forms of righteousness. In this chapter the difference is emphasized in the conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Sabbath keeping at all costs, over the physical needs of men, or doing good through healing. We learn something about Jesus' character in how he responded to the Pharisees' challenge about healing on the Sabbath. He went straight after them, pressed the issue by healing the withered hand.
There's much more here. Jesus deals with conflict. He lives out some of those principles of righteousness he taught earlier. He makes some incredible claims, including being greater than the Temple, and greater than Jonah*. Look at him in his interaction. In his knowledge of God's Word and God's desire. Try to picture the settings, the dress, the dust, the people, the reactions.
And remember. He's your brother.
* The story of Jonah is both fascinating and funny. It's really not about the big fish. Read it here. Read more...
Great Expectations. Matthew 11.
Read Matthew 11 online here.
lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
-- 1934 Illustration by Norman Rockwell
At the outset of Jesus' ministry, John the Baptist was put in prison (chapter 4). During the time that has passed since then, John remained in prison. He's heard at least some of what has taken place, but based on Jesus' response to John's followers, he hasn't heard everything that has taken place.
And he's probably wondering why he's still in jail. Wasn't I right about Messiah? Shouldn't I be released soon?* And so he sent some of his followers to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (v.11:3)
What would you expect the answer to be? I'm thinking that it would be something like "I am he." Or, "Don't worry John, you got it right." Instead, Jesus says, "Go tell John what you hear and see: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus did a lot of that. Answering a question with another question. Or with something seemingly unrelated. Nicodemus came to see Jesus one night and began with some pleasantries. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” One might expect Jesus to say something like, "I'm glad to hear that you recognize the miraculous signs for what they are. Why have you come?" Nope.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:2-3 NLT)
Most of the time, maybe all the time, when Jesus spoke like this, he was in teaching mode. And like a laser, he focused on what was essential. For Nicodemus, it didn't matter why he had come to see Jesus. He needed to know that he was spiritually dead (we needed to know that too), and that entering God's Kingdom would take a radical, spiritual rebirth.
So what was Jesus saying to John? What did Jesus say to John? Basically, his response was a paraphrase of several descriptions from their text, the Old Testament, of what it would be like when the expected day of the Lord arrived.** In essence, Jesus said to John's disciples, "Tell John that the time has come. Just look at what's taking place."
That's the what. Jesus did answer John with an affirmative, but not with a declaration of his title, "the one who is to come", or Messiah. The why he said it this way is intriguing. He is reluctant to claim this title all through his life, as we'll be reading.
I can think of at least three strong reasons for Jesus reluctance. First, he was doing the Father's work. If this is how the Father wanted it to be, that was how it would be. Second, calling yourself Messiah could get you in a heap of trouble with the authorities, including the Romans, and cut short what you might want to accomplish. Jesus was careful to make sure his disciples were ready before he stepped onto the main road that led to Calvary.
The third reason is related to these two. Calling yourself Messiah could also result in the loss of control over your own actions to the demands of the crowd. The people's expectations of Messiah were one side of the picture of who Messiah would be -- conquering king, heir to David, kicking the foreign rulers out, and establishing God's kingdom once again. A physical, political kingdom.
John may have been thinking that. Sitting in prison. But whether he was or not, the people were. They were ignoring the other picture of Messiah -- the suffering servant who would bring salvation for Israel. The signs of his arrival would be the blind seeing, the lame walking, etc.
Paraphrasing Jesus' response, then, he said, "John I am the one who was promised. But I have come as suffering servant to bring salvation. The kingdom I'm announcing is not the one you expected if you, and anyone else who is listening, were expecting me to lead an army to overthrow the oppressors. But look at what's taking place."
I'm sure John was encouraged by that response. Don't we often expect one kind of response to our asking, seeking, and knocking, but get a response that is sideways to that expectation? It's important to take heart that God has responded, understanding that He sees beyond our request to our need. And we may have to wrestle with the response a bit, to see it from God's perspective.
I love how Jesus continues to teach to those around him after he sends off John's disciples. Now listen people. Just because John asked that question, don't forget who he is and why he came, and what you thought of him. He is as great as anyone born on earth. And know this, too, that in the kingdom, for all who enter the kingdom, you will be greater than he.
That's an amazing statement. What exactly did Jesus mean? Put your answer in the comments. I'll put my answer there later today.
*We don't know if this was behind John's thoughts, but it seems likely. What we can say for sure is that John questioned his own, earlier thoughts about Jesus, whatever the reason.
**Isa 35:5-6; 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1. Read more...
Be like the Rabbi. Matthew 10.
Read Matthew 10 online here.
It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher ...
(v.10:25a)
- Simon (called Peter)
- Andrew, his brother
- James son of Zebedee
- John his brother
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew the tax collector
- James the son of Alphaeus
- Thaddaeus
- Simon the Zealot
- Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him
- [my name goes here]
Do you see what He sees? Matthew 9.
Read Matthew 9 online here.
On Christmas morning, do you wake up with the thought of a baby's cry in the stillness, mingled perhaps with the breathing of nearby animals? Can you feel the cold of a night spent outdoors, and smell the feed and feces of those same animals? Are you filled with wonder? A wonder that connects you to that young mother, who, after, the experience of giving birth under such primitive conditions, now knows the fulfillment of the promise given to her?
Or do other thoughts fill your mind? Wow, it's early. Gotta turn on the Christmas lights, start the coffee. The kids are excited. Where's my robe? Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Or maybe Christmas morning, as it is for too many, is a troubled time for you? Pain, sorrow, anger, loneliness, illness, or worry fill the morning.
There aren't any "correct" thoughts on Christmas, although there certainly are some that draw us closer to the event, and those that push it to the sideline. Something that's true for most people who celebrate Christmas, however, is that the sense of anticipation and waiting is over. So too, for the people of Israel, whether they knew it or not, believed it over time, or not. Their waiting was also over. Messiah had come. "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means 'God with us')." (Matt. 1:22,23 TNIV)
And what were God's thoughts on the morning His Son entered the world? We can't know of course. We can't even know how God experiences time. But as I read through this chapter, it occurred to me that some of what God saw in the sending of His Son, is pictured in this chapter.
A group of friends bring a paralytic on his bed to Jesus. "Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven.... Get up, pick up your bed and go home."
The tax collector answers the call, "Come, be my disciple."
By example, Jesus lives the Father's desire for compassion not sacrifice.
There is great joy in the presence of the Son.
Faith is strengthened, and healing takes place. Death is overcome.
The forces of darkness are pushed back, and a voice is given to the voiceless.
And God saw with compassion "... the people, who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
him a dumb man possessed with a devil."
-- Gustave Dore (engraving)
With infinite compassion, the Father could see all that this birth meant to His creation. And so could endure the painful separation that would come at the end of this earthly life. As could the Son.
Whatever other thoughts you have this coming Christmas morning, I hope you'll take a few minutes and remember what you read this month. Perhaps as important as anything else, remember that we are the answer to the prayer Jesus asked his followers to pray. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (v. 9:37,38)
What's So Amazing About Faith? Matthew 8.
Read Matthew 8 online here.
Faith, according to the Bible, is a pretty important thing. I mean not only are we saved by faith, but the Bible also tells us that we are cleansed by faith, we are justified by faith, we are sanctified by faith, we are to walk by faith, live by faith, fight the good fight of faith, take up the shield of faith, we are to overcome the world by faith, we are to ask in faith and the list goes on. Faith is so important that in the letter to the Hebrews the writer says in chapter 11, verse 6 that without faith it is impossible to please God. And don’t forget the kicker — Romans 14:23 — “whatever is not from faith is sin”. This tells me that pretty much everything about the Christian life is to operate by faith.
As I read Chapter 8 of Matthew I am struck by how we see real people demonstrating real faith. First, it’s the leper who came to Jesus seeking cleansing. Who knows how much he knew about Jesus. It doesn’t say. But he knew enough to believe that Jesus could heal him. Note the leper said to Jesus “if you are willing, you can make me clean.” There was no doubt on the part of the leper. It was up to Jesus to respond, and that is what Jesus did.
In fact, when we look at others in the New Testament who Jesus healed or ministered to in some miraculous fashion, His response was always in the context of responding to people who had placed their faith in Him. That’s what faith is — placing your faith in something. In other words, it’s a disposition toward an object that allows that object to work on your behalf. When you sit in a chair, you are placing your faith in the chair to hold you up. It’s not your faith that’s holding you up, it’s the chair. If you don’t believe me sit down in a chair and then take the chair away. What happens? You crash to the floor — by faith. Likewise, when we come to Jesus, by faith, we are demonstrating that we trust Him to work on our behalf, whether for salvation or for any other need. And when we place our faith in Jesus, Jesus responds. This is good news. Even if I have the faith the size of a mustard seed, Jesus will respond. That is even more good news.
As I place my faith in Jesus and see His response, my faith grows. And while it’s great to feel strong in my faith, what matters most is where I have placed my faith. What have you placed your faith in, or should I say, who have you placed your faith in?
Today's article written by Dan Ferguson.
Reflection. Week 1.
Image(s) courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org
You're welcome to add any thoughts for the week in the comments of this post. Read more...
Talk on the Hill, part 3. Matthew 7.
Read Matthew 7 online here.
When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law. (Matt. 7:28,29)
Yes. That's it. Amazement at authority. No referring to what others taught, except to say here is a fuller understanding of what you've heard. No, "Rabbi so and so has talked about love like this." Instead, Jesus just said, "So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (v.5:48)
I'm glad that as a church community we're stepping through Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5-7 in small chunks, in addition to our chapter a day personal reading in December. We'll have time to contemplate further "these things" spoken with authority.
And since Jesus said these things with authority that I certainly don't have, I want to get out of the way of today's chapter and let you ponder, and react. (You can do that in the comments, so others can share and react with you.)
But I will share one reaction of my own, perhaps as a discussion starter. In verse 7:12 Jesus says, "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (NASB) We label this saying the Golden Rule.
The general idea in the Golden Rule is not unique to Jesus or to Christianity. For example, Confucious said it this way: "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." And really, we shouldn't be surprised that this truth of God's is known around the world and in other major religions. God's truth is God's truth. Paul said in his letter to the Romans that creation speaks to God's very nature. We were created in God's likeness, and though corrupted by sin, we still can recognize truth. (The sin affects our response to truth).
What's interesting, however, is that, as far as I can tell, Jesus' expression of the Golden Rule, stated in the positive, not the negative, is unique to Yahweh and to Jesus. And therefore, uniquely forceful. Yahweh said it through Moses, "You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself." (Lev. 19:18) And as we read earlier, Jesus enlarged the teaching of Moses to include loving our enemies. Or put another way, he taught that our "enemies" were our "neighbors" too.
What's even more interesting to me is that Jesus says this is the law and the prophets. All 39 books, all 929 chapters, all 23,145+ verses are summed up in this simple truth.* Equivalency. Picture a scale, with 23,145 verses in one dish, and 1 verse in the other, in perfect balance.
After reading these three chapters, after hearing Jesus' talk on the hill, this equivalency makes sense. Because living in the kingdom, as we've just read -- the living out of this one summing statement is both simple and profoundly complex. And it's endlessly challenging.
This chapter was chock full of stuff. (There's that technical term again, "stuff".) You can share what resonated with you in the comments.
*Just to be clear, technically the chapters and verses are an add-on to the original manuscripts. They're there to help us more easily refer to the text.
Talk on the Hill, part 2. Matthew 6.
Read Matthew 6 online here.
Heaven was a very real place to Jesus.
Duh. However obvious that should be, it took hours for me to see it in this chapter. Heaven was foremost in Jesus' mind. Heaven. The place of the Father. The place where the Father's will is accomplished perfectly. The seat of the kingdom. The kingdom that was now present.
"Change your ways, for the kingdom of heaven is here." That was Jesus' message. Now in my mind, I usually convert that phrase "kingdom of heaven" into "God's kingdom." And that's not a bad thing or an untrue thing to do. In the other accounts of Jesus' life, the writers used the phrase "kingdom of God". Since Matthew wrote mainly to a Jewish audience, he used "kingdom of heaven" as a way of referring to God without saying God's name. Jews did that. Jesus likely did that. For the Greeks and Romans, who had no compunction about saying "God", it was necessary to use the direct reference to God. So Luke and Mark used "kingdom of God" to mean the same thing Matthew meant. And I do too. After all, I'm a gentile.
So as I'm reading this chapter, and the two before it, I hear in my mind, "God's kingom", "kingdom heart", "the blessed ones in the kingdom", "kingdom righteousness", and "kingdom rewards". And it's all true. Jesus invited us to enter fully into God's kingdom by following him. We're Christians, if we are Christians, because we accepted that invitation. We became his followers, his disciples, citizens of the kingdom, and sisters and brothers of the Son. Our ways are changing. Through the power of God's presence in our life, and our conscious, willful submission to His purposes, we're being transformed into godly, kingdom people.
But there are stumbling blocks in this process of change. You can probably come up with a big long list of them. I sure can. But in this part of Jesus' talk, he concentrated on two big ones. A particularly insidious one, because it can occur in the very practices that both develop out of righteousness and help develop righteousness, is the desire for the approval of others. “Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people." (v.6:1a) Wrestle with that one for a while.
The other stumbling block is our desire to 
achieve security through material wealth. "Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v.6:19-21) We're nailed on that one too, right?
And so, Jesus said, "But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (v. 6:33). Yeah. Kingdom values. Kingdom righteousness. That's what I've been talking about. That's what I hear. If I'm living in Oregon, and will always live in Oregon, why would I be accumulating wealth I can only use in California?
Aha! Oregon's a very real place for me. Heaven is that kind of real (and more so) for Jesus. Yes it's the realm of God, the place where He reigns fully. And on earth, that realm, even if incompletely realized, it's present. But to Jesus, heaven is more than a concept of rule, or a way to talk about God's relationship to His creation (King and kingdom). It's home. It's destiny. It's perfect. Papa's there.
I need to think that way too.
Talk on the Hill, part 1. Matthew 5.
Read Matthew 5 online here.
After more than 10 weeks studying this chapter with our small group, the idea of writing about it in a few hundred words is pretty daunting. On the other hand, many of you reading will also be familiar with this chapter from the sermons on Sundays or from your own small group. So let's narrow it down ... and look at just one verse, Matthew 5:41:
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
This statement came toward the end of a series of statements Jesus made about how to respond to personal insult and injury. On the surface, it's just another example of the principle he has laid out already -- no more retaliation. Instead, respond as a member of God's kingdom.
A kingdom heart responds having heard from the king. First, remember there is a king, and that, ultimately, He'll take care of things. Second, remember that anger, pride, contempt, and lust have already been spoken to. A kingdom heart is no longer ruled by them, even if they may flare up from time to time.
In one sense, Jesus had said that those who follow him should "retaliate" with goodness. With godliness. With God's perspective. This is the perspective that enabled Jesus to say/pray, "Father forgive them, for they do not really understand what they are doing." as they crucified him.
We still use the phrase, "go the extra mile," to indicate someone is doing more than what is required; is retaliating with goodness. It's the next step in kingdom righteousness after non-retaliation, as expressed in the phrase, "turn the other cheek," which is also still in use today.
So why did I use the phrase "on the surface"? I'm glad you asked. Let's get some background first. As you may know, Roman law gave Roman soldiers the right to commandeer someone to carry some of their stuff (a historio-technical term) for one mile. No more than one mile, but one mile. The Greek word used for "forces" or "compel" is aggareuo which is a borrowed word from Persian. There was no Greek word that meant "compel into service." No Hebrew word either. It's the word of an oppressed people.
The practice, then, was particularly onerous. It reminded the people of the Roman occupation, as if a reminder was needed. It was used arbitrarily at a minimum, and often cruelly. On your way into town to get needed supplies? Tough. Carry my stuff (a historio-technical term) in the opposite direction.
And Jesus said, don't worry about your own liberty and desires, be ready to do more than your duty, to serve others. "But wait, these are the Romans you're talking about, Jesus. Our oppressors. We've been waiting for a Deliverer to rescue us from their yoke."
Uh oh.
Many of those people sitting on the hill must have thought Jesus was the promised Deliverer. And he was saying serve the oppressors? What about kicking their !*#@! back to Italy? Isn't Messiah going to do that?
Imagine how powerfully this teaching must have hit these people. Just as Jesus had turned the world order upside down earlier, proclaiming those who were meek, who mourned, who sought righteousness as the blessed ones. Just as he had turned the world order upside down in saying that the people would need to be and could be more righteous than the pharisees. He was now turning their understanding of the new world order upside down by declaring that the coming kingdom of heaven was not to be established by a conquering warrior king. This must have been bitterly indigestible for some. The one who was expected to conquer the oppressors was saying, serve the oppressors.
Do you have a feel for what they felt? Has Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 today, penetrated deeply, separating soul from spirit, joint from marrow?
The ministry begins. Matthew 4.
Gustave Dore (engraving)
I'm really tempted to write about Jesus' experience in the wilderness and the tests he had to undergo. One reason that it's appealing to me is that it was while reading through this passage a couple years ago, that the importance of the Old Testament really hit home. What we call the Old Testament was Jesus' text. He knew it thoroughly. It was the foundation for his teaching, and as we'll read in the next chapter, his understanding of its full meaning transcended everyone else's understanding. He came to fulfill its message.
But I'm not gonna go there. Instead, I just want to identify some of the elements of the big picture in this chapter, and then ask a couple of questions that may be useful as you choose what to chew on today after your reading. It helps to have this big picture in mind when you read what we usually call the "Sermon on the Mount." We'll be doing that over the next 3 days.
Here's what happened.
- John came proclaiming a message that God's kingdom was near.
- Jesus came to John and was baptized.
- God's Spirit landed on Jesus.
- That same Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness for testing.
- Jesus completed the test.
- John was arrested.
- Jesus set up camp in Galilee.
- He began his ministry, preaching the message, "change your hearts and lives, God's kingdom is here."
- Jesus recruited some apprentices -- we call them disciples.
- Jesus continued to preach the good news that God's kingdom had finally come, while healing those who were brought to him.
- The news spread, and Jesus' reputation grew.
This chain of events seems natural, almost inevitable. It makes sense that Jesus didn't compete with John. It makes sense that Jesus would want students once his ministry started. But aren't the linkages interesting? It was John's arrest that cleared the way for Jesus' start. Or how about this? God poured out His Spirit in blessing Jesus as he was baptized, and then that Spirit took Jesus out into the wilderness for testing.
That's a good question to think about today. What is the significance of God's Spirit approving Jesus' baptism, and then immediately leading Jesus into the wilderness? Here are a few others:
What is the "temptation" in each of the tests Satan puts in front of Jesus?
What does it mean to be a "fisher of people?"
Both John and Jesus said "the kingdom of heaven is near." Is it no longer just near, but here? And what, exactly, is the significance of the kingdom of heaven being here?
And here's the question I'm going to chew on today. What does it mean to live by "every word that comes from the mouth of God"?
What struck you today? You can share in the comments.
