Attention to Details

Matthew 17:24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

You may have noticed as we make our way through these chapters that we don't always pull out the most well-known or dramatic passages from that chapter. For instance, this chapter begins with the transfiguration of Christ on the mountaintop, which for Peter topped even all of his other wonderful experiences with Jesus. The disciples then saw Jesus heal a demoniac that all of them together could not. But this miracle was especially for Peter. The Jews were being taxed to death, not only by the Romans, but their own religious leaders. Jesus lifted the burden of just one more aggravation in life. Sometimes it is not the big, the dramatic, or the overwhelming, but the simple things of life where we see how much He cares.

Getting in the Way...

 

Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

As we have seen throughout Matthew's Gospel, Jesus faced a lot of opposition.  That is brought to the forefront at the beginning of Jesus chapter, when He is directly challenged by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus then warns his disciples to not fall into the same trap.  Matthew then records Peter's famous declaration of Who Jesus is: the Christ. It is at this point that the above event took place. Peter had just proclaimed Christ's authority as the anointed one, then tells Jesus He cannot do what He came to do. As much as the religious leaders tried to "get in the way" of Jesus, His own had a tendency to do the same. May we beware our own tendency. The answer is, of course, as Jesus goes on to say, is to take up our cross and follow after Him, not get in His way. 

Stop and Listen

Matthew 15:29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

We saw yesterday at the end of chapter 15 that people responded to Jesus, asking to just touch the end of His garment.  In this chapter, after rebuking the Pharisees, Jesus went to the region around Tyre and Sidon, and then around the Sea of Galilee, to the fringes of Israel, where people were not as ingrained as Jews. The response there was different. They did not just want to "touch and run," They brought loved ones to see and hear Jesus, to see what He had to say.  The result, in the following paragraph, was Jesus repeated the feeding of the 5000 with what we call the feeding of the 4000. They deserved to see and hear as well. Are we mor like the "touch and run" or "sit and listen"?

When Reputation Precedes You

 Matthew 14:34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

This short paragraph concludes a chapter with three memorable occasions. First, word came to Jesus that John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod.  Second, Jesus provided for the crowd in what we call "the feeding of the five thousand. Third, Jesus' disciples saw Him walk on water.  These, added to the long list of miracles Matthew already recorded, lead to the growing understanding that Jesus had all authority, and this included His ability to heal and restore.  So the response of the building crowd at Gennesaret is to be expected. In fact, we wonder why we don't see it stated more.  Jesus' reputation definitely preceded Him. Have we grown tired of hearing of the wonder-worker? Do we fail to consider what He wants to do for, in, and through us?  

A Predisposition to Unbelief

Matthew 13:53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

The majority of this chapter has to do with parables: how He taught with them; why He used them; how to interpret them.  He gave his disciples "on the job training" in understanding them. He then took them from His training center to where He had grown up.  People there had a different perspective of Him. They never had viewed Him as a Rabbi, let alone a prophet, even less so the Messiah.  They refused to accept even the possibility He was anything more than the carpenter's son, an everyday, insignificant person.  What predispositions do we have to not believe and receive what He has to say to us? 

God Is All That!

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Psalm 47:5 God has gone up with a shout,

    the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!

    Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

    sing praises with a psalm!

These back-to-back psalms of the sons of Korah are great psalms of praise with some well-known verses. Psalm 46 ends with a well-known(and sometimes taken-out-of-context) verse, while Psalm 47 also begins with an often-sung chorus. (Yes, you really should stop and read both psalms...) God is the solid rock we can depend on, the mighty fortress, the Lord of Hosts, the Most High, the one who rules over all.  He is worthy to be praised!

The King and His Bride

 

Psalm 45: 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

This psalm is subtitled as a love song. It begins as a song of blessing and praise to the king, describing his great power and influence in the world.  The paragraph above is followed by a call to the princess to find her place in the king's palace by leaving behind her father in this world and taking her place at the side of the king, enjoying the prominence of being his bride and mother of his children.  That this psalm is Messianic becomes obvious, especially as we find the above section quoted in Hebrews 1, describing the unique place of this King as being God, while also being anointed by God.  This King is none other than Christ and the bride by his side, the Church, the princess waiting to become queen.

Unfruitful Speech

 

Matthew 12: 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

As we have seen in the past few chapters, the overwhelming atmosphere around Jesus' ministry has been one of opposition.  In that context, we see that this statement is set against those who opposed Him. When he and his disciples legally gleaned the fields on the Sabbath, the Pharisees said: “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”  When He healed on the Sabbath "the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him." When Jesus healed a man from demons, they said: “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”  Every act of Jesus was met by criticism and plotting to get rid oof him. Their evil hearts were revealed by their evil speech. So are ours. 

Real Rest

 

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We saw yesterday in chapter 10 that Jesus told his disciples about all the opposition and persecution they could expect, but then ended the chapter with the rewards of righteousness.  In this chapter Matthew tells about John the Baptist, who had been rejected by the status quo and ended up in prison, then worse. Then we find Jesus commenting on how He was being rejected and opposed for different reasons than John, but the end result was the same, listing all the cities (and thereby the areas around them) which had rejected the gospel already. It is after all this that Jesus says it will be worth it all to follow Him, because they would no longer be striving to be righteous on their own, like the religious elite, but truly enter His rest. 

Rewards of the Righteous

 

Matthew 10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

In the past two chapters we have seen account after account of Christ's miraculous power, concluded by his call for harvesters to go out. Matthew begins with the calling and commissioning of the twelve to go out and be those harvesters. Jesus promises them opposition and persecution. resistance and rejections. Yet, they are to continue on fearlessly, sharing everything He has shown and told them in their time together. Finally, He shares the promises above for those who sharing the good news and those who receive them.  Most importantly, they will receive the presence of God He described in the Sermon on the Mount. It will be worth it all. 

More than a Hint

 

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

After spending chapter 8 on a series of miracles, Matthew begins by giving another one, which Jesus uses to connect His authority with His salvation.  It is at this point that Matthew historically enters the scene. Matthew then gives another series of miracle accounts: restoring a girl to life, healing two blind men, and driving out demons.  After witnessing all of that, the disciples are given the challenge above. Though there were crowd of people, Jesus had compassion on them; they were more than numbers.  When he makes this final statement, He is more than giving a hint; he is charging them with a call to do something about it. He does the same with us today. 

Targeted Audience

 Matthew 8:1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

After the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew turns to a running list of miracles performed by Jesus. This first one shows the power of Christ to heal.  What is interesting to note is that Jesus tells him to tell no on, but instead go to the priest "as a proof for them."  Jesus did not have to show this man His authority; he already believed in His power; the priests were His target audience. Throughout the rest of the chapter, He chooses a variety of audiences: a Roman centurion, Peter's neighbors, His small collection of disciples, and the wicked territory of Gadara. In each of these, the recipients of the healing were not the intended target, but those connected to them - especially those not present when the miracles took place. We know that because Matthew was not even disciple yet; he was not on that ship, but it impacted him greatly. 

Rise Up and Redeem!

Psalm 44

23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
    Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
    our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
    Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! 

Thus concludes this psalm by the Sons of Korah. The psalm begins with a statement that the people have heard the stories of God's great deliverance passed down through the generations. They then offer praise to God as their King and Savior. After an interlude introduced by the word Selah, the tone of the psalm takes a sharp turn into an agonizing plea: they cannot understand why they now are facing defeat after defeat at the hands of their enemies. They believe they have been faithful to God, not turning to worship idols, yet they are falling in bondage to their enemies, climaxing in the well-known verse quoted elsewhere: 22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. It is this setting which prompts them to ask this series of three "Why" questions, and to claim the ultimate reason God would answer: Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! They are appealing to God's faithfulness to His character when all else fails. 

The Wrestling Within

 

Psalm 42: 1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,

    and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

    my salvation and my God.

Many of us are familiar with the opening line of each of the passages above.  What is interesting is that the next verse and the last verse of Psalm 42 are the same as Psalm 43:5 above. They are the refrain of the two psalms put together.  In both psalms David alternates back and forth between talking to God and about God, as he struggles with both the oppression of his enemies and the doubts of his own soul. In both psalms he also expresses his deep desire to worship with God's people and lead them in praise. They are psalms where David gets real with himself and before God with His people. Read both fully. 

What Ya Gonna Do?

 

Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

In this final chapter of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus we find a few well-known verses and principles: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged;" 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you;" 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them; " 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. " These we all know well, but probably none of them stick as much as the picture above of the house and the rock.  It really presses us as to what we are going to do. Will we build our lives on faith or foolishness, Christ or carnality, obedience or our own self-reliance"  

Give and Pray; Don't Hoard and Worry

 Matthew 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

As we move into the second chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives some pretty clear directions on how to live life as His followers.  First, be genuinely generous, giving to the needy from a heart full of thanksgiving. Second, pray purely, without the fancy words or for show, seeking a sincere connection with God and His will.  Third, in case we forgot the first step already, halt all hoarding, trying to cling to all the trappings of this world, focusing instead on what we are truly preparing for: eternity with the true and living God.  Finally, attack anxiety at its roots; if we don't it becomes worry and worse.  

The Same Standard

Matthew 5:17 “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. 18 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. 19 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. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus came and preached and gathered a following, the things He was saying seemed new and refreshing.  But He wanted to make it clear that He was "changing the rules" God had given before. He came to fulfill what they (and we) never could.  He was not providing "loopholes" for obedience; the religious leaders had already developed plenty of those.  What he goes on to do is show there were far deeper issues of the soul behind disobedience to God; it had to do with how they viewed Him and His commands.   Jesus loved His Father and thrived on obeying Him. He wanted us to learn to do the same. He wanted us to find that indeed His commands "are not burdensome", but for our own good. They are not only what is best for others around us, but us too.  How do you view God's commands?

It is "at hand"...

Matthew 4:12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
    the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
    on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This chapter begins with the temptation of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness. We might call it the "initiation" rite into ministry.  Jesus did not begin in His hometown, or the City of David, or even the religious center of Jerusalem. He began where some of the worst characters lived: Galilee.  In such a dark place His bright light was all the more apparent. What is interesting to note is that Jesus picked up right where John had left off, with the in-your-face call to repentance.  But now, the kingdom was not coming, it was at hand - right there before them.  The call to change could no longer be put off. Rather than being offended, Jesus' hearers responded in droves; it's what they needed to hear and to do: repent. Maybe that's what needs to be heard more today.

A "Warm" Welcome

 Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

When we read the words that John the Baptist spoke to these religious leaders when they showed up at his special meetings by the riverside, we may wonder: "Did he really need to be so harsh? Wouldn't it be better for him to use some of his honey to make things sweeter?" In short, no.  These leaders were much too comfortable and entrenched in their self-righteousness and heritage, thinking they did not need what John (and God) was offering. If he were to offer a "warm" welcome now, God would have a much warmer welcome to eternity.  John was preparing the way for the king, and that meant getting people ready to receive Him and His offer.  That would require honesty, humility, repentance, and faith. Most of these leaders demonstrated none of the above. Lest we be too critical, may we examine our lives for the same. 

He Will Hear Me!

 Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 41:11 By this I know that you delight in me:

    my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.

12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

    and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen.

These two psalms of David give the common theme: call out to God, and He will hear you in the time of trouble.  Just the way we join together songs today in a medley, some of the psalms can be joined back-to-back to sing together. We know that Psalms of Ascent were sung as people made their way on the road to Jerusalem for feast days.  As we read the total of these two psalms, David was confident God would hear and deliver again, just as he always faithfully had. 

The Heart of the Matter

 

Psalm 39:7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
    My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
    with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
    surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

David is struggling with two things: his sin and the brevity of life.  You really do need to read the full psalm to get how the heart of it - these central verses, relate to what comes before and after it. In the preceding verses, we find that David is struggling with how short life really is - too short to be keeping long accounts with God.  Then, after these verses we find him calling out to God to hear him - to stop the silence and answer him.  Both sections contain well-known verses we often pluck out of context, which make much more sense when we identify with the wrestling of heart David is going through. Can we identify with him?

The N-town

 Matthew 2:19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew spent most of the first two chapters showing the royal heritage of Jesus through His genealogy, royal announcement, and worship by kings.  This answered the question we asked yesterday: "Where did HE come from?"  Matthew now must contend with the flip side of the coin: Jesus' humanity, and the question: "But I thought Jesus was from Nazareth?" Yes, He was, in a sense that He grew up there and his earthly family lived there. This was not "in line" with the whole idea of a King in a palace, but that is not as important in Matthew's presentation. As much as he is presenting Jesus as King, he is also presenting Him as the One who fulfilled the prophesies of the Messiah.  Being from the line of David was only part of the overall picture.  He was also a humble Servant from a two-bit town no one important came from. 

Where did HE come from?

Matthew 1:12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

In our western culture, beginning with a genealogy seems... boring! Why would Matthew do that? We see from the beginning of his Gospel that he is very interested in the Jewish perspective. It WAS important where this Jesus came from.  Skipping the stones across history we go from Abraham to David, to Jeconiah to Jesus.  Something should be expected from this Son of Abraham, Son of David.  Matthew goes on to tell us what that is: He was also the son of God, born through His Holy Spirit. That's where He came from. 

Right Reactions

 James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

James begins this chapter with more strong warnings for the professing Christian: don't trust in riches; don't whine and complain while you wait for the return of the Lord; especially don't make false promises and then break them.  He then asks the pointed question above: "when you are suffering, what is your first reaction? When you are sick, what do you think of first?"  The answer to both should be: pray. James had no doubt these people were suffering for their faith, as well as with the fallout of a fallen world.  But what should mark us as different, as followers of Christ, is how we react to these things: in faith and hope, or in selfishness and complaining.  

Hard-Hitting Punches

 

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James has been building up steam.  He has addressed hypocrisy, partiality, our speech, and a lot more. But when he gets to this chapter, he really hits hard.  He begins with our ingratitude and prayerlessness, then moves on to our mistreatment of fellow believers.  In this last paragraph of the chapter he gets deep to the core in identifying our underlying pride: we live as if we determine our own destiny, with little thought of God's will. It shows in our speech, and also in our failure to do as we know is right, as much as it is doing what is wrong.  We need to change our speech, as well as the motives that determine it. 

Humbling and Scary

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

With all the wisdom and exhortations in the book of James, I find this one the most solemn: how we use our mouths.  Being a preacher/teacher (who is crazy enough to write blogs too...) the power of words is intimidating.  The reminder that if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, reminds us all how imperfect we are - how far we fall short.  Think also of Solomon's reminder that the more we talk the greater chance we will sin, and things seem even more scary. But this doesn't mean we need to just shut up.  What if we know something to be true and fail to say it? What if we know the right direction to take and remain silent?  Someone needs to turn the rudder in the right direction. Silence is not the answer. Being slow to speak is.  Weighing our words to see if they be worthy is. Considering their impact is imperative.  

I Feel It in Every Way

 

Psalm 38:15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
    who boast against me when my foot slips!”
17 For I am ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
    I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
    accuse me because I follow after good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!
    O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation!

Once again, we have the closing stanza of the Psalm, which takes us back to the beginning. David is struggling in every way under the weight of sin: physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. He begins by describing his physical condition and the mockery of his enemies. But what really hurts him the most is the realization of his failure before God; he doesn't what that to be a cause for rejoicing for his enemies. What bothers us most about our sin? The consequences of it, or the glory and heart of God?

Read the Whole Passage...

 Psalm 37:35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him.

In this psalm, David takes a good hard look at the old question: "Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?" As you can see in the concluding stanza, the wicked for a time do seem to do well, like a giant, lush tree. But we need to look closer, deeper, longer.  The Lord works it all out in the end. Speaking of the end, I have heard that raved readers like to glance at then end of the book first, then go back and read the rest. If you have not read the whole psalm, you will find some well-known statements and words of wisdom. You will also find some sage advice on how to live righteously, even when the wicked seem to prosper. 

Faith in Motion

 

James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

When Christians get to this chapter we often become wobbly-kneed.  James almost seems to proclaim a "faith-plus-works" salvation, when in reality he does not.  Faith must be demonstrated. He begins the chapter by talking about partiality: there is no room for it when Christ calls people of all sorts of socio-economic and cultural background.  In the paragraph above, verse 12 is key: we now live under the "law of liberty", which means we can freely love and show the mercy God has shown to us.  The remainder of the chapter goes on to show that is the changed heart, moved by the heart of God, that reaches out to the needed.  James then concludes with the illustration of Abraham, the "father of faith," who showed that faith through love and obedience. 

Much-Needed Wisdom

 

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

This chapter, and book, are filled with wisdom about living the Christian life.  It is hard to pull out one paragraph to represent the whole, but this would be it: "We need wisdom. God has it. Ask for it. Live by it."  James begins by addressing how we face adversity: a disaster or an opportunity to grow? He then goes on to mention riches: do they really matter? How about temptation? Whose fault is it? Is it God's? How do we handle our anger, God's Word, and our tongue?  Our approach to each one will demonstrate how much wisdom we have asked for, received, and applied.  So let's begin today by asking Him for the wisdom we very much need. 

"Doing Good"

 

Galatians 6:6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Paul wrote this letter because a group of false teachers was twisting the Gospel and seeking to compel new believers to practice circumcisions and other rites in the Jewish Law.  They would call it "doing good." Paul will give a final warning after this paragraph above.  But Paul wants them to know what real "doing good" is.  It is an expression of gratitude to God, not a means by which to earn His salvation and approval. It is thanking the one who brought them the Good News in a tangible way, living life by His standards and by His grace and Spirit's power, looking for opportunity to help others with needs, and demonstrating to fellow believers the love that God has shown us.  This is the real "doing good." 

Free to Live Holy

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul has been expressing his grave concern about what was happening at this church.  Some were calling for a call to legalistic observance of the law as a means to protect against flagrant immorality. This was a turning away from the life of faith and grace in Christ Jesus.  Paul was in no way downplaying to need for holiness of life; rather, he was reminding them (and us) that holiness comes through the power of the Holy Spirit within, not rules and regulations imposed from without. The Spirit changes us from the inside out. 

A Call to Freedom

Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

From the onset, we have seen in this letter Paul's deep concern for the spiritual well-being of this church. In the previous chapter and working into the present one, he sought to drive home the point that in Christ they were no longer slaves to sin or the law, but are now children of God, who were let by the Spirit.  He goes on after the verses above to remind them of their mutual affection for one another - a relationship that they and the legalizers who were leading them astray did not have with them.  In the final paragraph Paul returns to the days of Abraham, the Father of Faith, for another illustration to support the point he has made.  He likens Hagar and her son Ismael to the bondage of the law of Moses and Sarah and her son Isaac to the freedom of a son, encouraging them to choose the latter and not fall back into bondage. 

The Steadfast Love Sandwich

 

Psalm 36:5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you save, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.

David had a way with words. In seeking to describe the steadfast, covenantal love of God for His people, he reaches as high as one can see and lower than one could ever peer. God's love is overwhelming, abundant, and never-ending.  Interestingly enough, David begins and ends the Psalm talking nothing about God and His love, but about the wicked who ignore and reject Him.  David lived in the middle of people who could care less about God- He was sandwiched in by the sin around him.  He ends with a plea to God to keep him being infected by the wickedness around him - to protect him with His steadfast love.  

Please fight for me!

 

Psalm 35
Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler
    and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
    against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
    “I am your salvation!”

Once again we find David calling out to God for help to deliver him from his enemies. As we go on through the Psalm we find it is not just those who want to do him physical harm, but also those who attack his character, speak evil of him, and spread lies about him. In a sense, these are even more difficult for him to deal with and defend himself against. David pictures God as a mighty warrior who takes up His armor and weapons and fights on David's behalf. But there is yet another battle ragging - the one in his heart and soul.  For that battle, David asks God to bring calmness and confidence, reminding him of His great salvation and ever-present lovingkindness.  He needs reassurance deep within as much or more than deliverance without. So do we. 

How Did This Happen?

 

Galatians 3:O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

As we have seen in the opening two chapters, Paul was very concerned about this church, as many within had fallen for "another gospel." Who did this? How did it happen? Did they know what they had done? They were returning to a "works" righteousness, acting as if their standing with God was based upon their willful obedience to the law.  This carried through to how they then sought to live their lives: in their own spiritual strength.  Paul goes on in the chapter to remind them that the original covenant God had made was one of faith - trusting in God to supply His way of salvation in His time.  If they were to go back to the "original", it would not be obedience to the Law of Moses, but the faith of Abraham. 

For Us All!

Galatians 2:17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Yesterday we saw in chapter 1 Paul jumped right to the point in his concern for this body of believers: they were being led astray by a false gospel. He began immediately to give his personal testimony. In the opening verses of this chapter he shares his "history" in the church, talking about all the places and people with whom he had connection, especially all the church leaders. Each and every one agreed to justification by faith and not by keeping the law.  At times Paul had "called them to task" for inconsistency on the matter, and they all "got back in line."  The final verse in the passage above (and the chapter) is astounding. The bottom line of their false gospel is that Christ would have died in vain if salvation could be from keeping the law.  Let that sink in. We all need what Christ has done, not just "those sinners."

No Messin Around

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 

We can tell pretty quickly here that Paul is very concerned about this church. He does not begin with his usual niceties and thanksgiving; rather he moves quite quickly into this sharp rebuke.  Someone has been twisting the Gospel - the very message with which he had been entrusted with - and he is going to set them straight.  He will move on in this chapter to give part of his testimony - what did and did not happen - to make it clear that The Gospel is not his, but God's Good News, and that if they are going to mess with the Gospel, they are messin' with God, not him.  Actually, the letter will get much more intense, but Paul is giving them fair warning that they are not going to tip-toe around the truth. 

It's All through Him

Hebrews 13: 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

As the writer of this sermon series wraps up his letter, he gives the blessing above. He wants to them apply everything he has said about the supremacy of Christ over the Old Testament system in every way. A lot of his closing remarks are reminders to remember: remember to show hospitality; remember to be content; remember your marriage vows; remember the convictions your spiritual leaders have instilled in you; remember what Christ has done for you that no other sacrifice could do. As we do so, God will give us all we need to remain faithful followers of Him. 

The CROSS Country Team

 

Hebrews 12:12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

After presenting the Hall of Faith in chapter 11, featuring those Old Testament Characters who endured all sorts of persecution, yet remained faithful, the writer begins this chapter with the ultimate example: Christ. We, as his followers are to "run after" Him, seeking to be like Him.  Doing so will require discipline, which God lovingly offers us as our Father. In the verses above, the writer then returns to the imagery of the race to describe the Christian life, both individually and as a team. We are to pursue personal holiness and unity as we run together with one another. The writer then closes this chapter with a contrast between living under The Law and living under Christ, showing how far superior and hopeful the new kingdom is.

When Life Drives You Crazy...

 Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Interestingly enough, the verses above are not the most well-known of this Psalm.  If you did not read the whole psalm, I encourage you to do so.  The daily verses I begin with are just an excerpt of the full chapter. This psalm was written by David during a time when he found himself in "protective custody" of a Philistine king. The only way out was to pretend to be cray and be kicked out. Notice what David says here about being one of the righteous: they will be afflicted, crushed, hated, and have troubles. But they will also have the eyes, ears and heart of the Lord turned toward them to deliver, save, and redeem them.