The "Gift" of Quarrelling

Romans 14: 1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

In chapter 12 Paul laid the groundwork for how we should live out the Christ life together: we are members of one body in Christ, each doing our part, using our gifts.  In none of those lists do we find the gift of quarrelling, arguing, debating with one another over petty details of the Christian life.  But to observe many believers and churches one would think otherwise.  Paul's point is simple: they are not Your servant; they are God's servant.  Stop always having to be right, smarter, "holier" than each other. 

No Loosie Goosey Love

Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

As Paul continues to develop what it practically looks like for the just to live by faith, He repeats the call of Jesus for living out love.  For us living in an age where "love" is redefined, twisted, and watered down, we may be tempted to turn a deaf ear, thinking it is easy, a given, or maybe not all that important. But it is. Love is living with others on our radar, caring how our lives impact theirs, believing God's "rules" for how we do so are not only important, but imperative. Love does no wrong, and God is the one who defines what is right and wrong.  May we determine to love others God's way. 

We Need Each Other

 Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul has shown us how much we need Christ to be declare righteous before God.  It would follow then that "the just shall live by faith" is not a solo experience. We need His Body, the Church, the other members of His family, in order to grow in our faith and live it out. Therefore, Paul says, "Do it!"  Hand your gifts over to the rest of the body; give of yourself; receive what you need from one another.  Going solo is not the right path; it is not living by faith. 

Maintain Humility

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 

It is very possible to become a spiritual snob.  That was a problem in Jesus' day and in Saul's.  The scribes and Pharisees (for the most part) were too proud to give up trusting in themselves and trust in Christ, thus also influencing many Jews to not trust in Him either.  But Paul refused to give up on his people, and he challenges us not to give up on them either; in fact, he warns us against spiritual self-righteousness against any person or group as being beyond the saving power of Christ.  If we are spiritually proud, we are not trusting in Him, and that's the last place we want to be. 

Be A Courier

Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Paul's letter to the Romans is full of Old Testament quotes, especially when he was talking about the place of the Jewish people in the Kingdom of God, the Church.  As we saw on Friday, Paul had a compassionate concern for his own people, who by and large had rejected the Gospel. But he was not going to give up on them; they needed to keep on hearing, just like the Gentiles. So he asked the Roman believers to join him in continuing to tell them - to be those couriers running through the streets of Rome proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.  Like Paul, may we not give up on family, friend, or freaky neighbors. Be a courier. 

From Hidden to Hallelujah...

 

Psalm 64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
    preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the throng of evildoers,
3 who whet their tongues like swords,
    who aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless,
    shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see them?”
6     They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
    For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.
7 But God shoots his arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly.

Psalm 65:12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

    the hills gird themselves with joy,

13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

    the valleys deck themselves with grain,

    they shout and sing together for joy.

In the first of these two psalms of David we find him crying out to God for protection from the whispering lies of his enemies.  They are shooting arrows he cannot fight back against, so he askes God to fight for him.  In the second psalm above David begins by mentioning that God has answered his prayer, and then goes on to say that this same God is the awesome Creator of all that exists. But then end of the psalm we have all of creation praying Him as Protector and Provider.  May we do the same

Thirst Quenched

 Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

    my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

    beholding your power and glory.

3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,

    my lips will praise you.

4 So I will bless you as long as I live;

    in your name I will lift up my hands.

Once again we have two back-to-back psalms of David about his calling out to God in time of need. The first is written as an address to his people to have confidence that God will answer them in time of need, while the second is addressed to God Himself, expressing his passionate desire for God's presence and his promise to praise Him forever.  David then wraps up with a warning that those who ignore God and turn on His people will not have this benefit.  Both psalms are well worth reading in their entirety.  

The Heart and Hurt of God

Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Paul understood the heart of God.  He had seen it in city after city all across the Roman world: when he shared the good news of the Gospel, a few Jews might believe, while many would give him grief and run him out of town.  On the other hand, many Gentiles responded to the Gospel in droves, having a dramatic change in their lives.  Paul was heartbroken: how could his fellow Jews, with all the spiritual advantages they had had throughout their history not respond in repentance and faith. Paul wrestled with that and came to rest in God's sovereignty and His patience. 

The Glimpse of Glory

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Throughout this chapter Paul goes back and forth focusing on two facts: the accomplished work of Christ on our behalf, assuring us that we are justified by faith, and our ongoing struggles in this fallen, sinful world.  What helped him, and helps us, keep these two in balance is including with this past victory and present struggling our future glory.  To help us keep these things all in proper perspective, God has given us His Holy Spirit, who assures us of our salvation, speaks to us about ongoing sanctification, speaks for us to the Father through the Son, and shows us, over and over again, this great love that will never end. 

"Released"

Romans 7:4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

Yesterday we talked about that false "sigh of relief" when we come to salvation - that we are not to live as if our sin does not matter.  Today we get the real sense of our freedom in Christ.  We are truly dead to our relationship with sin. We (believers, the Bride of Christ) are no longer "married" to sin (see verses 1-3). Instead, we belong to Christ; we are His, and are free in His Spirit to live to please God.  So rather than being "free" to do whatever we want, we are now truly free to obey God not have sin telling us how to live.

Sigh of Relief

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Paul has gone to great lengths to show us the wonder of the Grace of God in Christ - that despite our sin, God has reached down to us and offered His righteousness through faith in Christ.  We have been saved from our sin and received eternal life.  That is one big sigh of relief.  But that sigh could be (and has been) misinterpreted and misapplied.  Having received forgiveness and assurance, some might (and have) then conclude that it is something one can do over and over again and be insured against punishment, as if we can then sin all we want and it's no big deal. Paul says, "No way!" The sigh of relief is that it is not up to us to have victory over sin all by ourselves. The same power that provided salvation from provides power to battle sin every day.  The sigh of relief allows us to take a big breath of fresh air to stand against sin a whole new way - in the power of Christ. 

In My Place

 Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

This chapter opens with one of the most dramatic verses of the letter, proclaiming our peace with God through faith in Christ. But here I think we have an even higher peak of proclamation in Paul's summary of what Christ has done: He died in my place for my sin, and the sins of all those who trust in Him. That act of sacrificial love - on both the part of the Father and the Son - is the greatest act of sacrifice ever. Paul now restates what he said in verse 1: we are at peace with God; we have been reconciled to Him. He then goes on to describe this replacement principle further, comparing and contrasting the mess Adam got us into, and the glorious salvation of Christ pulling us out.  It's all so overwhelming: Christ in my place. 

My Refuge

 Psalm 60:1 O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
    you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
    repair its breaches, for it totters.
3 You have made your people see hard things;
    you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah

Psalm 61:Hear my cry, O God,

    listen to my prayer;

2 from the end of the earth I call to you

    when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

    that is higher than I,

3 for you have been my refuge,

    a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent forever!

    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

In the above psalms of David, we find him still on the run. In the first one he and his armies have just drawn back from intense battle.  The psalm title indicates which battle it was. The course of the battle did turn under the Lord's banner.  In the second Psalm David again found his shelter and stability in God's presence, set on the rock, in His tent, under His wings, some of David's favorite imagery for the protection of God.  Whenever he felt himself drifting away, he always called for God's help to lead him back to Him.  It is never by our own strength that we can even return to Him for the help that we need. 

No Good Intent

 

Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
    they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
    like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
    or of the cunning enchanter.
6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!

Psalm 59:14 Each evening they come back,

    howling like dogs

    and prowling about the city.

15 They wander about for food

    and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength;

    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

For you have been to me a fortress

    and a refuge in the day of my distress.

As with the psalms we looked at last weekend, David is writing about his foes who were out to get him. In chapter 58 he likens them to snakes, who lie like the great serpent did, while in chapter 59 it is to a pack of wild dogs, who linger around his home, waiting for the kill.  These psalms represent those years David was on the run, hiding from both the Philistines and Saul and his men.  They spread evil rumors about David, and watched his home, hoping to catch him trying to come see his family.  David's final resolve in each was to trust in God's strength, love, protection, and justice.

Not for his sake alone...

Romans 4:19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

The "he" that Paul is referring to is Abraham, the father of faith.  After demonstrating that Abraham was not counted righteous before God because of any good deeds or special ceremony (circumcision) Paul here wraps up and applies what this means for us.  We as well are not saved by good weeks or some ceremony (baptism or anything else), but through faith in Christ and the One who raised Him from the dead.  It is trusting in God's promise and plan, and not our own, the will provide the righteousness we need. 

Theme Expanded

 

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Here, once again, we have the bad news and the good: All have sinned, but God has also provided a way for His righteousness through Christ.  We all need to hear,  grasp, and agree to the verse many of  us know well: all have sinned, but we also need to keep on reading there: God provides, but His grace, the gift that takes care of our sin and takes it away: Christ's death and shed blood on our behalf.  The call is for us to trust in God and His plan, and stop trusting in ourselves.  Which will it be?

Think Again

 Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

In chapter 1 we saw the balanced reporting of Good News and bad: God has revealed His gospel, but many have chosen to reject Him.  Chapter 2 definitely comes down heavy on the bad news. It's worse than we thought.  Many who think they are okay really are not.  They are comparing themselves to some false standard of righteousness which makes them feel more righteous, and then condemning others.  This will not end well.  As Paul goes on to say: there will be wrath, fury, and judgment on those who think this way. 

Balanced Reporting

 

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Paul loved to share the good news of the gospel, letting everyone he could know that the Christ had come, and we could be made right with God.  But he did not live in a fairytale world. He also saw the great rejection of God and His plan by many people. As his letter continues, we will keep going back and forth between these two important realizations.  Using illustrations from redemptive history we will see that this goes back to Abraham and even Adam.  The best news is that the power of the gospel can and has overcome sin.

What does it take?

 

Matthew 28:11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

We have seen throughout this Gospel the opposition of the religious leaders to Jesus.  They refused to believe He came from God to carry out His calling. They refused to believe that they had anything in their own lives that was out-of-order. They were extremely afraid of losing their social standing and soft living. They were willing to pay people to lie, and these members of the guard were more than willing to take it.   What does it take for you to not believe? It doesn't just affect you; it affects others under your guard too. 

 

Psalm 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

Psalm 57:7 My heart is steadfast, O God,

    my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!

8     Awake, my glory!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

    I will awake the dawn!

9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

    I will sing praises to you among the nations.

10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,

    your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

    Let your glory be over all the earth!

These back-to-back psalms of David illustrate his response to his two greatest fearful situations: Saul, and the Philistines.  Each situation resulted in classic statements: "When I am Afraid I will trust in You." and "Be exalted, O God, above the heaven! Let Your glory be over all the earth." Trust and praise. May those themes fill our hearts, homes, and church homes today. 

Through the Heart

 

Psalm 55:12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

We are used to seeing and hearing David cry out as he ran from those who pursued him: a jealous king, Saul, and his fearful enemies, the Philistines.  But here he faced the worst of all: a fellow member of God's people who had turned on him, spoke against him, and plotted for his demise.  Nothing hurts worse than being stabbed in the heart through the back.  Yet, David knows what he must do.  He cries out to God, knowing that there he will find shelter and deliverance. He reminds himself and his readers/hearers that God will hear and help. He writes that timeless reminder: 22 Cast your burden on the Lord,   and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

A Series of Bad Choices

Matthew 27:24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Having been railroaded in a "trial" before the Jewish leaders, Jesus is then taken to Pilate for His Roman hearing.  This is where things should have stopped, but Pilate chose to entertain the thought of punishing an innocent man, even though there was a lack of evidence.  This led to a building of public sentiment against Jesus, Pilate foolishly offering Barabbas instead, then acting as if there was nothing He could do and handing Jesus over for crucifixion.  The people also unwisely chose Barabbas over Jesus. Meanwhile Judas chose death over life after choosing to betray Jesus.  By the end of the day, Jesus was dead, buried, and a threat.  The Jewish leaders, again acting out of fear, chose to request a Roman guard, which in the long run only added official witnesses to the resurrection.  What bad choices will we make today about Jesus? 

My Time has Come

Matthew 26:17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

At the beginning of the chapter Matthew transitioned from Jesus' series of teachings on His return to the present situation: the chief priests were plotting His death; a woman anointed Him for burial; Judas signed on to deliver Jesus into the chief priests' hands. It is at this point that Jesus gave the above instructions. He does not say "The time is at hand," but "My time is at hand." He goes on during the Passover celebration to make a number of disturbing statements: one of them will betray Him; they will all deny Him; He will not be "at table" with them for some time. After the celebration they leave to go to the garden, which in one sense is a long painful process they struggle to stay away for, then becomes a whirlwind of disbelief when Jesus is taken away and rushed through a make-believe trial. Jesus' time had come, and it wasn't what His disciples had envisioned. 

When He Comes...

 

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

In the last chapter we saw Jesus announcing the suddenness of His return.  In this chapter he uses two parables and a third story to illustrate what will happens when He comes.  The big word is "surprise." Some of the virgins were surprised by when the bridegroom came; one of the servants was surprised that his poor choice was not acceptable; some were pleasantly surprised to see that they had actually done what the Master had intended: show the same kind of mercy that had been shown to them. There is a sense in which there will be a surprise when Christ comes again, but His warning is to avoid the unpleasant ones. 

When Everything Is Falling Apart...

 

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We ended yesterday with Jesus lamenting over the refusal of Israel to respond to God's prophets, especially His Messiah.  In this chapter He now looks forward to what will happen: the destruction of the temple, the warning signs of the end of the age, and the abomination of God's worship.  In short, everything will seem to be falling apart.  Then, the Son of Man will come. Christ will return.  The goal is not, and should not be, to try to figure out when things have fallen apart enough for that to happen.  The plan is for us to stop ignoring God's call and live ready for His return at any moment. The suddenness of His return does not allow for procrastination. 

Lament, but Keep Looking...

Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

These closing words to this chapter follow Jesus' warnings to His followers and woes upon the religious leaders concerning their hypocrisy and rejection of God's messengers. This is often labeled Jesus' lament, somewhat comparable to Jeremiah's lament over the fall of Jerusalem that led to the Exile.  Just as then, there is an extreme sadness over how pervasive the rejection of God, His plan, and His Messiah was. Having mentioned rejection after reject, the sad fact was that judgment on Jerusalem was inevitable. Yet, there is an element of hope; there will be a return. People will finally wake up and see their deliverer come. 

Evil men, but God...

 

Psalm 52:1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah

Psalm 53:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.
3 They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good, not even one.

Psalm 54:1 O God, save me by your name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have risen against me;
    ruthless men seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah

These three successive psalms of David were written during times the troops of Saul and also of the Philistines were out to get David, sometimes finding in him a common enemy.  David was amazed at the evil in their hearts that came out of their mouths. Each time David calls out to God, knowing he can count on Him to fight on his behalf, be his refuge, scatter His enemies and restore His people, hear his prayer and deliver him.  Thus David leaves us an example to follow whenever we feel the world is against us and God.  We need to call out to Him. 

A Lesson on Confession

Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 51 is one of those "must-read" psalms. (Read it from the beginning if you have not.) David is responding to the rebuke and confrontation from Nathan the prophet after the snowballing sin of David with Bathsheba.  In the beginning verses we hear his repentance and plea for mercy and forgiveness, but not David steps up as King. His sin affects not only him, but the whole nation. He must bear public testimony, confessing sin, proclaiming God's justice and mercy, and setting an example of contrite humility before God. It is not only he who cannot "pay God off"; the principle goes for all of us. 

Hard Questions

Matthew 22:11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Over and over again throughout this gospel, people - especially the religious leaders, had thrown hard questions at Jesus.  Now that He is about the face the cross, Jesus asks His own hard questions. In his long parable of the King's wedding feast, the king asked this man "How did you get in her without a wedding garment?" There was nowhere for this man to turn. Then, when they asked Jesus about paying taxes, he had them give Him a coin and He asked: “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”, which was a cover for another question: "Why do you have a coin with a pagan image on it?" When they tried to press Him with a twisted question about divorce, He asked them: "have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?", inferring that they either had not been reading their scriptures or else did not understand them. Finally, Jesus asks the most pressing question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”, followed by other clarifying questions. The question of questions is: "Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God?"

Confronting the Squatters

Matthew 21: 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

This last paragraph sums up well what had taken place in the chapter. Jesus had entered triumphantly into Jerusalem to the praise of the crowds, and the religious leaders rebuked Him. He cleared the temple of those who took advantage, and they became indignant. He healed people in the temple, and they scolded Him.  He taught the people truth, and they questioned his authority to do so. He then told two parables - of the two sons and the tenants, both of which pointed out that these same leaders had hijacked what belonged to God for their own benefit; they had been poor sons and poor stewards of what God had entrusted them. They had become squatters who needed to go. He was the rightful Son and appointed Servant of God, but they wanted to keep Him out. 

Answering Requests

Matthew 20:29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

Jesus was now making His way toward Jerusalem, and His followers and apostles had high expectations of what may happen there and along the way.  The chapter begins with his parable of the harvesters who were hired throughout the day at different times of the day. At the end of the day everyone received the same pay, regardless of when they began. Those who worked all day complained that this was unfair, but the master reminded them of their agreement. The next paragraph is a reminder by Jesus that when they arrived at Jerusalem, they might not get what they expected, as he would be crucified, something Peter had before begged Jesus not to let happen. Then, the mother of James and John requested special recognition for her faithful sons, which Jesus refused to promise. Here in the last paragraph, the crowd booed these two blind men for crying out for healing; Jesus granted the men's request. If nothing else, we see that Jesus does not always answer requests the way we want, when we want, how we want, but He always knows that is best and will not be swayed by any selfishness.