Let the Word...

James 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

The Word of God.  What to do with it? James is straightforward: "Let the Word of God Do what God gave it to do."  First, the word of truth, the Gospel, is the seed Jesus talked about: let it take root and dig deep, giving eternal life. God has revealed His Good News of salvation in His Word: Respond to and receive it. Second, let it be louder than the flesh. We tend to listen to the sinful desires and selfish emotions of the old man, giving them what they want. Make the Word of God louder, and listen when the Word commands to forgive, to say not to sin, and to show the righteousness of Christ.  Third, Let the Word Reflect like the mirror God intends.  Look in the mirror to see yourself as you really are. Let it be that big, well-lit mirror in the fancy hotel that shows every blemish and roll of fat in full, ugly detail.  Then use the powerful Word to change - depending on God's Spirit and the Truth of the Word to transform how we think about ourselves and what we do.  Let the Word Sink in, dig deep, cleanse, and do its good work.  

Clinging to the Character of God

Hebrews 6:9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation.10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
The writer of Hebrews penned some hard words - that some within their group had turned their backs on what they had been taught, and were trusting instead on works and rituals and not Christ.  But he knew many of them were not. He was clinging to the the justice of God: He will do the right thing when He judges. He knows hearts.  There was evidence that they were true believers, and that evidence was their reflection of God's character, in the attribute of mercy.  The assurance of salvation is a tricky thing, as Jesus pointed out. Those who thought they were "good" and "in", like the self-righteous leaders, were not.  Those who really seek after God can at times feel they are not good enough (non of us are).  It all comes back to the character of God. He is merciful, forgiving, and Holy (among other things). Are we? We are to reflect His character as part of our trusting in and following Christ.  There is a balance: not being confident in ourselves, but humbly trusting Him to be Who He really is.

Explanation of the Incarnation

Hebrews 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. 
The writer of Hebrews begins by talking about the Son. Who is He? Why did He come? Why did He come the way He did?  He became one of us, so He could identify in every way with our temptations, yet not sin.  He took our place in the wrestling match against Satan and death.  He made atonement for our sins as the perfect sacrifice.  He is now in the perfect position to intercede on our behalf. What an overwhelming picture of what He has accomplished by coming down!

The Authority Question Answered

Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Throughout Christ's ministry, whenever they religious leaders interacted with Him, there was always this question in their minds, and sometimes on their lips: "By whose authority are you doing and saying these things." It happened when He was teaching in the synagogues or temple. It happened when He healed on the Sabbath or drove out demons.  Jesus has now answered these questions-not just verbally, but through His resurrection from the dead.  As those who are under His rule and reign, we have confidence to move forward in what He has said and taught. We do not need to second guess our motives: the Holy Spirit is within us to guide us.  We have confidence in our foundation and our destination. 

When Wives are Wise...

Matthew 27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

Pilate was in a dilemma: whether to listen to his wife and his conscience (funny how they sometimes say the same thing...) or listen to the press of public opinion and the gripes of complainers.  At first glance it may appear that by "washing his hands" he was "having nothing to do with Him", but the fact is that by giving the crowd free reign to do with Jesus as they wanted, he was making a decision, giving his approval.  Sometimes we cannot just "wash our hands" and walk away from responsibility, though we often do.  "It's not my problem," we say, or at least think.  Not all wives are wise in scripture: Job's wife told him to give up on God; Jezebel convinced Ahab to do all kinds of evil; and even some of the "good wives" of the Bible gave occasional bad advice.  But not here.  Men: learn to listen to your wives and know when they are right. More importantly: learn to listen to the Holy Spirit: He is always right. 

Levels of Tolerance

Matthew 21:12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

What we tolerate says a lot about us.  These religious leaders would not tolerate healing in the temple or children singing praise to the Messiah, yet they allowed, and even promoted, the desecration of the temple by making it a marketplace, shutting out access to God by the gentiles.  They had it all backwards.  What a question for us to ask ourselves: Do I tolerate things in my life, my worship, my  home that Jesus never would, while getting all upset about things that really don't make much of a difference or actually are good things that I just don't like? 

Go After Them...

Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Sometimes we get so caught up in dissecting passages of scripture that we miss the flow of progression.  In the first passage above, Jesus talks about God's loving pursuit of lost sheep, and how He goes out of His way to draw them in. That leads to the second paragraph, where He calls upon us to pursue someone who has erred against us - not to beat them up or make them pay, but in order that we be reconciled.  How different from how we often treat other people, other believers, even family members. We just blow them off, rather than using every means possible to be reconciled to them. God's directive is simple by hard: go after them, or as Paul says in Ephesians 4: "Make every effort to keep the unity through the bond of peace."