(Today's reading - Ex 19-21; Matt 20:1-16)
In the Old Testament part of our reading Moses was given the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. God made a covenant with the children of Israel... "Now if you obey me fully
and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.
Although the whole earth
is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation". So, they were off to a good start; tune in tomorrow for an update on their progress.
In the twentieth chapter of the book of Matthew, we are given a very interesting story by the Master. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to an estate owner and how he conducts his business. It goes like this... The estate owner goes out and finds workers for his vineyard. He does this throughout the day and at the end of the day he pays them all the same wage. He pays them what they had agreed to work for. Those hired first are upset that those hired last received the same pay, even though they had worked less time. Sound reasonable? The owner tells them that he payed them what they had agreed to and that it was his money anyway. He asks them if they are jealous because of his generosity.
For sure this is dealing with the Jew and Gentile situation. Jesus ushered in a kingdom that was open to everyone and the Jew was accustomed to being God's chosen. (see our OT reading for today) The Jew would see that they had been working for God for generations and the Gentile was given the same reward even though they had just started a relationship with God. So, for sure the Jew was to understand that they were to view the Gentile as an equal partner with them in service to the Father. They were to put aside jealousy and accept the new worker.
So, is there a lesson in this for us today? How about this... you have been a faithful member of the Lord's church since you were a teenager. You have been faithful in attendance and given your offerings every Sunday. You have taught classes and put on VBS programs. You have lived a life in submission to His commands. Now, this Sunday, the local drunk visits your assembly and comes forward and gives his life to Christ. He is immersed and his sins are forgiven. He is 60 years old and has lived a life of depravity, yet he now gets the same reward as you. How you feeling now?
Or, in walks a person who left the church decades ago to live a life of debauchery. He has lived with dozens of women, sold drugs on the street corner and been a frequent resident of the county jail. He comes forward after the lesson and says that he realizes his mistakes and asks for forgiveness and wants to be a member again. How you feeling now?
You see, God wants us to understand that is isn't about time; it's about relationship. When a person becomes His child, at any age, he is His child and therefore an heir of the King. He wants us to see that He is fair and that the reward has to be the same if He is to be fair. If we understand that the reward is life eternal with Him, then whatever the circumstances of someones life, we want them to have the same thing we have. I love to hear of the 80 year old that comes to Jesus and I love to hear of the 16 year old that pledges their life to Him. Both get in on the greatest gift ever given and that is fair.
Of course God wants you to come to Him now, whatever your age is; He will adopt you and put you to work for Him. The blessings start the day you start wearing His name and become part of his kingdom. Do it now!!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Riches and Reality
(Today's reading - Ex 16-18; Matt 19:16-30)
The story in Matthew 19: 16-30 is not an assault on the rich, rather it is a statement of reality. Jesus is approached by a rich young man who is obviously very religious. He asks Jesus to tell him the thing he must do to be saved. Jesus tells him to obey the commands. Sounds simple enough... don't kill, don't steal, don't lie, honor your parents and love your neighbor; but not your neighbor's wife (i.e. don't commit adultery). He tells Jesus that he has kept all the law. That is impressive, he has lived a life of obedience to the law, yet he still feels like something is amiss. So, he asks Jesus... “What do I still lack?”
Something in his life told him that obeying rules was not what it was all about. Are we to live in submission to God and His laws, absolutely! But that alone is not enough and the young man knew it. He felt that God demanded more than he had given. He asked the tough question and Jesus gave the tough answer. He knew that something stood between this young man and a real relationship with God. He knew that this man had made money his god. He knew that as long as the dollar was on the throne of this young man's life, there was no room for Him there. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Jesus didn't pull punches. When He was asked questions, He gave a direct answer. (wish I could be more like that) I can see it now... with love in His eyes, Jesus looks directly into his eyes and confronts the one thing that stands between this man and Heaven... cash. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. I don't know if sometime later in his life this man finally got rid of the false god of wealth and let God reign in his life; but I know that at this moment he chose wealth over a relationship with the Father. He chose the temporary over the eternal. (we would never do that)
Jesus tells His disciples that it is "hard" for a rich man to enter the kingdom. He tells them that it is like a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle. I have heard many explanations of this reference and I don't care which is right; what matters is the Jesus tells them and us that the rich are going to struggle with the conflict of their wealth and putting God first in their lives. He says that it is possible for them to be saved, but that possibility is only found in God. God is strong enough, His call is loud enough, His love is powerful enough that even the rich can hear and respond. Some will listen and make the decision to exchange the wealth of the world for a home in heaven. Most will not.
In the end it is about value. What do we value the most? What do you value the most? What takes up you time? What do you invest in? What do I give my life to? Jesus calls on us to "sell" out for Him. Get rid of everything that stands between you and God. Then, He says you will have treasure in heaven, where it really counts. What about you? Anything in the way of a relationship with the Savior? If He looked into your eyes, what would he have you "sell"? You can obey your earthly father your entire life and never have a real realtionship with him. Jesus calls on us to move beyond obedience and into a realtionship with Him. Think about it.....
The story in Matthew 19: 16-30 is not an assault on the rich, rather it is a statement of reality. Jesus is approached by a rich young man who is obviously very religious. He asks Jesus to tell him the thing he must do to be saved. Jesus tells him to obey the commands. Sounds simple enough... don't kill, don't steal, don't lie, honor your parents and love your neighbor; but not your neighbor's wife (i.e. don't commit adultery). He tells Jesus that he has kept all the law. That is impressive, he has lived a life of obedience to the law, yet he still feels like something is amiss. So, he asks Jesus... “What do I still lack?”
Something in his life told him that obeying rules was not what it was all about. Are we to live in submission to God and His laws, absolutely! But that alone is not enough and the young man knew it. He felt that God demanded more than he had given. He asked the tough question and Jesus gave the tough answer. He knew that something stood between this young man and a real relationship with God. He knew that this man had made money his god. He knew that as long as the dollar was on the throne of this young man's life, there was no room for Him there. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Jesus didn't pull punches. When He was asked questions, He gave a direct answer. (wish I could be more like that) I can see it now... with love in His eyes, Jesus looks directly into his eyes and confronts the one thing that stands between this man and Heaven... cash. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. I don't know if sometime later in his life this man finally got rid of the false god of wealth and let God reign in his life; but I know that at this moment he chose wealth over a relationship with the Father. He chose the temporary over the eternal. (we would never do that)
Jesus tells His disciples that it is "hard" for a rich man to enter the kingdom. He tells them that it is like a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle. I have heard many explanations of this reference and I don't care which is right; what matters is the Jesus tells them and us that the rich are going to struggle with the conflict of their wealth and putting God first in their lives. He says that it is possible for them to be saved, but that possibility is only found in God. God is strong enough, His call is loud enough, His love is powerful enough that even the rich can hear and respond. Some will listen and make the decision to exchange the wealth of the world for a home in heaven. Most will not.
In the end it is about value. What do we value the most? What do you value the most? What takes up you time? What do you invest in? What do I give my life to? Jesus calls on us to "sell" out for Him. Get rid of everything that stands between you and God. Then, He says you will have treasure in heaven, where it really counts. What about you? Anything in the way of a relationship with the Savior? If He looked into your eyes, what would he have you "sell"? You can obey your earthly father your entire life and never have a real realtionship with him. Jesus calls on us to move beyond obedience and into a realtionship with Him. Think about it.....
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Taxes and the Christian
(Today's reading - Exodus 7-8; Matthew 17)
Our daily reading contains an interesting story about Jesus paying taxes. Strange to think that God had to pay taxes... takes me back to the old saying, "only two things are sure in this life... death and taxes". Jesus experienced both. But what is this little story telling us? Why did God see fit to include this in His word? I am certain there are thousands of events in Jesus' life that are left out, but this one is included. So... it must be important. Let's contemplate a moment.
After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Jesus first makes the point that the sons of the kings are exempt from taxes. Surely this is saying that Jesus, as God's Son doesn't have to pay the Temple tax. Surely God was the King when it came to the Temple. And if so, no tax should be paid. But Jesus, wanting to demonstrate that His disciples were to live above reproach, tells Peter to go fishing. His disciples were to make every effort to pay what they were obligated to pay.
So, what about us. There is a lot of talk about taxes these days. Some saying that others are not paying their "fair share". How does a Christian respond to all the political dialogue? I believe that Jesus would remind us that what we have, God provided. Just like the fish that Peter caught and the coin he found, God has provided what we have and He calls on us to pay what the government demands. Can we speak our minds and work for lower taxes? Absolutely. We can support people who view the nations fiscal house the way we do. We can help to elect those that are responsible in how they handle the nation's tax dollars. But, irregardless of who is in the White House, when we are called on to pay our taxes... we must do it.
God provided the fish and He provided the coin. What if Peter had opened the fish's mouth and taken the coin only to say, "this belongs to me and I will decide what to do with it, I worked and caught the fish, so it is mine". We would never have that attitude... would we? Jesus provided for His taxes and Peters. There must be a lesson in there somewhere for us. Jesus wants us to be His light in this world and He draws people to Himself. Our light shines brightest when we live honorable, honest lives. Paying our taxes is one way to demonstrate to those around us that we not only read His word, we obey it. Get out that fishing rod and God will provide. April 15th never felt so good. Peace.
Our daily reading contains an interesting story about Jesus paying taxes. Strange to think that God had to pay taxes... takes me back to the old saying, "only two things are sure in this life... death and taxes". Jesus experienced both. But what is this little story telling us? Why did God see fit to include this in His word? I am certain there are thousands of events in Jesus' life that are left out, but this one is included. So... it must be important. Let's contemplate a moment.
After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Jesus first makes the point that the sons of the kings are exempt from taxes. Surely this is saying that Jesus, as God's Son doesn't have to pay the Temple tax. Surely God was the King when it came to the Temple. And if so, no tax should be paid. But Jesus, wanting to demonstrate that His disciples were to live above reproach, tells Peter to go fishing. His disciples were to make every effort to pay what they were obligated to pay.
So, what about us. There is a lot of talk about taxes these days. Some saying that others are not paying their "fair share". How does a Christian respond to all the political dialogue? I believe that Jesus would remind us that what we have, God provided. Just like the fish that Peter caught and the coin he found, God has provided what we have and He calls on us to pay what the government demands. Can we speak our minds and work for lower taxes? Absolutely. We can support people who view the nations fiscal house the way we do. We can help to elect those that are responsible in how they handle the nation's tax dollars. But, irregardless of who is in the White House, when we are called on to pay our taxes... we must do it.
God provided the fish and He provided the coin. What if Peter had opened the fish's mouth and taken the coin only to say, "this belongs to me and I will decide what to do with it, I worked and caught the fish, so it is mine". We would never have that attitude... would we? Jesus provided for His taxes and Peters. There must be a lesson in there somewhere for us. Jesus wants us to be His light in this world and He draws people to Himself. Our light shines brightest when we live honorable, honest lives. Paying our taxes is one way to demonstrate to those around us that we not only read His word, we obey it. Get out that fishing rod and God will provide. April 15th never felt so good. Peace.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Cost
(Today's reading - Exodus 4-6; Matthew 16)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt 16:24-26)
Following Jesus is expensive. Most people don't believe that, they were "saved" cheaply and they "live" cheaply. Most are told that God sent His Son, that He died on a cross and we need to pray Him into our hearts. That is the "drive by" gospel that many have accepted. A person sitting on the beach can hear the gospel and pray a prayer and be "saved" in a matter of minutes and then be left to fend for themselves. Someone makes a mark on a sheet of paper and another person is counted among the "saved". That is the cheap truth about the cheap gospel that is cheaply preached in our society.
The Bible doesn't teach anything even remotely similar to that. When Jesus is asked what it costs a person to follow Him, He gives a very clear response... "everything". After teaching someone the complete good news of Jesus, I count the costs with them. I want them to know that Jesus demands everything.
In Matthew 16, Jesus looks us in the eye and delivers difficult truths that must be understood if we are to follow Him. He tells us that if we are to follow Him, then three things must occur. 1. Deny self - if we are to follow Him, it is no longer about us. Our lives are no longer focused on us. Self is denied and Jesus has taken the throne of our lives. 2. Take up our cross - there is lots of debate about what this means. Some say that it means we must be willing to die for our faith. Others say that it is about suffering and others say it is symbolic of the putting to death of ourselves. And I say...ok, all of the above works for me. And 3. Follow Him - do what He did, go where He went and say what He said, in other words, we are to be like Him. That sums up the demands that He places on those that would choose to follow Him.
Next, He reasons with us about why it is worth it, why living a life of self-denial is worth considering. He tells us that if we try to save our lives, in other words live for ourselves, we will lose our lives. Happiness and satisfaction is not found in self-gratification. But, if we will live for Him, lose our lives, then we will find it. True living is found in the giving of ourselves, giving our lives in service to Him. He calls on us to understand the value of the eternal part of ourselves. Having everything this world has to offer is a poor substitute for having a fulfilling life as His follower. Additionally, Jesus wants us to consider what we would trade in this world for a life eternally with Him in Heaven. What is that worth?
Don't be fooled by the cheap gospel that makes no demands on you and offers Heaven with no cost to you. That is not what is found in God's word. That is not what Jesus told His disciples. He says it costs us everything, but in return we get everything. I like the way Paul puts in 2 Cor 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." Whatever we face "here and now" is nothing compared to what God has planned for us "there and then". Is it worth it"? You bet it is! Paul says it "far outweighs them all". It's not even close.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt 16:24-26)
Following Jesus is expensive. Most people don't believe that, they were "saved" cheaply and they "live" cheaply. Most are told that God sent His Son, that He died on a cross and we need to pray Him into our hearts. That is the "drive by" gospel that many have accepted. A person sitting on the beach can hear the gospel and pray a prayer and be "saved" in a matter of minutes and then be left to fend for themselves. Someone makes a mark on a sheet of paper and another person is counted among the "saved". That is the cheap truth about the cheap gospel that is cheaply preached in our society.
The Bible doesn't teach anything even remotely similar to that. When Jesus is asked what it costs a person to follow Him, He gives a very clear response... "everything". After teaching someone the complete good news of Jesus, I count the costs with them. I want them to know that Jesus demands everything.
In Matthew 16, Jesus looks us in the eye and delivers difficult truths that must be understood if we are to follow Him. He tells us that if we are to follow Him, then three things must occur. 1. Deny self - if we are to follow Him, it is no longer about us. Our lives are no longer focused on us. Self is denied and Jesus has taken the throne of our lives. 2. Take up our cross - there is lots of debate about what this means. Some say that it means we must be willing to die for our faith. Others say that it is about suffering and others say it is symbolic of the putting to death of ourselves. And I say...ok, all of the above works for me. And 3. Follow Him - do what He did, go where He went and say what He said, in other words, we are to be like Him. That sums up the demands that He places on those that would choose to follow Him.
Next, He reasons with us about why it is worth it, why living a life of self-denial is worth considering. He tells us that if we try to save our lives, in other words live for ourselves, we will lose our lives. Happiness and satisfaction is not found in self-gratification. But, if we will live for Him, lose our lives, then we will find it. True living is found in the giving of ourselves, giving our lives in service to Him. He calls on us to understand the value of the eternal part of ourselves. Having everything this world has to offer is a poor substitute for having a fulfilling life as His follower. Additionally, Jesus wants us to consider what we would trade in this world for a life eternally with Him in Heaven. What is that worth?
Don't be fooled by the cheap gospel that makes no demands on you and offers Heaven with no cost to you. That is not what is found in God's word. That is not what Jesus told His disciples. He says it costs us everything, but in return we get everything. I like the way Paul puts in 2 Cor 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." Whatever we face "here and now" is nothing compared to what God has planned for us "there and then". Is it worth it"? You bet it is! Paul says it "far outweighs them all". It's not even close.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
What's In A Name?
(Today's reading - Exodus 1-3; Matt 15:21-39
I am going to try something a little different today... I am going to try the adage... when writing a blog, shorter is better. Let me know.
God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
Moses is living in Midian after fleeing Egypt. God appears to him and tells him to return to Egypt to tell Pharaoh that he is let the children of Israel go free. He tells Moses to tell the Israelites that "the LORD", "the God of your fathers" had sent him. Moses needed the people to understand that he had been sent by God for the purpose of freeing them. If he was to lead them, they had to accept his leadership. So, God says, "tell them I sent you".
Everywhere you read "LORD", all capitalized in the Old Testament, the Hebrew name YHWH is being translated. There continues to be some dispute among "Bible scholars" as the proper pronunciation of His name. Some hold to Yahweh, while others hold to Jehovah. I don't know which it is. The point is really about what the name reveals about our God. Where you read "God" in the verses above, the word being translated is Elohim.
We can learn a lot about our God by these two names. Names today rarely give insight into the nature of the person who wears it; not so in Bible times. God's names describe Him and gives us understanding of His attributes. "Yahweh" means "the eternal one, self existent and the one who creates". God "was and is and is to come" is the way John describes Him in Revelation 4:8. No one made Him. He made everything. Hebrews 4:6 tells us of the "unchanging" nature of His purpose. Who He was is the same as who He is and who He will ever be. "Yahweh" communicates His faithfulness toward His people. We can trust Him, we can rely on Him. "Yahweh" is found in the Old Testament some 6500 times.
"Elohim" is the first name we read for God in the Bible, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The Hebrew word Elohim means the supreme God, the creator and the one who judges. This name is found throughout the Old Testament nearly 3000 times. So, what is Moses trying to communicate by the Spirit when he uses these names for God. He wants us to see Him as the all powerful, self-existent creator who will judge the world. He is like no other and we can count on Him. Who He was is who He is and who He will be. That's our God.
I am going to try something a little different today... I am going to try the adage... when writing a blog, shorter is better. Let me know.
God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
Moses is living in Midian after fleeing Egypt. God appears to him and tells him to return to Egypt to tell Pharaoh that he is let the children of Israel go free. He tells Moses to tell the Israelites that "the LORD", "the God of your fathers" had sent him. Moses needed the people to understand that he had been sent by God for the purpose of freeing them. If he was to lead them, they had to accept his leadership. So, God says, "tell them I sent you".
Everywhere you read "LORD", all capitalized in the Old Testament, the Hebrew name YHWH is being translated. There continues to be some dispute among "Bible scholars" as the proper pronunciation of His name. Some hold to Yahweh, while others hold to Jehovah. I don't know which it is. The point is really about what the name reveals about our God. Where you read "God" in the verses above, the word being translated is Elohim.
We can learn a lot about our God by these two names. Names today rarely give insight into the nature of the person who wears it; not so in Bible times. God's names describe Him and gives us understanding of His attributes. "Yahweh" means "the eternal one, self existent and the one who creates". God "was and is and is to come" is the way John describes Him in Revelation 4:8. No one made Him. He made everything. Hebrews 4:6 tells us of the "unchanging" nature of His purpose. Who He was is the same as who He is and who He will ever be. "Yahweh" communicates His faithfulness toward His people. We can trust Him, we can rely on Him. "Yahweh" is found in the Old Testament some 6500 times.
"Elohim" is the first name we read for God in the Bible, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) The Hebrew word Elohim means the supreme God, the creator and the one who judges. This name is found throughout the Old Testament nearly 3000 times. So, what is Moses trying to communicate by the Spirit when he uses these names for God. He wants us to see Him as the all powerful, self-existent creator who will judge the world. He is like no other and we can count on Him. Who He was is who He is and who He will be. That's our God.
Monday, January 21, 2013
They Worship Me In Vain
(Today's reading - Gen 49-50, Matt 15:1-20)
First things first... I am loving this years change in our reading plan, thanks Lowell!
In the Old Testament portion of our reading, Israel blesses his twelve sons and dies. Joseph lives to be 110 and he dies. The straight forward telling of these events makes it clear that we are here but for a few years on this planet. As Job put it, "Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." No matter how healthy we live, no matter how much exercise we do, no matter how much organic food we eat, we are all going to die. Our days are determined!
In our New Testament read, Jesus is once again confronted by the Pharisees. They are the religious elite. They are the clergy, the Bible scholars; yet Jesus finds them lacking at every meeting. He calls them "white washed tombs", pretty on the outside, but inside decay and filth. This encounter brings a scathing review of their entire religious lives...
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
What are the key points to His statement? You think about it here.... thinking, thinking.
He tells us that these "very religious" people talk the talk. They say all the right things. From a human perspective, they would appear to be "the" followers of God. But, Jesus sees through the fine words and fancy recitations. He sees the truth behind the masks of the hypocrites. He sees the heart. What He is saying to us is that we can be a mess, yet appear to be doing great. We can pray the right prayers, sing the right songs and even preach the right sermons, yet be far from God. That does not please Him!
Secondly, He calls attention to their obedience to traditions. He calls that vain worship. Worthless worship. Jesus is saying that when we worship in ways that are not in compliance to what God has asked for... we are worshiping in vain. In other words, when we offer Him worship that we have created, that we have developed; He does not find it worthy. He calls this "rules taught by men". To restate it another way, "if we want our worship to be acceptable to God, we need to follow His rules".
Sometimes, it seems that our worship of God is more about what we like and less about what pleases Him. In this area, we must be very careful. We must be sure that we are allowing Him to change our hearts and not just our words. We must be sure that what we do in worship to Him is what He has stipulated and not what we want. Jesus calls on those that will follow Him to "keep His commands". "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15) So, it is up to you to make sure that your heart is right before God and it is up to you to study His word and to make sure that you are offering worship that is acceptable to Him.
Don't be afraid to ask questions about your worship. Open your Bibles and study and then call on the leaders in your church to comply with His commands. If you are doing something that you cannot find in His word... it is a commandment of men. Is that always wrong, no. Sometimes traditions allow us to carry out His commands. Example... their is not one mention of a song book in the New Testament, but we are commanded to sing. Song books facilitate our singing. But to say that we must use song books, would make it a commandment of men. (hope that helps)
Jesus wants real worshippers. Jesus wants pure hearts. Jesus wants those that love Him to demonstrate it by how they live their lives. That is what he wants... what do you want? Thinking, thinking.
First things first... I am loving this years change in our reading plan, thanks Lowell!
In the Old Testament portion of our reading, Israel blesses his twelve sons and dies. Joseph lives to be 110 and he dies. The straight forward telling of these events makes it clear that we are here but for a few years on this planet. As Job put it, "Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." No matter how healthy we live, no matter how much exercise we do, no matter how much organic food we eat, we are all going to die. Our days are determined!
In our New Testament read, Jesus is once again confronted by the Pharisees. They are the religious elite. They are the clergy, the Bible scholars; yet Jesus finds them lacking at every meeting. He calls them "white washed tombs", pretty on the outside, but inside decay and filth. This encounter brings a scathing review of their entire religious lives...
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
What are the key points to His statement? You think about it here.... thinking, thinking.
He tells us that these "very religious" people talk the talk. They say all the right things. From a human perspective, they would appear to be "the" followers of God. But, Jesus sees through the fine words and fancy recitations. He sees the truth behind the masks of the hypocrites. He sees the heart. What He is saying to us is that we can be a mess, yet appear to be doing great. We can pray the right prayers, sing the right songs and even preach the right sermons, yet be far from God. That does not please Him!
Secondly, He calls attention to their obedience to traditions. He calls that vain worship. Worthless worship. Jesus is saying that when we worship in ways that are not in compliance to what God has asked for... we are worshiping in vain. In other words, when we offer Him worship that we have created, that we have developed; He does not find it worthy. He calls this "rules taught by men". To restate it another way, "if we want our worship to be acceptable to God, we need to follow His rules".
Sometimes, it seems that our worship of God is more about what we like and less about what pleases Him. In this area, we must be very careful. We must be sure that we are allowing Him to change our hearts and not just our words. We must be sure that what we do in worship to Him is what He has stipulated and not what we want. Jesus calls on those that will follow Him to "keep His commands". "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15) So, it is up to you to make sure that your heart is right before God and it is up to you to study His word and to make sure that you are offering worship that is acceptable to Him.
Don't be afraid to ask questions about your worship. Open your Bibles and study and then call on the leaders in your church to comply with His commands. If you are doing something that you cannot find in His word... it is a commandment of men. Is that always wrong, no. Sometimes traditions allow us to carry out His commands. Example... their is not one mention of a song book in the New Testament, but we are commanded to sing. Song books facilitate our singing. But to say that we must use song books, would make it a commandment of men. (hope that helps)
Jesus wants real worshippers. Jesus wants pure hearts. Jesus wants those that love Him to demonstrate it by how they live their lives. That is what he wants... what do you want? Thinking, thinking.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Joseph and Prosperity
(Today's reading - Gen 38-40; Matt 12:22-50)
Genesis 39 contains the story of Joseph and Potiphar. If you have been a Christian long you know the story, but if you haven't, it goes like this...
Potiphar bought Joseph from the men who had bought him from his brothers. Potiphar saw that Joseph was a God fearing man and that God blessed what Joseph did, so he put him in charge of his household. He was in charge of everything that Potiphar owed and he did a great job of looking after it. Potiphar's wife liked the way Joseph looked and sought to have a affair with him. Joseph refused and she accused him of attempted rape. Joseph went to prison for a crime he didn't commit. That is it in a nutshell.
So, what can a follower of God learn from a story like this? As we start reading, maybe we think that if we follow God, only good things will happen to us... The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. That is a message we like. If we follow God, only good things will come our way.
We love the idea that God prospers us financially when we follow him, but is that the message of this story? Let's keep reading... When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. Potiphar's wife makes up a the story of Joseph attempting to rape her. Based on the previous conclusions we had drawn, Joseph would be exonerated and the wife would go to prison for filing a false police report... right? Wrong!
But that is not what happens. Joseph goes to prison. Where is the LORD's blessing now? Where is prosperity now? Joseph did right and still he sits in a prison cell. Is God unjust? Are we not under his protection? Now, it gets a little more complicated; a good man, following God, doing what is right goes to prison. Do you guess Joseph lost his faith? Did he give up on God? When prosperity ended, did Joseph choose to end his relationship with the LORD?
I don't know about you, but for me this story is life affirming. I trust in God, I do my best to be obedient to His will; yet bad things still happen in my life. Is that my failure... or God's? If my world view is tied up in the idea that God blesses or punishes people here and now because of their actions, then I have to say it is one or the other. But if I hold that view, I am going to have a difficult time with the prosperity of those who totally reject God. You see, bad people also prosper. So, that cannot be the proper view of things.
If that is a wrong view, what is the right one? While I don't claim to have great understanding, I will give you my best thoughts based on these verses. Joseph lived by God's principles. This world is set up by God and so honesty, hard work, respecting others, etc. will bring good things into our lives... we call that God's blessing. This world is also corrupted; when sin entered the world, the world was forever changed. Murder, lying, stealing, sexual impurity... and on and on became the normal way of life. (Just start in Genesis 1 and keep reading) We are impacted by sin, even when it is not our sin. Live the best you can, follow God the best you can and you will still be impacted by sin. (just ask Jesus) Even in prison, Joseph continued to live for God and because of that, he was blessed. When we follow Him, we will be blessed; even in times of trouble and distress... blessings.
If someone is selling you the idea that following God brings only prosperity, they are lying to you. Cancer does not know the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. The burglar doesn't know the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. The person with an assault rifle shooting up a theater doesn't know the difference either. But, here you go... the world will know the difference when they see how the Christian responds to these troubles. When tough times come, and they will, the Christian responds differently. Cancer... hope and knowledge that this world is not our home. (2 Cor 5:1) Burglary... no problem, it is only possessions that can be replaced. (Matthew 6:19) Death at the hands of a shooter... do not fear the one who can kill the body. (Matthew 10:28)
You see, prosperity is not the goal, it is the result. Follow God, prosperity. It may not be here and now, but is certain. The question that we need to ask is simple and complex... For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37) Prosperity... what child of the King isn't prospered? The most valuable thing you possess is an eternal soul. The question isn't homes, cars, flat screen televisions, nice clothing... the question isn't what do you own, the question is "who or what owns you?". Who does your life belong to? If God, then you have real prosperity. Home, eternal with the King. Now go tell it.
Genesis 39 contains the story of Joseph and Potiphar. If you have been a Christian long you know the story, but if you haven't, it goes like this...
Potiphar bought Joseph from the men who had bought him from his brothers. Potiphar saw that Joseph was a God fearing man and that God blessed what Joseph did, so he put him in charge of his household. He was in charge of everything that Potiphar owed and he did a great job of looking after it. Potiphar's wife liked the way Joseph looked and sought to have a affair with him. Joseph refused and she accused him of attempted rape. Joseph went to prison for a crime he didn't commit. That is it in a nutshell.
So, what can a follower of God learn from a story like this? As we start reading, maybe we think that if we follow God, only good things will happen to us... The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. That is a message we like. If we follow God, only good things will come our way.
We love the idea that God prospers us financially when we follow him, but is that the message of this story? Let's keep reading... When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. Potiphar's wife makes up a the story of Joseph attempting to rape her. Based on the previous conclusions we had drawn, Joseph would be exonerated and the wife would go to prison for filing a false police report... right? Wrong!
But that is not what happens. Joseph goes to prison. Where is the LORD's blessing now? Where is prosperity now? Joseph did right and still he sits in a prison cell. Is God unjust? Are we not under his protection? Now, it gets a little more complicated; a good man, following God, doing what is right goes to prison. Do you guess Joseph lost his faith? Did he give up on God? When prosperity ended, did Joseph choose to end his relationship with the LORD?
I don't know about you, but for me this story is life affirming. I trust in God, I do my best to be obedient to His will; yet bad things still happen in my life. Is that my failure... or God's? If my world view is tied up in the idea that God blesses or punishes people here and now because of their actions, then I have to say it is one or the other. But if I hold that view, I am going to have a difficult time with the prosperity of those who totally reject God. You see, bad people also prosper. So, that cannot be the proper view of things.
If that is a wrong view, what is the right one? While I don't claim to have great understanding, I will give you my best thoughts based on these verses. Joseph lived by God's principles. This world is set up by God and so honesty, hard work, respecting others, etc. will bring good things into our lives... we call that God's blessing. This world is also corrupted; when sin entered the world, the world was forever changed. Murder, lying, stealing, sexual impurity... and on and on became the normal way of life. (Just start in Genesis 1 and keep reading) We are impacted by sin, even when it is not our sin. Live the best you can, follow God the best you can and you will still be impacted by sin. (just ask Jesus) Even in prison, Joseph continued to live for God and because of that, he was blessed. When we follow Him, we will be blessed; even in times of trouble and distress... blessings.
If someone is selling you the idea that following God brings only prosperity, they are lying to you. Cancer does not know the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. The burglar doesn't know the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. The person with an assault rifle shooting up a theater doesn't know the difference either. But, here you go... the world will know the difference when they see how the Christian responds to these troubles. When tough times come, and they will, the Christian responds differently. Cancer... hope and knowledge that this world is not our home. (2 Cor 5:1) Burglary... no problem, it is only possessions that can be replaced. (Matthew 6:19) Death at the hands of a shooter... do not fear the one who can kill the body. (Matthew 10:28)
You see, prosperity is not the goal, it is the result. Follow God, prosperity. It may not be here and now, but is certain. The question that we need to ask is simple and complex... For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37) Prosperity... what child of the King isn't prospered? The most valuable thing you possess is an eternal soul. The question isn't homes, cars, flat screen televisions, nice clothing... the question isn't what do you own, the question is "who or what owns you?". Who does your life belong to? If God, then you have real prosperity. Home, eternal with the King. Now go tell it.
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