An undiscovered truth

 Undiscovered truth

I love it when I discover something in Scripture that I've never seen before even if I'd read the passage a dozen or a hundred times. that moment that something that slipped by is noticed and it helps you reshape an important part of your understanding. That happened to me just this week.

 I've read the book of Exodus and The Exodus story more times than I care to count. but I discovered something that I had never noticed and it has a profound impact on how I think about one of the disciplines of the Christian Life. In fact I misunderstood something really important in The Exodus narrative.

In order to demonstrate this discovery I need to ask a question. How did  Moses know that God had sent him? Think about it for just a moment but be careful and don't be too sure of your answer. Usually we will answer that question with the burning bush or a reference to the signs and wonders that God performed through Moses in Egypt. We would begin by thinking of the first call or about the rod turning into a snake or the plagues that descended up on Egypt or the crossing of the Red Sea. But God gives a different answer.  An answer given before the signs occurred and after they have taken place.

Exodus 3: 10-12: And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”  But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”  And He said, “Assuredly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”

There is a lot to process in this about faith, and service in the midst of struggle but one point I had never noticed, maybe you didn’t either.  It is in worship that Moses would have the sign of God’s call on his life.  

We have become far too casual about worship.  Or should I say we have become far too casual about the priority of worship.  We certainly want to have God’s blessing on our lives, homes, families, businesses, cars, bank accounts blah, blah, blah. But His worship is not a priority.  By worship I mean both personal and corporate worship.  We will skip our morning devotions before we skip breakfast.  If we have to make the choice of being late for work or not spending time with God we will be on time for work.  “But God is forgiving, my boss isn’t”.  True; but God gives you each heart beat your boss trades money for effort.  (We can, if disciplined, have time with God and be on time to responsibilities.)  

Beyond our time of personal worship we can be pretty slack about corporate worship.  I once heard a lady say she had to skip morning worship because, “We were having homemade ice cream for lunch dessert, and you know that takes a lot of time”.  That is a far cry from the ancient church where it was understood that disciples would gather for worship unless they were dead, very sick, or in custody (which included slavery).  Our absence from our community of faith, be that small group or corporate worship, and neglecting our own time with God is an excellent barometer of our priorities.

Most importantly we will never really know God and what He is about in our lives unless we come to worship Him.   

The Big Picture

Wanting the big Picture?

If you have noticed I haven't posted a devotion for a few days. The reason is that the Bible reading plan I am using has passages selected for the first 25 days of each month. This allows you to catch up or study select passages more deeply at the end of each month. On Thursday I will return to posting a daily devotion from Matthew.

In the meantime I have also been reading in Acts. One of the problems I have is I ALWAYS want to see the big picture. But God almost never allows us that insight, for our benefit I might add. Nevertheless, we sometimes in not seeing the big picture we struggle with our perception, patience, and daily living. I think this could have happened to Paul.

Read Acts 16:1-15 before going any further.

Between the calling into ministry and circumcision of Timothy and the Macedonian call there is a scene that is profoundly important but little noticed. It is the occasion where Jesus is saying “No”. In versus 6-9 we see that the Lord directs Paul and his companions not to go somewhere and preach. They were traveling from east to west across the middle of what is now Turkey. To the north were cities and regions of unreached people. Nevertheless God directs Paul and company not to go there. They finally come to the region of Mysia that is located at the northwest edge of Turkey or what Luke calls Asia. Don’t miss this point, they were “Forbidden” by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel in this region. This seems both strange and emphatic. They come to the end of Turkey to the city of Troas, and are the apparently wait for instructions. Ultimately it is here that Paul receives what is known as the “Macedonian call”.

It must have been confusing for Paul and company to have been on a missionary journey and being told not to preach. Before the vision we can wonder if Paul was frustrated and confused. Paul: “Lord look at all these lost people let me tell them about your salvation”. The Lord: “No Paul don’t preach here.” It is not like the Lord gave Paul the big picture of the mission to northern Greece. All He told Paul was don’t preach. Certainly Paul faithfully trusted but we can wonder if he was also confused.

In hindsight we see to key reasons why the Lord refused to allow Paul to preach in that area. First the expansion of the gospel into the Greek and Roman world is one of the great moments in all of history. The transition from east to west, from the Orient to Europe was one of the great expansions of Christianity. Second we see a change of pronouns between verses 9 and 10. There Luke transitions from “they” to “we”. The fact that we are reading the book of Acts and that we have read the Gospel of Luke is in part due to the fact that the Lord prevented Paul from ministering in northern Galatea. Because we can never see the big picture we must always trust the one who does.

"Help me Lord to be faithful in this moment not matter how much I understand. AMEN"

Matthew 10:1-20

Matthew 10:1-20

Mercy is more than kindness; it is the validation of the message preached. The post-Christian man is in a different situation than the Heathen who has never heard the Gospel. The description of the 12 sent out expresses a wide gamut of people from the Zealot to the tax collector. But it is loyalty to the Lordship of Jesus that binds them together.

The scope of the mission is fairly small since it is limited to Galilee, but is expansive with both the message and the miracles of Jesus. The miracles of healing even include raising the dead. We need to ask, “Is the application of this commission for all the disciples or only for Jesus' immediate audience?”

Jesus commissions and sends them all without a lot of provision. They embody the message and they embody the promise of divine provision. The call to trust and “seek ye first the kingdom of God” now has a practical application. What is needed will be available when it is needed. The time taken to acquire an extra tunic and extra pair of shoes or walking stick is time and effort that is wasted.

The culture of that day allowed a different kind of hospitality than what we experience today. However, the rejection of the message is always a disaster for any people. Disciples are not responsible for the decisions of those who hear the message once that message has been communicated. Disciples are a helpless group like wolves among sheep. How does a disciple survive? The disciple survives by the combination of cunning and purity. They are as cunning as a snake, but without ulterior motives. Jesus assumes the reality of persecution and opposition for us.

We find this combination odd and this expectation places the discipleship opposed by the powers and responding to them without power.

"Lord, help me to focus my life on being a disciple through which the message of the Gospel flows and is validated by acts of mercy. AMEN"

Matthew 9:27-38

Matthew 9:27-38

In Matthew chapters 5 through 7 there was a radical authority of Jesus's teaching. Then in chapters 8 and 9 we see His authority in healing. Now in healing two blind men. Jesus appears at first not to respond to their request. Their persistence is proof of their faith. If a person is easily dissuaded that is evidence that they don't have real faith.

Not telling would be a difficult task; it would be hard for people not to notice the change from blind to seeing. What was to be avoided was the unauthorized proclamation whereby Jesus' ministry and life would be co-opted for the purposes of lesser causes. Jesus next cast out a demon. Jesus heals the sick, but if the illness is the result of the demonic Jesus casts the demon out. We notice in this healing that Jesus is never distracted, but always deals with the root issue. The comment that nothing like this has happened in Israel indicates that the leadership had failed. They had failed to be connected to God so that the enemy had worked his way in. If nothing is happening in my life it is because I am disconnected. Faith requires persistent pursuit that will eventually result in God's agenda.

Jesus travels about on a massive healing tour and his reaction to the people was He felt compassion. He was struck by the pitiable condition of the people. When I experience some measure of success, is my reaction to it a keen awareness of the heart and the needs of people? Do I have the empathy to notice the people harassed and thrown down? Or am I so impressed with what is happening that I lose sight of hurting people? In the midst of a great event, Jesus has a gut reaction of pity for the plight of the people.

Jesus's response to them is to direct the disciples to plead with the chief Harvester for more workers. Harvest was often a picture of judgment, but in this case Jesus uses it as a picture of rescue from suffering.

"Lord, when things are good help me to never lose sight of the needs of individuals. When things are bad help me focus on the root issue of life, a right relationship with You. AMEN"

Matthew 9:14-26

Matthew 9:14-26

The distance between Jesus and all others grows larger and larger. He is not part of the main line of Judaism and now a distinction between John the Baptist’s followers and Jesus becomes clear. It is interesting that a movement that formed around John is not like John who was fully committed to Jesus. They were more committed to their message than the one they were called to talk about. Perhaps they wanted to restore Israel rather than follow the Lord.

Jesus does not reject fasting, but He rejected that fasting had merits in it. Jesus clearly fasted at times, but not as a part of works of righteousness. Rituals and rules cannot contain the Gospel. The Good News is so expansive that it cannot be understood wholly in rituals. There are occasions in which, because of the Gospel, we may engage in specific actions, but that is the gospel coming out, not the message of the Gospel itself. Fasting for specific reasons was the practice of the early church. Fasting because everyone else is or it is on a calendar is not enough. A ritual may express the content of our heart, but it must never be mistaken for it.

It is no accident that Jesus used the parable of the wineskins and then used two miracles to demonstrate this truth. To be touched by a woman with an issue of blood and to enter the house with a dead person made one unclean. This is an expression of the old wineskin-the Law. Jesus burst the law by healing and raising the dead. This is the new wineskin with the new wine. There is no way that the ritual of the Law could account for what Jesus did. This was a dramatic demonstration of what the gospel of grace is all about.

"Lord, thank You for rituals that remind me of the Good News, but help to realize that the Gospel is too great and too wonderful to be contained in any form or ritual. AMEN"

Matthew 9:1-13

Matthew 9:1-13

Jesus makes dramatic claims on our lives. In The Sermon on the Mount He issues a radical call to discipleship. How does he prove those claims? His authority is evident in three healings. This authority is expressed in His demand for absolute loyalty. He proves His authority and the power over nature and control of the supernatural.

Now, He proves His authority in forgiving sin. The forgiveness of sin, in the ultimate sense, is the province of God alone. Jesus is claiming God-like authority! Either He is God or He is delusional. But talk can be cheap. To say sins are forgiven doesn’t mean they are forgiven. The healing, which is impossible to fake, is offered as proof that what might be faked is, in fact, real. The people were filled with awe. Notice Matthew says they, "Glorify God who had given such authority to men." So, who are the men referred to here? why does Matthew use the plural "men'? Is this a reference to the church and disciples or is this a reference to the Incarnation? The former is a better answer as Matthew wants to support the early Church and its work among Jews.

It is in the context of unassailable authority that Jesus calls and dines with Levi. While scribes were professional professors of the law, the Pharisees were more general and the term refers to men for whom the focus of ritual obedience was primary, such as tithing and ritual cleanliness. For the Scribes the focus was on knowledge of the Law and regulations with its implications. For the Pharisees avoiding any and everything that might violate the law was primary. The academic focus of the Scribes and the ritual focus of the Pharisees could lead to a religion that was entirely self focused. For Jesus the priority was God's desire to rescue the Lost Ones. In order to prevent religion from becoming stale academics or an empty ritual, the love of God and His agenda must be paramount. Jesus commands that I contemplate the passage from Hosea, "I desire compassion not sacrifice." God wants me to live holy, but holy living is more than ritual keeping. Holy living is heart-motivated, it is merciful and it is expressed in fellowship with sinners.

"Lord, help me to think deeply about what it means that You "desire compassion not sacrifice. AMEN"

Matthew 8:23-34

The authority of Jesus is unmatched. He demonstrates His authority over biology by three healings. He now demonstrates His authority over the realm of natural and the realm of the spiritual.

Caught in a terrible storm (the word storm is literally “shake” and is the typical word for earthquake) the disciples come to Jesus thinking they are about to die. To their credit, they use the two words most often associated with Jesus, “Lord” and “Save”. Jesus identifies two problems in the disciples; they have little faith and are timid. These are completely linked and one is the expression of the other. We however, are never told what the correct response to the storm would be. 1) Personally rebuke the storm, 2) Pray to the Father directly, 3) Ride the storm out and take what comes, or 4) Wake Jesus but without the drama of “We are perishing”. But no answer that comes out of a lack of faith and timidity would ever be correct. Perhaps, any answer that is based on faith and a bold belief in God would be correct.

As we live as disciples, where we go (within limits) is unimportant. Trust and obedience are. It is good to contemplate the contrast between obedience and timidity. Interrupting Jesus’ sleep and asking for help were not the problem. They did not believe and that caused them to act timidly. That storm was no accident; it was a test and in this case the disciples failed.

As soon as they land, Jesus meets two demon-possessed men. Other accounts mention only the spokesman, but Matthew mentions both men in order that there be two witnesses, which would have been important to the original Jewish audience. Jesus proves His authority over the powers of the spiritual realm by exorcising the demons. The rush of hogs provided a dramatic and visible demonstration of what had happened at the spiritual level. The cost of the hogs would have been about 400,000 dollars. The people come to Jesus and ask Him to leave their area. It is interesting that people are often more comfortable with familiar evil than the changes that are brought about by what is right and holy. For this reason, people prefer “pigs” to the Lord. It is also worth noting that the demons are more orthodox in their theology about who Jesus is than many “Liberal Christians”. At least they acknowledge that Jesus is the “Son of God”.

"Lord, thank you for the promise that You will never leave me nor forsake me.  Help me to live in faith because of that promise. AMEN"

Matthew 8:14-22

Matthew 8:14-22

Jesus heals three undesirables: a leper (v.3), a centurion's servant (v. 13), and a woman (v. 15). Hard on the heels of this, large crowds gather around Jesus wanting healing. With every success and a rise in popularity Jesus makes plans to leave. In this case to go across the lake where He is unknown. Why did Jesus consistently walk away from such large groups? One might conclude that Jesus saw popularity as counter productive to His mission.

Even in the context of the trip across the lake Jesus leaves two would-be traveling companions behind. One was described as an educated man. He was a white collar scholar rather than blue collar laborer. Matthew tells us that Jesus discouraged the scribe by pointing out that the demand of following Jesus is high. Jesus says, "Here's what being a disciple is like." The man doesn't follow. Did Jesus tell him, “No” or did he decide not to follow because the demands were too high?

Another comes to him and he is described as a disciple. He's willing to follow Jesus, but wants to bury his father. Whether the father is dead or not we don’t know. What is clear is that the call for the disciple to obey is not to be delayed. There are no terms whereby I, as a disciple, set terms for God. The call to follow takes priority over everything. There is no use in saying "I will follow on my terms". That is not the life of a disciple.

Jesus is calling the disciples away from success, popularity, and security and will lead them into difficulty. They are about to face life-threatening storms and the real tangible powers of the demonic. Jesus doesn't tell them what they will face. He tells them only to obey. He gave commands. He did not tell them what to expect. by doing so Jesus requires that His disciple trust Him and rely on Him in each moment.

There are many voices that demand my attention and obedience. My own voice is among them. But Jesus' voice is the only one I must hear and obey.

"Lord, please help me to live in full obedience to You in every moment. Give me eyes that are blind to security, popularity and success and only able to see You. AMEN

Matthew 8:1-13

Matthew 8:1-13

Jesus moves from words of authority to actions of authority, from the Sermon on the Mount to healing. First is the leper, his faith was such that he was confident in Jesus’ power if He was only willing. Jesus is always willing to do good. He is simply waiting for the request. It is worth noting that Jesus reached out. A little effort on our part is met with great effort on Jesus’ part. In the second healing, Jesus cares for another outsider, a Centurion. Jesus is eager to go with the Centurion to his home, which was a serious violation of Jewish expectations. The Centurion’s reply expresses the best faith in Israel saying that Jesus only needs to speak the word. These two healing pose two questions for me, which are, “Do I really believe Jesus can? Do I feel as if I merit Jesus' company?”

Jesus upsets the cultural norms radically by saying that not only will Gentiles be included, but they will be in place of some Jews. The common Jewish belief was that no son of Abraham would be lost. Here Jesus says not only could some be lost, but also will be replaced with Gentiles. Any sense of self-confidence and self-importance is absolutely removed. Those who imagine they are “in” based on some merit are out! In contrast, those who believe and ask for mercy will find it.

Here's what we can know. We are human and we cannot fix our problems. God is the one who is always right and who knows what ought to happen. If the Lord is willing (and he is) it works out. But we begin by knowing that we are not worthy and because of that we must trust in mercy. The Lord has moved, beyond any measure of condescension, down to the level to help the most unworthy if we will but ask. So, we ask for the Lord's help; that He may forgive and purify and heal because without that, we are without hope.

"Lord, I not only need your grace for the big stuff in life, my sin and brokenness, but also for every detail of living. Help me Lord today to ask for Your grace in every moment, every experience. AMEN

Matthew 7:15-29

Matthew 7.15-29

False prophets have always been a grave danger to God’s people. In the context of The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is warning against those teachers who offer an easy, less hard and less rigid way. Jesus does not use doctrine or profession of faith as a test, but life as the test. Fruit! Nominal discipleship is damning. Many disciples will in the end be rejected. Is nominal discipleship all that the church is teaching and offering? More directly am I nothing more than a nominal disciple?

In the Judgment there is a rejection of a nominal disciple. These nominal disciples come to the judgment and very likely come with great confidence. They sincerely believe they are in a right relationship with the Lord. They’re claiming a disciple/master relationship that their lives do not match, and a life of obedience is the criterion for discipleship. In Jesus's name they have done some pretty remarkable things. Miraculous activity is no replacement for obedience. Sermons, blogs, books-these count for nothing. In verse 23, the point is relationship with Jesus-not a claimed relationship-but a real relationship. Not a relationship built on my terms or activities, but a relationship lived on His terms.

Jesus concludes with the warning parable of the wise and foolish builders. Survival of the flood is based on doing of His works. The parable represents both the struggles of this life and the judgment of God. Only God-given strength brings survival of a God-given flood.

There is in this passage a terrible struggle of works and grace. We can only be saved by grace, but works are a critical part of our life as a disciple. Works do not merit salvation, but our works remind us of what death awaits us in living for ourselves. Each step takes us closer to one end or another.

"Lord, save me from myself, from self defined discipleship. AMEN"

Matthew 7:1-14

 Matthew 7.1-14

Judge not. Jesus is not calling for a suspension of thinking, accountability, or morals and ethics. He is calling for the suspension of faultfinding for the purpose of condemning. This is all about motivation; the difference is in loving people and helping them move toward the kingdom rather than trying to create barriers. There are those who make a life of finding fault in others and then prescribing their solutions for them. Jesus warns that this is not the case for the disciple. If we are to condemn another we must begin with ourselves for that is the only place where we can have the needed experience to offer compassion.

Giving that which is holy to dogs is unthinkable. So is spiritual guidance to the self-righteous, the hypocrite, the one who rejects, and the caustic. Jesus then shifts to the subject of prayer, but how are they related? Asking, seeking and knocking is not solely about getting into Heaven, nor about naming and claiming blessings for this life. But how is the giving that which is holy to dogs or pearls to swine related to asking, seeking and knocking? Is prayer, which is a precious treasure, not to be wasted by praying for and about the unholy people or world events? Jesus talks about the limitation of the holy and pearls and then calls for us to pray. Perhaps this is a reminder that some requests cannot be made right even by prayer. Or put another way there is no use asking God to help you find a cheap, clean and good looking prostitute to hire. You cannot make unholy things right by praying for or about them. Don't take the holy thing of prayer and toss it to a pig.

The presence of the golden rule in verse 12 seems to indicate that we are not far removed from conversations about specks and beams. This is a summation of the scripture regarding ethics. No statement of ethics will ever come close to the simple Golden Rule. Almost all moral philosophers admit their great respect for the Golden Rule. All of the Lord's teachings, but specifically the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are meant to be obeyed, rather than simply admired and respected. The point of the teaching was how to live as a disciple. Now here is the challenge of being a disciple. The real disciple lives out the Master’s demands not simply accepting them as true, but by living them. The life of the disciple is decisive; they decide to obey. Everyday and every moment the disciple decides to obey. It is a choice that we are free to make. It is a difficult choice to make, but it is a way that is the only way to life.

"Lord, give me the help and strength today to obey the command to treat all men as I would have them treat me. AMEN"

Matthew 6:25-34

 Matthew 6:25-34

My heart is bad. Even as I am reading this passage my mind is racing about print supplies and appointments. "Will there be enough of what I need?" If that is not bad enough there is rebelliousness where my heart says, "Yes, that is good in theory but...” The problem is in me, in my sinful desire to clamor for release from the Lord’s provision and authority. I want to argue against God, to say what He gives is not enough, to find an excuse for indulging in my own selfishness. Smashing myself against rocks hoping the rocks will change makes even better sense than worry.

In the illustration of the birds and flowers Jesus is not advising idleness; rather, the lesser proves the greater. Jesus said if it is true of the less valuable and values then it will be true for the more valuable and higher values. If it is true of the less important, like the birds, then it is true for me. God cares for the birds, but they must pick up the seeds. Part of God’s provision is work, but I have to “pick up the seeds”.

People who do not know God as Father don't know the confidence of His care. But God knows me and He knows my needs. The Gentile worries about himself because he also worries about his gods (like the dog worries over a bone). The Gentile worries with unbelieving and aggressive prayers because his god is never a loving father. It is possible to relax a bit about "things".

Verses 33-34 offer a positive thought for the worried mind. Have you noticed that you cannot avoid thinking of pink elephants when someone says "pink elephants"? Jesus is wonderful, in His grace he gives us a positive to consider rather than the avoidance of a negative. Beyond “don't be anxious” He positively says, “seek the kingdom.” In the pursuit of the Kingdom, I can occupy my mind with thoughts that are not anxious. Worrying is nothing more than daydreaming about problems. Why not occupy the space in my mind with the dreams of the Kingdom?

"Lord, fill my mind so completely with the delights of Your Kingdom that there is no room left to worry about the selfish things of this world. AMEN"

Matthew 6:16-24

 Matthew 6:16-24

In verses 16 through 18 Jesus assumes that fasting is a part of the life of a disciple. As with prayers and alms giving the objective is God, not the praise of people. This passage is difficult. Sometimes it's difficult because of our pride and sometimes it's difficult because we love food. At every moment we can build plenty of excuses for food, low blood sugar for example, that allows us to make sure we have our daily treats. When do my appetites govern me? When I make excuses to satisfy them.

The attachment to material concerns and the priority of loyalty to God is the point of this passage. Treasures on Earth are not very secure. From vermin that can ruin to a housing market bubble that can burst, there are no fully secure treasures here on Earth. There are, however, no insecure treasures in Heaven. Nothing entrusted to God will ever be lost. This passage may refer first, but not exclusively, to alms giving. Wealth itself is not a problem; it is a loyalty to our wealth that is an issue. It does us no good to say I am loyal to God while at the same time we love our wealth. Our words can be cheap. Perhaps we should only keep that which we can walk away from. Not in theory, but in practice.

Our loyalty is what the fascinating verses 22 and 23 are all about. If we are able to have right perception concerning things then we are about to be generous. In contrast, the inability to see clearly the right priorities will lead us to love the wrong things and be selfish. There are varying degrees of darkness. No one is completely selfish though many come close and few are completely selfless, if there are any. Generosity and soundness of eye are clearly intertwined.

Growing amounts of possessions create growing temptations to be disloyal to God and instead we are tempted to be loyal to money. The danger may be less in the volume of our possessions than which direction possessions call us. When you get down to it my loyalty is dictated out of what I think, what I think I own, and what I think I have, and what I think I have accomplished. If we believe what we have is ours because of what we have done we tend to hold our things tightly. If my wealth is a gift from God I can more easily share it.

"Lord, in the midst of a highly materialistic and consumption based society give me clarity of sight so I can see if I am truly loyal to You. Grant to me Lord a heart of true repentance in all areas where I love you less than anything. AMEN."

Matthew 6:1:16

 Matthew 6:1-16

Acts of righteousness would be better-translated acts of purity. A disciple must never attempt to show off his righteous devotion. There is a world of difference between living a conspicuously good and godly life and attempting to gain a reputation for goodness and godliness. The difference is in the nature, the result and ultimately the reward.

The word “Hypocrites” has a double application. The first application is taken from the Greek word, which means actor: hypocrites are performing for an audience. Second, the word carries the meaning that there is insincerity in their actions.

The disciple wants no reward on earth. The Father is the only source for the reward the disciple desires.

As with the higher righteousness in the last chapter, the issue in regard to our prayer is our motivation. The Lord does not forbid public prayers, spontaneous prayers or personal prayers. All types of prayer are equally apt to become about us making a show rather than about the Father. The prayers that are forbidden are those that are mindlessly and repetitiously said. Reciting prayers is wrong if it is done without thought. Pagan prayers were said to be powerful because of the exact correct recitation. Since Jesus wants the heart, it is from our hearts that our prayers must come.

The use of the Lord's Prayer or the Model prayer was taught to the Disciples and is meant for the community of faith, not for the public in general. This prayer is beautiful in the way it focuses away from us and toward the Father. As with all of the parts of the disciple’s life, reinforced in this passage, our lives focus on God in our prayers, ethics, and worship. These are all about God. The more self-forgetful we are the better. In that self-forgetfulness we are able to be closer to God and what He wants us to be. In losing ourselves because we are focused on Him, we find a vitality of life that infuses every moment.

"Lord, remind me that in all aspects of my being a disciple it is about shifting the focus from me and onto You. AMEN"

Matthew 5:33-48

 Matthew 5.33-48

The ethic that the Lord has for us is beyond anything a legal code could impose. It is not merely insisting that a given behavior ends. It ends evil behavior by an intentional and internal change. In the fertile ground of a life dedicated to God the weeds of hate, lust, falsehood and retribution cannot grow. Which is the higher standard, to never actually commit the act of adultery or to not desire the other woman? It would be all but impossible to do the latter by our own power. But the former might be within our will power or self control. The radical shift in ethics is most pronounced in the transition from “hate your enemies“ to “love your enemies”. This righteousness is higher and better than any legalistic righteousness. Not only is it better because the conduct is in itself better, but also because the motivation has changed and the dynamic that powers it has changed. The word translated “perfect” meaning "whole" or "complete" is more than moral perfection or behavioral perfection. It is a life integrated into the will of God and because of this it reflects His character. We love our enemies because that is God’s nature. He blesses the righteous and the unrighteous with rain.

When the motivation is shifted from ourselves and onto the life of God we enter into the state Paul described in Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

This is not focused on sinless perfectionism-being behaviorally perfect-but on the whole person in the presence of God. The internal conflicts fade when there are no longer two forces in a divided person fighting for control. An evil person who is given over to evil isn’t bothered by a conscience. On the other hand, the righteous person given over completely to God has also moved beyond the battle and only lives a whole life of holiness.

"Lord, I desire to be holy like You are holy. Help me to die to myself and to live in You. AMEN"

Matthew 5:21-32

 Matthew 5.21-32

In Matthew 5: 17- 20 Jesus calls his disciples to a better righteousness. This righteousness is built on a relationship with God. Loving God is the center and the focus of life. Now Jesus gives examples of what that will be like. Jesus is not advocating a more stringent form of legalism. Take calling someone a fool for example; never call anyone "you fool". We must not think there is a prohibition against calling someone a fool but there’s no prohibition against calling someone by another derogatory name. Jesus is calling for a higher ethic not a more stringent set of rules. This higher ethic will do more than any set of rules ever could.

Additionally, Jesus is addressing what is behind the obvious or less obvious issues that are motivating evil behavior. What is behind murder or calling someone a fool? What is the motivation behind adultery or simple lust? Why is there a need for oaths in the first place and the prohibition of not breaking an oath? The outer action is wrong in and of itself, but it is also an indicator of something much deeper and perhaps secret that has gone or is going wrong. The cure for both the outer manifestation and the hidden attitude in our hearts is Jesus and His view of the situation. There is to be no murder or name calling because all people are created in the image of God and therefore, they are sacred. We cannot commit adultery or lust because marriage is sacred and is an expression of a greater holy union. The dilution of desire for spouse either by another person or by imagination devalues the spouse and what marriage symbolizes. Sex is more than a biological act; it is a drama of the Godhead. Lust or adultery is betrayal of that drama and the person and God.

We must ask, why is righteousness constantly under assault? The list of reasons might be nearly endless but the main reason is simple. We are selfish and we care less about the Lord and others than about our own desires.

"Lord by Your Spirit bring conviction to me today. Help me to never entertain any thought, word or deed that values myself about You or others. AMEN

Matthew 5:13-20

 Matthew 5.13-20

The first part of this passage is about the disciple being by his very nature a witness in the world, by being the light, the salt, and the city on the hill. This is all about being different in a bland, dark, and dangerous world. The Old Testament idea of God as light and illumination has now passed on into the One who fulfills the promises: God made flesh, and through Him to the disciples.

This is possible because it is all about Jesus. Jesus identifies Himself as the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament system. This is a radical even an insane statement for a Jew unless that person were the reason for the Old Testament’s existence. Understanding “why” of the Old Testament gives the reason that not one part passes away. The purpose of the Old Testament was not to give legal righteousness or even a moral code. The purpose was to prepare for the one who was to come. The problem with discarding the Old Testament is not that it erodes morality. That maybe true. The problem of discounting the Old Testament is it dishonors the preparation for the Messiah. The person who does so is a small or low impact disciple (v. 19).

But even the small disciple is better than the legalist who sees the Old Testament in terms of his salvation by personal righteousness. The legalist is good so the people can see how good he is. The disciple is good so the people will see how good God is.

Consider it this way; there are three persons to consider. The first person has the higher righteousness of loving God and uses the Old Testament to assist them in their love of God. The second person seeks the Messiah but has failed to understand the Old Testament. The third person is attempting to use the Old Testament to achieve self-righteousness. We need to think about which of these three kinds of people we are.

"Lord rule over my thoughts, words, and actions today in such a way that people will honor You because in me they have come close to You. AMEN"

Matthew 5:1-13

 Matthew 5:1-13

This with the rest of the Sermon on the Mount is about the life of a disciple. Blessed is a poor translation rather we should use “fortunate” or better yet “enviable”. “Your life is enviable when….” These are often eschatological statements. This is not civic or moral law for societies at large. They are rather statement of kingdom citizenship.

“Poor in spirit” meaning to humbly put their trust in God. The kingdom belongs to them because they are God’s people.

“Those who mourn” are those whose life, from this world’s perspective, is not a happy life because of their loyalty to God. They are to be envied because God will work it out in the end.

“The meek” are those who do not throw their weight around. They rely on God to give them what is their due. God gives what the world can never take. Meekness is not merely a matter of social justice or personal moral righteousness but a relationship with God that is unclouded by disobedience.

“To hunger and thirst after righteousness” is to desire to obey the Lord.

“The merciful” enjoy on the positive side of the reciprocal nature of sowing and reaping. They have been merciful or sown mercy; they will receive or reap mercy.

“Pure in heart” is more than ordinary moral purity or even sexual purity. The pure in heart has a heart undivided, where there is no alloy of disloyalty mixed in. Such a one sees God and the kingdom and its glory now.

“The peacemakers” have a distinct absence of selfish ambition. They have learned to set aside their own agenda to accomplish the agenda of peace-God’s peace.

“Persecuted for righteousness” is more than being good. It is the orientation of a life toward God and His will. These, like those mentioned in verse three inherit the kingdom. The repetition of the Kingdom of God indicates this refers to the life of the beatitudes. Persecution indicates identification with the Lord. Reward is not a just payment. They receive disproportionate grace-filled mercy. The reward in heaven has more to do with God; He is their great reward. He is enjoyed both before and after death.

The phrase “lost its taste” in verse 13 represents the Aramaic idiom “has become foolish”. A foolish disciple has no influence on the world.

Prayer thought: “Lord, help me to live as a disciple following you and you alone, Amen.”

Matthew 4:17-25

 Matthew 4:17-25

Jesus began preaching about the kingdom and immediately started calling disciples. Making disciples is apparently pretty important for Jesus and for his ministry purposes, but is apparently of little value to the contemporary American church. What does it mean to make a disciple? To be a disciple means to follow. It is certainly more than to listen of a weekly sermon. It is time together with the Master consistently in order to hear the teachings of the Master. Often the disciples had Jesus to themselves and in these times they discussed in detail his public teaching. Going out and repeating the process is a part of being a disciple. The disciples Jesus called were evidently successful in their trades. Entering into poverty for the kingdom is an excellent trade off.

Three aspects of Jesus‘ ministry are mentioned in this passage. First, teaching in the synagogues would have been the exposition of Scripture. Those who would follow Jesus must be a people who know the Word of God. Second, proclaiming the kingdom would have been the public ministry of Jesus in his teachings. It is tragic that almost all the proclamation of the church is directed at the church. Most of Jesus’ teaching occurred outside of the context of the synagogues. Third, healing ministry of Jesus-making a difference. The Lord’s presence meant that things were going to change for people. That cannot always be said for Christians or for the church today.

As disciples we must ask ourselves are we following the Lord’s pattern? Currently, the American church is spending the vast majority of its budget, time and energy on taking care of its own. The church expects the lost to come in, in order to receive. Many Christians feel that to watch or perhaps participate in the church’s function is enough. It isn’t. But serving the Lord can be difficult. But to enter into trouble, hardship, frustration or poverty while doing these three is a great trade.

Prayer thought: Lord, don’t let us waste so much as one day of our lives. Instead, let us give every day to You in order that You may do through us what You will, Amen.

Matthew 4:12-17

 Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus has returned to the Jordan valley and from the other Gospels we know that He also had a ministry of teaching and his disciples were baptizing in the river. When Jesus learns that John was arrested Jesus leaves the Jordan valley to go to Nazareth. In the same verse we learn that Jesus leaves Nazareth and goes to Capernaum.

There is an important principle in these geographic verses. That principle is that Jesus is completely subject to the Father’s timing and leading. There will come a day when Jesus will be tried in a Roman court, but that day is about three years away, it was not yet time. John’s ministry was widespread and well known and with John in prison if Jesus had continued His ministry in the Jordan River region He would have most likely picked up John’s followers and have enjoyed extreme popularity. With such popularity in that location and in the circumstances of John’s arrest an anti-Herod movement may have developed. This could have resulted in a premature arrest of Jesus. Herod rejected the message of repentance, so Jesus will move on. Jesus returns home and in Nazareth His stay, according to Luke, was short and unpleasant. Again the message of repentance is rejected and Jesus willingly walks away.

So, His home becomes Capernaum. Galilee of the Gentiles was the land of outcasts. The people of Jerusalem and Judea generally regarded Galilean Jews as tainted, the hick rubes of the family tree. They lived and co-existed with a large Gentile population. This was a land closer to the pagan and heathen influences. This was the land of the political, educational, economic, religious and social underdogs. Into the land of a troupe of castaways, untouchables, undesirables, has-beens that never really were, the Lord finds His people. Verse 16 is poetic and beautiful; in the dark, in the land of the dead, Light and Life have come. Lovingly and offering hope, Jesus begins letting people in on the secret that the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.

Because our faith so mimics our society we often want our place in the Lord’s service to be a place of upward mobility. Think for a moment of how the church works toward bigger, better, wealthier and more publicized ministry. Jesus was unconcerned with upward mobility. He was concerned with speaking the Kingdom’s news to those who would listen.

Prayer challenge: Ask the Lord to move you toward meaningful service and ministry with eyes that are blind to the trappings of success, power or prestige. And with eyes open to see where you can serve Him with those open to the Good News of the Kingdom.

Matthew 4:1-11

 Matthew 4.1-11

It is better to call this episode the “Testing of Christ” because ultimately it is the Spirit that led Jesus into the desert for the purpose of His testing using the enemy. Matthew is going to contrast the failure of Israel in the wilderness with the obedience of the Son.

In the first test Jesus is asked by the enemy to use His power to meet his own needs. After 40 days with no food Jesus is beginning to starve. The temptation is to look at His own needs and the incredible resources at His disposal. But Jesus will not take His eyes off the Father and be distracted from obedience to the Father? Not even by something so vital as bread.

The second test also reflects back to Israel’s failure in the wilderness. A consistent theme for Israel in the wilderness wanderings was, “Is God with us or not?” Constant worry over “is God with me” reflects a doubt about God’s faithfulness. The temptation is to take the focus off the Father and direct toward the circumstance. To create a crisis to force God’s intervention reverses the roles in which we are testing God to discover what is in His character and thus indicating serious doubt on our part. God’s faithfulness and character are so intertwined that to doubt one is to question the other.

The third test is the offer of a short cut. The enemy offers world-wide dominion without the cross. Jesus can have it all and do so without the agony. What great good could come from the loving magnanimous reign of Jesus as world king? All this good can be accomplished with one compromise in the process. There are two problems. First, it is an invitation for Jesus to focus on the needs of the world and not the will of the Father. Second, the process matters! There are no short cuts. To attempt to accomplish the right ends via the wrong means indicates that we are starting in the wrong place.

When Jesus had passed the last test the Father sent relief. We should not miss the point that what the Lord would not do for Himself the Father did for Him, when the time was right.

• Let nothing distract me from obeying the One who has called me.
• Living in faith and asking for God’s provision is appropriate; questioning His character by challenging His faithfulness is not.
• Achieving great things in the wrong way by the wrong means is still wrong.

“Lord, save me from the hour of testing, but if I must face testing let me always keep my focus on You, Amen”

Matthew 3:13-17

 Matthew 3.13-17

Jesus comes to John for baptism but John is resistant. Jesus is going to do something greater than John’s ministry and so John feels that he should be baptized by Jesus to be a part of this greater reality. Jesus says that John should permit the baptism at this “time” for “us” to fulfill all righteousness.

Notice that Jesus has a profound sense of the Father’s timing. How often we get into a mess by not being in the Father’s timing. For some things we want we act as if now is the only time. If we are less interested, we act as if the only time is another time. Jesus was in the Father’s time. Timing has less to do with chronology than it has to do with opportunity. May the Lord help us to read the time properly.

Don’t miss that Jesus says “us” to fulfill righteousness. Jesus and John together will accomplish the will of the Father. Jesus’ condescension is not just to man but also to accepting man’s leadership to accomplish the Father’s will. Jesus put Himself in such a position so that He could not accomplish God’s will alone. Jewish proselyte baptism was self-administered but in this case Jesus needed another person. If the God-Man needed another person, how much more so do we need the community of faith, the body of Christ; the church?

Righteousness in the book of Matthew is not merely good behavior, although that would certainly be a part. Righteousness is not even a legal position in regard to right and wrong. Righteousness is the relationship with God that focuses on obedience and as a disciple the motivation of that obedience is love.

Why was Jesus baptized? He was baptized because He loved the Father and in loving the Father He wanted to please Him. Unloving conformity is never enough.

"Lord grant me the humility to graciously submit to those around me, as You direct me. AMEN"

Matthew 3:1-12

 Matthew 3.1-12

Between the end of Matthew 2 and the beginning of Matthew 3 thirty years transpire. Matthew gives us important themes in this introduction featuring John the Baptist. These themes will be repeated from time to time during the whole story that Matthew shares. The first theme is that of repentance. Repentance is more that remorse over evil done; it is even more than a change of mind about the nature of right and wrong. Repentance is a call to abandon rebellion against God and return to the covenant-obedience as one of God’s people. Feeling guilty and saying a half-hearted or even a heart felt “Sorry” is not repentance.

The repentance John calls for is expressed as “fruit’ as he responds to the Pharisees and Sadducees. Verse 7 is translated into English that they came “for baptism”. This misses the mark, it is better understood they came “to baptism”. This was not a group of sincere individuals returning to God, rather a delegation of the authorities coming to see whom this character was and if he represented a threat to their power structure. John welcomes them with the designation of “brood of vipers”. Sounding archaic we may not recognized the insulting nature of John’s verbal volley. Vipers were unclean animals, they were a deadly threat and they would have been associated with the tempter in the garden. To call someone a child of a viper would be at least as insulting as calling him a son of a bitch. Their destruction is at hand and John tells them the way out in verse 8. This theme of “fruit” is another theme that will be repeated often in Matthew. For John, Jesus-and indeed in the whole New Testament-the life of a disciple is not one of outward rituals and forms, but of a life that produces godliness in behavior and character.

The third theme that John presents that will weave its way through the whole book is “The Kingdom of Heaven”. Matthew uses this phrase more often than the other Gospel writers, while Mark and Luke use “Kingdom of God”. The Kingdom of Heaven is the realm where the King of Heaven rules and now that Heavenly Kingdom has come. Our English doesn’t adequately express the near proximity with the translation “is at hand”. The time of decision has come. If there was ever a time of neutrality that time has passed because the King of Heaven has brought His rule and is now here.

Each day the Kingdom of God comes on earth as we submit by repentance and obedience to His rule. That submission is evidenced by the fruit of our lives and marks the choice we make either to be followers of Christ or to be a bunch of sons of vipers.

“Father, flood over me with Your Holy Spirit’s conviction of any place where I have not repented and committed myself to loving obedience to you. In the Name of my Lord Jesus, Amen.”

Matthew 2:13-23

 Matthew 2.13-23

We have no idea what Joseph expected from life. Most likely it was to live the quiet life of a builder/construction worker in the small community of Nazareth. Having a larger gentile population Nazareth was possibly less of a threat to Rome and would have been an unlikely place to face Roman hostility. He would marry the girl he loved have children and Lord willing, see the second generation before he was gathered to his ancestors.

Joseph had no way of expecting what was to come. Without expecting or wanting it he is thrown into the middle of the greatest drama in the history of the universe. Rather than the quiet life he expected, angels visit Joseph in his dreams, so real, so powerful, so vivid that he cannot deny them and he can do nothing other than obey. In a place far from his home Joseph’s stepson is born. First come the shepherds with their own angel stories. Next come the Magi, the mysterious visitors from the East with stories of celestial movements. Another dream, a warning this time to get out of town. They escape the murderous rage of a mad man, but perhaps it was close. However, their escape did not take them home but to Egypt to live with an expat community. Finally, another message-did Joseph ever get used to super natural communications? This was the call to go home.

This is quite the detour from the life Joseph may have expected to the life that he lived. It was a long way from what he expected to what he experienced. Remember Joseph never asked for this. Perhaps the best thing to be said about Joseph was near the beginning of this story. Matthew 1:24: “And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” He was living his life trying to do what was right and when he was confronted with the unexpected he did what the Lord wanted done. We can’t say much about Joseph except that as far as we know he was obedient to God.

That is all I can want.

“Lord, let my faith be simple and my obedience to You complete. It need not be complicated; give me simple faith and simple obedience.” Amen.

Matthew 2:1-12

 Matthew 2.1-12

Missing the point is easier than we might think. In this passage we have Herod deep in darkness and evil. We have the Magi, wise and seeking. But we must not miss the Chief Priest and scribes, people who knew the scriptures. Herod was on bad terms with the Sanhedrin, nevertheless there were at least some leaders he could talk to for answers. They knew the scriptures, but did they recognize the Christ? The religious elites were so infected with the system of power and privilege that even though they could know where the Messiah would be born it made no personal difference for them. All they had was information that was only useful to curry favor and advance their cause. It did not draw them close to God.

From Jerusalem to Bethlehem was less than 5 miles. Verse 6 indicates that they were aware of the predictions, that they had the information concerning the facts of the Messiah’s birth. But they made no effort to find the Christ child for themselves. Were they unaware of Herod’s intent? They certainly knew his character. The religious institution, with its magnetism, pulled them so powerfully that they missed the Messiah. There were functions that had to be performed. There were meetings to attend. There were matters, important and trivial, that did not allow them to see the questions about the Christ as anything more than an academic pursuit.

May God grant us the grace that in our study of the Bible, our work in the faith community, our conversations about God, our frustrations and joys in congregations that we never miss our Lord. In our conversations with the Herods of our world may we never miss the Messiah.

Matthew 1:18-25

 Matthew 1.18-25

Matthew begins laying out a very careful argument that Jesus is the Messiah. First he does so with the genealogy that began this chapter now he turns to the connection of Joseph, Mary and the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Matthew moves from the natural, Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s pregnancy, to the supernatural, the revelation of what happened and who Jesus was to be.

There are two characteristics of Jesus that would be desirable in anyone’s life. First, he was a “righteous man”, a man who kept the law, who loved the law, a law-abiding man. The high priority in Jewish life for the Law was expressed in faithful conformity to the law, not just knowledge of it. Second, he was a kind man. He could have divorced Mary in public humiliation. In a small town that would have been very harsh and difficult for Mary. By all natural expectations that would be the very best that Mary might expect. Joseph’s willingness to radically adjust his life and expectation at the call of God was formed by his love for the Word of God and his kind heart.

It is worth noticing the “fear not” context in this passage. Typically, when an angel commands, “Fear not,” it is understood as, “Don’t be afraid of me,” but in this case the message is. “Don’t be afraid of the circumstances”. The angel says, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife.” This would not protect them from the social stigma. Joseph’s reputation as a “righteous man” would certainly take a hit. The external circumstances would not be made easier. It would, however, quiet the inner storm and when we are at peace with God and at peace within we are more able to deal with the conflicts of life.

"Lord, help me to Love the Word, Be Kind, and fear no circumstance. AMEN"