Jesus' model prayer next moves from our immediate physical needs to the sustenance of the inner man. Forgive us as we have forgiven others. Though each member of the Father’s family has received forgiveness in the fullest sense so that none will answer in final judgment for his or her sin, the matter does not end there. We have begun a relationship with the Father but we have not fully rid ourselves of the old man, the rebellious man, the self-directed man. We each know that more regularly than we would like, we turn our backs on the Father and go our own ways. It may only happen for a moment, but in that moment relationship becomes broken. Forgiveness paves the way to restoration. But Jesus describes this forgiveness in a particular way – not just any forgiveness, but forgiveness that mirrors that which we extend to others. You can hear the echo of another portion of the Sermon. “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
Jesus does not suggest that we can earn our forgiveness by forgiving others. No, the New Testament clearly states over and over that we, in fact, cannot earn forgiveness. Instead, Jesus points to the primacy of relationships in God’s kingdom. Remember back to when Jesus redefined murder to include something deeper than the physical act. At the end of the discussion, He emphasized the restoration of relationships – if I’m engaged in what a first century Jew considered his highest duty, ritual worship, and discovered that a brother had something against me, I ought to set aside my worship, go to my brother and restore our relationship. “God does not work by halves. He will not allow us to come to Him confessing half a sin while hanging on to the other half. It must be all or nothing. Thus if we confess our sin, our confession must of necessity involve a forgiving attitude towards others.” By asking God to forgive us as we have forgiven others, we impliedly ask God to assist us in forgiving others. For, without that the restorative act of forgiveness towards others, we cannot effectively seek the forgiveness of God we so desperately need.
Finally, we hear the call of our daily battle: lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. The term “temptation” is a neutral word, sometimes meaning to lure one into sin and other times to test or try a person. James makes it clear that God does not lure anyone into sin. “When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. “ That leaves only one option to clarify this phrase in the prayer: do not lead us into trials. If possible, keep me away from the places where I might be tested. But if tested, deliver me from the evil one, keep me from sin. I do not want to experience testing, but I might need it.
Several biblical principles help us navigate the shoals here. First, though unpleasant, testing has its place. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And, finally, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Testing will help form us into the people God intends by forcing us to face the weak points where we have yet to surrender to Christ’s authority. It will provide us a history of God’s work in our lives which builds our faith into an absolute expectation. God will use even those events intended by others for the worst outcomes toward us to our good, bringing towards our inheritance one step at a time. And Finally, God will never allow the testing to go beyond the resource He provides and our ability to grasp it. He will always, always provide a way of escape.
Just after the prayer Jesus talks about our treasure, a fitting commentary on the jump from petition for bread to meet our temporal needs and the request to receive forgiveness and avoid temptations to satisfy our souls. He’s already told us not to worry about our material needs, but here He goes beyond our needs to those things we hold dear, to our treasure. What kinds of treasure do we have – horded earthy things, wealth, power, and status, or the eternal treasure of refined character, wisdom, powerful faith, and God-like love? Jesus makes it clear, we can’t have both – we’ll either “hate the one and love the other,” or “be devoted to the one and despise the other.” In the end, like metal detector beeps in the ear of a beach sand jewelry hound, our treasure will shout out the home of our hearts. They either rest in the hands of Jesus, a fitting gift for the One who turned them from stone to flesh, or we’ll have clutched them to ourselves where they slavishly serve our desires alone.
This brings us to the end of the Sermon and the final exam. We only have two options after hearing Jesus’ words: put them into practice, or not. The one who puts them into practice builds for herself a foundation that will not fail. Rain, rising water, nor beating wind can move the house built on the rock. Even if we must encounter temptation or trials, we can endure. We will have the strength to restore relationships and actively seek the good of others. Our kingdom lives will flavor the lives of those whom we touch and provide a Jesus beacon to a groping world. We will rid ourselves of contempt and lust and garnish our conversations with truth.
The other side of this canvas bears the portrait of a house built on sand. Rain, rising water, and beating wind will have their way with this house and will reduce it to a pile of rubble and bits of flotsam that disappear with the tide. This might occur through neglect or outright refusal, but the result remains the same. Can we witness any greater disaster than one who recognizes and responds to the salvation call of Jesus, yet fails to put His words into practice – one who has entered the kingdom gates but fails to put all into kingdom life?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Staying in the Kingdom
After instructing His disciples not to pray as the pagans do, mindlessly repeating the same words or phrases, hoping that repetition will have some effect, Jesus says, when you pray, pray like this:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Though he had an existential slant to his theology, Karl Barth was a deep theological thinker, prolific writer, and an ardent follower of Jesus. When this one who could fill a wheelbarrow with the books he’d written on theology was asked, how do sum up your theology, your view of God, responded “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” I’ve heard this described as simplicity on the other side of complexity. For Karl Barth to quote the words to a child’s tune means much more than when sung by a first grade Sunday School class. For Barth, these simple words were jammed with a depth of meaning that many adults may never comprehend.
I think of Jesus’ words in the Lord’s Prayer in a way. Even a cursory glance at the Gospel of John leaves one with the conclusion that Jesus and the Father are one – knowing each other so intimately that to know one is to know the other. So when Jesus speaks these simple words, only 53 in total, they carry an exponential depth of meaning. They touch the tips of icebergs that we will rightfully spend a lifetime exploring.
Though we cannot treat them exhaustion here, a helicopter view of the portions that breach the surface will do us well. First, note that Jesus introduced the “Lord’s Prayer” with a warning – don’t pray like the heathens – which indicate He intended this as a pattern for prayer rather than a literal string of words for us to repeat. Even so, we often find it useful when praying corporately or individually to use these actual words, particularly when we begin to understand their full meaning. In that way, they become for us simplicity beyond complexity – common words with deep meaning.
The prayer begins first with God and then moves to us, setting the proper relationship and attitude for our own prayer. All but once (while hanging on the cross – “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Jesus addresses God as Father. The Jews would have heard this as something unique and new in matters spiritual. We commonly hear how the Jews would not even speak the name of God and as a result, we do not have an accurate pronunciation of His name YHWHW. In contrast, and in keeping with the announcement that the Kingdom of God is near, that new access to God has arrived, Jesus calls God “Father.” Even with such an intimate address, we must still hallow, or hold sacred, or sanctify, or set apart, the name of God. We must use it in consideration of who He is (He’s God and we’re not).
In the second of three phrases focusing on God, Jesus addresses the Kingdom – requesting that it come. Let’s think about that for a moment. What is a kingdom? In common terms a kingdom consists of all that comes under the power and authority of its king. A kingdom exists in the place where activity bends to the will of the king. Sitting in our world with His dicisples, Jesus says we ought to pray that here, were we live out our present lives, God’s kingdom might come. He instructs us to petition the Father to make His presence as King, the one to whom the subjects defer, known.
In the third God-focused phrase, Jesus enforces the idea of God’s kingdom coming now by instructing us to pray for His will to be done just as it is in heaven. In heaven He rules unopposed, without the rebellion of sin. Later on, we’ll discuss how this Kingdom or rule of God ought to extend to every arena of life and how Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God in His place as our King lays claim to every inch of human existence.
After setting the priorities – recognizing who is King, Jesus moves to four petitions that cover the entirety of human existence. First, our sustenance. This directive thrusts at the idea of complete reliance upon the Father for sustenance. It also indicates we ought to pray this way regularly and repeatedly, today for our daily bread. Two other sections of the Sermon flesh out the short phrase, “give us today our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:25-34 begins “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” And it continues “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Rather than worry about our daily bread, we ought to come regularly to our Father, who knows that we need them, acknowledge our dependence upon Him and simply, reverently, and faithfully ask. If we ask, “it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.“ (Matthew 7:7-11). Still, what assurance do I have that God will really do what He says? "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Though he had an existential slant to his theology, Karl Barth was a deep theological thinker, prolific writer, and an ardent follower of Jesus. When this one who could fill a wheelbarrow with the books he’d written on theology was asked, how do sum up your theology, your view of God, responded “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” I’ve heard this described as simplicity on the other side of complexity. For Karl Barth to quote the words to a child’s tune means much more than when sung by a first grade Sunday School class. For Barth, these simple words were jammed with a depth of meaning that many adults may never comprehend.
I think of Jesus’ words in the Lord’s Prayer in a way. Even a cursory glance at the Gospel of John leaves one with the conclusion that Jesus and the Father are one – knowing each other so intimately that to know one is to know the other. So when Jesus speaks these simple words, only 53 in total, they carry an exponential depth of meaning. They touch the tips of icebergs that we will rightfully spend a lifetime exploring.
Though we cannot treat them exhaustion here, a helicopter view of the portions that breach the surface will do us well. First, note that Jesus introduced the “Lord’s Prayer” with a warning – don’t pray like the heathens – which indicate He intended this as a pattern for prayer rather than a literal string of words for us to repeat. Even so, we often find it useful when praying corporately or individually to use these actual words, particularly when we begin to understand their full meaning. In that way, they become for us simplicity beyond complexity – common words with deep meaning.
The prayer begins first with God and then moves to us, setting the proper relationship and attitude for our own prayer. All but once (while hanging on the cross – “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Jesus addresses God as Father. The Jews would have heard this as something unique and new in matters spiritual. We commonly hear how the Jews would not even speak the name of God and as a result, we do not have an accurate pronunciation of His name YHWHW. In contrast, and in keeping with the announcement that the Kingdom of God is near, that new access to God has arrived, Jesus calls God “Father.” Even with such an intimate address, we must still hallow, or hold sacred, or sanctify, or set apart, the name of God. We must use it in consideration of who He is (He’s God and we’re not).
In the second of three phrases focusing on God, Jesus addresses the Kingdom – requesting that it come. Let’s think about that for a moment. What is a kingdom? In common terms a kingdom consists of all that comes under the power and authority of its king. A kingdom exists in the place where activity bends to the will of the king. Sitting in our world with His dicisples, Jesus says we ought to pray that here, were we live out our present lives, God’s kingdom might come. He instructs us to petition the Father to make His presence as King, the one to whom the subjects defer, known.
In the third God-focused phrase, Jesus enforces the idea of God’s kingdom coming now by instructing us to pray for His will to be done just as it is in heaven. In heaven He rules unopposed, without the rebellion of sin. Later on, we’ll discuss how this Kingdom or rule of God ought to extend to every arena of life and how Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God in His place as our King lays claim to every inch of human existence.
After setting the priorities – recognizing who is King, Jesus moves to four petitions that cover the entirety of human existence. First, our sustenance. This directive thrusts at the idea of complete reliance upon the Father for sustenance. It also indicates we ought to pray this way regularly and repeatedly, today for our daily bread. Two other sections of the Sermon flesh out the short phrase, “give us today our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:25-34 begins “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” And it continues “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Rather than worry about our daily bread, we ought to come regularly to our Father, who knows that we need them, acknowledge our dependence upon Him and simply, reverently, and faithfully ask. If we ask, “it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.“ (Matthew 7:7-11). Still, what assurance do I have that God will really do what He says? "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Warnings
Jesus’ warnings continue in Matthew chapter 7 – don’t judge, don’t throw valuable things to the pigs, avoid the wide road, and watch out for false prophets. Taken by itself, Matthew 7:1 appears to present a prohibition against judging. However, when we couple it with the illustration that follows something different emerges. The example ends with “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye,” not “don’t look at the speck in your brother’s eye.” Jesus did not prohibit judging, but contemptible judging, the kind that disregards the common fallen condition of all mankind with its propensity for sin, including in us. This kind makes a determination on the value of the person judged and elevates the person judging in the process. Contemptible judging does not direct itself in any way toward the benefit of the one judged. Jesus says this kind of judging doesn’t belong in the kingdom.
What kind of judging does belong? Jesus’ example gives us a good start. First, it recognizes that the one passing judgment must guard against the infirmaries of his own flesh. He must begin with self-examination, removing the vision blocking element from his own eye before he attempts to assist his brother. Galatians 6:1-4 comes to mind. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” This passage makes it clear that we judge for the purpose of restoration and we do it in a spirit of humility, understanding the well worn saying “there but for the grace of God go I.”
Within the body of Christ, we do not posses the made-up rights assumed in today’s world. However, outside the body, proper judging becomes impossible because we have lost a common standard. Each person retains the right to make their own rules, to live life the way they see fit. Imagine what that would look like in a criminal proceeding. The defendant (named Joe) enters the court and the judge reads the charges against him. When finished, Joe’s lawyer stands up with a fat book in hand and says “your honor, I have here the law according to Joe and the violations of law alleged by the state appear nowhere in Joe’s law. Therefore, you must release Joe immediately.” If Joe really does get to make up his own law, what choice would the court have? The judge must release Joe. In fact, we should call the court official something other than a judge for no judging could possible take place. Sadly, Joe becomes the loser in this story. He misses the opportunity to have his life formed closer to what God intended. Even if Joe does not respond to the prospect of an eternal relationship with Jesus, he would benefit from proper judging because it would encourage him to live his life based on the truth.
Commentators most commonly treat Jesus’ next warning as an instruction not to spend the gospel on those who have rejected it – not throwing the “pearls” of the gospel before the swine. If we view this verse from a few steps back, a fuller meaning emerges. We should not throw our pearls to swine not because they don’t deserver them, but because they have no use for them. Pigs primarily have a single goal: food. Pearls are no good for food. Let’s not force the pearls of the gospel on folks while they remain in a pigly state, one in which they have yet to understand the value of gospel pearls. Once they recognize the value, a transformation will occur. They become like the man who discovered a pearl of great price in a field and in his excitement, ran and purchased the field so he could possess the pearl.
I recently attended a graduation party for the daughter of some old friends. They live on a small road that connects to a much busier one and if I’ve missed the turn once, I’ve missed it twenty times. If I want to actually end up at my friends’ home, I have to work at it, paying attention to the where the turnoff is and make the turn. Jesus reminds us that like visiting my friends, we do not come to the kingdom by accident. Not at all. We must choose the path that leads to the kingdom and apply some effort. The path that misses the kingdom requires little effort. It has wide margins and will take any who come. The kingdom road, on the other hand, requires that we choose and act.
Finally, Jesus warns “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Alright, I’m watching. What should I look for? “By their fruit you will recognize them.” Grapes don’t come from thorn bushes and we don’t get figs from thistles. Only true prophets will bear kingdom fruit. And, what does kingdom fruit look like? It looks like what Jesus has described so far in the sermon. It runs deeper than the actions of a man. It comes from a heart which Jesus has transformed and it works itself out in action reflective of that transformation. Who should I listen to and who should I follow? Jesus has carefully laid out the pattern of a true prophet so we can discern his fruit. The rest is up to us.
What kind of judging does belong? Jesus’ example gives us a good start. First, it recognizes that the one passing judgment must guard against the infirmaries of his own flesh. He must begin with self-examination, removing the vision blocking element from his own eye before he attempts to assist his brother. Galatians 6:1-4 comes to mind. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” This passage makes it clear that we judge for the purpose of restoration and we do it in a spirit of humility, understanding the well worn saying “there but for the grace of God go I.”
Within the body of Christ, we do not posses the made-up rights assumed in today’s world. However, outside the body, proper judging becomes impossible because we have lost a common standard. Each person retains the right to make their own rules, to live life the way they see fit. Imagine what that would look like in a criminal proceeding. The defendant (named Joe) enters the court and the judge reads the charges against him. When finished, Joe’s lawyer stands up with a fat book in hand and says “your honor, I have here the law according to Joe and the violations of law alleged by the state appear nowhere in Joe’s law. Therefore, you must release Joe immediately.” If Joe really does get to make up his own law, what choice would the court have? The judge must release Joe. In fact, we should call the court official something other than a judge for no judging could possible take place. Sadly, Joe becomes the loser in this story. He misses the opportunity to have his life formed closer to what God intended. Even if Joe does not respond to the prospect of an eternal relationship with Jesus, he would benefit from proper judging because it would encourage him to live his life based on the truth.
Commentators most commonly treat Jesus’ next warning as an instruction not to spend the gospel on those who have rejected it – not throwing the “pearls” of the gospel before the swine. If we view this verse from a few steps back, a fuller meaning emerges. We should not throw our pearls to swine not because they don’t deserver them, but because they have no use for them. Pigs primarily have a single goal: food. Pearls are no good for food. Let’s not force the pearls of the gospel on folks while they remain in a pigly state, one in which they have yet to understand the value of gospel pearls. Once they recognize the value, a transformation will occur. They become like the man who discovered a pearl of great price in a field and in his excitement, ran and purchased the field so he could possess the pearl.
I recently attended a graduation party for the daughter of some old friends. They live on a small road that connects to a much busier one and if I’ve missed the turn once, I’ve missed it twenty times. If I want to actually end up at my friends’ home, I have to work at it, paying attention to the where the turnoff is and make the turn. Jesus reminds us that like visiting my friends, we do not come to the kingdom by accident. Not at all. We must choose the path that leads to the kingdom and apply some effort. The path that misses the kingdom requires little effort. It has wide margins and will take any who come. The kingdom road, on the other hand, requires that we choose and act.
Finally, Jesus warns “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Alright, I’m watching. What should I look for? “By their fruit you will recognize them.” Grapes don’t come from thorn bushes and we don’t get figs from thistles. Only true prophets will bear kingdom fruit. And, what does kingdom fruit look like? It looks like what Jesus has described so far in the sermon. It runs deeper than the actions of a man. It comes from a heart which Jesus has transformed and it works itself out in action reflective of that transformation. Who should I listen to and who should I follow? Jesus has carefully laid out the pattern of a true prophet so we can discern his fruit. The rest is up to us.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Outside the Kingdom
In the next section of the sermon (Matthew chapter 6), Jesus dishes out some stern warnings. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.” Jesus gives three examples of how the religious folk of the day missed the point of their practices. Rather than honoring God, they did little more than honor themselves. When they gave money to the poor, they sounded a trumpet. They wanted everyone to look up like we do today when we here a fire truck’s siren. They did their praying on street corners (and probably out loud). Finally, when fasting, they would put on a “gloomy face” and ignore their personal grooming. They were the first century equivalent of that co-worker who mopes around the office does everything in his power to entice you to ask “are you O.K.” so he can cut fifteen minutes off of your lifespan by telling you how horrible his life is. In each of these instances, giving, praying, and fasting, Jesus repeats a single conclusion. “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”
The ability to ignore God and go our own way gives significance to our choices. If I were not morally responsible for rejecting God, my choices would mean nothing. However, since I can reject God, choosing God becomes highly significant. God respects our choices whether for Him or against Him. To do otherwise would rob us of our freedom and ultimately destroy our personhood. Without the ability to choose in this manner, we could not claim to be the image a personal God.[1]
So, if I choose to use spiritual disciplines to gain the admiration of men, God will let me do so. However, that does not mean that He’ll agree to participate in my sham. Human admiration will become my prize, all I get, my “reward in full.” Giving away my money will just make me have less money. Praying will only exercise my vocal chords, and fasting will just make me hungry.
In true Jesus form, He doesn’t stop with highlighting the old way, life outside the kingdom. Jesus points it out and then goes on to explain what life in the kingdom will look like. First, we’ll practice spiritual disciplines for their intended purpose. They’ll become part of our partnership with God in working out our salvation. We’ll give to others because they have a need that pulls at our hearts. We’ll pray to build our relationship with God, to seek His involvement in our lives, and to exercise the authority He has given us. We’ll fast to remind ourselves of how the flesh constantly chatters about our physical needs and to attune ourselves to the voice of God. And, we’ll guard the sanctity of these practices by engaging them in secret, avoiding the possibility of abusing them.
[1] The point here is not to debate the meaning of the sovereignty of God. Whether we approach our decision for or against God from a perspective of (a) human will that though corrupt still retains the ability to choose God, or (b) a perspective of compete depravity that requires action from God before we can turn to him, or (c) something between these two views, Scripture is clear that we are morally responsible for a choice against God and He will judge us so.
The ability to ignore God and go our own way gives significance to our choices. If I were not morally responsible for rejecting God, my choices would mean nothing. However, since I can reject God, choosing God becomes highly significant. God respects our choices whether for Him or against Him. To do otherwise would rob us of our freedom and ultimately destroy our personhood. Without the ability to choose in this manner, we could not claim to be the image a personal God.[1]
So, if I choose to use spiritual disciplines to gain the admiration of men, God will let me do so. However, that does not mean that He’ll agree to participate in my sham. Human admiration will become my prize, all I get, my “reward in full.” Giving away my money will just make me have less money. Praying will only exercise my vocal chords, and fasting will just make me hungry.
In true Jesus form, He doesn’t stop with highlighting the old way, life outside the kingdom. Jesus points it out and then goes on to explain what life in the kingdom will look like. First, we’ll practice spiritual disciplines for their intended purpose. They’ll become part of our partnership with God in working out our salvation. We’ll give to others because they have a need that pulls at our hearts. We’ll pray to build our relationship with God, to seek His involvement in our lives, and to exercise the authority He has given us. We’ll fast to remind ourselves of how the flesh constantly chatters about our physical needs and to attune ourselves to the voice of God. And, we’ll guard the sanctity of these practices by engaging them in secret, avoiding the possibility of abusing them.
[1] The point here is not to debate the meaning of the sovereignty of God. Whether we approach our decision for or against God from a perspective of (a) human will that though corrupt still retains the ability to choose God, or (b) a perspective of compete depravity that requires action from God before we can turn to him, or (c) something between these two views, Scripture is clear that we are morally responsible for a choice against God and He will judge us so.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
You Have Heard it Said
Jesus continues his list of examples of kingdom life in Matthew chapter 5. Several things become very clear from this section. First, the Kingdom of God is more than skin deep. It’s a heart change starting on the inside and flowing out into how we live our lives in every arena. Second, relationships, not rules, make up the central concern of the Law. Jesus has not brought a new law, a new set of rules for us to follow. No, He has brought examples for us so that we understand what this new way of living looks like.
It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
In Marks’ Gospel, Jesus explains that Moses allowed the Israelites to issues certificates of divorce only because of the hardness of their hearts. Kingdom law presumes a heart of flesh over a heart of stone, a heart receptive to God’s call and His desires. The divorce practices of Jesus day had degenerated into the no fault divorce we find today, but with more devastating results. Today, divorced mothers often find themselves a part of an underclass of citizens. Unshared family responsibility coupled with, for a number of reasons, lower earning capacity makes single parenting for mothers a daunting task.
What if we added the exclusion and social stigma of first century Judaism to the mix? What if a woman had no property rights and a certificate of divorce might mean living on the street corner? Jesus theme continues by suggesting change that values wives as more than cooks and cleaning women. Such change requires men to break out of their hard heart prisons and decide to make decisions for the benefit of their wives, to love them as their selves.
Beyond the devastating effects of divorce in His day, I believe Jesus had another reason for characterizing the distinctives of Kingdom marriage. When asked by the Pharisees why His disciples did not fast they did, Jesus responded that the groom’s friends don’t fast while he remains with them, only after he leaves. He may not have pointed directly at His role as the groom of the church, but later portions of the New Testament make it clear that the Church is the bride of Christ and that marriage is more than convenient social arrangement. It presents a picture of the union of Jesus and the Church. In addition to providing the foundation of society throughout the ages, it provides us with a constant reminder of where history is going.
Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. "Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.
It always annoys me when someone says “I’m going to be completely honest with you.” What? You haven’t been honest with up to this point? In order to rely on what you say, I need to wait for you to announce that the following words are the truth? That kind of approach to relationships makes growing them a little tough and it's similar to the place of oaths in Jesus’ time. They had become a means to emphasize that what one said equaled the truth. As noted above, that begs the question of when a person operates in truth mode and when not.
Most of us will probably read this passage and think to ourselves, “I’m truthful,” but let’s dig a little deeper. What do we mean by “truthful?” For example, if I want someone to do something for me, can I exclude facts in my request that I believe may cause them to refuse? Can I express my request with words that will technically communicate what I want, but could also communicate something much more favorable? Can I tell them everything, but emphasize the good parts and downplay the hard parts? Should my truth telling change depending upon my audience – say, my best friend versus the other party in a business negotiation?
Jesus presents a simple solution: integrity. Let you yes mean yes and your no mean no. Nothing added, nothing taken away. Only with integrity can we expect to build meaningful relationships with others and with Jesus. But, integrity will not happen by itself. We must have good soil to grow it in and we must cultivate it. Good soil is free of debris, and so we must clear out the relationship debris in our lives. If I engage in relationships to get something from someone else, that motive will challenge my ability to grow integrity. Rather than concerning myself with the needs of others, I will focus on what they have that will meet my needs and how I can get my hands on it. Integrity may or may not help me in that quest and thus I may or may not employ it. Even when sincere caring for others motivates my relationships, integrity will not automatically grow. I need to work at it, remind myself of its importance and consciously employ it.
Integrity does not demand that I tell everyone everything. Jesus Himself had degrees in His relationships which impacted what He shared. He shared with the disciples things He did not share with the crowds and Peter, James, and John experienced things with Jesus that the other disciples did not. However, Jesus did not withhold information that a person needed to in order to make a decision to follow Him. In legal terms, He did not withhold “material” information – the kind of information that if withheld, could change a person’s decision.
Integrity does not demand that I only express the truth in naked form. For example, I have a friend who faces very real integrity challenge. He knows the importance truthfulness in relationships, but always wants to spin his message to others. If that friend came to me an asked my help with his integrity issues, I would not lead with “wow, you’ve finally gotten to the point where you realize everyone thinks your working an angel every time you talk with them.” It’s true, and I might think it, but to say it would only harm my friend and his desire to deal with a significant personal problem. My love for him and my desire to make decisions for his benefit will temper my how I communicate the truth.
You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Jesus continues in this passage to say that if someone wants my shirt, I should give him my coat also, if someone asks me to walk one mile with him, walk two, and if someone wants to borrow from me, give freely. These few verses in particular seem to draw believers in the trap of new laws from Jesus. Some say we should never defend ourselves because Jesus requires us to turn the other cheek. Or, we ought to give our possessions, time, and money away regardless of our other obligations because Jesus taught so in this sermon. Remember, Jesus said the Law will remain intact. He came to fulfill the Law, not bring new ones.
Instead, these represent examples of life in the Kingdom of God. One who has kingdom life, whose heart Jesus has transformed will act differently. He will not demand his right to return a slap to a neighbor who has slapped him, or his right to his possessions in the face of one who needs help, or his right to use his time as he pleases when another intrudes, or his right to spend his money on whatever he chooses. God does not demand these things of us, but our changed hearts will compel us to act this way.
You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . . .
You probably have the idea by now that the Law in the kingdom means much, much more than previously thought. This short statement and the verses following which explain further capture the flavor of this entire section of the sermon. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” If we live the same as everyone else, what does following Jesus matter? God intends something much different. He intends a transformation of our hearts that results in kingdom living, a lifestyle that stands out. It shines like a light on hill and people can’t miss it. It seasons an otherwise meaningless existence and draws in crowds for another taste.
The murmuring around the water cooler that comes to a halt when I walk up won’t consist of complaints about my overbearing religiousness. No, it will be stuffed with whispers about how I’ve changed. And, behind each of those comments by the folks I interact with will squirm a quiet nagging question, “how can I change like that?”
It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
In Marks’ Gospel, Jesus explains that Moses allowed the Israelites to issues certificates of divorce only because of the hardness of their hearts. Kingdom law presumes a heart of flesh over a heart of stone, a heart receptive to God’s call and His desires. The divorce practices of Jesus day had degenerated into the no fault divorce we find today, but with more devastating results. Today, divorced mothers often find themselves a part of an underclass of citizens. Unshared family responsibility coupled with, for a number of reasons, lower earning capacity makes single parenting for mothers a daunting task.
What if we added the exclusion and social stigma of first century Judaism to the mix? What if a woman had no property rights and a certificate of divorce might mean living on the street corner? Jesus theme continues by suggesting change that values wives as more than cooks and cleaning women. Such change requires men to break out of their hard heart prisons and decide to make decisions for the benefit of their wives, to love them as their selves.
Beyond the devastating effects of divorce in His day, I believe Jesus had another reason for characterizing the distinctives of Kingdom marriage. When asked by the Pharisees why His disciples did not fast they did, Jesus responded that the groom’s friends don’t fast while he remains with them, only after he leaves. He may not have pointed directly at His role as the groom of the church, but later portions of the New Testament make it clear that the Church is the bride of Christ and that marriage is more than convenient social arrangement. It presents a picture of the union of Jesus and the Church. In addition to providing the foundation of society throughout the ages, it provides us with a constant reminder of where history is going.
Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. "Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.
It always annoys me when someone says “I’m going to be completely honest with you.” What? You haven’t been honest with up to this point? In order to rely on what you say, I need to wait for you to announce that the following words are the truth? That kind of approach to relationships makes growing them a little tough and it's similar to the place of oaths in Jesus’ time. They had become a means to emphasize that what one said equaled the truth. As noted above, that begs the question of when a person operates in truth mode and when not.
Most of us will probably read this passage and think to ourselves, “I’m truthful,” but let’s dig a little deeper. What do we mean by “truthful?” For example, if I want someone to do something for me, can I exclude facts in my request that I believe may cause them to refuse? Can I express my request with words that will technically communicate what I want, but could also communicate something much more favorable? Can I tell them everything, but emphasize the good parts and downplay the hard parts? Should my truth telling change depending upon my audience – say, my best friend versus the other party in a business negotiation?
Jesus presents a simple solution: integrity. Let you yes mean yes and your no mean no. Nothing added, nothing taken away. Only with integrity can we expect to build meaningful relationships with others and with Jesus. But, integrity will not happen by itself. We must have good soil to grow it in and we must cultivate it. Good soil is free of debris, and so we must clear out the relationship debris in our lives. If I engage in relationships to get something from someone else, that motive will challenge my ability to grow integrity. Rather than concerning myself with the needs of others, I will focus on what they have that will meet my needs and how I can get my hands on it. Integrity may or may not help me in that quest and thus I may or may not employ it. Even when sincere caring for others motivates my relationships, integrity will not automatically grow. I need to work at it, remind myself of its importance and consciously employ it.
Integrity does not demand that I tell everyone everything. Jesus Himself had degrees in His relationships which impacted what He shared. He shared with the disciples things He did not share with the crowds and Peter, James, and John experienced things with Jesus that the other disciples did not. However, Jesus did not withhold information that a person needed to in order to make a decision to follow Him. In legal terms, He did not withhold “material” information – the kind of information that if withheld, could change a person’s decision.
Integrity does not demand that I only express the truth in naked form. For example, I have a friend who faces very real integrity challenge. He knows the importance truthfulness in relationships, but always wants to spin his message to others. If that friend came to me an asked my help with his integrity issues, I would not lead with “wow, you’ve finally gotten to the point where you realize everyone thinks your working an angel every time you talk with them.” It’s true, and I might think it, but to say it would only harm my friend and his desire to deal with a significant personal problem. My love for him and my desire to make decisions for his benefit will temper my how I communicate the truth.
You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Jesus continues in this passage to say that if someone wants my shirt, I should give him my coat also, if someone asks me to walk one mile with him, walk two, and if someone wants to borrow from me, give freely. These few verses in particular seem to draw believers in the trap of new laws from Jesus. Some say we should never defend ourselves because Jesus requires us to turn the other cheek. Or, we ought to give our possessions, time, and money away regardless of our other obligations because Jesus taught so in this sermon. Remember, Jesus said the Law will remain intact. He came to fulfill the Law, not bring new ones.
Instead, these represent examples of life in the Kingdom of God. One who has kingdom life, whose heart Jesus has transformed will act differently. He will not demand his right to return a slap to a neighbor who has slapped him, or his right to his possessions in the face of one who needs help, or his right to use his time as he pleases when another intrudes, or his right to spend his money on whatever he chooses. God does not demand these things of us, but our changed hearts will compel us to act this way.
You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . . .
You probably have the idea by now that the Law in the kingdom means much, much more than previously thought. This short statement and the verses following which explain further capture the flavor of this entire section of the sermon. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” If we live the same as everyone else, what does following Jesus matter? God intends something much different. He intends a transformation of our hearts that results in kingdom living, a lifestyle that stands out. It shines like a light on hill and people can’t miss it. It seasons an otherwise meaningless existence and draws in crowds for another taste.
The murmuring around the water cooler that comes to a halt when I walk up won’t consist of complaints about my overbearing religiousness. No, it will be stuffed with whispers about how I’ve changed. And, behind each of those comments by the folks I interact with will squirm a quiet nagging question, “how can I change like that?”
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Law and the Prophets
Through the end of chapter 5, Matthew addresses the Law of God as practiced with a guarantee and a new perspective. He’s going to reveal to His disciples that Kingdom life means a change in the heart that causes us to behave differently rather than external constraints on our actions to prevent us from committing sins we otherwise would. But first, He needs to address His relationship to the Law. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.[1] The Law and Prophets were major sections of the Scriptures given to mankind up to that point in history. Jesus was not bringing a new law, a new set of rules. He was not bringing new prophecy about God’s plan for His people. No, Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.
Remember, the Kingdom of God is near in the person of Jesus. He will move Kingdom history forward in two ways. His life will fulfill the prophecies made of the Messiah throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The Old Testament authors made nearly 300 statements about the Messiah in their writings over a span of 1,000 years. Jesus fulfilled each of these statements. Consider Psalm 22 penned by David which describes the crucifixion of Jesus, a method of execution not yet devised by men. The Psalm begins with the desperate cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – Jesus’ very words as He hung on the cross. It continues to describe the onlookers at the crucifixion, “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.” A few verses later “a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced [c] my hands and my feet.” And then “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” This particular prophecy stands out because it contains facts that many of us can recite from memory. A careful review the other hundreds of references to the Messiah in the Old Testament will reveal that Jesus satisfied each to the fullest.
Jesus also came to fulfill the Law which dealt in a multitude of ways with man’s relationship to God and how man ought to live life in that relationship. Jesus confirmed that the Law would not go away until each until everything was accomplished and that not following the law would have consequences in the Kingdom just as not following the law. Then He says something interesting. “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The law wasn’t going anywhere, but the keeping of the law had to be different than the present practice. What a teaser for the next section of the Sermon.
Jesus now makes six bold statements about the law and how living the law in the Kingdom is different than what the disciples were used to. In most cases, He follows the same pattern – “you have heard,” and the replies with “but I say.” He then goes on to describe in more detail what kingdom obedience to the law looks like in each example. Several things become very clear from this section. First, the Kingdom of God is more than skin deep. It’s a heart change starting on the inside and flowing out into how we live our lives in every arena. Second, relationships, not rules, make up the central concern of the Law. At other times, Jesus said this more plainly, summing the law up in two commands: love God with everything we have and love our neighbors, anyone whose life we touch, as ourselves. Finally, Jesus has not brought a new law, a new set of rules for us to follow. No, He has brought examples for us so that we understand what this new way of living looks like. Some examples have more universal application than others. Anger coupled with contempt has no place in the community of believers. However, we might not always walk the extra mile or give away our coats because there may be competing demands on us of equal moral strength. Let's examine the first two examples.
"You have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
Jesus expands the prohibition on murder far beyond the outline of a corpse on the pavement. Harboring anger and contempt, allowing them to color our thoughts and relationship actions as long as we avoid the act of murder will have a similar impact our hearts and our relationships with others as if we actually carried through with the act. In Jesus’ words, the one who is angry with his brother stands in the same place as one who has murdered, he is guilty before the court. The one who says to his brother you good-for-nothing or you fool has taken the offense even further, beyond the courts to condemnation. Why? Anger responds to encroachments on our self-determination, when someone or something prevents us from doing what we want or believe we have the right to do. It’s not a plan, but a response.
Contempt, on the other hand, takes some time, some careful thought. It strikes at the heart of its object’s personhood, considering them unworthy of any good thing. Personhood is the prime evidence of the image of God in humans. So by aiming at personhood, contempt casts aside the image of God that He carefully placed during the act of creating. The God-image of someone in the sights of a contemptuous person becomes no better than a scrap of trash, something to disregard or even discard. That is the real evil of contempt. It not only comes after God’s image in a person, but in doing so, it acts doubly to devalue God, whose image is at stake.
In both cases, anger or contempt, relationships become disrupted and sometimes destroyed. Out of concern for avoiding that result, Jesus provides another example. If my brother has something against me, I need to put my duties aside and make it right. He might have something against me because of anger or contempt in me or in himself. Either way, life in the new kingdom comes from the inside out and will express itself in restored relationships. On the other hand, when we respond in anger and fail to let go of it and instead embrace it, care for it, feed it, it will eventually grow up into contempt.
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
In the same way merely avoiding murder does not guaranty healthy relationships with others, avoiding the act of adultery does not guarantee that my relationship with another in the realm of sexuality is as it should be. Here, we can trace the lines of anger and contempt to see why looking at another for the purpose of lust can harm us in ways similar to adultery. While the anger-contempt combo treat a person as good for nothing, lust treats a person as good for a single, limited purpose. Lust also attacks personhood because its interest stops with the physical form and the watcher’s fantasy. For the married, the lustful thoughts breach the marriage covenant and for the single, crosses over in fornication. For both, these thoughts objectify and separate. They make good relationship with the object impossible. All but the hardest or bound hearts cannot at the same contemplate God’s image planted in another and lust at the same time. Since these two thoughts mutually exclude one another, lust will always drive out our ability to perceive personhood, value, and God’s image in another.
[1] Matthew 5:17a.
Remember, the Kingdom of God is near in the person of Jesus. He will move Kingdom history forward in two ways. His life will fulfill the prophecies made of the Messiah throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The Old Testament authors made nearly 300 statements about the Messiah in their writings over a span of 1,000 years. Jesus fulfilled each of these statements. Consider Psalm 22 penned by David which describes the crucifixion of Jesus, a method of execution not yet devised by men. The Psalm begins with the desperate cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – Jesus’ very words as He hung on the cross. It continues to describe the onlookers at the crucifixion, “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.” A few verses later “a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced [c] my hands and my feet.” And then “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” This particular prophecy stands out because it contains facts that many of us can recite from memory. A careful review the other hundreds of references to the Messiah in the Old Testament will reveal that Jesus satisfied each to the fullest.
Jesus also came to fulfill the Law which dealt in a multitude of ways with man’s relationship to God and how man ought to live life in that relationship. Jesus confirmed that the Law would not go away until each until everything was accomplished and that not following the law would have consequences in the Kingdom just as not following the law. Then He says something interesting. “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The law wasn’t going anywhere, but the keeping of the law had to be different than the present practice. What a teaser for the next section of the Sermon.
Jesus now makes six bold statements about the law and how living the law in the Kingdom is different than what the disciples were used to. In most cases, He follows the same pattern – “you have heard,” and the replies with “but I say.” He then goes on to describe in more detail what kingdom obedience to the law looks like in each example. Several things become very clear from this section. First, the Kingdom of God is more than skin deep. It’s a heart change starting on the inside and flowing out into how we live our lives in every arena. Second, relationships, not rules, make up the central concern of the Law. At other times, Jesus said this more plainly, summing the law up in two commands: love God with everything we have and love our neighbors, anyone whose life we touch, as ourselves. Finally, Jesus has not brought a new law, a new set of rules for us to follow. No, He has brought examples for us so that we understand what this new way of living looks like. Some examples have more universal application than others. Anger coupled with contempt has no place in the community of believers. However, we might not always walk the extra mile or give away our coats because there may be competing demands on us of equal moral strength. Let's examine the first two examples.
"You have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
Jesus expands the prohibition on murder far beyond the outline of a corpse on the pavement. Harboring anger and contempt, allowing them to color our thoughts and relationship actions as long as we avoid the act of murder will have a similar impact our hearts and our relationships with others as if we actually carried through with the act. In Jesus’ words, the one who is angry with his brother stands in the same place as one who has murdered, he is guilty before the court. The one who says to his brother you good-for-nothing or you fool has taken the offense even further, beyond the courts to condemnation. Why? Anger responds to encroachments on our self-determination, when someone or something prevents us from doing what we want or believe we have the right to do. It’s not a plan, but a response.
Contempt, on the other hand, takes some time, some careful thought. It strikes at the heart of its object’s personhood, considering them unworthy of any good thing. Personhood is the prime evidence of the image of God in humans. So by aiming at personhood, contempt casts aside the image of God that He carefully placed during the act of creating. The God-image of someone in the sights of a contemptuous person becomes no better than a scrap of trash, something to disregard or even discard. That is the real evil of contempt. It not only comes after God’s image in a person, but in doing so, it acts doubly to devalue God, whose image is at stake.
In both cases, anger or contempt, relationships become disrupted and sometimes destroyed. Out of concern for avoiding that result, Jesus provides another example. If my brother has something against me, I need to put my duties aside and make it right. He might have something against me because of anger or contempt in me or in himself. Either way, life in the new kingdom comes from the inside out and will express itself in restored relationships. On the other hand, when we respond in anger and fail to let go of it and instead embrace it, care for it, feed it, it will eventually grow up into contempt.
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
In the same way merely avoiding murder does not guaranty healthy relationships with others, avoiding the act of adultery does not guarantee that my relationship with another in the realm of sexuality is as it should be. Here, we can trace the lines of anger and contempt to see why looking at another for the purpose of lust can harm us in ways similar to adultery. While the anger-contempt combo treat a person as good for nothing, lust treats a person as good for a single, limited purpose. Lust also attacks personhood because its interest stops with the physical form and the watcher’s fantasy. For the married, the lustful thoughts breach the marriage covenant and for the single, crosses over in fornication. For both, these thoughts objectify and separate. They make good relationship with the object impossible. All but the hardest or bound hearts cannot at the same contemplate God’s image planted in another and lust at the same time. Since these two thoughts mutually exclude one another, lust will always drive out our ability to perceive personhood, value, and God’s image in another.
[1] Matthew 5:17a.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
A Kingdom for the Haves
The kingdom is near for all, both the "have nots" and the "haves." It's not only for poor in spirit, mourning, meek, or hungering, but for those who show mercy, the pure in heart, and peacemakers. None will argue that a follower of Jesus should not pursue each of these qualities. Indeed, Jesus promises them wonderful kingdom treasures. They will receive mercy, they will see God, and they will be called sons of God. Entry into the kingdom does not require some certain level of loss or reprobation. John the Baptist’s call to repent because the kingdom is near reaches to both banks of the Jordan River and none are excluded. Jesus welcomes those who have successfully pursued God and those who have miserably failed. Likewise, entry into the kingdom also does not require that reach a certain level of righteousness. The point is more that neither my failures nor my successes make me eligible to enter the kingdom and for that reason, the kingdom opens itself to all. Only work of Jesus in life and death can unlock the kingdom gates.
Finally, those who take up kingdom citizenship, align themselves with Jesus and begin to do true righteousness run the risk of persecution. In fact, Jesus seems to assume that the following Him will induce harsh reactions in others who would pursue His followers in order to oppress them, insult them, and falsely says all kinds of evil against them. These Jesus exhorts to rejoice and be glad. Do the persecution and insults make them glad? Of course not. Possession of the Kingdom of heaven and its rewards are their reason for joy. The Epistle of James puts flesh on these bones. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”[1] Even before we followers of Jesus see His kingdom in final form after His return, good things await us in the face of persecution. We will develop a persevering faith, the kind of faith that can withstand whatever Satan chooses to forge his fiery darts from (he’s good at it – remember the low blow to Jesus after forty days of fasting). The exercise of that kind of faith, faith that stands as a shield in battle,[2] will cause a completeness in our relationship with Jesus and cause us to mature so that we lack nothing. Now, that’s something to rejoice over.
Once in the kingdom and connected to Jesus, we have something valuable to offer the rest of humanity. As Jesus sat with His disciples around Him, He declares “you are the salt of the earth,” and “you are the light of the world.” Interesting statements for someone who has just introduced the kingdom of God. As we saw in our discussion of the gospel of Mark, the disciples didn’t have a real clear picture of who Jesus was, let alone what His kingdom was like. This was a work in progress and the disciples would become salt and light to the world which should offer encouragement to the rest of us. Even if our self evaluations result in low grades, not only does Jesus still offer us the kingdom, but He also will make us its effective agents.
Salt had two common uses in Jesus day. First it could preserve food when properly applied. Second, it brought out the flavor in food, enhancing its natural taste. Jesus’ disciples would have understood that to preserve food with salt, they must rub the salt into the food. Likewise, salt need to get mixed in with food during preparation if it would have any affect on the flavor. Rebecca Manly titled one of her books “Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World.” She hit the nail on the head. If we’re not injecting ourselves into the world with Jesus thinking and Jesus habits, then we’ve become “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”[3]
Similar to salt, Jesus says we can’t hide our light. Not only can we not hide it, but to make it truly useful, we need to show it, put it in the place where it will provide the most benefit to everyone in the house. Jesus calls us to let our light “shine before men.”[4] If our light, will have any value to men, we need to place it before them. We need to at least be rubbing elbows with them in the same room. Then, when our light shines before them, they have the opportunity to see our good works. Not just see them, but because of this Jesus light, see them for what they really are, kingdom works of obedience, service, gratitude, and worship. When they see that, something changes. The insults and lies stop and a marvelous change occurs. They begin to “praise our Father who is in heaven.”[5]
[1] James 1:2-4.
[2] Ephesians 6:16.
[3] Matthew 5:13.
[4] Matthew 5:16.
[5] Matthew 5:16.
Finally, those who take up kingdom citizenship, align themselves with Jesus and begin to do true righteousness run the risk of persecution. In fact, Jesus seems to assume that the following Him will induce harsh reactions in others who would pursue His followers in order to oppress them, insult them, and falsely says all kinds of evil against them. These Jesus exhorts to rejoice and be glad. Do the persecution and insults make them glad? Of course not. Possession of the Kingdom of heaven and its rewards are their reason for joy. The Epistle of James puts flesh on these bones. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”[1] Even before we followers of Jesus see His kingdom in final form after His return, good things await us in the face of persecution. We will develop a persevering faith, the kind of faith that can withstand whatever Satan chooses to forge his fiery darts from (he’s good at it – remember the low blow to Jesus after forty days of fasting). The exercise of that kind of faith, faith that stands as a shield in battle,[2] will cause a completeness in our relationship with Jesus and cause us to mature so that we lack nothing. Now, that’s something to rejoice over.
Once in the kingdom and connected to Jesus, we have something valuable to offer the rest of humanity. As Jesus sat with His disciples around Him, He declares “you are the salt of the earth,” and “you are the light of the world.” Interesting statements for someone who has just introduced the kingdom of God. As we saw in our discussion of the gospel of Mark, the disciples didn’t have a real clear picture of who Jesus was, let alone what His kingdom was like. This was a work in progress and the disciples would become salt and light to the world which should offer encouragement to the rest of us. Even if our self evaluations result in low grades, not only does Jesus still offer us the kingdom, but He also will make us its effective agents.
Salt had two common uses in Jesus day. First it could preserve food when properly applied. Second, it brought out the flavor in food, enhancing its natural taste. Jesus’ disciples would have understood that to preserve food with salt, they must rub the salt into the food. Likewise, salt need to get mixed in with food during preparation if it would have any affect on the flavor. Rebecca Manly titled one of her books “Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World.” She hit the nail on the head. If we’re not injecting ourselves into the world with Jesus thinking and Jesus habits, then we’ve become “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”[3]
Similar to salt, Jesus says we can’t hide our light. Not only can we not hide it, but to make it truly useful, we need to show it, put it in the place where it will provide the most benefit to everyone in the house. Jesus calls us to let our light “shine before men.”[4] If our light, will have any value to men, we need to place it before them. We need to at least be rubbing elbows with them in the same room. Then, when our light shines before them, they have the opportunity to see our good works. Not just see them, but because of this Jesus light, see them for what they really are, kingdom works of obedience, service, gratitude, and worship. When they see that, something changes. The insults and lies stop and a marvelous change occurs. They begin to “praise our Father who is in heaven.”[5]
[1] James 1:2-4.
[2] Ephesians 6:16.
[3] Matthew 5:13.
[4] Matthew 5:16.
[5] Matthew 5:16.
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