Those who live by the sword

And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? – Matthew 26.51-53

The end is coming. The soldiers have come to arrest Jesus and when Judas identified Jesus the soldiers came for Him.

Peter, in a very Peter-like manner, grabbed a sword, jumped up, and cut off a servant’s ear. Jesus put the man’s ear back on and said ‘put your sword away. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.’ Previously Jesus had told the disciples to but a sword. When they said they had two to them Jesus said ‘that is enough.’

But now, when Peter uses a sword, Jesus says ‘put it away.’ He says that once people start depending on swords that becomes a way of life and that swords are going to point both ways. And anyway, Jesus could have called a legion of angles to protect Him if He wanted.

Jesus sort of settled the question of an armed church from the very start. That’s why we have never seen a Christian army using carnal weapons to accomplish its goals. God’s church survives when we respond to opposition with love.

I love the way the Getty song ‘O Church Arise’ words it:

Our call to war, to love the captive soul,

But to rage against the captor;

And with the sword that makes the wounded whole,

We will fight with faith and valor.

When faced with trials on every side,

We know the outcome is secure.

And Christ will have the prize for which He died:

An inheritance of nations.

Put the sword away. Pick up the sword of the spirit and respond to the enemy with love.

The flesh is weak

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  - Matthew 26.41

This is interesting in that it follows right after Jesus’ dilemma with the cross and His human will and God’s divine will. His talks about the reality He has just dealt with about His feelings and God’s will.

So it’s appropriate that he talks about the spirit and the flesh.

He left the disciples keep an eye out for the coming opposition and to pray for Him. When He came back they were sleeping. Who can blame them? It was late at night. And sitting in a dark garden ‘watching and praying’ is not exactly the most exciting or intriguing task. They wanted to do it, but they were just too tired. Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was just too weak.

I think we all can identify. I know I can. There are things that I really want to do for the Lord. I want to trust. I want to believe. I want to do right. I want to be faithful. I want to share my faith.

But the difficulty comes in the doing. Hearing the word is easy – the doing is tougher. My flesh is weak. I don’t always want to do the hard stuff.

I think that’s why we have to be told to ‘walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ Our own spirits are weak, but as believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God in whom all things are possible. When we rely on Him we can do those things that we cannot do in our own flesh.

My spirit is willing. My flesh is weak, but His Holy Spirit is all powerful

Not my will

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

(Mat 26:36-39)

 – Matthew 26.37-38

This is one of the most intriguing passages of scripture and kind of hard for me to grasp. There is something here about the theological truth of Jesus as the true God/man.

We find Jesus in the garden preparing for His arrest and crucifixion. He knows it is coming and He even tells the disciples that He is in deep distress. In His words His ‘soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to the point of death.’

He goes a little further and prays, ‘O My Father, if it possible let this cup of suffering pass from me.’ I don’t know how, but at this point the human Jesus did not want to face the suffering of the cross.’

But then the same voice says, ‘nevertheless, let Your will, not mine, be done.’

Like I said, I can’t figure out how that works. But I do know the point. God’s will must be done. We are not always going to get or like it, but God’s will ought to be our ultimate purpose and goal in life. Jesus laid aside his desires as a man to serve mankind by dying for our sins. It all started when He ‘thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation and took on the role of servant.’

We need the same spirit. We are not always going to like laying aside our will to do God’s will. God’s will however is for the ultimate good. His will is always right.

His will, not ours, be done.

The least of these

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' – Matthew 25.37-40

How would we treat Jesus given the chance? If somehow He came and we did not know who He was how would we respond? What would we do?

I wish I could say what I would do, but here Jesus Himself gives us a pretty good indication.

Just before this Jesus had told about servants who came to the king and were praised for feeding and clothing the king and giving him water. ‘When did we do that?’ they asked. ‘You did it when you did it to the least of the people in my kingdom.’

If we want a test of how we would treat Jesus if we met Him and didn’t know it is Him is by how we treat ‘the least’ of those around us. It is not how we treat the popular or well-respected or the well off or the well-dressed or the proper folk. It is how we treat the lesser and the rejects and the unpopular.

How would we treat Jesus if He showed up unannounced today?

How do we treat others, especially the less fortunate?

The answer is the same.

Heaven and earth will pass away

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. – Matthew 24.35

As we look around us we see a whole world of things that and wonderful and beautiful and precious. There is nothing wrong with treasuring the material things that God has given us.

We mustn’t forget however that everything we see around us will be gone one day. We don’t know how long they will last, but one day it will all be gone. One day heaven and earth will pass away and be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth.

We catch a glimpse that even in our lives. Things that were once so important have passed away and are forgotten. Even friends and associates pass away and as we get older we start to lose more and more family and friends.

However, with everything else passing away there is one that that will never pass away because it is preserved in heaven forever. God’s words will never pass away.

That is such a source of strength. The word of God that we read today is the same word of God that has existed for thousands of years. It is preserved in heaven forever and faithfully preserved for us here on earth.

Heaven else will pass away, but Jesus and His word will never pass away. Praise God I have something in which to put my faith that will never, ever fail.

Whited sepulchres

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. – Matthew 23.25-27

The Pharisees would have fooled anyone. The way they dressed and the way they acted and the standards they kept and their religious activities were all spot on. On the outside they were spot on.

It must have shocked them when they heard Jesus say ‘woe onto you…’ and the next words must have really hit them. ‘You clean the outside of the cup…you are like whited and clean sepulchres that look beautiful on the outside.’ In others you have done everything right on the outside. You would pass any external inspection.

It is what follows those words that nails the problem. While the outside of the cup is spotless in the inside is filthy. To be specific your inside is full fo extortion and excess. The sepulchres are beautiful, but the inside is filthy with dead men’s bones.

The reality is that we can’t just fix the outside. All of us can play the conformity game. We can dress right, act right, go to the right places and avoid the wrong places, and make everyone think we are spiritual. We can all play the Sunday morning church game.

But that doesn’t tell the whole truth, by far. How we look and how we play the game is never enough. I’ve been in some situations where outer conformity was forced without ever seeking to make the heart right. It is not enough to change the shirt, we need to change the heart because eventually what is on the inside is going to leak out. The dirty inside of the cup is going to spread the outside. The stench of death will seep out. Our hearts are still prone to filth and if we don’t sort that the filth will one day be revealed.

We could all use occasional self-examination. Is Christ real only on the outside or does the reality of Christ change us from the inside out.

Gnats

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. – Matthew 23.24

I enjoy studying and teaching theology, but I certainly could not be considered a theologian. We all we need to know and grasp and have a firm grip on Biblical theology. We must understand and be apply to apply theological truths. The reason is so that we can better live the lives that we need to grasp in order to serve Him.

These Pharisees knew their theology probably better than anyone ever has. They knew all of the finer points of the Law. They knew all the dos and don’ts. The problem is that they fought and argued over the little things that were important, but they let those things get in the way of the more serious aspects of the Law.

Like, for example, ‘love the Lord your God will all you heart and might and strength and love your neighbour as yourselves.’ The stained at the gnats of the Law and just let the big things go.

I think we can all do that today. We can get so caught up in the relatively insignificant things while we ignore the truths that are important. We argue over forms and styles and places where there should be liberty and ignore the things that are clear. Love God. Love others. Care for the poor. Walk by faith. Serve others.

We too could use the admonition to stop straining at the gnats and focus on the important things.

You have shut up heaven

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. – Matthew 23.13

It is interesting to read of all the problems the Pharisees had and then look at our many of those problems continue on today. The reason is is that human nature doesn’t change.

Jesus said that these Pharisees were so arrogant and so caught up in the religion that they were deciding who was going to heaven and who wasn’t. Well, at least in their minds they had decided. They had shut up heaven for some men and told some who were on their way that they weren’t going.

These hypocrites were so caught up in being big and powerful and important that they had put themselves in the place of God. They arrogantly were deciding who was going to heaven and who was not.

There are Christians today who think they can do the same thing. They boldly declare who is and who is not saved. They say things like ‘nobody who does this or that can really be saved.’ 

The truth though is that only God knows those who are His. We don’t know men’s hearts. We don’t get to decide who is going to heaven. People may not be where they need to be, but we don’t know who has and who has not put their faith in Christ.

We love people. We share with people. And we leave the results up to God. 

Self exaltation

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. – Matthew 23.11-12

We live in a great day of self-promotion. I know of course that this has gone on for a long, long time, but our social media generation has made self-promotion easier than ever. How many likes or share can we get with our posts about ourselves? What kind of lovely comments can we garner with the right selfie?

Although it is easier now this is nothing new. Man always likes to be exalted in some way and if can’t anyone else to exalt we will just do it for ourselves.

Jesus talks about the topsy-turvy paradox of Christian faith here. Those who the greatest amongst us and those who spend their lives exalting themselves will be brought low.

In another place Jesus uses the illustration of a man going into a dinner and assuming he is going to be seated as the guest of honour and taking that seat. The host then tells him he has to move and takes the person in the lowest seat and moves him to the guest of honour’s place.

Humility and meekness are key Christian virtues. It goes much further than a place at the table. It talks about putting others first in every aspect of our lives. It talks about us taking the back seat in the every circumstance that we face. It means that we serve instead of being served. It means we elevate others and not ourselves.

Titles

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. – Matthew 23.8-10

I have been saved for a while now and been in church for a while now and been associated with preachers for a while now. I have met some of the most humble, meek, quiet, and unassuming men you can ever imagine.

On the other hand I have known men who were just the opposite. I have known men who insisted on being called ‘pastor’ or ‘doctor’ or ‘reverend.’ As I have always gone by ‘Roger’ I once had a slightly older pastor friend actually tell me ‘you were trained better than. Your people need to respect you enough to call you ‘pastor.’

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day like it too. Call me ‘Rabbi’ or call me ‘Master’ or call me ‘Doctor.’ They would have loved that.

I am not going to say much more because it would be sure to get me into trouble.

Suffice it to say this. God is not impressed with manmade titles. We have one Master, one Father, one Teacher. Jesus serves all of those functions.

Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with using terms of respect for our leaders. The problem is when the titles become an issue for the user. Like so much of what Jesus says it is a heart matter, a matter of the spirit of the Law and not the letter. The passage says ‘don’t you be called’ this or that. The idea is not expect or require it. Just be yourself and don’t use those titles to elevate yourself over others.

To be seen

Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. – Matthew 23.2-7

Jesus begins a series of teaching here about men who use their religion as a means to promote and elevate themselves. That was a real problem with the religious leaders of His day, and, sadly it can be a problem today. So much of what happens and so much of what ‘religious’ people do is so that people can be seen as religious.

They say, but they don’t do.

They burden others with their laws but do nothing themselves

They love to do things so that others can see them

They love the best places

They love to hold on to titles

I’m going look at some of these, but I think they can all be summarised with the notion that they like for others to see them – but they don’t really want to make any changes in their own lives.

I think this is a challenge for all religious leaders of all time. The place of teacher or pastor or leader of any sort lends itself to pride and prestige.

It is not about us and being seen. It is about quietly, humbly, serving our Saviour. 

The greatest commandment

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22.35-40

So the religious guys continued to interrogate Jesus. One of them, an expert at the Law, said ‘Teacher, what is the greatest commandment of all?’

Intriguing question isn’t it. Out of all the Law which commandment is the most important of all? That sounds like some of the silly theological debates I have heard through the years or see brothers bash each other over on Facebook. Maybe they could catch Jesus out on this one.

But of course Jesus had the perfect answer.

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbour as yourself.’ Everything hangs on this.

We make a lot of things important. Our rules or standards or man-made regulations or styles of worship or music or any number of things can cause division and angry and even hatred. We set this or that up as what is really important.

But it is all pretty simple. What God counts is if we love Him and if we love others. Love is the standard and the benchmark. Of all the questions we might ask ourselves about how we meet God’s standard the most important one is how well do we love.

Self-examination might well start with:

How much do I love God?

How much do I love people?

You err

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matthew 22.29

The continued questioning of the Pharisees caused Jesus to give one of several statements of the general issues they had. It was more than just specific points like they were bringing up. There were some things that were just wrong with the very basis of their thinking.

‘You err,’ Jesus said, ‘in two areas. You don’t know the word of God and you don’t know the power of God.’

That’s the perfect summary to why they were so confused. They had asked a convoluted question about a husband dying and a whole series of brothers taking his marrying his widow and about who would be her husband in marriage. Jesus answered the question, but the real issue here was their hearts and minds.

Too often all the petty fights and rows and disagreements we get into are because of the same issue. We don’t know our Bibles and we don’t know God’s power. We fight over petty things but the real issue is the same one the scribes and Pharisees had.

If we knew the word of God and knew His power and trusted in them wholly we would be able to deal with whatever came our way. If we remembered to promises of God, remembered that He has the power to do it, and trusted Him we would have no fear and no doubts.

Do we really know His word?

Do we really grasp the extent of His power?

Do we trust both?

Caesar

Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. – Matthew 22.17-21

The relationship between the state and the church is one that goes back to the very start. The religious folk here think they have another way to catch Jesus out and discredit and embarrass Him.

‘So Jesus,’ do we need to pay our taxes? Do we need to recognise Roman authority over the Jewish nation?’

Surely Jesus would be stuck here. If He said yes He would be disloyal to Israel and if he said no he would be liable for arrest for telling people not to pay their taxes. He couldn’t possible have a good answer to this one!

Jesus’ answer though was simple. He took a Roman coin and asked them who was on the coin. ‘Caesar,’ of course. ‘Then give Caesar what is his and God what is His.’ Jesus here relates the reality that His people living on Earth have a responsibility to both our earthly realm and our heavenly kingdom.

It really only makes sense. The Bible makes it clear that God’s people need to be the best citizens of anyone around them. We obey the law. We respect our leaders. We take part in our communities. And yes, we pay our taxes.

None of that detracts from being a citizen of the heavenly kingdom. We fulfil our responsibility to God and we secure our responsibilities to human government. Only if that conflicts to we need to make a choice and deal with the consequences.

Publicans and prostitutes

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.  – Matthew 21.31-32

These scribes and pharisees and religious guys were always out to get Jesus. Surely if they looked hard enough they could find a way to catch Him out and make Him look bad.

Jesus spent a lot of time with the people no one else would dare to be seen with. He ate with them and went to their homes and He welcomed them into his presence. The religious leaders could not bear that kind of activity. How dare He spend time with ‘that kind of people.’

But here He takes it even further. He says now that these folks have a better chance of getting saved than the religious guys. They were so hung up with their religion that they could not see their unrighteousness. The tax collectors and prostitues knew they were sinner so they saw their need of repentance and redemption. They had proved it because the publicans and harlots had flocked to John and they had condemned John and ended up seeing him executed.

The scribes and pharisees were like the son who said he would go into the field and didn’t. The sinners are like the son who said he would not go but did.

How this must have shamed the religious guys. Jesus was saying that its not enough to tick the boxes and follow the dos and don’ts. They must be a change of heart. A lot of religious folks today need to learn that lesson as well.

Words or works?

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. – Matthew 21.27-30

Words or works. Which is more important? What we say or what we do? I know the perfect answer is that both are important, but when it comes right down to it which is the most important.

Jesus tell the story here of a farmer who has two sons. He tells to two sons to go out into the vineyard. One son says ‘I’m not going to go,’ but he changes his mind and goes out and does the work. The other says ‘I’ll go,’ but he doesn’t go.

The story goes on to say that Jesus asked an obviously rhetorical question about which one honoured his father.

The answer is obvious. Of course it is the son who did what he was asked to do.

But there are far too many times when God’s people act like they don’t really get it. We know how to put on the right face and say the right words. We know how to dress right and play the game, but what do our actions say? Do our every day actions and interactions line up with what we say and what we claim? Are we doers of the word or are we hearers and speakers only? Do we act on what we say and what we believe.

We need to daily examine our lives to see which son we are most like. Are you honouring our Father by our words and our actions?

Out of the mouths

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?  - Matthew 21.15-16

Jesus, as we will know now, real had a way with kids. Everytime they pop up in a story. The disciples try to send them off but Jesus jumped in to their defence. I don’t know if the disciples thought that the kids were teasing or making fun or mocking the praise or what. For some reason they didn’t like it so said ‘Jesus, do you hear what those kids are saying?’ They were not at all happy.

Jesus said ‘what is bothering you? Didn’t you ever read that the praise that comes from little children is perfect praise? Leave them be.’

This reminds me of the childlike faith Jesus praises so often. The praise of kids in pure praise. It is kindle like little Amy when she sees Grammy or Grampy. Her excitement is pure and sweet and innocent and unbridled. I think that is the kind of praise that Jesus is talking about here. It’s the kind of praise that it not based on making an impression. It is just praise that comes from the heart.

Let kids praise Him. I don’t we go to far when we encourage them to praise. When nobody else will praise, they will.

Open my eyes

And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. – Matthew 20.31-34

This is one of those times where Jesus ministry is focused on healing. Two blind men were sitting on the side of the road calling out to Jesus. The crowd was trying to shush them, but they continued to cry out ‘Have mercy us O Lord, the Son of David.’

‘What do you want’ Jesus replied.

‘Open our eyes Lord,’ they said and Jesus touched their eyes and gave them sight.

These two men were dealing with physical blindness. They could not see anything around them until Jesus gave them sight.

Most of us won’t suffer physical blindness, but spiritual blindness is a different matter. Paul prayed that the Ephesian believers would have the ‘eyes of their heart enlightened’ to the truths of God’s word. I think there are times when all of us suffer from that spiritual blindness. We just don’t see things the way that God does. At those times we need to pray ‘open our eyes Lord.’

I once saw a video about a chap who was handed a pair of glasses. When he put them on he could see all the needs and issues of people around him. He saw people with the same eyes that Jesus would. It reminds me of where Paul wrote to the Corinthians about how the love of Christ compels us to longer see men according to the flesh but as people who need a Saviour.

Lord, open my eyes to see you and to see the needs of those around me. Remove the fleshly scales from my eyes so I can see this world the way You do.

To serve and to give

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  – Matthew 20.28

The Jews in Judea were suffering under the yoke of Roman rule. For centuries they had been looking forward to the coming of Messiah to set up His kingdom. They just knew that when He came He would lead a mighty army to overthrow the Romans and give the Jews their freedom in their land.

So when Jesus came and the disciples began following Him and thinking that maybe He was Messiah and that maybe He was going to lead an uprising and raise an army and establish a kingdom and reign as king that maybe they could have a position of power in His government.

I imagine, in a way, their hearts broke when they found out the reality. Even though Jesus gave them hints and flat out told them a few times they did not want to accept why He came. He did not come to be ministered to as king of an earthly empire. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Paul picked up on this theme in Philippians chapter 2. Here Paul speaks of the church being united by having the mind of Christ. It is the mind that allowed him to veil His deity, become a man, and take on the form of a servant all the way to the point of death.

And that is the mind that we are called to have. It is the mind that should unify us. It is the mind that guides our lives and attitudes and actions. Jesus chose to serve and give Himself – that is our pattern.

First and last

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. – Matthew 19.30

Getting ahead and being first is a big deal to people. People like winners. I am not the sports fan I used to be, except when it comes to rugby, but this has been a great years for winners in the teams I support. Alabama won the national championship in college (American) football. The Eagles won the Super Bowl. Ireland won the Six Nations with a Grand Slam. Leinster are in the semi-finals in the Champions Cup. Sadly, Chelsea don’t seemed destined to complete the sweep for me.

I know people who say that they don’t care about winning, but I like to finish first so I get this message. I wanted to be president when I was young and laid our detailed plans to run for president in 2012. Well, we see how that worked out.

Peter had asked the question ‘seeing that we have given up so much to follow You, what are we going to get?’

Jesus went on to say that giving up doesn’t mean we are going to get anything here on earth. There is no promise of earthly reward.

‘But,’ Jesus said, ‘many of the first are going to end up last and many who are last are going to eventually be first.’ I like the fact that He doesn’t make it cut and dry. Some who are first will be heaven and sadly some who have nothing will die even without hope, but we have hope that if we are serving Christ and getting nothing here on earth will one day have our reward and some who have a lot here will sadly have nothing in eternity. 

Having nothing here doesn’t mean that we are doomed for eternity. God’s children can look forward to having the best for all eternity. It will be worth it all. In the end we will finish first.

Nothing is impossible

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. – Matthew 19.23-26

Wealth can be a great hindrance to salvation. Folks who have plenty can have a harder time realising that they have a need. Jesus uses the illustration here of a camel going through the eye of a needle as a picture of how hard it is for a rich man to be saved. I am not sure what the illustration means, but it certainly sounds like a difficult thing.

The disciple replied then ‘who can be saved?’ It seems like whatever Jesus was talking about was something in their minds was impossible. They thought ‘if it is that hard for a rich man to get saved then no rich man can be saved.’

Jesus answered with some profound words that we ought to take great strength in  - ‘with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’

The direct inference is that rich man can be saved because God does the saving, but I think we can take great confidence in the latter part of the verse – ‘with God all things are possible.’

Nothing in our lives is impossible for God to deal with and take care of. If God can save a self-reliant rich man He can save anyone. And, as a sidenote. He can do anything.

Let the children come

Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. – Matthew 19.13-15

I am noticing a lot more this time through my reading the relationship that Jesus had with children. We have always worked with and ministered to children and teens. I love working with them. Even outside of church I enjoy working with kids. The help be stay young

Jesus loved them too. We see that over and over. Here Jesus is speaking and a bunch of children want to come see Him. The disciples are appalled. ‘Jesus has more important things to do than deal with those kids!’

But Jesus was having none of it. ‘Let the children come to Me,’ He said, ‘because the kingdom of God is made up of folks like these.’ Then He called them, they came to Him, and He laid His hands on them.’

I have this wonderful image of bunch of dusty dirty little children gathered around Jesus has He draws them to Himself. I’d say He must have been a blast because children aren’t going to be drawn to an adult who doesn’t like them.  

My point is this – Jesus set the example of loving children. Ministering to children should be more than a tack-on or an afterthought. It is part of our focus and part of following Jesus. I can’t vouch for its veracity, but the story goes that there was an evangelist who was asked how many people were saved in a meeting. He said that 2 ½ people we saved. ‘Oh, so tow adults and one child?’ ‘No,’ the preacher said, ‘two children and one adult. The adult has lived has lived a half a life and the children have a whole life to live for Christ.’

Let the children come means as much today as it did then.

Marriage

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  – Matthew 19.4-6

Marriage is important. It was the first institution when God gave Adam and Eve His purpose for marriage. Way back in Genesis we read the words ‘a man shall leave his own parents and cleave to his wife than they shall be one flesh.’

That never changes. Jesus says the same words here. What God has joined let no man put asunder.

It is important for Christians to grasp that because the New Testament teaches us that marriage is the best way for us to show the world the relationship between Christ and the church. It too is a relationship where believers are made one with each other and one with Christ.

Our homes are more than just our homes. Our homes represent and image of what it means to be a Christian and have a relationship with the bridegroom. The purpose is that the world that may never pick up a Bible will see Christ in our homes.

This is always a tough topic to address. The reality is that in a broken world a lot of people and a lot of Christians are in situations where this didn’t play out. Some folks can feel bad about the topic and some can be critical. The truth is that we live in a broken world full of broken people and bad things happen. Marriage breakdowns happen, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is designed as a picture of salvation and we need to do all we can to make sure that our marriages measure up. God loves marriage and God hates divorce, but God loves His people.

More on forgiveness

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. – Matthew 18.32-35

Forgiveness must be a really big deal as much as Jesus talks about it. Here is tells a story about how important it is to forgive especially for those who have been forgiven.

Jesus tells the story of an average man who had incurred a very high debt to the lord of the land. He could never pay it back and his only recourse was to go to the lord and ask to have his debt forgiven. So he did and the lord forgave his great debt.

When this man went back to his job he was confronted by a servant who owed him a very small debt, petty compared to the debt he had just been forgiven of. Of course his little debt would be forgiven.

But the man was furious! He wanted the debt paid and he wanted it now! He had the servant beaten and thrown into a debtor’s prison.

His lord however heard about it and called him to account. ‘How could you not forgive this man after all I forgave you for?’ So the lord had him treated the same way as the servant.

The point is for us to consider how we can possibly not forgive others. When we consider all that we have been forgiven how can we ever bear a grudge or be bitter? How can one who has been forgiven so much be unwilling to forgive so little?

Is there anybody out there still waiting on your forgiveness?

490 forgivings

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. – Matthew 18.21-22

The Bible says a lot about forgiveness. I think the reason is is that forgiveness can be so hard to do sometimes. We are hurt or our pride is hurt or some other offence takes place and even after a person asks forgiveness we can’t forgive. If we do, and it happens again it is even harder to forgive. The more that goes on the harder it gets.

So Peter asks about forgiveness and how many times we have to do it. ‘When a brother offends me how often do I have to forgive him? Maybe seven times?’

Surely seven times was more than enough. Surely after seven times it is pretty obvious that he wasn’t sincere. How many times have we told our kids ‘if you were really sorry you’d stop doing it!’

To Jesus though wanted more. ‘Not seven times, but seventy times seven times.’

Seventy times seven. Let’s see that’s, um, 490 times to accept an apology and forgive. That’s a lot of forgiveness.

I don’t think though that that’s the point. I don’t think we are to keep count and on offense number 491 think we don’t need to forgive. People say that we should only put up with people to a certain point – Jesus seems to say that we keep on loving and keep on forgiving.

Sorting things out

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. – Matthew 18.14-17

Sadly, conflict is a part of life. Even more sadly conflict is a part of Christian life. Even more sadly than that is the fact that conflict is a part of life amongst individual Christians.

It is a good thing that God tells us how to handle an offence against. What do we do when someone sins and the sins against us?

I like the fact that when Jesus tells us how to deal with it there is a theme that runs all the way through it. Our goal, each step of the way, is that we can be reconciled to the offending brother.

The plan is simple and the first one is vital. You don’t post your issue on Facebook, you don’t start texting everybody. You don’t put pictures on Instagram with subtle little digs. You go alone and address the issue with your brother.

But say he doesn’t respond. Does that give us the freedom to tell the world? What’s next?

We still don’t tell anyone. We take one or two others and try to persuade him. We still want him restored.

If that fails we still don’t tell the world. We take it to the assembly. There, brothers and sisters in Christ seek to help him be restored. But if his heart is still so hard he refuses to repent he is put out of the fellowship.

That sounds harsh, but the goal is still to see him come back. That serious step is a wake up call to help him see how serious sin is.

And it worked, at least once. There was a man involved in a heinous sin at the church in Corinth. He would not repent and was eventually put out, but by the time Paul writes his second letter the man has been restored to fellowship.

The purpose is never to hurt. There is never an occasion for us to go blabbing it to the world. Our purpose if never the hurt or shame or destroy, but to in love sort things out.