The Israelites had not had a king on the throne ruling them for several hundred years. They had been in captivity by Babylon, Persia, and now Rome. Then came Jesus. He was a great teacher, some called him a prophet, and many had their eyes on him as their coming king, their Messiah that would sit on David’s throne and rule them as a kingdom once again. He had become most popular among the common people. His many miracles had catapulted him to the top of their list of favorite, most likely to succeed people.
The religious leaders found themselves in a very dangerous position. So far, they had experienced great cooperation with the Roman government. They also had experienced a good bit of power and authority over the people and they were financially secure. This same Jesus caused them quite a bit of trouble and anxiety. He threatened their stability with the Roman government because an ‘uprising’ and establishing of a king would have meant war and likely annihilation of the Israelites. His popularity put them in the shadows where they did not want to be. And his teaching took the wind out of their sails. They didn’t look too good standing next to him. They had many reasons to not like this guy.
Jesus, on the other hand, was having a very different experience. He was quite aware that he was on his final journey to Jerusalem. He knew what was ahead of him and he had much to accomplish as he steadfastly moved toward the cross. He knew that he was heading toward a spiritual victory – the final blow to Satan. And in this moment, he would allow the people to celebrate this victory even though they were not fully aware of what they were celebrating.
So he sent two of his disciples ahead to secure a colt that had never been ridden which the owner gladly gave up when they said, “The Lord needs it,” as they had been instructed to say. “They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As they went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to the highest!’” Luke 19:35-38
This must have been a terrifying moment for the Pharisees – everything they feared was happening before their very eyes. “Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’” Luke 19:39 They wanted him to tell them to keep it down. We don’t want the Romans to see what is going on here. They will squash us like flies!
“’I tell you,’ he replied, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” Luke 19:40 This was a moment in history that could not go unnoticed. The very rocks would celebrate if God’s people didn’t. I imagine the angels were there surrounding Jesus as well with their celebration.
Jesus looked down on Jerusalem as he approached and began to weep. “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:42-44
I wonder… Was he concerned for the beautiful city? Was he concerned for the leaders? Was he concerned for the people within? I think yes, all of the above. To me this is one of the closest looks at the heart of God. Even while we are raging against him, acting like his enemy, his heart is breaking for us. Sounds a little like, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Jesus could see what could have been and what could be if the people had chosen his way. But instead, they were choosing to get rid of him.
How many times do I try to get rid of or stay away from something or someone that makes me look less than perfect. Yet, Jesus offers to help me ‘clean’ or ‘fix’ those areas of my life that I would rather ignore or hide. He offers his peace, yet rather than work through the pain, I choose my chaos.
“Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” Luke 19:46 Jesus was cleaning house and restoring it to a house of prayer. When we read this passage, we tend to see it as Jesus expressing righteous anger and we focus on anger – is it okay or not okay to be angry. But for now, I want to focus on the cleaning house aspect. The people who were buying and selling in the temple were likely arranging for sacrifices. They were ‘good’ people doing what they thought was a ‘good’ thing. It was more convenient to do this business in the temple. So why was Jesus angry?
I wonder if he was upset because they were missing the whole relationship with God. They were busy doing all the things of ‘worship’ and ‘sacrifice’ – going through the motions. But they were totally missing the relationship with God. When Jesus was done cleaning out the temple, he began teaching. I believe he was feeling the urgency of teaching the people because he knew it wasn’t long until he would be leaving them. And the “people hung on his words.” Luke 19:48
I wonder, do I hang on his words? Do I long for the relationship with God that Jesus has made available to me? Or do I go through the motions totally missing the heart of God? Oh Lord, give me the courage to work through the things in my life I would rather hide. I long for your peace, not the destruction I pull down on myself when I ignore you or fight you on things. I want you to be King and Lord of my life – my whole life.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
King of Who? What? When?
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem and the cross. “Because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once,” Jesus told them a parable. Luke 19:11 I suddenly get a picture in my mind of a crowd of people following Jesus and the disciples into Jerusalem. This is just prior to the ‘Triumphal Entry’. The frenzy in the crowd is growing as they begin to believe that this is it! Jesus is going to rise up and conquer Rome and deliver God’s people once again.
The Parable of the Ten Minas, as we know it, was told then, to dissuade the crowds from their thinking that he was going to physically deliver them from Rome. I wonder if Jesus was thinking about I Samuel 8 when he described his king as being a “hard man reaping what he did not sow.” When the Israelites asked Samuel for a king, God told Samuel that it was not him (Samuel) that they were rejecting, but rather they were rejecting God as their king. Then he told Samuel to make sure the people knew what was going to happen with a king in control. So Samuel told about how the king would conscript their sons and daughters to serve him and that he would take a tenth of everything they own. The people still insisted on a king. I wonder if Jesus was reminding the people that it wasn’t a good idea then and it wouldn’t be a good idea now to appoint a king.
“A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
“The first came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
“Then the second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
“His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
“Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
“Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!”
“He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them – bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” Luke 19:12-27
So what is Jesus’ story teaching about his kingdom of heaven? There are several pieces to this story we can look at.
First, each of the ten servants were given the same amount – 1 mina – and the same instructions – “Put this money to work until I come back.” But they all responded differently. One invested wisely and earned ten more. One invested pretty good and earned five more. But one hid it and only gave back the same mina he had been given. I wonder… am I investing what God has given me wisely? I woke up again this morning. He has given me another day. I have health, I have a job, I have his Word, I have possessions. How will I invest them today? Will their earn more? Or will I get to the end of the day and give back to God only what he has given me?
Secondly, we see there is a reward for good investing. It seems that when I use the resources God has given me well, he gives me more responsibility. I’ve always had his Word, but I haven’t always invested it wisely. When I take time to study and memorize Scripture, it seems that even that very day God gives me opportunity to encourage or instruct someone with his Word. The more I study it, the more people he brings into my life who need to hear it and are blessed by it.
Thirdly, there is punishment for not investing the mina that was given. If it is not used wisely, it will be taken away and given to someone who will use it wisely. I wonder how many opportunities I have lost because I was afraid to invest what I had been given.
Fourth, the king will reign! His enemies will be destroyed and he will reign. People can fight, ignore and try to undermine what Jesus Christ did, but it won’t change the fact that he will reign forever and ever. “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:7
The Parable of the Ten Minas, as we know it, was told then, to dissuade the crowds from their thinking that he was going to physically deliver them from Rome. I wonder if Jesus was thinking about I Samuel 8 when he described his king as being a “hard man reaping what he did not sow.” When the Israelites asked Samuel for a king, God told Samuel that it was not him (Samuel) that they were rejecting, but rather they were rejecting God as their king. Then he told Samuel to make sure the people knew what was going to happen with a king in control. So Samuel told about how the king would conscript their sons and daughters to serve him and that he would take a tenth of everything they own. The people still insisted on a king. I wonder if Jesus was reminding the people that it wasn’t a good idea then and it wouldn’t be a good idea now to appoint a king.
“A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
“The first came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
“Then the second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
“His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
“Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
“Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!”
“He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them – bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” Luke 19:12-27
So what is Jesus’ story teaching about his kingdom of heaven? There are several pieces to this story we can look at.
First, each of the ten servants were given the same amount – 1 mina – and the same instructions – “Put this money to work until I come back.” But they all responded differently. One invested wisely and earned ten more. One invested pretty good and earned five more. But one hid it and only gave back the same mina he had been given. I wonder… am I investing what God has given me wisely? I woke up again this morning. He has given me another day. I have health, I have a job, I have his Word, I have possessions. How will I invest them today? Will their earn more? Or will I get to the end of the day and give back to God only what he has given me?
Secondly, we see there is a reward for good investing. It seems that when I use the resources God has given me well, he gives me more responsibility. I’ve always had his Word, but I haven’t always invested it wisely. When I take time to study and memorize Scripture, it seems that even that very day God gives me opportunity to encourage or instruct someone with his Word. The more I study it, the more people he brings into my life who need to hear it and are blessed by it.
Thirdly, there is punishment for not investing the mina that was given. If it is not used wisely, it will be taken away and given to someone who will use it wisely. I wonder how many opportunities I have lost because I was afraid to invest what I had been given.
Fourth, the king will reign! His enemies will be destroyed and he will reign. People can fight, ignore and try to undermine what Jesus Christ did, but it won’t change the fact that he will reign forever and ever. “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:7
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Short and Sweet
When traveling in Texas, our family noticed that nearly every sign and billboard had adjectives like biggest, best, tallest, etc. When you go into fast food restaurants, they promote and offer super-sizing your meal. If little is good, then more is better. Yet we all know that sometimes the best things come in small packages. This is the story of how Zacchaeus got supersized!
Zacchaeus was a very short man, but he had worked his way up through the tax collector system to being chief tax collector – which probably meant he was the scoundrel among scoundrels as well. Somehow, he heard that Jesus was coming through town. I wonder what someone like Zacchaeus wanted with someone like Jesus. Yet, he wanted to see Jesus bad enough that he was willing to take his short little self ahead of the moving crowd and climb a tree to try to get a good look. I wonder why he climbed the tree and didn’t just push in front of the crowd. Possibly the crowd would not make way for him or even worse, would be rude to him showing their distaste for his profession and anyone who would stoop so low as to take taxes for the Roman government.
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” Luke 19:5-6
How did Jesus know he was up there? Did Zacchaeus have on bright clothes that were impossible to miss? Or was it the Father’s heart – running to meet his prodigal son. And what an interesting comment from Jesus! He just invited himself to Zacchaeus’s house. What made Zacchaeus scuttle down the tree and welcome Jesus gladly? I wonder if it was the simple fact that Jesus wasn’t afraid to talk to him and associate with him. Zacchaeus probably didn’t have many friends.
While the people were muttering about Jesus hanging out with the wrong crowd, an astounding thing happened. Zacchaeus had a change of heart. He must have already known about some of Jesus’ teachings. Maybe he had been sneaking around listening to others talk about what they had been hearing Jesus say. Or maybe he had even been in some of the crowds surrounding Jesus. The fact that he wanted to see Jesus bad enough to climb a tree would indicate that he knew at least something about him. He may have already begun to believe that Jesus was the Christ. That may have been why he wanted to badly to see him.
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” Luke 19:8 He did not say, “I know that I have sinned and am in need of a Savior. I ask for God’s forgiveness and accept Jesus into my heart.” No, he said something that sounds a lot like what Jesus asked the rich ruler to do – “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Luke 18:22 Or, like Jesus said when talking about the separation of the sheep and goats, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-36
How did Zacchaeus get from being a scoundrel to giving half of everything he owned to the poor? Jesus! While everyone else avoided Zacchaeus, Jesus walked straight up to him, spoke with him, and even dared to go to his house. Jesus’ love for the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ is very apparent in this interchange. “Jesus said to him, ‘Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’” Luke 19:9-10
There were probably hundreds of other people Jesus could have hung out with that day. But he chose to hang out with Zacchaeus. I wonder if it was because Zacchaeus had a searching heart. He didn’t parade around in self-righteousness, but was open to what Jesus had to say to him. The fact that Jesus would come to his house already spoke of forgiveness for his past and Zacchaeus seemed to be a fast learner. Because Jesus showed him this great love, he quickly wanted to be obedient and to give to others rather than take from them. Here is another case where someone who has been forgiven much, loves much (Luke 7:47)
Little, short Zacchaeus – a cause for great celebration. Sweet!
Zacchaeus was a very short man, but he had worked his way up through the tax collector system to being chief tax collector – which probably meant he was the scoundrel among scoundrels as well. Somehow, he heard that Jesus was coming through town. I wonder what someone like Zacchaeus wanted with someone like Jesus. Yet, he wanted to see Jesus bad enough that he was willing to take his short little self ahead of the moving crowd and climb a tree to try to get a good look. I wonder why he climbed the tree and didn’t just push in front of the crowd. Possibly the crowd would not make way for him or even worse, would be rude to him showing their distaste for his profession and anyone who would stoop so low as to take taxes for the Roman government.
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” Luke 19:5-6
How did Jesus know he was up there? Did Zacchaeus have on bright clothes that were impossible to miss? Or was it the Father’s heart – running to meet his prodigal son. And what an interesting comment from Jesus! He just invited himself to Zacchaeus’s house. What made Zacchaeus scuttle down the tree and welcome Jesus gladly? I wonder if it was the simple fact that Jesus wasn’t afraid to talk to him and associate with him. Zacchaeus probably didn’t have many friends.
While the people were muttering about Jesus hanging out with the wrong crowd, an astounding thing happened. Zacchaeus had a change of heart. He must have already known about some of Jesus’ teachings. Maybe he had been sneaking around listening to others talk about what they had been hearing Jesus say. Or maybe he had even been in some of the crowds surrounding Jesus. The fact that he wanted to see Jesus bad enough to climb a tree would indicate that he knew at least something about him. He may have already begun to believe that Jesus was the Christ. That may have been why he wanted to badly to see him.
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” Luke 19:8 He did not say, “I know that I have sinned and am in need of a Savior. I ask for God’s forgiveness and accept Jesus into my heart.” No, he said something that sounds a lot like what Jesus asked the rich ruler to do – “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Luke 18:22 Or, like Jesus said when talking about the separation of the sheep and goats, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-36
How did Zacchaeus get from being a scoundrel to giving half of everything he owned to the poor? Jesus! While everyone else avoided Zacchaeus, Jesus walked straight up to him, spoke with him, and even dared to go to his house. Jesus’ love for the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ is very apparent in this interchange. “Jesus said to him, ‘Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’” Luke 19:9-10
There were probably hundreds of other people Jesus could have hung out with that day. But he chose to hang out with Zacchaeus. I wonder if it was because Zacchaeus had a searching heart. He didn’t parade around in self-righteousness, but was open to what Jesus had to say to him. The fact that Jesus would come to his house already spoke of forgiveness for his past and Zacchaeus seemed to be a fast learner. Because Jesus showed him this great love, he quickly wanted to be obedient and to give to others rather than take from them. Here is another case where someone who has been forgiven much, loves much (Luke 7:47)
Little, short Zacchaeus – a cause for great celebration. Sweet!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Lord Have Mercy on Me
Sometimes, I have to do something I really don’t want to do. I put it off as long as I can and allow distractions to take me other places rather than confront the thing I don’t want to do. But eventually, I have to face it and deal with it – whatever it is.
Jesus, however, set his face toward the cross and the whole way there, continued to heal and bless those he came in contact with. He did not allow himself to be consumed with anxiety, though we know he was very aware of what was coming. He tried many times to tell his disciples about it and they continued to not get it. Why was it so important to him that the disciples understand? Why did he continue to tell them in detail what was coming?
“We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” Luke 18:31-33 I wonder if there was still some uncertainty that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the King of the Jews. Or maybe there was much confusion among the Jews about the prophecies of the Messiah to come and Jesus was trying to help them sort through the ‘wrong’ conclusions many had come to over the years.
I can image the disciples saying, “Don’t talk like that! You are the Messiah and you’ve come to rescue us from the Romans. We’re right with you. Let’s go!” Luke tells us, “The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” Luke 18:34 I wonder how many times the meaning of something is hidden from me because my mind is someplace else, not because the information isn’t there and clear. And I wonder if Jesus always included the part about rising on the third day to give them something to hold on to and remember while he was separated from them by death.
On the way, Jesus passed by a beggar who was blind. When he was told that Jesus was passing by, “He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Luke 18:38;40-41
I wonder why Jesus asked him that question. Wasn’t it obvious? He was blind! He wanted to be healed. Or maybe it wasn’t so obvious. What if the man was so used to begging for food and money that was all he wanted? I wonder if Jesus’ question to him was for the man to decide for himself what it was he really wanted. Dare he believe that Jesus could and would heal him? How many times do I ask God for small things because I don’t have enough courage to ask for what I really want? How many times do I ask for strength for today when he wants to heal for tomorrow and always?
“Lord, I want to see.” And Jesus responded, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Luke 18:41-42 Many times over Jesus refers to the faith of the person who is healed. “Your faith has healed you.” These moments in Scripture cause me to ponder… Why are some healed and some not healed when we pray? Even as Jesus healed this man, he himself was heading for death on the cross. My earthly eyes see healing on one hand and death on the other. Why didn’t God spare Jesus the pain and suffering? My spiritual eyes see things a bit differently. We know it was part of his plan for salvation. He did it for us. If God would allow his only Son to go through this, why would I think I would be exempt from suffering if it was something God could use to his honor and glory?
“Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” Luke 18:43 In this case, there was healing and then there was rejoicing, praising, and following God. God was honored and glorified through this healing. Can God be honored and glorified through suffering as well? Jesus lived and died to God’s glory. If I am living my life to God’s glory, does it matter if I am blind or have sight? Does it matter if I am healthy and strong or if I have chronic pain and health issues?
I wonder if I have the courage to continue to care for others and bring God glory whether or not I am suffering. I am on a journey in this life that will lead to death unless Jesus returns before I get there. While I am on this journey, I need to keep my focus on God and steadfastly walk toward him. It does not matter so much what condition my earthly body is in as long as my soul is healthy. Along the way, I hope I will bring encouragement and healing to others and in doing so, glorify my Father in heaven. And if he chooses to heal me because that will bring him glory, I will rejoice. And if he chooses to allow me to suffer in this body, I will rejoice because that will bring him glory. Jesus kept his eyes on the third day. He knew he would rise again and conquer death forever. Maybe it wasn’t just for the disciples that he included the comment about rising on the third day. It may also be what sustained him through the suffering. In his mercy, God has given us the promise of eternity with him. I think I’ll keep my eyes on that – no matter where this journey on earth takes me.
Jesus, however, set his face toward the cross and the whole way there, continued to heal and bless those he came in contact with. He did not allow himself to be consumed with anxiety, though we know he was very aware of what was coming. He tried many times to tell his disciples about it and they continued to not get it. Why was it so important to him that the disciples understand? Why did he continue to tell them in detail what was coming?
“We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” Luke 18:31-33 I wonder if there was still some uncertainty that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the King of the Jews. Or maybe there was much confusion among the Jews about the prophecies of the Messiah to come and Jesus was trying to help them sort through the ‘wrong’ conclusions many had come to over the years.
I can image the disciples saying, “Don’t talk like that! You are the Messiah and you’ve come to rescue us from the Romans. We’re right with you. Let’s go!” Luke tells us, “The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” Luke 18:34 I wonder how many times the meaning of something is hidden from me because my mind is someplace else, not because the information isn’t there and clear. And I wonder if Jesus always included the part about rising on the third day to give them something to hold on to and remember while he was separated from them by death.
On the way, Jesus passed by a beggar who was blind. When he was told that Jesus was passing by, “He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Luke 18:38;40-41
I wonder why Jesus asked him that question. Wasn’t it obvious? He was blind! He wanted to be healed. Or maybe it wasn’t so obvious. What if the man was so used to begging for food and money that was all he wanted? I wonder if Jesus’ question to him was for the man to decide for himself what it was he really wanted. Dare he believe that Jesus could and would heal him? How many times do I ask God for small things because I don’t have enough courage to ask for what I really want? How many times do I ask for strength for today when he wants to heal for tomorrow and always?
“Lord, I want to see.” And Jesus responded, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Luke 18:41-42 Many times over Jesus refers to the faith of the person who is healed. “Your faith has healed you.” These moments in Scripture cause me to ponder… Why are some healed and some not healed when we pray? Even as Jesus healed this man, he himself was heading for death on the cross. My earthly eyes see healing on one hand and death on the other. Why didn’t God spare Jesus the pain and suffering? My spiritual eyes see things a bit differently. We know it was part of his plan for salvation. He did it for us. If God would allow his only Son to go through this, why would I think I would be exempt from suffering if it was something God could use to his honor and glory?
“Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” Luke 18:43 In this case, there was healing and then there was rejoicing, praising, and following God. God was honored and glorified through this healing. Can God be honored and glorified through suffering as well? Jesus lived and died to God’s glory. If I am living my life to God’s glory, does it matter if I am blind or have sight? Does it matter if I am healthy and strong or if I have chronic pain and health issues?
I wonder if I have the courage to continue to care for others and bring God glory whether or not I am suffering. I am on a journey in this life that will lead to death unless Jesus returns before I get there. While I am on this journey, I need to keep my focus on God and steadfastly walk toward him. It does not matter so much what condition my earthly body is in as long as my soul is healthy. Along the way, I hope I will bring encouragement and healing to others and in doing so, glorify my Father in heaven. And if he chooses to heal me because that will bring him glory, I will rejoice. And if he chooses to allow me to suffer in this body, I will rejoice because that will bring him glory. Jesus kept his eyes on the third day. He knew he would rise again and conquer death forever. Maybe it wasn’t just for the disciples that he included the comment about rising on the third day. It may also be what sustained him through the suffering. In his mercy, God has given us the promise of eternity with him. I think I’ll keep my eyes on that – no matter where this journey on earth takes me.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Getting the Kingdom of God into Me
We can learn a lot from children and Jesus doesn’t miss the opportunity when it arises. An infant is totally at the mercy of others. A newborn baby can do nothing for itself. The only thing it can do is cry out for help when it is hungry, needs a diaper change, is cold, or hot. Parents normally know the needs of the child even before the child asks and they are right on it – total and utter dependence from the child and total and unconditional love from the parent.
Jesus used that to teach about the kingdom of God. He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17 This calls for total and utter dependence on God – a trust that he is the Father full of unconditional love for us and that he knows what we need before we even ask.
There was a certain ruler who was quite wealthy. He took good care of himself and didn’t have too many worries. There was one thing he didn’t have. So he asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18
I wonder if this man was full of self-righteousness and did not recognize that he was talking with the Christ. Jesus always knew just what the person he was talking with needed. He started out by asking the ruler, “Why do you call me good? No one is good – except God alone.” Luke 18:19 I think Jesus may have been toying with the man a bit – pushing him to consider whether or not Jesus was indeed God. Maybe he was saying to the man, “You are having trouble accepting that I am the Christ, the Messiah. So you will call me good, but you can’t seem to call me God. Let’s fix that right up front.
Since the man is a ruler, it is obvious that he is more than a little familiar with the commandments. So Jesus tells him, “You know the commandments,” and lists a few of them. Luke 18:20 And of course the man responds that he has kept the commandments meticulously since he was very young. Then Jesus says an astounding thing. “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” Luke 18:22
I wonder if Jesus is saying to him, “You are trying to get there on your own power and even if you are very, very good at keeping all the commandments, it won’t work. Here’s why. You are not willing to totally trust me and you can never achieve getting to heaven on your own. Only God is good. So here, I’ll give you one more thing to do and if you can do this, maybe you will make it.” And then he proceeds to give him something that is impossible for this man to do on his own – give away everything he has to the poor and follow Jesus.
Does this mean that we are all supposed to sell everything in order to follow Jesus? Is this the eleventh commandment? I don’t think so. But it would be wise for me to put everything I own under the control of Jesus recognizing that it is not mine but his and to be used for his purposes. If I really trust him, I must hold (receive and give) things with an open hand. He is the Master of the Universe and he can provide when I have need. I don’t need to hoard things to take care of myself.
The ruler turned away sadly because he was not willing to part with his wealth, power, and control in the community. He was not willing to give up his own security for eternal security. He was not willing to follow. Jesus then spoke to the others standing there watching, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:24-25 The eye of the needle seems to be an expression for ‘impossible’. We need God’s help to enter his kingdom. We cannot get there on our own power.
Jesus doesn’t leave us feeling helpless but rather assures us, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27 And then he goes on to assure us that “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30
You can’t beat God at giving! Not that it is a competition. There have been times when I have given up time or resources to help someone else and when it is all done, I believe I have been more blessed than the person I was trying to bless. Yes, there are rewards we can look forward to in heaven, but when we are willing to give up our ownership of everything here on earth and share freely with others, there are rewards here as well. The kingdom of God is here now as we share and care for each other. To begin with, there is a great reduction in stress when I don’t have to guard everything and count my inventory. There is also a great reduction in stress as I learn to trust that God has me covered.
Looking forward to heaven is a good thing, but there is so much here and now that is part of God’s kingdom as well. I don’t want to miss that.The more I learn 'kingdom thinking' the more I will experience his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Jesus used that to teach about the kingdom of God. He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17 This calls for total and utter dependence on God – a trust that he is the Father full of unconditional love for us and that he knows what we need before we even ask.
There was a certain ruler who was quite wealthy. He took good care of himself and didn’t have too many worries. There was one thing he didn’t have. So he asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18
I wonder if this man was full of self-righteousness and did not recognize that he was talking with the Christ. Jesus always knew just what the person he was talking with needed. He started out by asking the ruler, “Why do you call me good? No one is good – except God alone.” Luke 18:19 I think Jesus may have been toying with the man a bit – pushing him to consider whether or not Jesus was indeed God. Maybe he was saying to the man, “You are having trouble accepting that I am the Christ, the Messiah. So you will call me good, but you can’t seem to call me God. Let’s fix that right up front.
Since the man is a ruler, it is obvious that he is more than a little familiar with the commandments. So Jesus tells him, “You know the commandments,” and lists a few of them. Luke 18:20 And of course the man responds that he has kept the commandments meticulously since he was very young. Then Jesus says an astounding thing. “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” Luke 18:22
I wonder if Jesus is saying to him, “You are trying to get there on your own power and even if you are very, very good at keeping all the commandments, it won’t work. Here’s why. You are not willing to totally trust me and you can never achieve getting to heaven on your own. Only God is good. So here, I’ll give you one more thing to do and if you can do this, maybe you will make it.” And then he proceeds to give him something that is impossible for this man to do on his own – give away everything he has to the poor and follow Jesus.
Does this mean that we are all supposed to sell everything in order to follow Jesus? Is this the eleventh commandment? I don’t think so. But it would be wise for me to put everything I own under the control of Jesus recognizing that it is not mine but his and to be used for his purposes. If I really trust him, I must hold (receive and give) things with an open hand. He is the Master of the Universe and he can provide when I have need. I don’t need to hoard things to take care of myself.
The ruler turned away sadly because he was not willing to part with his wealth, power, and control in the community. He was not willing to give up his own security for eternal security. He was not willing to follow. Jesus then spoke to the others standing there watching, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:24-25 The eye of the needle seems to be an expression for ‘impossible’. We need God’s help to enter his kingdom. We cannot get there on our own power.
Jesus doesn’t leave us feeling helpless but rather assures us, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27 And then he goes on to assure us that “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30
You can’t beat God at giving! Not that it is a competition. There have been times when I have given up time or resources to help someone else and when it is all done, I believe I have been more blessed than the person I was trying to bless. Yes, there are rewards we can look forward to in heaven, but when we are willing to give up our ownership of everything here on earth and share freely with others, there are rewards here as well. The kingdom of God is here now as we share and care for each other. To begin with, there is a great reduction in stress when I don’t have to guard everything and count my inventory. There is also a great reduction in stress as I learn to trust that God has me covered.
Looking forward to heaven is a good thing, but there is so much here and now that is part of God’s kingdom as well. I don’t want to miss that.The more I learn 'kingdom thinking' the more I will experience his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Lord, Teach Me to Pray
A friend asked me recently, “Do you think God gets tired of hearing us pray about the same things over and over?” She is praying for someone she loves to find salvation in Jesus Christ.
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said, ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ And then the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’” Luke 18:1-8
I wonder… what does faith have to do with justice? Sometimes persistence is a good thing. This widow was looking for justice and God is always interested in justice. Unlike the judge in the story, God does not bring about justice just to get rid of our whining. He does not bring justice just to demonstrate his power and authority, though he has both. God responds out of love and compassion for those who trust him and his desire is that we would also respond out of love and compassion to bring justice to those around us who have been wronged. He is not asking an out-of-place question about whether there will be faith on the earth when the Son of Man comes. Our behavior comes out of our faith. If we truly believe we are forgiven (not because we deserve it, but because God loves us) then we will respond with forgiveness to those around us – even when they don’t deserve it! “Forgive us our sins even as we forgive those who sin against us.” Luke 11:4
Jesus told another story about two men praying. One was self-confident and self-righteous. His prayer went like this. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” The second man, a tax collector couldn’t even look up. He said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And Jesus said, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
It makes me smile to remember some people I know who will often degrade themselves in order to hear others tell them how wonderful they are. I’m not sure this is what Jesus is after here. But in a twisted way, it demonstrates the principle.
When I get serious about this, I wonder how often I come to God assured of my own goodness and failing to realize that even my best is way far from God’s good. I don’t think that God wants us to drag around beating ourselves and telling everyone who will listen how much of a failure we are at life. But I wonder if understanding how far short I fall of God’s best and reminding myself that it is his grace alone that saves me keeps me more humble and makes me a better servant, offering more grace and forgiveness to those around me because I know that I didn’t get what I deserved – death – but rather, I have received what God has given – grace that leads to life.
Those who truly understand their ‘lostness’ without Christ see those around them with a different heart. One pastor put it this way. If the object is to get to the moon, there isn’t much difference between jumping 3 inches or jumping 3 feet. Neither get very close to the moon. The self-righteous might be jumping 3 feet, but they are not much closer to God on their own than the tax collector jumping 3 inches. It is in the humble stance before God that we understand that our only salvation is through his mercy demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ. And it is out of gratefulness for that mercy that we extend mercy to others.
In showing mercy to others, we begin to demonstrate God’s character to others around us and when they see that reflection of God, they begin to develop a desire for the real thing and begin to seek after the one true living God.
Lord, keep teaching me to pray, not as a pompous fool, but as a humble servant. Open my eyes to the injustices around me and help me to see ways I can show mercy to others, just as you have shown mercy to me.
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said, ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ And then the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’” Luke 18:1-8
I wonder… what does faith have to do with justice? Sometimes persistence is a good thing. This widow was looking for justice and God is always interested in justice. Unlike the judge in the story, God does not bring about justice just to get rid of our whining. He does not bring justice just to demonstrate his power and authority, though he has both. God responds out of love and compassion for those who trust him and his desire is that we would also respond out of love and compassion to bring justice to those around us who have been wronged. He is not asking an out-of-place question about whether there will be faith on the earth when the Son of Man comes. Our behavior comes out of our faith. If we truly believe we are forgiven (not because we deserve it, but because God loves us) then we will respond with forgiveness to those around us – even when they don’t deserve it! “Forgive us our sins even as we forgive those who sin against us.” Luke 11:4
Jesus told another story about two men praying. One was self-confident and self-righteous. His prayer went like this. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” The second man, a tax collector couldn’t even look up. He said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And Jesus said, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
It makes me smile to remember some people I know who will often degrade themselves in order to hear others tell them how wonderful they are. I’m not sure this is what Jesus is after here. But in a twisted way, it demonstrates the principle.
When I get serious about this, I wonder how often I come to God assured of my own goodness and failing to realize that even my best is way far from God’s good. I don’t think that God wants us to drag around beating ourselves and telling everyone who will listen how much of a failure we are at life. But I wonder if understanding how far short I fall of God’s best and reminding myself that it is his grace alone that saves me keeps me more humble and makes me a better servant, offering more grace and forgiveness to those around me because I know that I didn’t get what I deserved – death – but rather, I have received what God has given – grace that leads to life.
Those who truly understand their ‘lostness’ without Christ see those around them with a different heart. One pastor put it this way. If the object is to get to the moon, there isn’t much difference between jumping 3 inches or jumping 3 feet. Neither get very close to the moon. The self-righteous might be jumping 3 feet, but they are not much closer to God on their own than the tax collector jumping 3 inches. It is in the humble stance before God that we understand that our only salvation is through his mercy demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ. And it is out of gratefulness for that mercy that we extend mercy to others.
In showing mercy to others, we begin to demonstrate God’s character to others around us and when they see that reflection of God, they begin to develop a desire for the real thing and begin to seek after the one true living God.
Lord, keep teaching me to pray, not as a pompous fool, but as a humble servant. Open my eyes to the injustices around me and help me to see ways I can show mercy to others, just as you have shown mercy to me.
Friday, March 5, 2010
In a Flash of Lightening
“Once when having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 As we learn to live like Jesus, following his teachings to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, indeed the kingdom of God will be here now, as we live and breathe – justice and peace, love and healing.
But then Jesus turns to his disciples and begins to teach them. “Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightening, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.” Luke 17:23-24 This sounds like I won’t be able to miss it. It also helps me know that I don’t need to worry myself with ‘sightings’ here and there because that is not how his kingdom comes.
The following verses leave a lot of confusion in our church today. There are so many views of how the end times will be and theologians and scholars don’t agree on what different verses mean. While these verses seem to point to a ‘big event’, namely the return of Christ when he will take his followers up to be with him, we can also look at it from the perspective Jesus begins with saying that the “kingdom of God is within us.” Luke 17:21
There is a time in everyone’s life when they are going about their business and Christ comes before them and they need to decide whether or not they will follow him.
People will be going about their business – just like in the days of Noah before the flood and in Sodom before sulfur rained down on them. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Luke 17:30-36
And then the disciples ask the question, “Where?” to which Jesus replies, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” Luke 17:37
What is clear to me here is that Jesus is saying that I need to be ready and not look back. That is made clear in earlier chapters of Luke as well. If I look at this from the perspective of here, today, the focus is more on having my heart so completely operating in God’s kingdom even now that I won’t regret losing the things of this earth as I leave them. As I let go of this life, God will give me so much more life in his kingdom – even now.
I wonder if we can also see that the kingdom of God comes to individuals as they meet God for the first time or meet him in new ways and give their hearts over to him. This happens in the midst of our lives as we go about our business. For that person, Christ comes to them as a flash of lightening. Suddenly they get it! Suddenly they understand he is the Christ and he loves them and they decide they want to be his servant. And he lights up their whole sky as they begin to see how their relationship with Christ permeates and invades everything they say and do.
There is an urgency in these verses. Don’t turn back. Don’t try to bring anything with you. Keep forging ahead as God’s kingdom comes here on earth as it is in heaven.
Even as I draw from these verses encouragement to keep my focus on Christ, I am left dumbfounded by the last verse regarding the vultures gathering around the dead. Where did that come from? What is the dead body? Who are the vultures?
I wonder if I’m making too much of it. Maybe he simply means you won’t have to worry about seeing it when it happens. It will be as obvious as knowing there is a dead body because the vultures have gathered.
Lord, please light up my sky with your presence. Let your kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven. Even now, Lord, I want to see your goodness prevail in times of trouble. And I look forward to eternity when I can leave behind all the troubles of this world and forever be at peace in your presence. Thank you, Lord.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Thanks for Everything
For parents, one of the highlights in life is when their young adult children come back and say thank you. We spend 20 plus years giving them birth, caring for them, providing for them (spending almost more money than we can make), encouraging them, teaching them, and loving them. And then they begin the process of becoming adults themselves and somewhere in that process, as they are enjoying the freedom to make their own decisions, to travel, to make new friends and experience new things, they begin to realize how much their parents gave up for them and how much their parents did and continue to do for them, and they come back and say thank you. And as a parent, hearing those words is more than worth every diaper you changed and every late night you picked them up from a school function, and every argument you had trying to convince them to make good choices.
“Now on his way to Jerusalem [some believe this was his last trip – on his way to the cross] Jesus was traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.” Luke 17:11-14
Leprosy in that day was even worse than AIDS today. They were separated from everything and everyone that they knew and loved. They were not allowed to stay in their homes. So lepers stayed together and begged from a distance for people to meet their needs for food and clothing. I can’t image trying to go on that way. How desperate they must have felt! I wonder if they knew who Jesus was and that he could heal or if they were just asking for food for the day.
It is interesting to me that in this case Jesus did not ask them about their faith or whether or not they wanted to be healed. He didn’t expect anything from them at all and his love for them didn’t depend on their response to him. Yet, he looked at them and simply told them to go show themselves to the priests. The priests would declare them clean or unclean. And they didn’t question him. They simply turned and went. This is one of the few instances where Jesus did not touch those he was healing. He simply spoke the words, they obeyed, and they were healed.
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” Luke 17:15-19
How on earth could the other nine walk away without even saying thank you? They were saved from a life of total separation from their families and friends. They were basically raised from the dead in that their bodies were slowly declining to sure early death.
Then I wonder, how many times a day do I not recognize how much this same Jesus has done for me and how many times do I go on with my business and not take time to pause and say thank you? I was headed for sure death and he gave me life. Sin was the leprosy in my life and he healed me. And he continues to heal me day after day.
This incident points out that it was a Samaritan who came back. I wonder if that is the person who has lived a very sinful life and as an adult turns to Jesus and is saved and if maybe the other nine are those of us who grow up in the church with all the teaching and grace around us every day. We see new Christians ecstatic with their new found salvation and celebrating and thanking Jesus over and over while we quietly smile and nod. Oh my!
Two things have jumped out of this portion of Luke today. One is that Jesus wants to give us so much more than we ask for. We ask for bread; he wants to give us life. We ask for water; he wants to give us living water. We ask for healing of our physical bodies; he wants to give us healing of our souls. We ask for strength for today; he wants to give us strength for tomorrow as well.
The other is that he has already given us so much and we take so much of that for granted. It is time to grow up and become adults in God’s kingdom and go back to our Father and say thank you!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Where there is Sin, there is Grace
We live in a society that highly values independence. No one has the right to tell me how to think or what to do. Even parents believe they cannot teach their children what is right or wrong because that is a matter of opinion. No one else needs to know how much money I make in a year or how I spend it. No one else has the right to tell me what to do unless I am employed by them, and then only in regards to what they are paying me to do. We are taught to look at how something will benefit ourselves before determining its value to us. Marketing begins with asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” We spend more and more money on vacations, entertainment, and fine dining and feel justified in doing it. I earned the money and I can spend it as I wish.
As I listen in on Jesus’ teaching to his disciples, I hear something different. “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:1-4
I wonder… what right do I have to tell someone else they have sinned when I myself am not perfect? What responsibility do I have to tell someone else they have sinned when I see what they are doing? In the church today, we see people arguing over whether something is a sin. What one person sees as sin, another may see as acceptable behavior. Denominations and churches are splitting over these issues. How do I determine whether or not I should confront it?
We quote scripture saying that we don’t have a right to judge others because we are not perfect. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:2-4 I don’t think that Jesus is saying to not help the brother remove the speck. Rather, that I need to pay attention to the sins in my own life and deal with them first.
I hear Jesus saying that sin is a fact of life. It’s going to happen all around us. I don’t want to be responsible for leading someone else into sin. One way to keep from finding myself in that place is allowing others in my community of faith to hold me accountable, to confront sin in my life. There is a give and take in accountability. Unfortunately, what I see too often is that the confronted person becomes ‘offended’ and leaves the church or walks away from a friendship. Two things need to happen in the process of confrontation. The confronter needs to be humble in their approach, not harshly judging the other person. And the confronted needs to be humble in their approach, willing to hear what the other has to say and at least consider it. Our human nature is not to be humble, but rather to be right, to be respected, to be strong and powerful, to have authority over others.
Another thing that I see happening is that too often we go to confront the sin without first spending time with God, letting him speak into our heart, our mind, and our attitude. The disciples realize that it is a big responsibility to determine what sin is and confront it. So they ask Jesus, “Increase our faith!” to which Jesus responds, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Luke 17:5-6 That’s pretty much power. I’m not sure I even have a mustard seed of faith. I believe God can throw the tree into the sea. I’m not so sure my faith will move it there.
But I’m not so sure that is the point – moving the tree to the sea. Rather, I believe Jesus is saying that we can overcome huge obstacles in our lives with even a little faith. But faith needs to be present.
Jesus then goes on to talk about a servant who comes in from the field and is expected to prepare a meal for his master and to do it all because it is expected, not so he will be praised or receive thanks. (Luke 17:7-10) I wonder if Jesus is using this story to point out the fact that humbleness is an important part of rebuking. We are all servants of God and if we have an attitude of humbleness before God, our words will be carefully chosen to make sure our fellow servants know we love them and it is because we love them that we will take the time to rebuke the sin in their lives so they can be free from it. We are not rebuking them to make ourselves look better or to put them in their place, but rather, recognizing that we too fall short of the mark at times we are helping each other to grow in our faith and become better servants of the Lord.
All of this is so counter to our culture. I pray the Lord will give me wisdom as I interact with other believers and co-laborers in ministry. I pray first that I will remain his faithful and humble servant and will be open to dealing with sins in my life as they are pointed out to me by the holy spirit and by others, and then that he will give me a love so deep for my fellow believers that I will want to see them freed from sins in their lives and be willing to be a part of that process. I pray also that we will all grow in our faith as we continue on this journey in a world where sin abounds because we also know that grace abounds even more.
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