Free! January 31 Readings: Mark 5, Luke 8:26-56

Today’s Readings

Context

This story, of the demon-possessed man, gives me a little Senegal nostalgia - it is one of the five key stories we tell in the villages.

These three stories (or two, the second having two parts), again demonstrate the amazing power of Christ. He casts out the legion of demons, showing his remarkable power there, he heals the woman with the issue of blood, and he raised a young woman from the dead. Demons, disease, and death - Jesus dominates them all.

Anyone wonder why there were 2000 pigs in Israel? The answer is simple. The Decapolis, or ten cities, were Roman cities around the Galilee. Gentiles didn't share the Jews' prohibitions against pork.

Devotional - Free!

Since my recent trips to Senegal, the story of the man with many demons in Mark 5 holds a special meaning place for me. It was one of the five stories that we told in the Essing villages there. In my first trip, it was the one I was able to learn the best, so I told it the most often.

"This is a true story from God's word. There was a many who had many demons inside him."

The man lived a life that no one envied. Demons had so taken control of his life that he could not live around others or function in his life. He lived in the Gerasene region and was helpless against these dark forces that caused him live among tombs and behave bizarrely. The demons gave him the unnatural strength to break chains that were meant to control him. He could not live in the village but roamed the cemetery screaming and in torment, hopeless and helpless.

Sometimes I feel that way about my own struggles with sin. No, I am not possessed by demons - I cannot use that excuse - but the power of the flesh is strong. I struggle to gain self-control and discipline my body. When I am offended or injured, anger wells up and the desire to strike back can be overwhelming. It seems I fall to the same sins, the same struggles, over and over again. The chains of sin are strong. 

But the demoniac was not left to wander in the tombs forever.  One day Jesus came by and it was no accident.  The demoniac ran up to Jesus, fell down on his face and called out to Jesus for help.  Jesus did what chains could not do; he broke the hold of evil inside the man. 

It is comforting to know that the same Christ who broke the hold of those demons that day lives in me today and he has lost none of his power.  Jesus empowers me day by day to walk in self-control.  The dark desires of my heart that lead me to do what I know is wrong, what is harmful, what leads me to regret and despair – those desires are under the dominion of the King of kings.  He has broken the hold of sin over me and given me his Spirit to empower me.  The chains are gone, I've been set free.

Once he was freed from his chains, the former demoniac wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus had a different plan for his life.  In Mark 5:19, Jesus told him,

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 

His job now was to return to his friends and family and tell them exactly how his life had changed.  He was to testify that Jesus had made him a new man. What a shame that so often we refuse to admit our weakness and sin. The testimony of the Christian is not that we are such wonderful and sinless people, but that we have a Savior who has done great things for us. 

Yes, Lord, do that work in me. Break the hold of sin by your righteous power. Thank you for not only my redemption, but by the Spirit's power to purify, heal and restore my soul. May I be a living, breathing, and VOCAL testimony of the great things you have done for me.  

Think and Pray

What is it that binds you?
Remember that the power of Christ can free you from whatever binds you. Thank God for that power!

Kingdom Living - January 30 Readings: Matthew 13:24-52, Mark 4:26-34

Today’s Readings

Context

The parade of parables continues in today's readings. Matthew records six different parables here, and Mark has two of them, variations on those that Matthew told. Here are some principles for reading the parables and understanding them.

• Jesus, according his own words, told parables to communicate truth to his disciples while hiding it from the world. Only those whose minds are illumined by the Spirit can hope to understand the truths of God. 
• The parables explain life in the kingdom of heaven. The focus of this is argued, and beyond the scope of a brief note. But the kingdom of God is anywhere Jesus rules - your heart, the church, and eventually the millennial kingdom. 
• Life in the kingdom is diametrically opposed to life in the world. Jesus does things differently. Look at the mustard seed principle. We want to make a big splash; Jesus says plant a small seed. 
• The most important principle for understanding parables may be that they are not intricate allegories; they are illustrations. They make a point. Don't try to assign each character an identity or draw secondary or tertiary applications. Just look for the point Jesus was making. 

There is great truth in the parables, when properly understood. They explain life as Jesus intended, as Jesus will one day make it be.

In fact, Southern Hills folks, I think I want to do a sermon series on the parables of Jesus one of these days. There's only 12 or 15 total parables. It should only take me a year or two to preach them, right?

Devotional - Kingdom Living

You want Jesus to be part of your life? Sorry, that's not how God works. He does not influence us, he redirects us. He takes charge. He moves us in a completely different direction. That's what the parables are all about - completely changing the way we think, the way we view life. In Matthew's reading today there are six parables, three pairs of two parables. Three points. Three lessons about life as God designs it; life as God will make it when Jesus rules.

Lesson 1: In the first and last parables, the parable of the weeds and the parable of the net, Jesus reminds us of a reality that was true even in his own inner circle.

Have you ever been frustrated with all the "false brethren" in the midst of the church - those who claim Christ but don't live him, who call Jesus their Lord but live lives that turn that give the lie to their words. Some in the church make it their duty to try to weed out (pun intentional) anyone they think isn't real, isn't genuine. And certainly, the practice of discernment is important, comparing all things against the word of God.

But these parables give us a reminder; that it will be Jesus at the last day who will separate the sheep and the goats. He is the one who will separate the weeds from the good seed, and will gather the fish in the net and separate the good fish and the bad. Remember, Jesus selected 12 disciples and one of them betrayed him.

Should we hold all things and all people accountable to God's word? Absolutely. But we must also remember that ultimately it is God who sees hearts and can rightly divide the righteous and the unrighteous.

Lesson 2: "Let's do something to draw some attention." "Maybe we could have a big event." "If just one life is touched, it will all be worth it." That is the way of the world and the way of the church today. Do something big. Make a splash. I've been in churches that put hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into productions that drew crowds, but generally produce little lasting result.

That's not the way of the kingdom, according to the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven. We we are walking in the flesh we have to do a lot to produce just a little. But in the the kingdom of God the King is working! We plant a small seed and it becomes a large seed. We are the small amount of leaven that leavens the entire lump of dough.

Have we become so used to operating in the flesh that we have accepted it as the norm? When Jesus is King, it is not our much that becomes a little, but our little that becomes much.

Lesson 3: I will never forget a shopping trip with my mom back in the good old days. We were at K-mart and found a pair of pant my size at a great price. This was before computerized, bar-coded tags. It was just a sticky price tag affixed to the pants. We went up to pay for them and the lady looked at us suspiciously. Someone had switched the price tag - a common thing back in those days. We did not get the pants!

The enemy has gone through this world and switched the price tags on everything. He has labeled pride, pleasure, material success, selfish ambition as things of high value. God says they accomplish nothing eternal. He has labeled purity, passion for eternal things, self-sacrifice, and other kingdom values as worthless.

In the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price Jesus reminds us that the highest value in this world is serving the kingdom of God. Seek God, seek the things of God - these are the things that really matter. 

Father, may my mind be formed by the word, not the world. May I walk in Christ and by the ways of the Kingdom, not the ways of this world. 

Think and Pray

Is your thinking and belief formed more by the world or by the ways of Christ and the word of God?
Think through the balance between accountability and "seeking to be someone else's Holy Spirit." It is a difficult balance - how can we maintain that?
If a "kingdom life" is marked by God pouring his power into our efforts and adding his much to our little, does your life show more of the flesh or the Spirit, the world or the word?
Do  you have the price tags set properly in your life, valuing what God values?

Seeds, Soils, and God's Word - January 29 Readings: Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-25, Luke 8:4-18

Today’s Readings

Context

"Jesus told stories so that people would understand him better."

So many preachers have used Jesus' love for parables as a reason to be a storyteller in their messages. They reference Jesus' parables as their reason for such a tactic. He told stories to make his sermons understandable to the masses.

The only problem with that is that Jesus said just the opposite. It is one of the more difficult to understand themes of the gospel story, but Jesus often discouraged people from speaking out about him, and here he tells his disciples that the purpose of the parables was to PREVENT people from understanding. Look at Matthew 13:11-12

To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive,    and may indeed hear but not understand,lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

Jesus told parables to communicate with his disciples but to keep others seeing, but not perceiving, hearing, but not understanding. The parables seem to divide the believer from the unbeliever.

Today's readings, in all three Synoptic Gospels, open the topic of parables. Jesus told many of them to communicate to his disciples the nature of the kingdom. The first, and perhaps greatest, of the of the parables concerns the seeds and the soils. We do not have to wonder what it means, since Jesus interprets it for us.

As we read the parables, we will also look at some principles about interpreting them properly.

Devotional - Seeds, Soils, and God's Word

When we gather to worship on Sundays, we get cleaned up, dressed up, bundled up (when that is needed) and head to church. But getting ready for church ought to involve more than a shower and some clean clothes. There ought to some spiritual preparation that takes place as well. 

We have a lot of farmers in our fellowship. I'm no expert in agriculture, but I do know that preparation of the soil is important before planting takes place when the ground thaws in a few months.

Before you sow the seed, you prepare the soil. 

The same thing is true with going to church. Every time we gather, there will be some seed sown. We will sing songs about God's glory and grace. We will pray together. I will preach God's Word from the pulpit and most of you will attend a Sunday School class as well. According to the parable Jesus told in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15, every time God's Word goes out, a seed is sown, whether at Southern Hills or another church, in personal Bible study or any other form. 

The question is, what kind of soil is your heart? 

Jesus described four kinds of soil, each representing a way that someone responds when the seed that is the Word of God is sown. Some people are hardened soil and refuse to hear or receive the Word. I hope (and believe) that we have very few who are reading this or who worship with us on Sundays are hardened against God's Word. Many are good soil and receive the word with joy.

But there are also two other kinds of soil that do not allow God's Word to produce its harvest. First, there is rocky soil, which does not allow the Word to go down deep and establish roots. Such people receive the Word with joy, intending to do what it says. But their roots are shallow and as soon as they get out into the world, the Word in them begins to turn brown and die. On Sunday it all seemed so great but by Monday the joy had faded and the Word was too hard to follow. Far too many Christians are rocky soil. 

Far too many of us are soil filled with weeds and thorns. We receive the seed of the Word and it begins to grow, but suddenly weeds sprout up to choke out the Word and prevent it from produced a harvest within us. The problem is not with the soil, but the fact that too many bad seeds have been sown along with the Word. Seeds of materialism and greed, of immorality and impurity, of self-centeredness and pride. The worldly seeds produce thorny plants that choke out the work that the Word is meant to accomplish. 

But what we need to be is the soft, clean soil - ready to receive the Word of God and let it root deeply within and bring its harvest in our lives. We must open ourselves to the Spirit of God that he would till the soil of our hearts until we are ready to listen and obey, until we are ready not just to hear the Word, but to let our lives be changed by it. 

Lord, till the soil in my heart so that I might receive the Word and it may have the harvest in my soul that you desire.  I repent of my resistance to your Word and my divided concern.  Fill me and transform me by the renewing of my mind with your Word. 

Think and Pray

Which of the four soils best describes your response to the word of God?

Yoke's on You - January 28 Readings: Matthew 11:20-12:50

Today’s Readings

Context

Have you committed the unpardonable sin? That would be awful, wouldn't it - to want forgiveness but to find your sin is beyond God's willingness to forgive. Unpardonable. Unforgivable. Bone-chilling words. So, what is the unpardonable sin? The context may show us.

Matthew's treatment of the early Galilean ministry of Jesus wraps up in today's readings. He has called, challenged, and empowered his disciples. He has done miracles that would amaze even the jaded people of the 21st Century. And, as we see in chapter 12, his battle with the religionists continues to escalate.

Chapter 12 begins with two stories that provoked the Pharisees. First, Jesus' disciples picked grain on the Sabbath - a handful or two for food. Jesus did the unthinkable, he claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath. He then healed a man on the Sabbath, offending the Pharisees again. Jesus then appealed to Isaiah for scriptural authority of his ministry. That's when the teaching on the unpardonable sin comes in. Jesus then made two statements about the Pharisees. First, he said a tree is known by its fruit, then he discussed the "sign of Jonah" - both teachings were rebukes to the Pharisees and other religionists.

NOTE: The Unpardonable Sin

So, what about the unpardonable sin? What is it? Have you committed it? Can you commit it? There are several points to be made.

• First, this is a teaching Jesus gave in a specific context, his battle with the religionists of Israel. 
• It is not a teaching that is repeated or enforced elsewhere. In none of the epistles do we encounter a warning against the sin. If the unpardonable sin was an ongoing concern, it seems that there would be repeated warnings against it. 
• The teaching was provoked by religionists who attributed the work of Jesus to demons. It was this act that drew the strong words of Jesus. 
• There is no indication that this was a universal teaching. 
• The comforting truth is verse 31, that every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven. 

So, what is the unpardonable sin? The truth is, I believe, found in the context.

• There are many suggestions, often based more on theological concerns than exegetical. For instance, the idea that the unpardonable sin is dying without Jesus. Well, of course, that is true, but that is not what Jesus was saying here. 
• I believe this was a specific teaching referencing a specific situation. If you saw the works and heard the teachings of Jesus, and attributed them to a demon, that was a "blasphemy" that indicated a heart so hard it would not be brought to repentance. 
• Other suggestions exist, but the takeaway from this is that the "unpardonable sin" is one so narrow that it need not create fear in us today.

You need not fear that somehow you have committed a sin beyond God's forgiveness. Go to God 

Devotional - Yoke's on You

Let's face it; life today can be hard. Remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait to grow up? But the reality of life as an adult in this world is not what we imagined it to be. There is work to do and bills to pay. It never seems like we can get on top of things, get everything done, or get all our ducks in a row. Raising children is not just expensive but a daunting challenge. The new is filled with wars and crime, with the bizarre and the perverted, with stories that make our heads shake and our knees tremble.

This is not an easy world to live in.

And in many minds, Jesus makes things harder. He demands that we deny ourselves and live for him. He calls on us to say no to our own sinful natures and submit to him. Submit - there is a world no one likes to hear, right? When we serve Christ, we have to go to church, give our money, and give our valuable time to church work.

Many people, if they are honest, will admit that they see the demands of Christ as an added hardship, a burden to their lives.

But Jesus is not a harsh taskmaster. His Lordship is a blessing, not a burden. Look at Matthew 11:28-30.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus calls us to come to him with our burdens, our weariness. In Christ we will not find stress or harassment, but peace of mind and a heart of rest. Oh yes, we must take up his yoke - that is a picture of giving control of our lives to Christ. We cannot have the blessings of Christ while living in disobedience or living for ourselves. Yes, we must take the yoke of Christ, but his yoke is not heavy. He is no tyrant; cruel and mean. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. 

When we come to Christ with our burdens, our stresses and our hardships, when we submit to him and take his yoke upon us, we find a peace and rest that we have never know, that we can find nowhere else. 

Lord, I take your yoke upon me. Too often I walk in rebellion and self-centeredness, but today I give myself to you. I give you my stress, my hurt and my burdens, with the confidence that in doing so, I will find your rest. Thank you, Lord, for the peace and rest that only you can give. 

Think and Pray

Do you see the demands of Christ as a burden and hardship? What is it about Christ's calls and demands that are difficult?
Remember that Jesus' commands work to your blessing - in the long run.

Giving Up the Glory - January 27 Readings: Matthew 11:1-19, Luke 7:18-35

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's reading is brief - the Matthew and Luke readings are virtually identical. They speak of the ebb and flow of the ministries of John and Jesus. John steps back in humility to prepare the way of the Lord, fading into the background so Jesus can take his place as the focus of the nation. His humility and kingdom focus are a great example. 

Devotional - Giving Up the Glory

John the Baptist was unique - Jesus called him the greatest of men. He boldly proclaimed truth calling people to repentance, without regard to people's worldly status. He denied himself to serve the purposes of God. Eventually, he gave his life for his bold proclamation.

But in Matthew 11:1-15, we see an interesting transition taking place. John the Baptist was the biggest news in Israel for a long time. People were coming from all over to hear him preach and to be baptized for the repentance of sins. Some loved him while others hated him. But John was the man!
Everyone was talking about him.

Then, one day, along came his cousin Jesus, whom he likely knew since childhood. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan and God sent a dove to express his unlimited pleasure on his Son. Then change started happening. After Jesus disappeared for 40 days into the wilderness, he went into Galilee with power and authority to proclaim the Kingdom of God. And suddenly a new name was on everyone's lips. "Have you heard about this Jesus guy?" Jesus' ministry was on the rise and John began to fade into the background. Several of Jesus' disciples had been followers of John, but now they had a new master.

And that never once seemed to bother John. Here, in Matthew 11, he questions Jesus to make sure he was the One. In another place, he said, "He must increase and I must decrease." John had it all figured out - it's about Jesus. He rejoiced that people who used to follow him now followed Jesus. He gladly faded into oblivion so that the name of Jesus could be exalted.

What an example for all of us. I am so prone to make everything about me. My needs. My goals. My reputation. My comfort. Me...me...me. But John showed us what life is all about - making Jesus known. God called him to a crucial role - introducing Israel to Jesus. He "prepared the way of the Lord." Is that not what each of us is called to do - to prepare the way of Jesus Christ into this world?

Sioux City needs Jesus Christ - badly! Iowa needs Jesus. The USA needs Jesus. Senegal needs Jesus, and so does every nation on earth. But this comfortable, conservative Midwestern town i live in is enslaved to sin and broken by it. And we have the words of Christ that we need to share.

I need to live a John the Baptist kind of life. No, I'm not going to eat locusts and honey or baptize in the wilderness. But I do need to let my ego fade, my dreams and ambitions slide as I life to make Jesus know. That is our life goal. "Prepare the way of the Lord" into our neighborhoods, into our workplaces, into this city.

Lord, may I be like John the Baptist, who humbled himself and devoted himself to your work. May I never make it about me, but may it always be about your Son! And may I, like John, help to prepare the way of the Lord into every sinful place in Siouxland.

Think and Pray

Are you willing to be diminished that Jesus may be exalted?
Do you have the John the Baptist atttitude? "Jesus must increase no matter what, even if it costs me, whatever it costs me."

No Fear - January 26 Readings: Matthew 10

Today’s Readings

Context

Jesus reveals much of his leadership philosophy in Matthew 10. In the opening verses he names his inner circle, the "Twelve" who would form the leadership core of his work (well, 11 of them would!). Volumes could be written about Jesus as a leader, but a few highlights must suffice here.

• Jesus did not pick the best and the brightest - a serious error according to most leadership gurus. But Jesus chose those who would obey him, and he worked his power through them. His kingdom is ordinary people indwelled by an extraordinary God walking in the power of his Spirit. It's about God's ability, not theirs. Jesus picked Galilean fishermen, tax collectors, and one or two political zealots. 
• He sent them out to do his work, walking in dependence on him. The disciples were significant because their obedience and dependence, not their talent, charisma or any other human factor. 
• He never promised them a rose garden! He let them know that serving him would not be easy. They would be ostracized, ridiculed, and even persecuted. 
• He called his followers to lives of boldness, serving him with confidence. Why fear man, even those who persecute you, when you are serving the God of Heaven? 
• He made it clear that following Jesus was life's highest commitment and that the call to Christ would sometimes divide friends and family. Jesus comes first. 
• Being in God's service is a great privilege and hor. 

Devotional - No Fear

It is one of the most common commands in the New Testament. Just about every time an angel showed up, his first words were some variation of this message. It is a message we need to hear today, in this world of sin, perversion, terror, economic uncertainty, and so many other scary things.

Do not be afraid. Stop living in fear when we serve a God who is bigger than any power, problem, or force that can come against us. In Matthew 10:26, Jesus gives the command to his disciples as he sends them out into the world to minister in his name. That world would hate them, persecute them, and seek to destroy them, but there was nothing for them to be afraid of, Jesus said.

How could he say that? The men that he spoke to would face horrible days in their lives. They would suffer hardship and be martyred for Christ. They had plenty to be afraid of in the future, yet Jesus gave them this odd command. Yet he also gave them some good reasons to avoid fear.

• He assured them that all things would be revealed, that the truth would be made known. Though they would be lied about and falsely accused, the light of God will shine and all things will be shown exactly as they are. Christian friend, there is no injustice that will befall you that God will not make right - in his time. 
• In verse 28 Jesus reminds us that evil people cannot impact anything that matters eternally. They can harm the body, perhaps, but they cannot rob us of God's love, his blessings, or his eternal promises. 
• Speaking of sparrows in verses 29-30, Jesus reminds us that God cares for us. Though all the world come against us and the forces of darkness are arrayed all around us, we are enveloped in the love, the protection, the mighty hand of the sovereign of the universe. We need not be be afraid. 

His conclusion is simple. We must acknowledge Jesus clearly and unequivocally in this world. He is worthy of our devotion and when we trust him we can live without fear.

Father, may I live for the glory of your Son and may there be no fear in my heart because of all you have promised me. 

Think and Pray

What is it that causes you fear? People? The future? Terror?
Remember that Jesus is over all and will see you through. Think and pray through these things that cause you fear and remind yourself of those truths that help us to live without fear. 

A Place for Sinners - January 25 Readings: Matthew 9:8-38

Today’s Readings

Context

We continue reading through Matthew's account of the early Galilean ministry of Jesus Christ, and we continue to see recurrent themes in his presentation of the story of Jesus.

• Hints of the brewing controversy with the Pharisees and religious leaders are seen here, as Jesus offends them by eating with tax collectors and sinners, and as Jesus gives his teaching about new wine and old wineskins. The legalistic religion of the Pharisees cannot handle the work Jesus is doing - his new wine would burst their old brittle wineskins wide open. 
• His amazing ministry of healing and restoration continues with several stories of Jesus doing wonderful works, even raising a young girl who was dead. His power is amazing. 
• His concern for leadership and workers is seen as he calls Matthew to be one of his disciples and as he reminds his hearers that there is a great harvest awaiting the workers that God is preparing. 

These themes continue to be woven together as the story of Jesus continues. 

Devotional - A Place for Sinners

Biff and Beulah were in despair. Their entire family was sick, a sickness they didn't understand, that had held on for months, even years, and just seemed to get worse all the time. Nothing helped. They moved several times to find a climate that might suit them. They changed diets. They exercised. But no matter what they did the sickness in the family just grew worse. 

Biff had grown up in a family that went to the hospital often, but he never really liked it, so he stopped going when he was on his own. Now it seemed that there was no option. One morning he roused his family, got them all dressed up and loaded up the minivan to head to the nearest hospital, hoping to see if something could be done to help them. 

But the moment they arrived at the hospital they knew something was wrong. People stared coldly, turning away from them. Clearly, they were not welcome. Biff went up to the window and told the lady behind the counter that he and his family needed help. She shook her head. "Oh, sir, I'm sorry, but we cannot let you in. At this hospital we value health and you folks are sick. We cannot have sick people like you around all us healthy folks. We can only remain healthy if we keep sick people like you out of our building." 

Biff and Beulah loaded their family back in the minivan and headed out discouraged. If the hospital wouldn't help them get well, where could they go?  

Absurd? Of course. We all know that a hospital is a place for sick people to go so that they can get well. It is not the healthy who need a hospital, but the sick. It would be absurd, contrary to the very purpose of the hospital, for sick people to be disdain or excluded. Nonsense. 

All too often, though, churches engage in the same kind of absurdity as this fictitious hospital. Churches sometimes become retreats for the righteous - places where good people gather to enjoy the presence of other good people while avoiding all those sin-sick people out there in the world. 

Absurd! The church is meant to be a hospital for sinners not a country club for superior saints!

Jesus ran into this attitude from the Pharisees who harassed him because he dined with "sinners." These religious folks misinterpreted God's will, thinking that he was pleased with them because they stayed far away from sinners. They were shocked that Jesus engaged sinners, that he loved and cared for them, and that he involved himself in their lives. Jesus did not back down, but directed a sharp word of rebuke their way, demonstrating the absurdity of their position in Matthew 9:12-13.  

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Later, he said

For I came not to call the righteous but sinners.”

Somehow, a false idea of the church has developed. Christians are not people who have never sinned, or who are better than others, or whose burden of sin is less than other folks. Too often, that may be the image we present. In reality, we are people who have realized we are unworthy sinners, have repented of that sin and trusted our lives to Jesus Christ. The church is the place where people go to find out how God can fix what sin has broken in their lives, to experience the healing power of God's grace. 

And to make sinners feel unwelcome in the church is as absurd as a hospital that only allows the healthy. 

Father, my heart is so sinful that sometimes I forget my sin and think that I am better than others. Forgive me for that. May I have a heart of compassion for sinners as Christ did. 

Think and Pray

Do we make "sinners" feel welcome at church, or do we present the idea that we are above others, that we are superior?
How can the church welcome sinners without spiritual compromise? 

Jesus Wins! January 24 Readings: Matthew 8:18-9:7

Today's Readings

Context:

There are Bible teachers who think that chronological Bible reading is less than helpful; some even oppose it. We embark today on a section that demonstrates why those critics have a point. It is still helpful to read the Bible in any way, and the way we are doing it is valid, and I believe helpful, but it has its downsides.

Each of the Gospel writers had a purpose. They were not simply chronicling the life of Christ, but they were making a point. Matthew was showing the authority of Jesus as King, the rightful king in the line of David, Israel's true ruler. He chose certain stories in a certain order based on his purpose and the points he was trying to make. For the next several days we will be reading Matthew 8:18-12:50, which help to set this theme, begun in the genealogy in chapter 1 and carried through every page of the book. Many of these stories were already told in Mark and Luke, and come from Jesus' early Galilean ministry, but Matthew gives them slightly different placement because he is using these stories to make a different point.

As we read through these chapters, we will see several recurrent, even escalating themes.

• The call of Jesus to follow him, the costs of doing so, and the power that Jesus gives to those who follow him. 
• The authority of Jesus over all things - demons, sickness and disease, nature, the Sabbath, and all things in creation. He is King of kings!
• The growing opposition to Jesus, especially from those who refuse to submit to his kingship, culminating in the harsh teaching about the blasphemy of the Spirit. 

Matthew was telling his readers that following Jesus is not easy, but it is glorious.

Devotional - Jesus Wins

The gospel writers never told stories to amaze us, though Jesus' deeds were amazing. They did not seek to entertain us, though the things Jesus did were fascinating. They told the stories of Jesus that they told for specific reasons. Here, Matthew tells us three stories about Jesus, three stories of his glory and power. Each of these stories is told in greater detail in other gospels.

First, Jesus is on a boat in the Sea of Galilee, and a storm blows up that scares the disciples into panic. Remember, these were professional fisherman - they knew when the danger was real. But what was Jesus doing? He was asleep in the bottom of the boat, resting in God's protection over him. When they woke him, he rebuked them for their lack of faith and then he blew their minds. He rebuked the winds and the waves and the storm suddenly ceased and the sea was calm. Jesus spoke and the sea responded.

The next story happened in the Gadarene area on the northeastern shore of the Galilee. There, Jesus encountered two men who were possessed by many demons. After a confrontation, Jesus cast the demons out, sending them into a herd of pigs who ran down into the water and drowned (I will not use the old jokes that the local Hogicide department came to investigate this suey-cide). The confrontation between Jesus and the demons ended in absolute victory - Jesus won and the demons fled.

The final story takes place back in Capernaum, when a man on a stretcher is brought to Jesus, (let down through a roof, as we learn elsewhere). Jesus did something strange before he healed the man, something that offended the religious leaders who were following him and watching him. He told the man that his sins were forgiven. Healing him was one thing, but claiming to forgive his sins was an act of hubris, even of blasphemy. Jesus did not back down, but healed the man and made it clear that he had every right to forgive sin - the Father had given him that authority.

That is what these stories are all about. Matthew was not just telling interesting stories about Jesus, but reminding us of the awesome power and authority of Jesus. He had authority over nature itself, speaking to the storm and making it stop. He had authority over demons, demonstrating full authority to cast them out. He had authority over sickness and disease, telling the lame man to rise up and walk.

But the most important authority of Jesus is the one he lays claim to in Matthew 9:6, the right to forgive sin. He is the one who can remove the burden of sin from the backs of people like you and me.

Whatever it is that you are facing today, whatever your challenges, you can know this, the authority of Jesus Christ extends to whatever is badgering you. He can heal. He can frustrate the schemes and works of the enemy. There is no power on earth that he cannot overcome to accomplish his work. This Jesus we serve - he wins! He is mighty and awesome and has all authority in heaven and on earth.

Most of all, by his death and resurrection, he has authority over sin and death and hell. Your sin cannot destroy you or send you to hell because Jesus has conquered it.

Father, I thank you for Jesus who triumphed over everything - sin, death, hell - and has the authority to deal with every problem I face. 

Think and Pray

What are the struggles and trials that you are facing? Illness? Is the enemy bringing his schemes and attacks against you? Is this world filled with trouble?

Remember that Jesus Christ has all authority over all of those things that trouble you. Trust in him.
Also remember that Jesus is victorious over sin. Seek him and confess sin.

By Beelzebul's Power! January 23 Readings: Mark 3:20-35, Luke 7:36-8:3, 19-21

Today’s Readings

Context

Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote about the same person, and told many of the same stories. In fact, it is believed by many that there was a document circulating in the early church which all three writers relied on for their books. Each was under the power of the Spirit as well. But each also had a different purpose, different theme, different thrust for their gospel. Matthew focused on Jesus as King of the Jews, but Luke, believed to be either a Hellenistic Jew or perhaps even a Gentile, focused on those stories where Jesus reached beyond the narrow circles of Judaism. His genealogy went back to Adam.

In Luke 7:36-8:3 we see two stories that show Jesus' concern and compassion for a group of people that the religious world often forgot, discounted, or disrespected - women. Jesus treated them as people, as co-bearers of the image of God and as people of worth and value. At the end of Luke 7 we have a shocking story of Jesus showing compassion for a woman of low character, someone the religious leaders would uniformly shun. He gave grace and forgiveness to the woman, and a bad case of heartburn to the Pharisees. Then, in Luke 8:1-3 we read acknowledgment of the women who traveled with him and were his friends, his disciples (though not part of the Twelve), and his support.

These are part of a theme in Luke, showing how Jesus moves beyond human boundaries to love and reach those the world rejects.

The very significant story of the unpardonable sin will be dealt with in more detail when we look at it in its setting in Matthew. Suffice it to say that we need not live in fear that our sin are beyond redemption. What sins I've committed Christ can forgive.

Devotional - By Beelzebul's Power

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

I've heard that phrase more than once, spoken to give support to the veracity of rumors that were going around. There must be something to all those rumors. Why would so many people be telling so many stories if it weren't true? Where there's so much smoke swirling around, there has to be some fire somewhere.

But does there? I've tried to start a bonfire and gotten a lot of smoke going, but couldn't really get the blaze to light underneath. There was smoke, but there was no real fire. The adage is not always true.

Look at what happened to Jesus in Mark 3:22. Jesus has grown to a level of popularity that even his family has become bothered by what is going on. They come down from the Nazareth mountains to seaside to try to take him home, calm him down, get him to stop making such a ruckus.

Then the religious leaders came down from Jerusalem to Galilee to confront him. Jesus had been doing nothing but good. He'd been preaching about God's kingdom, healing the sick, casting out demons and even raising the dead, as with the widow's son in Nain. How could anyone criticize him for that? For healing and freeing people from demons?

But the religious leaders, filled with jealousy and fear had a different take. "He is possessed by Beelzebul and by the Prince of demons he casts out demons." They blamed Jesus' work, his work of healing, of love and mercy, his work that was helping so many people, on the power of Satan.

They were seeing a lot of smoke but there was no fire.

Please understand this, my Christian friend. When you are serving God, walking in the fullness of the Spirit and serving Jesus Christ with all your heart, it is still possible to face harsh criticism. No, that's not right. It's more than that. It's expected! It is normal for the enemy to try to undermine the work of God. No matter how pure your heart, how powerful your walk, how sweet your spirit, or how godly your intent, someone will do to you as they did to Jesus Christ.

• They will say what you are doing is wrong. 
• They will say your motives are not pure. 
• They will question your decisions, your purposes, your methods. 
• They will challenge your right to do what you are doing. 

When you are doing the will of God, the Pharisees will call your work demonic. If you need everyone to like you and speak well of you, serving God is not going to work out that well for you! Our duty is to love God and serve him regardless of what anyone else says or does. Jesus did not allow the lies of the religious leaders to derail or discourage him. He expected them and he endured in the service of his Father.

When you serve God, you will be criticized for it, both inside the church and outside. But enduring in Christ is the key to significant service in the kingdom!

Father, may my goal be to hear your amen! May I endure the scorn of men to receive your "well done." 

Think and Pray

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How do you respond when people criticize you? Do you react in anger? Defend yourself? Fall apart? Give up what you are doing?

It is true in the Bible that almost every great servant of God was criticized when he did what God called him to do. How should you respond to criticism in a way that is humble, courageous and faithful to the call of God?

Of Mountains and Molehills - January 22 Readings: Mark 3:1-19, Luke 6:1-16

Today’s Readings

Context

I communicated with a young man today. He wrote a blogpost that has gone viral - it's getting wide circulation and bringing him a lot of praise and a lot of criticism. I've experienced both in my writing career - the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. There is a temptation, when you get some success, to begin to play to the crowd, to seek to replicate your success, to lengthen your fifteen minutes of fame.

In today's readings we see some of the counter-intuitive behavior of Jesus Christ. When he was at the height of his popularity, when thousands were following him, when his name was on the tongues of every person in Israel, he did something strange. He did not capitalize on his fame. He withdrew with his disciples and appointed twelve men to be his inner circle. He realized that building into those men was more important to his lasting success than building his fame.

We also see the mention here of Judas the betrayer. Every leader experiences the heartbreak of one on whom he or she counted turning away, proving unfit or unfaithful to the task. Even Jesus had that happen. Even within his inner circle there was a betrayer.

But from this reading and those ahead we will see the high importance that Jesus put on building his inner circle, on preparing the leadership of the church.

Devotional - Of Mountains and Molehills 

I have no idea whether in heaven we will take the time to "watch the tapes" and review our lives here on earth. Maybe we will, for the sake of rewards and loss of rewards. Maybe it will all be declared under the blood and those memories will simply melt away in the glorious presence of Christ.

But if we can look back on the last 25 years of church life in America when we have heavenly perspective, I am afraid we will be utterly amazed and perhaps a little ashamed at some of the minuscule, insignificant molehills that we turned into Mt. Everest-sized mountains. We made a huge deal over whether or not a church used pianos and organs to sing God's praises or whether the glorification of God was accompanied by guitars and keyboards. Some condemned others as heretics because they used translations of the Bible that did not have thees and thous. We fought over whether the preacher should wear a tie and coat - as if God had put a dress code in the Bible. There are so many things we've fought over, divided over, railed against, and stressed about that simply do not amount to, as we used to say, "a hill of beans." If we look back from glory on these things we are going to wonder why, with our nation collapsing morally and people going to hell by the millions, we played patty cake over things that just didn't matter.

It is another evidence that that church today is way too much like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. That is a dangerous accusation, of course. Social media has "Godwin's law." When two people argue online, someone is eventually going to accuse the other of being a Nazi - it's almost inevitable. But in the church we are more likely to hurl the epithet, "Pharisee." Still, it is uncomfortably true in several ways.

Look at the behavior of the Pharisees in Luke 6:1-11. First, Jesus and his disciples were walking through a grain field on the Sabbath and the disciples plucked and ate a few heads of grain. The Pharisees went apoplectic at this violation of their laws. A man was not supposed to harvest his fields on the Sabbath, but picking a few heads of grain for food as you walked - that was not what God had in mind. The molehill became a mountain. Then, in a synagogue on another Sabbath, there was a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees watched closely to see if Jesus would heal him. Were they rejoicing that a man was set free from his handicap? Did they glory in the mighty power of God? No, they were upset - yes, ANGRY - that Jesus healed a man in a way that didn't follow their rules.

Pharisees cared more about doing things their way than seeing the activity of God. According to verse 11 they were "filled with fury" when Jesus healed this man. Seriously? A man was healed and they were torqued? Why? Because it was about control for them. Do it my way. Follow my rules. Don't change the traditions. They were more concerned about that than seeing the mighty power of God. They had a form of godliness, but not the reality of God.

It is far too easy for us to be distracted from the major issues to focus on hills of beans. Too often we let molehills grow to be mountains when our egos, our desire for control, our rules, or our love of tradition interferes with the work that God is doing.

May we be new wineskins ready to receive the new wine of God's glory, his power and grace! 

Father, lead us and guide us to be whatever you want us to be. May the spirit of Phariseeism be chased far from us. 

Think and Pray

Think of areas of conflict in your own life and in your (our) church. Are they true mountains (true biblical issues) or are they molehills (personal preference, battles for control, power struggles)?

Commit to Christ that you want your life to be free of all traces of Phariseeism.

A Hint of Glory - January 21 Readings: Matthew 8:1-17, Luke 7:1-17

Today’s Readings

Context

After a side-trip into the early chapters of John and an excursion in Matthew and Luke in the wonderful teachings of the Sermon on the Mount (and its cousin, the Sermon on the Plain), we return to the early Galilean ministry of Jesus in today's readings. After years of obscurity, Jesus appeared before John and was baptized, went into the wilderness to be tempted, then under the fullness of the Spirit headed into Galilee to begin his ministry. He proclaimed the good news of the coming kingdom of God and healed many. When he was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth he moved to the northern shore of Galilee, to a small fishing village called Capernaum. He healed and preached and cast out demons, causing no small stir in the sleepy region and throughout the nation of Israel.

Three stories come to the fore here - the story of the leper's healing (likely the same one we've seen in other gospels previously), the story of the healing of the Centurion's daughter (remarkable both because Jesus heals a Gentile and because of the faith the Centurion shows), and the first resurrection story, in which Jesus raises the widow's son in Nain. 

Devotional - A Hint of Glory

I read a story this morning that was both sad and disgusting, the story of a preacher and his family who were killed in a small plane crash. That was the sad part. The disgusting part was the message this false prophet had preached, that the death and resurrection of Jesus was not our "good news" and that we should not waste so much time talking about it. If you read the book of Acts you realize that everything in the early church founded on the message of resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died and then he rose again as Lord of all.

And sometimes, even in his earthly ministry, while he was living his sinless life and earning the righteousness in which he would clothe us for eternity, hints of Jesus's eternal work of glory would break through. One such story is found in Luke 7:11-17, when Jesus happened on a funeral procession in the little village of Nain. The power of the resurrection peeked through for just a moment that day - it was a small hint of the glory that would come!

Here was a woman who had lost everything. She was a widow and had now lost her only son - in that culture it meant she was a woman without hope, without provision, without resource. There was no husband to provide for her and her son, who would have taken care of her had now been taken from her. Life had blown apart and she was bereft, hopeless.

Then, along came Jesus. Jesus said a few strange things, but this was one of the strangest. "Do not weep." Say what? Jesus is telling a woman who has lost everything not to weep? What is the difference there?

The woman was looking at what was, but Jesus was looking at what would be. She was looking at here life's situation as things were, but Jesus could see through the fog and he knew what he was about to do. When he said "Do not weep," the only basis for that was faith in him. He was about to show a hint of the glory he would display in this world that would allow us to know that all is well, that we can in fact trust him and his word. If you factored in what Jesus was about to do, his words made perfect sense, did they not?

He went the bier carrying the young man and the funeral procession stopped. Jesus spoke, and again he said something ridiculous, something impossible. "Arise." It was something when Jesus made the lame walk and the blind see, but this man was dead. Dead. No life. And Jesus was talking to him. Telling him to stand up. Absurd.

Unless you are Jesus. Because Jesus was the best funeral guest ever - even uninvited. The young man sat up and started talking. The dead arise when Jesus speak. Jesus told a mother not to weep about her son's death and he told a dead man to rise up. Then, by his mighty power he made both ridiculous statements reasonable!

Jesus comes to you and to your circumstances and says "Do not worry." Your circumstances tell you to worry and be afraid, but he says, "No!" Jesus says "Rejoice," even when you feel sad, lonely and torn apart. But he sees beyond your circumstances to what he is doing in this world and in your life. And he speaks to those who are dead in sin and says "Arise." He is the one who can raise the dead and bring life. That is why he died and rose again, to bring life to sinners - your family, your friends, your co-workers, the people of Senegal and others around the world. Jesus still raises the dead through the gospel of salvation!

NEVER live life simply looking at the circumstances of this world. Realize that Jesus is here, he is at work. He is doing something bigger than you. He is working all things for God's glory and your good. He will never leave you or forsake you.

That's why they call it walking by faith, and not by sight. 

Father, I thank you that your Son came walking by in my life when I was dead in my sins. He raised me and gave me hope, and life, and a future. Help me always to remember that my circumstances are not the final word in my life, but Jesus' work is!

Think and Pray

Are there circumstances in your life that make you doubt? Cause you pain? Rob you of joy? Make it hard for you to see the work of God?

Are you looking more at the circumstances of life or at the promise of the work of Christ?

Will you live your life on the basis of what Jesus said he is doing and is going to do, or on the basis of what you see in this world? Will you live by faith or by sight? 

Checking My Gauges - January 20 Readings: Luke 6:17-49

Today’s Readings

Context

Did Jesus preach the same sermon twice, with a few tweaks, or did Luke and Matthew just disagree about the details of the same sermon? That's the question that faces us as we look at today's passage in Luke 6. It is clearly a retelling of the Sermon on the Mount, but there is quite a bit that is different. The setting is different - Jesus is on a level place, not a mountain. The message is different. Jesus talks about the poor, not the poor in spirit. He balances his blessings with woes. He intersperses a parable into the sermon. 

Read the Sermon on the Mount out loud. It likely does not take more than 10 or 15 minutes. But it seems that Jesus spoke for much longer than that. We only have a synopsis of his words in Matthew. It is also likely that he repeated these words in subsequent messages. So, what we have here in Luke is a repetition, with variations, of the message of the Sermon on the Mount. It is not a contradictory account of the same message but accounts of two similar messages - one on a mountain and one on a plain. 

Devotional - Checking My Gauges

I'm a gauge-watcher when I'm driving down the road, constantly checking the heat gauge, the battery gauge, and of course, the gas gauge. If something is going wrong in a car it often shows up in the gauges, especially the temperature gauge. 

Luke 6:45 tells us that we have a gauge that will actively reveal to us the true spiritual condition of our hearts. 

"...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Can't be much more plain that that, can it? My mouth is a gauge that tells what is in my heart. If my mouth is filled with criticism and complaining it is evidence of a heart that is not giving thanks to God for his blessings. A heart of praise will produce a tongue of thanksgiving. A filthy mouth is evidence of a filthy heart. A critical, gossipy, slanderous tongue reveals a selfish heart that lacks the love of Jesus. What is in my heart shows through in my conversation. 

It is not that I need to "watch my tongue" but that I need to guard my heart. I need to focus my heart on Jesus Christ, my mind on his word, and my soul on loving him. When I do this, the abundance of love and joy will bubble up in me and the praise of Jesus will be on my tongue. 

Father, may the praise of your Son be on my lips as his joy and his peace fills my heart. 

Think and Pray

Imagine that I could play a recording of every word you spoke over the last 24 hours, or over the last week. What would it say about you? What conclusions could I draw about your character, your holiness, your relationship with God as I listened to that recording?

Pearls before Swine - January 19 Readings: Matthew 6:19-7:29

Today’s Readings

Context

In one of my favorite movies, Inigo Montoya tells Vizzini that the word he keeps using, "inconceivable," doesn't mean what he thinks it means. Today's reading has some of the most  misunderstood and misapplied scriptures in the Bible. Some of it's teachings do not mean what people seem to think that they mean. 

After dealing with the law and with religion, Jesus in the remainder of the Sermon turns his attention to a series of ten teachings on life in the kingdom of God. The first four deal with financial issues - Storing up treasures in heaven, (6:19-21), a healthy eye (6:22-23), serving two masters (6:24), and living without anxiety (6:25-34). In chapter 7, Jesus gives eight teachings about relating to others and God - Judging (7:1-5), pearls before swine (7:6), asking and receiving (7:7-11), the Golden Rule (7:12), the narrow gate (7:13-14), judging a tree by its fruit (7:15-20), false confidence (7:21-23), and the house on the rock (7:24-27). 

They were amazed at the authority of Jesus when he spoke these things, but through the years the words of Jesus have been taken wrongly. His instruction about judging in 7:1-5 are favorites among those who embrace sin and want no consequences. But, no, that's not what Jesus said. Some have taken Jesus' words about asking and receiving as a blank check for "positive confession" or treating God as some kind of heavenly vending machine. No, Jesus didn't say that. It is important, as always, that we read the words of Jesus carefully, prayerfully, and accurately. 

How? That is more an art than a science, of course, but here are some suggestions. 

• Carefully observe the words of Jesus. For instance. Jesus doesn't tell us never to judge. He tells us to judge ourselves first so that we can accurately and graciously judge others. 
• Compare scripture with scripture. Other verses tell us to inspect fruit and judge righteously. Other passages on prayer make it clear God is no heavenly vending machine. 
• Consult reliable, faithful commentaries to aid in the process. The wisdom of the ages can help here.

Devotional - Pearls before Swine

The words of Jesus in Matthew 7:6 have been used as an insult by many throughout the years. 

Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. 

If someone questions me, argues with me, or insults me, I simply invoke this verse and sanctimoniously dismiss them as dogs unworthy of my holiness or pigs who trample underfoot the pearls of my wisdom - and I use the words of Jesus to do it!

But is that what Jesus meant? Was Jesus telling us to treat people as dogs and pigs, to dismiss them as unworthy of our time and effort? Didn't he just tell us to love our enemies and pray for them? Didn't Jesus tell us to endure suffering for the sake of righteousness? Why would he now tell us to treat people as dogs and pigs? 

Well, in a word, he did not. 

To understand this message from Jesus, we only need to understand four simple things. 

• What is a dog?
• What is holy? 
• What is a pearl?
• What is a pig? 

We think of dogs very differently today than people did back then. The dogs Jesus spoke of were not pets, but predators, pack animals. They were scavengers who ate refuse. When Jesus spoke of what was holy he likely referred to sacrifices offered to God - the meat offered to God in Temple sacrifices. A pearl is a precious stone, a thing of value. Pigs were non-kosher, animals who rolled in filth. 

So, putting this all together (it's a form of Hebrew chiasm - but that's a lesson for another day), there are really two statements here, two lessons we need to learn and remember. 

1. Do not give what is holy (your body, your life, your sexuality, etc) to dogs (that which will devour and attack you. When we give in to our base, fleshly, sinful desires they tend to backfire on us. They turn and attack us, like a pack of dogs. 

Do not give your holy life, your holy body over to the dogs of sin. 

2. Do not give your precious pearls (your passions, your time, your energy, your gifts and talents) to the pigs of profane, carnal, worldly pursuits. We were called to heavenly passions, to love God and not this world, to seek his glory and not the pleasures of this world. 

Do not cast the pearls of your passion and time before the swine of worldliness. 

No, Jesus did not give us this verse to use to bash others, but to call us to live in holiness and spiritual passion. It is inconceivable (sorry, Vizzini) that we would fail to see the truth in this passage, or settle for anything less that than the real truth of this great verse. 

Father, too often I have given to dogs what was meant for you alone - my body as a living sacrifice. I have given my time and my energy to the things of this world. But I want my life to serve your glory.  

Think and Pray

 As you read through the twelve key teachings in this section, there are likely to be two or three which hit home in your life today. Are you living in worry? Struggling to pray in faith? Having relationship issues? Which of these teachings are key issues in your life right now? 

Think and pray through Jesus' teaching on the issues. What does he tell you to do? 

Our Daily Bread - January 18 Readings: Matthew 6:1-18

Today’s Readings

Context

“I’m not a religious, I’m a Christian.”

You’ve probably heard that a million times, and perhaps you’ve said it a few times as well. I’ve preach sermons in which I attempted to make a distinction between dead religion and living faith in Jesus Christ. But reality is that we all practice religion. The word simply means the adherence to the beliefs and duties of a particular faith. The problem we have is not with religion but with dead religion, with religion that goes through the motions.

In this brief section Jesus faces down dead religion. In yesterday's reading he defined how his followers would approach the law. Today, he extends that to how they would approach religious expression - especially in three specific contexts important to Judaism. Jews were required to give alms to the poor, to pray, and to observe certain fasts. The religious leaders did these duties, but they often did them in such a way as to show off to others. They gave their gifts both to the poor and to the Temple publicly so that everyone knew they were giving large amounts. They stood to pray where all could see and prayed so that all would know how eloquent and deep their prayers were. When they fasted they went around moaning, with drawn faces so that all would know that they were observing the ritual.

Their religious deeds were done not to draw closer to God but to impress others. That's why Jesus said they had their reward. They were seeking only to get the applause of men and that is what they received. Why? Because, at the heart, their religion was self-centered. It was about making other people think highly of them. It was about making them feel better, about increasing their power and standing.

There is no reward in that. True religion does two things. First, it glorifies God and exalts his name. Second, it serves others in the name of God. Giving with the right spirit brings glory to God and serves others. Praying does the same. Fasting can draw us near to God. But only if the heart is right. 

NOTE: The Bible is inerrant in its original manuscripts – as it was written. With a science called “textual criticism” we can recreate the original text with a high degree of accuracy. There are a couple of places where there are questions as to what the original text said. You might note that the traditional ending, “Yours is the kingdom and the power and glory forever, Amen” is left out of most modern translations. This bothers some folks. The evidence is that this line was not part of Jesus’ original prayer. It is drawn from other scriptures and may have been added as an ending when this prayer was sung in early church worship, then later added to the text by a scribe. No one knows. But the line, while biblically true, was likely not part of Jesus’ original prayer. To say that it was not original to the text is not to say it is false. 

Devotional - Our Daily Bread

God delivered the people from Egypt (Israel's "salvation" experience) and then took them through the Red Sea into the wilderness. There, God send them a caravan that had 40 years of food and other supplies - everything they would need so that they could survive during their wanderings...right?

Um, uh, no!

That's not how God works. That's how we want him to work but in general that's not how he does it. We want the guarantees. We want endowed chairs. Do you know what that is? That's what colleges get, when they bank a large amount of money and fund a professor off the interest. They make enough money from the investment of money that they know that they will always have the ability to pay that professor. That's what I want. I want the endowed chair of Dave! Enough money to know that there's always going to be enough. A clear path and a map with instructions to guide me every step of the way.

I want the step by step printout of the directions that show me the entire trip before I start the journey. But God tends to give us our directions moment by moment along the way, like the voice on my GPS - just when I need it.

In the Lord's Prayer, that's what Jesus told us to pray for. "Give us this day our daily bread." I want to ask for enough to last me through the rest of my life, but I am authorized to pray for enough to get me through today. It's important to remember that "daily bread" is not just money, not just "stuff." It's strength. It's power. It's encouragement. It's everything.

What happened if the Israelites tried to hoard Manna from day to day? It rotted! You can't live on yesterday's manna. God's mercies are renewed every day and you need to go to him for daily strength, daily encouragement, daily provision, daily joy, daily hope, daily love...daily whatever you need.

I've been in ministry now for much of four decades. In that time, my churches have been within a month of bankruptcy almost that whole time, but we've never crashed. My family? We've never had much savings and the stock market seems to indicate I've going to have to depend on God, not my 401K during our retirement years. But God has been good to me for 58 years, providing my daily bread and some good snacks along the way.

Perhaps I can trust him for everything else!

Father, forgive me for failing to trust you, for demanding more than you offer. I trust in you to provide for me my daily bread. Thank you, Lord. 

Think and Pray

Do you live in faith or in fear?
Do you trust God daily to give you what you need - financially, emotionally, spiritually, physically?

Can you remember times when God has provided for you in his perfect time? Perhaps after you worried and panicked? (I could write a book). Remember those times and renew your faith in God.

Spinning My Wheels - January 17 Readings: Matthew 5:17-48

Today’s Readings

Context

Lawbreaker!

That was the constant accusation being leveled at Jesus Christ. You refuse to obey the law. His followers have often gone astray in two opposite directions. Legalism demands that we continue to keep the law and seek to please God through obedience to it. License says that we have been freed from the law, therefore as Christians we can live as we please, do as we please, and sin with reckless disregard for standards of God’s holiness. One doctrine fails to understand the grace of God and the other his holiness.

But Jesus, in Matthew 5:17-48 made it clear exactly what his relationship to the law would be. He turned the tables on the religionists who were accusing him of breaking the law. In verse 20 he said that in his kingdom, a righteousness like that of the Pharisees was wholly inadequate. That dropped like a bomb in that crowd. He assured them in verses 17-19 that his purpose was to fulfill the law, not to abolish it.  

• Jesus was the only man who kept every aspect of God’s law fully and completely for every day of his life on earth – from birth to death. He was fully righteous in every way.
• Jesus by his death paid for our unrighteousness and rose to offer us his righteousness as a free gift, so that now we who are sinners can be declared righteous in Christ and made righteous in him.
• Jesus empowers us, by his Spirit, to live the righteous lives that we could not live.
• In these verses, he defines a “law” that is vastly higher, deeper, and more difficult to keep than the law of Moses. This law goes to the heart, not just the actions. This law can only be kept by the redeemed empowered by the Spirit.

 After Jesus established his key principle about righteousness in verses 17-20, he gave six examples in verses 21-48.

• In verses 21-26, he showed that avoiding murder was not enough if our hearts were filled with anger and unreconciled grudges.
• In verses 27-30, adultery was expanded to include a lustful heart.
• Laws concerning divorce were reinforced and ratcheted up in verses 31-33.
• Oaths were discussed in verses 33-37, and the intricate system of oaths were rejected for a simple, honest, “yes or no” – say what you mean and mean what you say.
• The famous Law of Retaliation (Lex Talionis) of verses 38-42 was replaced with Jesus’ admonition of meekness, “turn the other cheek.”
• Finally, the strangest command of all came in verses 43-48. “Love your enemies.” Anyone can love friends but Jesus calls us to love those who abuse and mistreat us.

This is spiritual maturity, God’s work at its greatest. Only through the One who fulfilled the law for you can you do it.

Devotional - Spinning My Wheels

Have you ever been stuck in the snow? You spin your tires but all you do is dig a deeper and deeper hole. The same in true if you are in mud in warmer climates. Round and round the tires go, faster and faster, but the car is going nowhere.

Does your life feel like that sometimes? You are working and trying and expending yourself in the service of the Lord, but nothing seems to be happening. There’s no growth, no progress, no results. And most of all, no joy. No spiritual vigor. Christian life is just a hum-drum rigmarole.

There can be many reasons for that, but in my experience there is one that is perhaps the most common, and the source can be found in Matthew 5:44. Love your enemies. In this sinful world we experience abuse, mistreatment, abandonment, cruelty, and all forms of sinful behavior. People hurt us and we tend to hold on to it. We justify it – “if you only knew what he did to me.” We despair – “There is no way I could ever forgive her after what she did.”

But there are no qualifications in this verse. No excuses. No exceptions. Think about this. Jesus died to pay for the sins of the men who held the hammers to nail him to the cross. The men who ridiculed him and spat up him – his death covered their sins. Salvation was available to Pilate, to Caiaphas (some think he later became a believer), to the man who drove the crown of thorns in Jesus’ brow.

But, my friend, you must remember this. Those were not the only enemies for whom Jesus died. You were an enemy of the Savior. Your sins separated you from him and put you on the other team. You chose sides and it was not his! But Jesus still suffered torture and hung and died for you. That was the extent of his love.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

But that love cannot be received unless it is also passed along. It must be shared with other – not just family, friends and those who are kind to you, but your enemies as well. There is nothing more in the spirit of Christ than loving one who has mistreated you. You are never more like Christ than when you pray for and reach out in love to one who has treated you like dirt.

Remember, Jesus did not make a request. He did not give a suggestion. This is a command. And those who disobey, who refuse to forgive and love their enemies are bound in anger and disobedience. They end up stuck in the spiritual muck, spinning their wheels but going nowhere.

As long as I carry my grudges, as long as I am burdened by anger and hate, I will be stuck, bound, hindered from any real spiritual progress.

Father, I thank you that Jesus Christ loved me when I was your enemy, that he gave himself to redeem a sinner like me. I need your grace and strength to pass that love to those who have hurt me, who have made themselves my enemy.

Think and Pray

Is there a person who has deeply injured you, abused you, caused you great pain? Have you forgiven that person through the love and grace of Jesus Christ? Do you pray for him or her? Do you seek ways to bless that person?

Think for a few moments and write out what it might look like if you showed love to that person who has hurt you.